Promise Land Ministry

What Does the Name Joshua Mean?

    You might just be thrilled to know what this name means ! First let's go back in history a little bit. The letter "J" began to have a "g" sound about half way through the 17th century. Noah Webster comments, "This letter has been added to the English alphabet in modern days; the letter i being written formerly in words where j is now used. It seems to have had the sound of  y  in many words as it still has in the German." 1828 American Dictionary

   The name Joshua is spelled Iofhua and Ioshua in the original 1611 KJV.

   The first part of the name Joshua, "Jo", is seen in many other names in the Scriptures, like John, Joel, Joab, Jonathan, Joshaphat, Joseph, Josedech, Joche-bed, Jorim, Jonadab, etc. , and the list goes on and on. But why so much? Could it be, because it was special? In Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary under the word "ALLELUIAH" we discovered that the "Io" is a corruption of "Jah".

   The form "JAH" is seen in the King James Bible in Psalm 68:4 as a short form of the great SACRED NAME, as in the word Hallelujah, meaning,  "Praise ye Jah!" Again Noah Webster comments about this word HALLELUIAH, "This word is improperly written with j, in conformity with the Germans and other continental languages, in which j has the sound of y . But to pronounce the word with the English sound of j destroys it's beauty. The like mistake of the sound of j in Jehovah, Jordan, Joseph, has perverted the true pronunciation, which was Yehovah, Yordan, Yoseph. This perversion must now be submitted to, but in Halleluiah it ought not to be tolerated."

   The New King James Version has YAH in Psalm 68:4.

    YAH is a short form of the great SACRED NAME  (YHWH), an extented  form is seen in Elijah's name. In the margin of the King James Bible of 1 Kings 17:1, we see the form Elijahu ! meaning, "my El is YAHUWAH".

    Remember the Saviour cried out "Eli Eli" Matt 27:46,  also in the margin of 1 Kings 18:3 we see the form "Obadiahu" meaning, "Servant of YAHUWAH".

   The great SACRED NAME is proven by the translation, I AM THAT I AM. Notice that I AM is repeated, so also YAH is repeated with WAH in the Sacred Name! In Hebrew the Y and the W can interchange and yet the same meaning is preserved. Example "Dodavah" II Chronicles 20:37 , more proper "Dodawah", means "love of Yah". But which part of this name means YAH? The "wah"  of course!

   So what does the name Joshua mean? It means YAHUWAH's Salvation! Or, YAHUWAH Saviour ( see Matthew 1:21 margin KJV ).

     The Messiah said, "I am come in My Fathers name," John 5:43 

    In Exodus 17:9 margin KJV, it shows that Joshua is called Jesus in the New Testament of Acts 7:45 and Hebrews 4:8.

   This shows that our Saviour while upon this earth was referred to by the name YAHUSHUA ( most know it as Jehoshua Numbers 13:16 ), after all He was a "Yahudi" (commonly recognized today as a Judahite or Jew ). Josephus the Jewish historian shows how learning the Greek language was discouraged in Palastine. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XX  chapter 11  par.2)

   Even the Bible shows how Greeks were dispised by the Jews ( see Acts 21:22)

   The point here being made is that, our Saviour was not called by a Greek-Latin name while upon this earth, the changes came in later by men's hands ( see Malachi 3:6 ; Hebrews 13:8 ) No! there is not two or three or many names "under heaven" given unto men whereby we must be saved.

   Peter declared, "Neither is there salvation in any other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

   What a wonderful meaning in the name "Joshua"!

   The Germans, the Greeks, the Romans, the Spanish, the Britains, the Africans, are all "under heaven"!

   Will you, dear reader, love the only name "under heaven" given to men for salvation? We are living in the closing scenes of this earths history, when "we must be saved." Acts 4:12

   In view of these things, let us not be as today's preachers, and theologians, who will admit that, yes, these things are true. But, their response is usually, "What is that to us? see thou to that?" In other words, they say, "So what, who gives a  hoot?"

   In order to appreciate truth a born again process must begin.

   Let us be wise like the martyrs during the Reformation, or like YAHUSHUA Himself, who came to fulfill the types in the law and the prophets. He said, "I am the truth." (John 14:6) YAHUSHUA left His comfortable life in a splendid palace, to come and live among humanity, become the Passover Lamb that would free us from the plague of death, and from the house of bondage. Who came to set us free from sin and error. YAHUSHUA gave a hoot. Lets be like Him, and give a hoot too! 

   Will you receive the love of this truth that you might be saved? 2 Thessalonians 2:10  If you will, just let Him know by a thankful prayer. May the blessings of truth be yours.