When Mary called Jesus to come in for supper, the name she used was “Yeshua”, the Aramaic for of the name “Joshua”, which was later translated to Greek, then Latin , into the English “Jesus”. As Christians we mostly forget that the baby Jesus was named for the prophet and leader Joshua, by instruction from the angel Gabriel to Mary: “Don’t be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him “Jesus” (Yeshua). (Luke 1:31)

Jesus’ name was so important that Joseph was also told: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name “Jesus” because he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Both Mary and Joseph agreed and so it was that the Savior was named for Joshua, who brought the people of Israel into the Promised Land. It was Moses who successfully brought them out of Egypt, but Joshua who brought them in to their inheritance. Joshua ushered in the Hebrew people and settled them in the land. He supervised the distribution of the land and gave shares to each tribe and family.

In John 14 Jesus says to his disciples as he is about to face the cross: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My father’s house has many rooms, if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” In our modern lives it is God whom we first meet in Scripture and in church, but the one who draws us into God’s Kingdom is His son Jesus.

As Joshua went into the Promised Land to clear a place for the Hebrew people to live in peace and harmony, so Jesus’ Holy Spirit comes into believers to enable them to inherit eternal life and live with his Father on earth and in heaven.

Mary and Joseph’s boy is our “Joshua”. By accepting the cross, Jesus gave us access to the Kingdom of God, an inheritance that we didn’t earn but that God chose to give, and Jesus agreed to deliver. Long before Jesus was born God made clear His intentions through His prophets: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

The angels on Christmas night attested to that wonderful love that would bring great joy for everyone: “A Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) When Mary called Jesus to come in for supper, she was calling the one who would bring Salvation to you and to me.

Love in Him,

Prue