“[From the priests…Adaiah]…the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah…”
Nehemiah 11:12b
Last time we dove into the associates who worked on the daily duties of Temple, along with one particular man listed, Adaiah, and his father, Jeroaham, reminding ourselves of God’s compassionate heart. Today we continue on with three more of Adaiah’s descendants.
First up is Pelaliah which means “Yah has interposed.” This is the only occurrence of the name, originating from palal – to intervene, intercede, make judgment favorable, meditate, pray, to entreat, to judge (officially or mentally).
I can appreciate how the assumption in this definition is judgment is inevitable. That we will be judging, even if just mentally, and when judgment is executed, there might be one who intervenes to turn it favorable. In The Divine Conspiracy, Willard points out how the type of judging needed – the saying clearly what a thing is – is quite different from what Jesus told us to avoid in, “Do not judge, lest you be judged.”
His example involved a dentist pointing out a patient’s teeth having cavities, decaying, and the need for intervention or treatment. Quite different from making assumptions about the person with decay, this naming of what a thing is that it might be treated is crucial.
In our walks, we must judge in this way. We collaborate with God in bringing His Kingdom here on earth as we point out what is wrong in order to make right. When we refuse to do this, or do it in such a way that anyone in disagreement is then judged in the condemning way, we likely need to focus on the other part of the definition: meditating on the Word, marinating our mind in Truth, pouring out our anger and bitterness, and praying for anyone involved.
The reason we can do this is our worth is already proven on the cross. He has interposed His precious blood, lives to make intercession for us, and, due to nothing of our own merit, the judgment on High toward us is favorable. We can rest in that.
Pelaliah’s father is Amzi whose name comes from amets. Hold onto your hats, because this definition is long: to be strong, stout, bold, alert, conquered, courageous, of good courage, determined, hardened, made obstinate, made firm, made her strong, increases, mighty, proved strong, raises, summoned, support, confirm, steadfastly minded, establish, fortify, prevail, strengthen self.
Other than hardened and obstinate, which have negative connotations, we can take away much from those synonyms. What would it mean to be bold, fortified, courageous, and mighty in His strength? Saying what needs to be said, but in a tenderness only the Spirit can bring? Being of good courage as we’re summoned to our race, steadfast in purpose, joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer? I think it would mean His Name hallowed, His will done, gratitude for daily bread, and forgiveness dominating our relationships.
Our final descendant today is Zechariah, a name we have seen many times, meaning “Yah has remembered” from Yah and zakar: to call to mind, mindful, confess, remember, recount, account, keep in remembrance.
I’m glad for the reminder of remembering. How does remembering the ways He’s held onto you strengthen your faith? And if you aren’t sure He has yet, could you remind yourself of the times in His Word He promises He will? He is mindful of us, friends. Whatever it is, He sees.
He knows, He brings to mind, He remembers.