SECRETS OF THE TRIUNE GOD: "YOW'AB-THE REMNANT BRIDE"

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Yow'ab's life and his relationship with David is indeed highly unusual, raising in itself the question as to the great prophetic meaning of these men. We will begin this consideration with an observation that puzzled me most about him, and has ever since caused me to ask the nagging question - Who is this man Yow'ab? What is it that he represents prophetically?

When the angel came to Mary to proclaim to her the good news that she would bring forth the Messiah, he declared to her the very name of this child - Yahshua (Luke 1:31). Why did Yahweh name Him this? The answer is found when the angel equally came to Joseph, declaring - "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Throughout the Bible, men and women are given names for highly prophetic reasons. Abraham, Sarah, Israel, Saul/Paul, Simon Peter are only a few examples. But in fact, there is not a name in the Bible, or for that matter on the face of the earth, that does not possess a prophetic meaning and significance. That meaning might be bold and outstanding as with Yahshua, or obscure as with some insignificant person living on the street. But everything prophecies at some point (if we had eyes to see).

When it comes to names with outstanding meanings, Yow'ab most certainly stands out among them all. When we examine Yahshua's name, we find that it is broken down into two parts - "Yah" and "shua." Herein is where we find its clear meaning. "Yah" is the shortened form of the name of the Father, or Yahweh. Yah is simply short for Yahweh. Thus the Son of Yahweh has within His name the name of His father. And it is the second part of His name that completes the story of who Yahshua is. "Shua" means "to save" or "savior." Thus we see that in the name of the Son of Yahweh, we find the specific testimony of His purpose as spoken to Joseph - to reveal or provide the salvation of Yahweh. Yahshua is Yahweh in His saving work. Understanding this, let us now turn to our subject character, Yow'ab, and see what his name reveals. I forewarn you - along with his unique relationship with David, this is where I remained puzzled for eight years! You will now see why.

The meaning of Yow'ab is somewhat concealed simply because of the way the translators have handled it. To help understand this, what relationship do you think the names Joshua and Jesus have in common? Both of these names are used in the New Testament. But did you know that in the Greek they are the identical name? Yet the translators translated them as if they were two completely different names. "Joshua" is actually the word "Yahshua," but about 500 years ago the letter "J" came into being and is used to represent the Hebrew "Y." Thus we actually find that the man Joshua in the Old Testament has the same name as the Son of Yahweh, and prophetically even represents Him. Thus, when we read this name Yow'ab, the "Yow" in it might provide you some hint as to the breakdown and meaning of his name.

"Yow'ab," like the name "Yahshua," is equally broken down into two parts - "Yow" and "ab." It does not look to be the case at first because of our pronunciation of these two names, but the translators used the "Yow" with a long "o" vowel sound here in "Yow'ab," in the same way it is used in "Joshua" with a short "o" vowel sound. Thus the first part of our puzzle comes into place when we see that the "Yow" in "Yow'ab" carries the same meaning as the "Ya" in the name of the Son of Yahweh, and that is "Yahweh." Thus Yow'ab's equally carries in it the name of the Father, as did the name of the Son.

The second part of Yow'ab's name is probably quite familiar to the reader as well, but once again because of pronunciation it is equally concealed. The "ab" in "Yow'ab" carries the same meaning as that which we read in the words of Yahshua, as well as other New Testament usages - "And He was saying, 'Abba! Father! All things are possible for You" (Mark 14:36) and "by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15) and "crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (Galatians 4:6). Thus we find that the "ab" in "Yoab" carries the same meaning of the word translated here "Abba," and means basically "father." So putting these two meanings together, even as we did in the name "Yahshua," we find that "Yo-ab" means "Yahweh father." Now for the hard question.

Yahshua is "Yahweh savior," and Yoab is "Yahweh father." If in fact Yahshua is the very representation of Yahweh as Savior, what must we conclude regarding this Yoab whose name tells us that he is Yahweh as Father? Once we begin to examine the life of Yoab, you will begin to understand how this man whom David said was "too difficult" for him (2 Samuel 3:39), so completely represents Yahweh in His Father actions.

