“…Seraiah…son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the supervisor of the Temple of God.”
Nehemiah 11:11c
Last time we took a deep dive into two more generations of our our third priest, Seraiah’s, descendants. Today we visit the final two generations and Seraiah’s role among the people remaining in Jerusalem.
We ended with Seraiah’s great-grandfather, Zadok, last time. Today we see Z’s father, Meraioth, whose name comes from marah – bitter, rebellious, contentious, disobedient, provoke. I feel this is a bit of a rough thing to be named after. I know Ruth’s mother-in-law chose the name in her distress, but to have been given the name would be…hard.
But it does make us think about the areas in which we’re bitter and disobedient, provoking others to arguments or rebellious to God and His ways. And when we see the dignity of human lives regularly attacked, we can assume we are moving away from the Way and Kingdom of love and justice.
As if in a study of contrast, Meraioth’s father is Ahitub, which means “my brother is goodness.” The root words are ach (brother) and tub – good things, best things, bounty, fair, glad, prosperity, joy, beauty, welfare; from tob – to be pleasing, good, did well, merry, cheer.
Much more palatable name meaning, yes? I always smile when good things/best things are brought up. In our college years, hubs and I heard a lot about prioritizing the good to say yes to the best from conferences and in sermons. It’s something I still think about and believe, particularly watching Jesus’ life of prioritizing both alone time with His Father and the people in front of Him.
But I think about welfare and bounty, prosperity and beauty a bit differently than I did in those same years. I no longer assume success in the world’s eyes is a given. Not when the Savior I am to follow had more enemies than close friends, and laid down His life for the whole lot of them. Of us.
I’m so much less interested in others thinking our marriage is ideal or we’re a cute couple; I just want to learn to love, become more of who God created me to be for eternity, and help others when times are hard.
As He continues to open my hands, it matters less and less that our kids have the right grades or succeed in sports or are following the perfect path for their ultimate welfare. I just want them to be kind. I want them to love well. I want them to know the tenderness of God when their heart is hurting and the joy in putting others first. I want them to be more broken for suffering than not having a padded bank account. I want them to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
I’m glad Seriah had a descendant with such a name. After all, when we finally get to the end of his relatives, we find he was a supervisor (nagid – chief officer, prince, noble) in the Temple of God (bayith Elohim – House of God Almighty).
Aren’t you happy about that, too? Seriah’s name, if you remember, means Yah persists. From there we have names meaning My Portion is Yah, To Be Righteous, Make Amends, Bitter, and My Brother is Goodness. It seems as though Yah did persist in Seriah’s family. We know He will persist in the family of God.
May we in the House of God Almighty be known for the goodness and beauty of the Gospel by seeking justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God.