“[From the tribe of Judah]…son of Mahalalel, of the family of Perez.”
Nehemiah 11:4c NLT
Last time we looked at the next two listed descendants of Attaiah, grateful for what Yah has promised, and how He judges anything which goes against Love. Today we see the final descendant’s name and the family from which they come.
The final name is Mahalalel, whose name means “Praise of God,” from el – God, mighty, strength and mahalel – fame, shine, celebrate, commend, give light, boast, rave, worthy of renown. This name has not been in our previous study of Ezra and Nehemiah, but I adore its implications.
What comes to mind when you think of someone or something worthy of celebrating? Worthy of fame, shining, raving? Is there anything consistently worthy of renown? Anyone who always gives light, we can boast in with steady and true dependability? Humanly speaking, I know not one.
But divinely speaking? There is One.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the Lord, do all these things
Isaiah 45:5-7
This Attaiah, our provincial leader settling in Jerusalem, comes from the family of Perez, who was the son of Judah and Tamar. Do you know this story? It’s straight out of a TV drama, a woman at the mercy of selfish men who rob her of children and a future.
Eventually, Tamar decides to help one man, Judah, face his hypocrisy. She disguises herself, he takes the bait, and she becomes pregnant. Just as he’s about to burn to death his former daughter-in-law for being unwed and with child, she pulls out his personal items, declaring the owner of them is the father. He ends by declaring, “She is more righteous than I…”
What a fascinating family lineage to be celebrating in our own verses. And what an interesting name for their son. Perez comes from parats – to break through, break down, destroy, employ violence, urge. Yes, it seems his parents understood these things. We do, too.
Because of His mercy, what is broken down can emerge brilliant in a break through. What has been brutalized through physical, emotional, or verbal violence, can be remade in His power. What is not of His Spirit can be destroyed at the urging of a fresh movement, new wineskins, hope.
We get to imagine brighter days, not just in eternity, but in the Kingdom that is here, now. We can embrace our promised suffering while we cling to the right to experience His joy in the thick of it. We can experience personal breakthrough as well as corporate revival. We can destroy what is evil in His sight as we work toward Shalom that all may benefit.
Nothing is beyond His mercy and everything we touch with His Spirit’s power is to be the Praise of God. Amen. Let it be.