You will greatly enjoy this study and find it entirely amazing as Yahweh reveals Himself, His ways, and His plans evidenced through the affairs of man.

PUTTING JOAB TO DEATH

Now that we have reviewed each of these five accounts and drawn some important conclusions, there yet remains the need to take an overall look at this matter of law and mercy. On the day that Yahweh first began to show this man about these truths regarding David and Yoab, I knew there was one problem that yet stood before me. The law/mercy conflict was clearly apparent, with Yoab prevailing; but in the end David asked for the judgment of Yoab, which resulted in his death. So how did the final death of David and Yoab fit in to all of this? Later that morning when the sun began to rise on these truths, I was explaining to my son, Micah, what Yahweh had shown me. But we both recognized this same obvious ceiling or impasse in it all. To him it seemed that the prophetic testimony came to an end at the death of Yoab and could not be considered an ongoing part of the testimony, as in all cases there are limits to the bounds of any prophetic picture. But within I knew this could not be the case, and as we talked, something Micah said (and I cannot remember now what it was) exploded into truth and the answer was wonderfully real and apparent. Before I share this with you, let me share a little about my son. Even since that morning that brought the dawning of my understanding of this entire matter, as Micah and I have talked further, additional truth has been added. I greatly enjoy and very much appreciate my son. He is to me like an obedient Isaac, and I enjoy a father and son relationship much like that revealed in the account of the conversation when Abraham went up to sacrifice Isaac. But this relationship is not something that has not been tested. At the time of this writing my son is 18, and has already hit the hormone rebellion temptation. A few years ago Micah went to a music camp, and from being around all the other youth his age, decided he really did not like his family. Sometime after that, he also went to a seminar that taught on some of the problems that youth deal with, and there realized he needed to change and not follow in that course. But later, he told us that what really changed him was a price he paid that I required of him. Let me share this with you. It is an example of what we have been seeing concerning this matter of law and mercy.

Since Yahweh revealed to this man the truth of the Remnant in 1994, our family government has been to hold all things in common. Thus any money anyone has is for the common good, even as it was in the first Remnant. As Micah got older, he began making money and thinking about getting married some day, and thus wanted to open his own savings account to begin to prepare for that day. By this time I had experienced several disappointments in my intercessions per the Remnant, and was sympathetic to the pain my family had gone through. As one might expect, since my nature and emphasis is more on the law side, I married a girl who is on the mercy side. Thus when Micah wanted to start his own savings, my wife sympathized with this and in the logic of man opened an account in their names.

I went along with this for a while, but finally knew that this would not work in the long run. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and with our family government being that of holding all things in common, no matter how good it sounded, I knew that in time this division would ruin our family. But on the other hand, I also feared that I would drive my son away from me. But as I have said earlier, I have learned to seek to do the will of Yahweh and leave the results to Him, and this I did. I went to Micah and talked with him about this, reviewing our family government and why it exists, and told him that he could no longer regard that money as his alone but for the common good. To my relief, he accepted this. Later, his tie to that account was tested, as it became needed to provide for the family. Frankly, it pained me very greatly to use it, but he released it without recourse or regret.

But most importantly, recently as he shared with someone about rebellion, he related that it was that event that turned his heart from rebellion, and since then Yahweh has given him the heart of his father. Can you imagine the joy this is to me to hear my son say that he has the heart of his father? Oh what joy it is! He is fully persuaded and confident that my input into his life is Yahweh's purpose for him, and that he is to obey. Oh sure, he has his tests; but he has the power to get the victory as well. Why?

