“Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.”
Nehemiah 12:10 -11
Last time we met the Levites in charge of thanksgiving songs, remembering He is always doing a new thing. Today we see the lineage of one these Levites, Joshua.
First up is Joshua’s son, Joiakim, which means “The LORD raises up” from Yah and qum – to arise, stand up, accomplish, brighter, build, confirm, endure, establish, fulfill, grown, prepared, raised, restore, rouse, strengthen, surely take stand, abide.
We’ve seen this word qum multiple times. But this time, during Advent, rouse and strengthen strike me most from the definition. Those of a more liturgical background continue to tutor me on an insistence in waiting in the darkness. This does not comfort me and I like comfort. Darkness in winter can be hard, and to not deny it or insist on shininess will require rousing strength for many of us.
That things are not as they should be, that it was a weary world that rejoiced when He came and will still be one when He returns, is not hard to see. We can find evidence all over, including our own hearts.
Fortunately, even in this definition, it is the LORD Who raises and rouses. Our job is to keep our eyes open. An extended family member is struggling and in a nursing home, and the last thing I expected was a fellow resident to hold my hand and comfort me the other day. I’d like to think her strengthening me helped her endure as well. Especially as her Bible was on the table beside us and she reminded us both a good Day is coming.
Joiakim’s son, Eliashib, is next, a name we’ve seen in both Ezra 10 and Nehemiah 3. It means “God restores” from el and shub – to turn back, return, bring back, draw, draw back, give an answer, pass away, pay back in full, refresh, refund, repent, restore, make restitution, revoke, turn away, turn back, withdraw.
And here is our prefix “re” once more: to do again. It is easy to identify with words like refresh – to freshen again. But what are we “re-ing” in restitution?
I googled the etymology of this word, and it is from the Latin restitutio, to establish. So, to establish something again is to make restitution. Something must happen to make the relationship right, the law equitable and just, the dignity restored. Exactly what Yah specializes in. And things like turning back and repenting, revoking unjust statutes, paying back in full what is owed, and giving an answer for harm caused are all ways we join Him in this work.
Joiada is Eliashib’s son, also a name from Nehemiah 3. It means “the LORD knows” from Yah and yada – to know, become known, personal knowledge, know intimately, know for certain, well aware, clearly understand, experience, surely teach, bring forth, chosen.
This definition always makes me think of a verse particularly tender to me about knowing and being known:
But now that you know God — or rather are known by God —
how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?
Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Galatians 4:9
Of all the things we might re, or turn back to, forces which hold us captive individually and collectively are the worst. I say this not as someone crushing this principle, but in daily battle with it. People pleasing, gluttony, peace-keeping rather than peace-making, and pride are things to be turning away from. Not to prove my strength, but because I know God and am known by Him. Intimate, personal knowledge of such things failing me and experience surely teaching me of His trustworthiness are reasons to withdraw.
How about you? Any weak and miserable principles you know that you know could enslave you all over again? Collectively as families and communities, churches and His Body globally? May our personal knowledge of being chosen by Him Who knows all be worth anything we have to surrender.
Jonathan is next, a name which means “the LORD has given” from Yah and nathan – give, to commit, entrust, set, wholly, yield.
Our family does a Jesse tree of sorts during Advent every year, talking about significant stories and people from the Bible each day. This year the story of Abraham taking Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him was particularly tender. Talk about wholly yielding what is dear to you, completely entrusting God to fulfill His promise.
Even after walking with Him for years, I often struggle with fully yielding all the things to Him. But instead of beating myself up for where I need to grow, I can remind myself He is the One Who has ultimately given. He yielded His Son to enemy occupied territory. He fully entrusted Himself to humanity as one of us. The God-Man wholly set His life before us as Someone with fingernails tinier than a Q-tip end. Completely vulnerable yet perfectly holy.
Jaddua is our final descendant, seen in Nehemiah 10, too. This name also means knowing, and is another derivative of yada (certain, personal, and intimate knowledge or experience). This third Sunday of Advent, I want to celebrate that because He came, He knows.
He knows, friends. And that is enough.
Because He is Wisdom, come from on high.