Summary Lesson 35: “A Mission of Saving”

Jehovah is His name. Salvation is what He provides. Jehovah means “I Am.” In Hebrew, the expression is so sacred that it is not repeated; Hebrew does not have an “I am.” The shortened version of Jehovah is “Jeho.” Connected to “shua.” The abbreviation of “salvation” it is pronounced Jeho-shua. By the time Jeho-shua was transliterated into Greek, Latin and English, it became pronounced as Jesus. He is the “I AM” who “saves.”

The word Hosanna comes from two Hebrew words. The first part “Ho” is a derived, shortened version of the unmentionable name of the Lord, “Jehovah.” The second part refers to salvation. In other words, “Hosanna” is a happy acclaim of “The Lord who saves” or “Salvation is of the Lord!” Hosanna is a praise much like Hallelujah, which literally means “Praise the Lord.” “Hallel” is “praise” and “Ya” is another abbreviated form of Jehovah.

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On one occasion, a professor of religion went to the Western (wailing) Wall, microphone in hand, and began asking religious Jews why they thought they were chosen. One responded, “We are chosen to suffer.” Later, the professor, in making a point about the Savior’s suffering, said, “No one is chosen to suffer other than the Lord.” Yet, the difficulties, calamities, and sufferings of the Jews will ultimately bring them closer to the Lord who covenanted to remember and save His people. Sufferings bring us closer to Him and those having the highest responsibilities of serving Him often suffer greatly. They learn about “sinking to new heights.”

You may reflect on the “sea and storm stories” in the scriptures and see the meanings and lessons for us, as they have a common “saving” connection. In the Old Testament, Noah was saved by the Lord, Enoch was saved by the Lord, and Jonah was saved by the Lord and he says that clearly in chapter 2, verse 9, “Salvation is of the Lord.”

In the New Testament, the Apostles on the Sea of Galilee were saved by the Lord. The saving nature of Jesus’ mission is reflected in his personality. He even had a nickname for Simon Bar Jonah. It was, Peter, a name denoting rock, “Rocky!” Maybe Simon’s physique was like a rock. Later the “rock” would sink, (rocks do that!) and Jesus, the Rock of Salvation, would save him.

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi in a terrible storm was saved by the Lord. Apparently, the lesson is, when “sinking,” remember, we will be saved by the Lord These examples are an interesting study in contrasts, opposites, poetry and literary style. They are a testimony with one purpose: It is to witness that the Lord saves.