Because he paid the price of sacrifice for the reward of obedience. (And may I say here, this price of sacrifice does not apply to rebellion alone, for in paying a similar costly price, I too have obtained the reward over other weaknesses of the flesh). But let us look at this in light of this David/Yoab matter. Was it my wife's mercy to support Micah's separate and governmentally conflicting account that gave him power over rebellion? No, for as with the example of David, mercy alone cannot overcome rebellion, but only encourages it. Rather, it was the fatherly Yoab law work that led to Micah's power over rebellion.

The Yoab work is in fact the only remedy for rebellion. Some today call it "tough love." Call it whatever, but it is the Yahweh Father aspect of the ways of Yahweh and not mercy that always "kills" rebellion. This leads us to this matter at hand. How is it that Yoab must die? One thing that was MOST outstanding in all of this law and mercy, Yoab and David, issue, was that even though David asked Solomon to deal with Yoab in wisdom, and as a result Yoab was killed,

Yoab was not put to death until David died first. What could this mean? Concerning the relationship of the Father and the Son, it is rather obvious that Yahshua was by far the mercy element, whereas the Father is the law element. The mere fact that Yoab is "Yahweh Father" is evidence enough to this, and Yahshua's teachings are very strongly mercy. But how did this work out in the works of Yahweh? How is it that the death of Yahshua mercy precedes the death of Yahweh law?

The standard Christian answer that Yahshua fulfilled the law was not enough. This was too trite and did not address the fact that even now Yahweh Father continues to judge kingdom men who claim the blood of Yahshua. Paul said to the Corinthians - "For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep (i.e., they too were dying, even like rebellious Amasa, Absalom, and Abner). But if we judge ourselves rightly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:29-32). In speaking of Yahweh's relationship with "His people," Hebrews 10:31 tells us that "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." And equally in Hebrews 12:6 we read - "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." No, this trite "under the blood" response of Christianity was no answer. If Yahshua's death put away the Yoab work, the correcting Father work, then how does one explain the verses we just read, along with others? There had to be more, but it was not obvious until Micah spoke. The great answer to this matter lies in that which is required in order for the Yoab Yahweh Father law to no longer be necessary;

and the ONLY way that Yoab law will not be necessary is for man to not transgress any more. When will this happen? Only when men get out of this earthly flesh, when we can be "born from above"! Then we will have the law of Yahweh truly written on our hearts so that we might not sin. Until we put off this flesh that is the seat of sin, the "wretched man" that is at enmity with God and serves Satan, and put on an immortal body with His law written on our hearts, then the one who is "too difficult" for us must and will ALWAYS be there, ALWAYS!

Let us draw a personal contrast here as an example of this. My relationship with Rebekah at the time of this writing is quite simple - I have no contact with her until she is willing for me to be her father. That was the judgment I set forth. When she is willing for me to be her father, then I will be her father. Until then, I give her no affectionate hugs as does a father. I do not tell her that I love her. I do not buy her anything, nor do I give her any counsel. In fact, I neither see her nor talk to her. Christi's obedience to me became the Christ work that allows the rest of the family to see her and communicate with her, but I do not. Because of Rebekah's rejection of me as a father, sadly and painfully my relationship with her is bound. I may want to do all of these things, but I cannot because of her rebellion.

I have told Rebekah - your relation with me affects and even determines my relation with you. It binds me to be someone that I do not even want to be, even someone that you do not want me to be. Paul told the Corinthians - "For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish" (2 Corinthians 12:20). This describes exactly that which Rebekah and Christi have found me to be to them; but I would even add to that which Paul stated here, that it is a way that I wish I did not have to be. I have said many times before that being a real father is the hardest job in the world; for since a man's wife and all of his children which he brings into this world are all in flesh bodies, it is certain he is going to have to be a Yoab at some time. And no one who transgresses likes that one who is "too difficult." There have been many lonely, difficult, painful, and even reproached times when I wish I did not have to be a Yahweh Father. It is much harder to be a Yoab than a David. I have had to stand alone when others criticized and accused me and called me names. No one likes a Yoab in those times. But what is right is right, and a Yahweh Father must do that which is right and leave the results to Yahweh. On the other hand, I greatly rejoice to hug my son and tell him I love and appreciate him. I delight in doing things with him and for him and seeing him prosper and do well. I delight to seek with him the will of the Father for his life and enjoy sharing the things of Yahweh together with him. Though I will always have to reserve the option of that Yoab Yahweh Father relationship with my son because he too is still a flesh man, on many occasions that Yoab is dead and I do not have to deal with him in that way. In fact, if my son never did anything wrong, we could even put old gray headed Yoab (he's been around a long time) in Sheol permanently. And this is precisely the point!

