ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Monite Me 29, 2023

Jeshurun: Israel's Nickname

SESULUNI, KO E HINGOA FAKATENETENE ‘O ‘ISILELI 

DEUTERONOMY 32:15

"BUT JESHURUN GREW FAT, AND KICKED; YOU GREW FAT, STOUT, AND SLEEK; THEN HE FORSOOK GOD WHO MADE HIM AND SCOFFED AT THE ROCK OF HIS SALVATION."

TEUTALONOME 32:15

Ka ‘i he sino leva ‘a Sesuluni, pea ne ‘aka ; Kuo ke sino, kuo ke nga‘eke, kuo ke putoputa!– Pea ne toki li‘aki ‘a e ‘Otua na‘e ngaohi ia, ‘O ne va‘inga‘aki hono makatu‘u fakamo‘ui‘anga.

Giving the name "Jeshurun" to Israel is like nicknaming an NFL linebacker "Tiny." The name derives from yashar, which means "straight" or "upright." Israel may have been many things, but upright? No, not in their moral resumé. In fact, in this verse, Jeshurun acts not upright but downright bad. Like an overweight and unruly calf, they kick at their owner. Forsake God. Scoff at the Rock of their salvation. In the three other occurrences of the name, Jeshurun has nothing to do with Israel's uprightness and everything to do with the rightness of the true Yashar-God himself (Deut. 33:5, 26; Isa. 44:2).

Doesn't Jeshurun sum up our entire existence as God's gifted people? We are holy (as a gift from the Holy God); we are righteous (as a gift from our righteous Savior); we are beloved (as a gift from our loving Father); we are upright (as a gift from our upright Lord). Our lives are "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). Who we are, and who we are named, is reflected 100 percent in who he is and what he gives us by grace. We too are Jeshurun because we are Christ's people.

O Lord, who made us and helps us, praise be to you, for all we have is from your hand of mercy.