“[From the priests…Adaiah]…the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel…”
Nehemiah 11:12c -13a
Last time we saw three more of Adaiah’s descendants, grateful Yah remembers, strengthens, and has interposed His precious blood. Today we see the final two descendants, along with an associate.
Our first descendant is Pashhur, a name we have seen in Ezra 10 and Nehemiah 10. Its root word is pashach – to tear into pieces. It’s used in Lamentations 3:11, a chapter I had to reread to understand why the author was feeling so targeted by God. I like how The Message version describes that He led the author into deep darkness, turned him into skin and bones, shackles on his feet and wrists, the butt of all jokes, prayers to heaven blocked, and how
He’s a prowling bear tracking me down,
a lion in hiding ready to pounce.
He knocked me from the path and ripped me to pieces.
When he finished, there was nothing left of me.
He took out his bow and arrows
and used me for target practice.”
(Lam. 3:10-12)
Whoa. And, what? What God is this?
I won’t pretend to know all the answers to the suffering questions, but just this week I quoted to my son a friend who, when she shares the difficulties in her life story, has heard more than once, “How can you still believe in God after all that?”
Her reply? “How could I not? There were times when He was all I had.”
Yes. Whatever the circumstances behind these painful acts, the author comes to know God in such intimacy through it. We like to rush to verses 22-24, but it takes 1-20 to appreciate them. It takes,
“I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom…”
Before we can rejoice with him that,
“…there’s one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.”
Whether He’s allowing us to be sifted as wheat, or the suffering of this world refine us, we can hang onto hope because His compassions will never fail, new every morning.
Our final descendant listed in Adaiah’s lineage is Malkijah, a name we’ve also seen before. It means “My King is Yah” from Yah and melek – king, royal; from malak – to become king/queen, to reign, consult, ascend to throne, induct into royalty.
Again, this assumption that something will reign – in our hearts, our allegiance, our finances, time, and attention. It’s not whether we have a king, something or someone to whom we bow down, but whether it is Yah. And that one stings.
It seems to take a daily, hourly practice of bowing, opening our hands, saying, again, “You’re right, that’s not best for me. I agree. Take it, Lord.” Then messing up again and repeating the process. Hopefully as we go, it becomes quicker, our hearts less satisfied with anything less than My King is Yah.
We now get into some associates who worked with our priest Adaiah, the first one listed as Amashai. The name likely comes from amas – to carry a load, bears our burden, borne, lift, took their load, burdensome.
Glad for the reminder today that
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.”
(Psalm 68:19)
There’s some stuff we just can’t bear on our own, and a lot we weren’t meant to carry. While we cannot care about everything, and our job is not to fix the world, we can be grateful that what He calls us to, He will help us bear. And God-In-Person said, “I am gentle and lowly in heart…My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
If you’re like me, it becomes too much to bear when we’re taking it ten steps down the road. While intention, long range vision, and wisdom all consider the long view, obedience is always in the moment. Let’s take one step at a time with our Burden-bearing Savior.
Amashai’s father is Azarel, a name we saw back in Ezra 10. It means “God has Helped” from el and azar – to help, ally, further, restrains, supporting, protect or aid. When looking up all usages of this word in His Word, I was particularly struck by Psalm 118:13.
“I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God’s my strength, he’s also my song,
and now he’s my salvation.”
Verse 13-14 (MSG)
That God restrains in our journeys through this world, protecting us from evil, forever helping Christ be formed in us is worth a Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord, God has Helped.