As long as men are in earthly flesh, Yoab must live. But once men enter into immortal bodies that are born from above, and the law of Yahweh is written on their hearts, there is not a single reason for Yoab to be around. We will do only the will of Yahweh - the John message.

So why did David have to die before Yoab could die? Remember, David often lamented over Yoab and even tried to displace him. The answer is because Yahshua is mercy, and He indeed died so that we can be born from above, even as He told Nicodemus.

Yahshua died in order that we can enter into immortality; this is our hope for the death of Yoab law and judgment. But this period in the last 2,000 years has been a long and difficult breach in that purpose, and Yoab has had to remain commander over Yahshua. Now with the hope that the church's 3,000 years will be cut short to 2,000, there is finally the possibility that men will enter into that sinless transgressionless position where that for which Yahshua died will finally be realized. After 2,000 years, Yahshua's death as mercy will make it possible for Yoab to be put to death as well, when a Remnant people enter into immortal bodies.

PUTTING JOAB TO DEATH, PART 2

Undoubtedly the most often noted point in all of these writings is that Yahweh's ways are repeated over and over - "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun." Thus, because of this repetition of Yahweh, we know that what we just learned about Yahshua providing corporately the "death" of mercy that must precede the "death" of law (realizing that neither of which are of course actually alleviated), this same pattern must apply to personal relationships as well. In the example of Micah, I pointed out that because of his attitude and his obedience, the Yoab element "died" in many of my actions toward him. This thus brings up a very important question. If Yoab "died" in our relationship, from the pattern of the ways of Yahweh, there must of necessity have been a David to have died first. Since the law died, insomuch that I am not having to "kill" Micah's wrong deeds, then somewhere mercy first had to have died. Where did this take place?

Once again Micah and I talked about this obvious question, and once again Yahweh gave us insight. In a relationship between a father and his child, when the father is not having to implement the Yoab element (it has "died"), then the death that has taken place first had to take place in the child. The death of "mercy" in the child must first take place before the death of "law" can take place in the father. The son or daughter must first die to their own ill-applied or misplaced mercy (wanting deliverance from their father's requirements) in order for the father to die to his Yoab requirements. As we see here with David and Yoab, David must always die first.

As long as David reigns, Yoab must be ever present to correct his errors. Until the David dies in the child, the Yoab must continue to be the "too difficult" element in their life. Thus the answer for any son or daughter who has a father who is "too difficult" for them is quite clear - if they want the Yoab to die in their father, then they must die first and cease performing those actions that dictate that Yoab.

In Micah's life, his heart has been turned toward me, and to my joy and freedom, Yoab is pretty much dead in me toward him. But in my relationship with both Rebekah and Christi, they "kick against the goads," even as Yahshua declared to Saul. Let us quote that entire statement, as it directly applies to what we are saying here. Yahshua spoke from heaven to Saul as he traveled on the road to Damascus (which prophetically speaks of religious hierarchy, an origin of evil) -"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." This is exactly what children who are rebelling against their parents do. They persecute their parents and put them in great pain and sorrow; but if a father will be a father, a Yahweh Father, a Yoab, then the child will also find the goad always there.

