Isaiah uses simple symbolisms and metaphors as he reports history in the making as prophecy of the future. The knowledge of his surroundings and history removes the complications many people usually associate with his wonderful literature.

A reflection of some of his meanings can still be seen in Jewish though in this day and age. Here are some Jewish reflections on words that are in most cases, subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) names of the Lord.

"A recurrent theme in (Isaiah’s) writings is the coming of God in His fierce anger to punish Israel and the nations. Yet the divine wrath is but an instrument with which to humble the arrogant and punish the evildoers. Once this anger has accomplished its purpose, God will show His graciousness and mercy to the holy seed that will remain when the work of destructive purification has been fulfilled."

"The Hebrew word for justice is zedek, and indicative of Judaism's attitude is the fact that another form of the same root zedakah, means "charity." For justice must be tempered with mercy and indeed the main attribute of God is His integration of justice and mercy. Yet another Hebrew word derived from the same root is zaddik, which means "righteous." The righteous man is one who is both just and merciful."

"The exercise of mercy is an obligation for all Jews. By this it is meant that they must act with compassion and forgiveness towards all mankind, and perform deeds of charity and kindness. This quality is an essential characteristic of God who is known as Rahum ("Merciful") and, in accordance with the tradition which sets as man's goal the imitation of God: "As He is merciful, so be you merciful." Just as God is bound by His covenant of mercy with His people, so is the Jew bound by specific commandments to act mercifully to the oppressed, the alien, the orphan, the widow, and indeed, every living creature."

"The stress placed upon this quality is evident both in the many charitable institutions existing in Jewish communal life, and in the daily prayers which implore God to deal compassionately even with the undeserving man. Human beings are frail, imperfect creatures constantly open to error, and so they are totally dependent on God's mercy."

". . . God, as depicted by the rabbis, embodies a combination of justice and mercy, of strict judgment and lenient compassion. This combination of justice and mercy in God is represented by the two names of God --- Elohim and YHWH. The former stands for justice and the latter for mercy. Though they may seem contradictory, one actually complements the other and, when there is a conflict between the two, God usually favors mercy."

"Judaism demands of its judges this same balance, and the principle of mercy thus assumes extreme importance in the administration of Jewish law. The prophet Zechariah (7:9) put it: "...execute the judgment and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother."

"Mercy and forgiveness, says the Talmud, are distinguishing characteristics of Abraham and his seed, and these characteristics motivated God to choose Israel as His people."

"Throughout the numerous persecutions and oppressions which the Jews suffered, the Jewish attitude toward Christianity was molded. The Jews viewed Christianity as the contradiction between the high ideals it preached (love, mercy and "turning the other cheek") and the violent anti-Semitism and discrimination it practiced."

"The prophets cried out against hypocrisy and social injustice, "What does the Lord require of thee: only to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8). This is one of many passages which sum up the ethical principles which are at the heart of Jewish religion and which have influenced later religions. (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

There were items named Mercy that had powerful lessons to the ancient Children of Israel. The Mercy Gate (also known as the Gate of Forgiveness and the Gate Beautiful) was to remind Israel that as the goat or lamb "escaped" with the sins of the people to die on its own, outside the Temple, God, in His mercy, forgives, and that is beautiful! The Mercy seat in the Temple was a reminder of God’s mercy as well.

On the words strength and refuge, which are more of the Lord’s names, consider the Cities of refuge which were assigned to give accused protection until their trials could occur and proper Justice and mercy be carried out.

". . . were places where a person who accidentally killed someone could flee to be safe from the vengeance of the dead man's relatives. It is natural that if a man was slain, his relatives would be eager to avenge his blood by killing the murderer, and in their anger might not stop to consider that the murder might have been accidental. Therefore, the Torah designated six cities (which belonged to the Levites) to be places of asylum and safety for the manslayer."

"In addition to these six, the remaining 42 Levitical cities were later also designated as places where a manslayer could seek refuge. But in these cities, he would have to specifically request protection."

"The Torah specifies that the cities of refuge should be located so that from anywhere in the land of Israel a person fleeing could reach a city of refuge with ease. Accordingly, the six cities of refuge were spaced as follows: three on the east bank of the Jordan and three on the west bank; for each group of three, a city in the north, middle and south of the country. In order to further facilitate the escape of a fleeing murderer, road signs had to be put up at all crossroads to show the way to the cities of refuge. Moreover, all roads leading to such cities had to be straight and level, and always kept in good repair." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The concept and name "Feast" is another reference to the Savior. Isaiah’s central purpose was to teach the identity, characteristics and personality of the Savior.

"A feast held in connection with religious acts is called se'udah shel mitzvah and is the duty of every Jew. Whether to celebrate a joyous family occasion such as a wedding, or to honor a holiday by eating festive meals, a se'udah shel mitzvah must be eaten in the spirit of pleasure and enjoyment, blessing and thanksgiving, being particularly careful to avoid overeating."

