“[These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua:]
Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah,
Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah…”
Nehemiah 12:4-5
Last time we revisited some priest and Levite names, grateful Yah is in His abode, and we can rest in Him. Today we continue on with more names.
First up is Iddo – which means “timely.” It’s the same as iddah, meaning menstruation, which is…interesting. It’s from the root adah – to adorn, pass on, advance, deck self, bedeck, take away.
Are you asking yourself what timely has to do with taking away or bedecking oneself? Hits me right in the Ecclesiastes, personally. A time to be born, a time to die, a time to weep and a time to dance. And, if you live long enough, you will probably get a chance to do both extremes at the same time. Weeping about one thing, celebrating another. Fortunately, God calls us to such a life in community.
Ginnethon is next, and this is the only instance of this name in Scripture. It comes from ganan which means “gardener, cover, surround, defend, protect, hedge about.”
I like the image of a gardener doing whatever is necessary to protect her flowers or produce. To surround with a scarecrow, fencing, faux owl, or painted rocks. To defend her seedlings before they are fully grown, and to make sure the storm or critters don’t stop the blooming process.
How much more our Faithful Vinedresser? He Who sows His Word in the soil of hearts?
You ever just type words you know make sense, but they don’t sink deeply? I was writing about seeds and plants and soil and gardening, but haven’t taken the time to be unrushed in nature lately. Then I took a meandering walk with my pup around our neighborhood, and noted berries on a cherry blossom tree, a lone, perfect daisy in our yard, and new growth on our bushes. This is our Father’s world.
Our next priest is Abijah whose name means, “Yah is my father” from ab (father) and Yah. We have seen this name before. I as wrote previously,
“Indeed, there is nothing like knowing the Creator of the Universe is your Father. And I love how ab means father and Jesus called His Heavenly Father Abba, Daddy. Not just a formal title, but an endearing relationship. Not simply one who disciplines, but one who tickles and wrestles, cuddles and soothes. An affectionate, safe, and tender relationship. And we are invited into such a relationship because of what Jesus did.” Praise our Perfect Daddy.
Mijamin is next, a name we’ve also seen before. It’s a form of Minyamin “from the right hand,” which, Biblically speaking, seems to be from where all these other blessings flow. The right hand speaks of authority and power.
Sometimes I need help to see how even the challenges in life come from this loving Daddy, his powerful right hand. The ability to suffer well is rarely up there on my mental list of ways He uses His authority in my life. And yet nothing could be more Biblical.
Moadiah is next which is from Yah and maad – to slip, slide, totter, shake, unsteady, wavering. Yahweh is not described as One wavering or unsteady in Scripture. What do we make of this?
What causes you to waver or slip? Shake your faith or make you feel as if the earth is quaking under you? It’s often in those moments it seems God is tottering, too. But the best part of seasons like these is coming out the other side knowing experientially God was the only thing that never quaked. Our only solid Rock.
Our final name for these verses is Bilgah which means “cheerfulness.” What a lovely way to end our time! It comes from balag – to gleam, smile, flashes forth, comfort, recover strength, desist from grief.
If we’re speaking biblically about how to be cheerful when our friends are mired in grief, we do our best to avoid anything which resembles Job’s friends. If everything is quaking, demanding others desist from their sadness is unkind.
However, genuine comfort and perspective can do wonders to help us lift up our eyes from our circumstances. We recover strength as we live our lives with one another, shouldering burdens, lifting up one another to this powerful Abba of ours.
Together, we can genuinely rejoice in the Lord always.