When Yahshua spoke this to Saul, He spoke in a voice from heaven, and a bright shinning light like the sun illumined him. I pray that this writing will be a voice from heaven, a bright shining light like the sun, that illumines both children and parents to what is taking place in their lives in these matters. I pray that this writing will be a voice from heaven, a bright shining light like the sun, that will illumine the eyes of my own daughters and all of those who are misleading them in their darkness and causing pain and grief to their father. But until that repentance comes, I will of necessity continue to be a Yoab, a Yahweh Father, and I will continue to goad, if I must. I am a father.

Every parent should have the resolve to do what is right and not faint in doing that which is necessary, by not letting the Yahweh Father work in their relations with their children "die" until the child "dies." Saul "died" on the road to Damascus, the place of religious authority. He ceased his plans and his ways that were contrary to the authority that was goading him. Even so my Rebekah has traveled on that road, listening to false teachings and even seeking to put to death those truths regarding the Remnant and the command to honor her father and her mother.

Equally, Rebekah's and even Christi's sole answer is to "die" to their own self wills, to die to the cry for mercy, even as my son Micah had to do, and still has to do. Psalm 94:12 says - "Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Yahweh, and teach out of Your Law; that You may grant him relief from the days of adversity." The answer to our children is not to remove the chastening, the law; the answer is for them to "die" to themselves and by doing so to find relief from the days of their adversity and rebellion. Romans 7 tells the same story. Verse one begins with the statement that "the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives," and we read further in this account that the solution to the problem with the law is not that the law die, but that we die! We take up our cross and as with Yahshua we die to self, not doing our own will. This is that which a child must do when they enter into conflict with their parent, even when religious leaders urge them otherwise. The parent is in authority, even when they are wrong (as with Ish-bosheth and Abner), and the child is called to obey "in all things," even as it is written. In doing this, the child thus identifies with Yahshua and dies to their own will - "Father, not My will, but Yours be done." By truly dying, they then cause the Yoab requirement on the part of their parents to "die," liberating both parent and child and granting relief from the days of adversity. If we anticipate that we will enjoy the relief we all so desperately need from the adversity we experience in the flesh by entering into immortal bodies, let us first experience that relief in our relationships between children and parents. If children will not die to themselves, then why should they experience the death of the David that separates them from this earthly flesh and brings us into immortality? We reap what we sow. As we sow in natural relationships, we will reap in heavenly relationships.

This matter of our identification with Yahshua in His death, even to His own will (evidenced in Gethsemane), is so VERY important. If Yahshua's identification with us provided the power to deliver us from sin, how much more does our identification with Him in His death to self - "Father, not my will, but Yours be done" - provide us the power of release from sin? And what more personal an opportunity do children have to live out this example than when they do likewise and can say with Yahshua to their earthly father - "Father, not my will, but yours be done." First the natural and then the spiritual is the principle of life. We reap what we sow; and when we sow obedience, even as Yahshua sowed obedience, then we reap the rewards and benefits Yahshua reaped - resurrection! Both highly significant and remarkably telling, the cross was immediately preceded by Yahshua's cry three times - "Father, not My will, but Yours be done." Let it be understood that the clear evidence and message we see here in the cross is death to one's own will, one's own desires, one's own reactions, one's own reasonings, one's own actions, and embracing His.

And furthermore, it must be pointed out here that not all sorrow is the death spoken of here. My daughters have gone through sorrow and disappointments, and it has actually been some of those times that they cite in order to justify themselves (the David mercy factor that must die). These are also some of the things that my merciful wife points out about them. "Merciful Mavis" is not a name given to her without cause. But the death we speak of here is that which leads to repentance. Paul equally said regarding his own Yoab works in the Corinthian church - "I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were sorrowful to the point of repentance" (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Not all sorrow can be confused with death that leads to repentance.

Finally, even as Rebekah and Christi hold the key to me not being a Yoab to them, equally we hold the key to how Yahweh deals with us. We reap what we sow, the most foundational and relevant principle of all the ways of Yahweh; and if we sow ourselves in death, identifying with Yahshua, no longer doing our own wills, then we reap death to the law. This is a true and effectual principle for all men.