[the heads of the priestly families]
…of Abijah’s, Zikri;
of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai;
of Bilgah’s, Shammua;
of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan;
Nehemiah 12:17-18
Last time we looked at priestly family names, this time reveling that He sets us apart for His Name and delights in us. Today we continue on with these lineages.
We will begin in verse 17 with Abijah, as we have recently seen the names in verses 15 and 16. Abijah means “Yah is my Father” from Ab and Yah. I like when I get to see how languages play with letters and sounds. According to the internet, in Hebrew
אב = Ab and
אבא = Abba.
Since we read the word right to left, it is simply adding the “a” sound at the end again. And doesn’t Abba sound more familiar to some of us?
It makes me think of how our friends overseas would add a sound like “chick” to names of little ones. So, Amir would be Amirchick. And in my predominantly hispanic class, I hear “ito” added to names. Miguel is Miguelito. It speaks of familiarity and warmth, intimacy and tenderness. Only this time it is God the Father Who receives the diminutive title.
But we intuitively get this, yes? The difference between speaking of Father and Daddy, formal and familiar; saying, “Yes, sir,” and snuggling in a safe lap. Doesn’t make the Creator of the universe any smaller, or less worthy of respect, just more accessible to our minds and in our experience.
And to know Yah is our Father? The ultimate comfort in our often heartbreaking world.
Zikri is up next, a name which comes from zakar – “To remember.” Because we so easily forget, this is a fabulous name.
What is most difficult for you to remember? Mine goes between how He has always taken care of us in the past, and therefore won’t stop in the future – and how comfort from other things cannot compare with the supernatural comfort He willingly provides.
I read Psalm 78 this morning, as Asaph recounts God’s works from the beginning of the nation of Israel. Not remembering was the impetus for sin:
They forgot what he had done,
the wonders he had shown them..
They remembered that God was their Rock,
that God Most High was their Redeemer...
Again and again they put God to the test;
they vexed the Holy One of Israel.
They did not remember his power—
the day he redeemed them from the oppressor…
Psalm 78: 11, 35, 42
Seems one of the best things we can do for one another is help each other remember.
Next we have Miniamin, a name which means “from the right hand” from min and yamin. I had this name in my brain when reading through a Psalm the other day. You might like the image:
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
Psalm 74:11
The psalmist is angry at those who do not fear God and purposely hurt others. In His frustration, he calls on God to get His hands out of His pockets and do something! God, get mad enough to intervene.
Of course we never have to wonder if ours is a God of justice, whether or not He sees. We do, however, have permission to pour out our frustration to Him and ask for the power of His right hand to move in seemingly impossible situations.
Moadiah is next, whose name means “assembly of Yah” from yah and moad – appointed place. I looked up what appoint means: to determine, assign by authority, command. And the assignment in this situation is a place.
You think of that often? How you are in an appointed place? That of all the generations before and could possibly come, you were assigned to this one?
And the truth is, if it’s an assembly of Yah, we communally have been chosen for this generation. Assembled together for His glory. Here to live out our purpose in the time chosen for us.
Piltai is next, a name which comes from palat – “to escape.” An interesting name, as escaping has a completely different meaning than to simply leave. Escape implies an undesirable situation in which we’re not sure we can get out.
I wonder why this would be a name meaning? Perhaps this priestly head’s parents liked the sound of the letters put together. Or maybe they had personally escaped something terrifying, that God had been their intimate deliverer.
How about us? We don’t have to have a dramatic testimony to talk about how we’ve escaped death; we all have. We were once alienated from Him, but we escaped in His salvation. Rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin.
Now we have Bilgah which means “cheerfulness” from balag – to gleam, smile. What a delightful name after some of the other heavy ones!
What makes you smile these days? It is hard out there, it’s February, and people suffer daily. So we have to find cheer on purpose.
I love watching my husband coach our boys in the gym with weights, how they playfully wrestle and joke.
My silly puppy makes me smile daily, and our community overwhelms me at times with their thoughtfulness and humor.
Coffee is my true love and rediscovering the delight of roasted vegetables makes me grin.
When social media is lighthearted and funny and caring, I share with my whole family. And when I get to laugh with my teammates at school about whatever, I’m so grateful.
How about you? May we all find cheer, something that makes our smiles gleam with joy today.
Our next two names we have seen in the past year: Shammua, which comes from our word shama – “to listen with intent to obey.” And Shemaiah – “Yah hears” also from shama.
We’ve talked on here before about how when shama is applied to us as God’s people, it seems to refer to listening so that we might obey. But when it’s in reference to Yahweh, it’s to hear and respond in power.
So…where do you need to hear from His Word and obey? Personally or communally? And in what way are you in need and ought to voice your request to the One Who hears and can do something about it?
Jehonathan is our final priestly head for today, a name which means “the LORD has given” from yah and nathan – give, to commit, entrust, set, wholly, yield.
What has He set before you, before us? Entrusted to us that we will give an account one day to Him about? Reminding myself as well, if He’s given it to us, set it before us in our generation to accomplish, we have everything we need to follow through. He is not unjust, unkind, or uncaring. As we yield, we will find we have all we need.
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’
says the Lord Almighty.”
Zechariah 4:6