"The Talmud describes in detail the various modes of conduct to be observed at meals. For example persons should engage in a discussion of Torah during the meal so that they will be "as though they had eaten at the table of God." Furthermore, the table is regarded as a substitute for the altar in the Temple, and therefore, it must be treated with reverence. Before any meal, the hands must be washed pronouncing the appropriate blessing over the washing, after which bread is eaten. The meal is concluded with the Grace after Meals."

"When a meal is eaten for the purpose of honoring a festival or rejoicing in the fulfillment of a commandment, it is considered more than an ordinary meal; it is a se'udah shel mitzvah. Psalm 126, shir ha- ma'alot, is recited before Grace after Meals, and in the Grace itself, there is usually an additional paragraph appropriate to the occasion. Such festive meals include the following:

1) The meals eaten on the Sabbath and festivals, Kiddush over wine is recited before two of the meals of the Sabbath or holiday (evening and morning) and the third meal which is required on the Sabbath and which is known as se'udah shelishit, is often accompanied by a short sermon of Torah. All these meals are characterized by the singing of hymns (zemirot), the presence of two loaves of bread (hallot), and the eating of fish or meat which are considered festive dishes. In addition, each holiday has its own traditional dishes which are served at its festive meals.

2) A melavveh malkah, a festive meal held after the departure of the Sabbath,

3) the Passover seder,

4) the Purim dinner,

5) the meal before the fast of the Day of Atonement (se'udah mafseket),

6) the siyyum, a feast made on the completion of the study of a Talmudic tractate. Such a feast is usually held on the morning of the eve of Passover so that the firstborn can participate (and thereby be exempt from fasting on that day), and

7) the banquet of the hevra kaddisha (the burial brotherhood) held on the Seventh of Adar."

"Joyous family occasions also have various se'udot shel mitzvah connected with them:

1) the circumcision feast,

2) the meal at the ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (pidyon ha-ben),

3) the festive meal celebrating a bar mitzvah,

4) the betrothal and wedding feasts, and

5) the meal on the occasion of dedicating a new home (se'udat hanukkat ha-bayit)." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The word "tears" has many messianic implications. The salt water used for dipping the lettuce and/or parsley at Passover Seder Feast is to remind us of the tears of the Israelites when in bondage. Those tears were to be turned to tears of joy because we were "delivered." Hasidic Jewish scholars teach that tears of joy are commendable.

The understanding of the term "resurrection" is quite lost by most Christians and Jews. In previous discussions we have pointed out that for Jews, the concept of God has diminished since the days of Biblical writings that constantly referred to God in anthropomorphic terminology. Likewise, the concept of life after death in a resurrected state has largely disappeared and when used, it refers mostly to the righteous in a distant future. Resurrection is one of the Lord’s names.

". . . the righteous of all generations will be reunited at the time of the resurrection of the dead during the messianic period. This concept of community and shared fate is referred to often in the Talmud with the terms kelal Yisrael and keneset Yisrael."

"They (Essenes) believed in reward and punishment; in immortality of the soul; but not in physical resurrection."

"Some rabbis believed in resurrection. That is that at a certain point in time God will bring everybody back to life and then the world will be a perfect place and physical life will go on indefinitely. This doctrine poses some obvious difficulties: the body actually decomposes after burial so how can it be reconstituted; furthermore what about overpopulation of the world? Those who believe in resurrection claim that anyway the whole process will be miraculous and the miracle will solve all the problems. Other rabbis however denied physical resurrection entirely and understood the afterlife to be a completely spiritual experience."

"The argument about resurrection lasted well into the Middle Ages, and was one of the reasons for the sharp attacks against Maimonides. Many believed that he denied the doctrine and his views started a controversy that lasted for hundreds of years. In modern times most Jewish theologians do not subscribe to the doctrine of physical resurrection and movements such as Reform Judaism do not consider it to be a necessary belief for the Jew."

"The whole subject of an afterlife is not explicitly stated in the Bible and many scholars are of the opinion that belief in an afterlife was adopted by Jews during the Babylonian exile after the destruction of the First Temple when they came into contact with eastern religions such as Zoroastrianism. Traditional believers claim that there are "hints" to future life in the Torah, such as the verse "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song" (Exodus 15:1). The Hebrew word for "sang" is in the future tense and the sages took this to mean that Moses and the Israelites will sing in the future, that is, in the world to come."

"The Savior being our foundation," refers to him as being the Rock, the Stone, the Chief Corner Stone. Stones were used as symbols of him.

"Precious stones are mentioned in various contexts in the Bible, the most comprehensive list appearing in the description of the hoshen, the breastpiece worn by the high priest. The breast piece was set with 12 precious stones, representing the Tribes of Israel, and although it is difficult to determine the modern names of the stones, it is likely that jasper, sapphire, and amethyst were among them. The stones were arranged in four rows of three, and the third stone of the second row was called yahalom, which means diamond in modern Hebrew. Scholars, however, doubt that diamonds were known in biblical times."

"In Talmudic time, precious stones were used as ornaments by both men and women. The Talmud and Midrash attach magical, medical and psychological influences to precious stones, and throughout rabbinical literature, precious stones are used along with gold and silver as symbols of wealth." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

Even the commandments of God were written on stone to be our foundation, our guide, our measuring device.

"In biblical times weights were for the most part made of stone, hence the Bible refers to weights generally as "stones" (even)." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

In Jesus’ day, he chose Simon the son of Jonah to be the lead Apostle and named him "The Rock," Peter. Remember, Peter sank in the waters of Galilee in order to learn that Jesus was The Rock of Salvation."

". . . And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him . . . wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:29-31)

Isaiah and other prophets wrote about the Lord who "directs our paths." The idea is repeated in Jewish teachings.

"Solomon, the Gaon of Vilna . . . emphasized the study of Torah as the supreme duty of the Jew and the safest path to follow in the search for the truth." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The lesson of letting God direct our paths is sometimes taught in opposite terminology, such as various verses in the Book of Proverbs.

"My son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not . . . restrain thy foot from their path for their feet run to evil . . . Forget not my teaching, but let thy heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace will they add to thee."

The following is a partial list of symbolisms and/or names of the Lord. Each name has one or more prophet’s testimony, historical and prophetic, of the Savior and his mission.

ADVOCATE ALMIGHTY ANCHOR ASHES AXE BANNER BEAUTIFUL BEGGAR BEGOTTEN BELOVED BLOOD BODY BOUGH BRANCH BREAD OF LIFE BREAD BRIDE BRIDEGROOM BRIGHT STAR BRIGHTNESS CAPTAIN CHILD CHRIST CLOTH, NEW CLOTH CORNER STONE COUNSELOR COVER, COVERT CRAFTSMAN (CARPENTER) CREATOR DIVINE SON DOOR MEDIATOR MERCIFUL MERCY MESSENGER

MESSIAH EXEMPLAR FATHER FIRSTBORN FORGIVENESS FOUNDATION FOUNTAIN GLORY GOD GOOD SHEPHERD GOODNESS GRACIOUS GREAT GREATEST HEAD HIDING PLACE HOLY ONE I AM IMMANUEL JEHOVAH JOY JUDGE KEY KING KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS LAMB LAW GIVER LAW LAWYER LEAST LIGHT LIVING WATER LORD LORD OF HOSTS LORD OF THE SABBATH      (SABAOTH)

MASTER MIGHTY MORNING STAR NEW WINE ONLY BEGOTTEN PRINCE RABBI REDEEMER REFUGE RESURRECTION RIVER ROCK ROD SALVATION SAVIOR SERVANT SHADE, SHADOW SHEPHERD SIGHT SON SON OF DAVID SON OF GOD SON OF MAN SPRING STEM STONE STRENGTH SUN TRIED STONE TRUTH WATER WINE WORD

One of the fascinating things in Judaism is the repetitive keeping of customs even long after their meanings have faded. For example, when visiting the Western (Wailing) Wall, you are seeing reminders of ancient Temple worship.

Men are on one side, women on the other. Head covering is used and robes (Talith) are placed on one shoulder and then another while certain words are recited. There is a sash (or "girdle") tied with the bow on one side. Levites wear aprons. Some Jews still remove their shoes when approaching the Wall. Small pieces of paper are placed between the cracks of the old temple wall stones with names written on them, names of people who require special prayers and blessings. There is a minimum of ten who form a prayer circle (Minyan) so that prayers, readings of the scriptures and instructions can be done. Someone is always at hand to assist the person reading or reciting to read with correct intonations and proper clothing and recitation procedures.

Some practices have ceased, even though they were still in use just a hundred years ago. One of those practices is reflected in the thousands of old nails slightly protruding out of the cracks in the wall. An old Rabbi described them as the "sure nails" pounded into the wall to fasten their sins so that people could leave their burdens and get on with life.

Isaiah speaks clearly about this in five powerful verses in his twenty-second chapter. The term "house of David" honors him who purchased "Temple Square" and gathered the materials to build the "House of the Lord." The sealing powers of the Lord are referred to as "he shall open" and "he shall shut." The Lord will be nailed surely, (there is written and archaeological evidence that the Romans nailed in the hands and in the wrists to make the crucifixion stronger). The "Glorious throne of His Father’s House" is that the Lord was willing to take the sins of all mankind upon Himself.

We are blessed in that we can "fasten our sins" upon him. Apparently, in ancient times these sins were symbolically collected, small sins in cups, larger ones in flagons, so that they could be disposed of. Sometimes this was done by placing them on a lamb or goat and letting it escape out the Gate of Mercy (as mentioned, also know as the Gate of Forgiveness and the Gate Beautiful) to die on its own.

"And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 22:21-25)