BEHOLD THE HAND. BEHOLD THE NAIL.

BEHOLD THE HAND. BEHOLD THE NAIL. When Moses asked what he should tell Israel, God answered with a name. “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” Exodus 3:14 KJV In Hebrew, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. “I AM WHO I AM.” The word Ehyeh comes from the Hebrew verb hayah, meaning to be or to exist. God wasn’t created, and He doesn’t depend on anything outside Himself. He simply is. God then revealed His covenant name. יהוה YHWH Yod, He, Vav, He. “This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Exodus 3:15 KJV YHWH is commonly rendered Yahweh and appears in our English Bibles as LORD in capital letters. The name is connected to being and existence. He is the eternal, self-existent God. There is also a fascinating observation drawn from the ancient pictorial associations of these Hebrew letters. Yod was associated with a hand. He carried the idea of looking or beholding. Vav was associated with a peg or nail. He again points to beholding. These pictures aren’t the literal translation of YHWH, but when placed together, they form a striking picture. Behold the hand. Behold the nail. Now go to Psalm 22. About a thousand years before Calvary, David described an execution that closely resembles crucifixion. “They pierced my hands and my feet.” Psalm 22:16 KJV The surviving Hebrew manuscripts contain an important textual difference at this verse. Some read “like a lion,” while other ancient evidence supports a verb meaning “dug” or “pierced.” The KJV reads “pierced,” and the description fits what happened to Jesus Christ. Psalm 22 continues. “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22:18 KJV John watched that prophecy unfold beneath the cross. “They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots.” John 19:24 KJV After the resurrection, Thomas refused to believe unless he saw the print of the nails in Jesus’ hands. The Greek word John used is hēlos, meaning a nail. Eight days later, Jesus stood before Thomas and said, “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands.” John 20:27 KJV The Greek word translated “behold” is ide. Look. See. Behold. Behold My hands. Zechariah had already written, “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” Zechariah 12:10 KJV John brought that prophecy directly to Calvary. “They shall look on him whom they pierced.” John 19:37 KJV John also connects Jesus directly to the name revealed in Exodus. “Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58 KJV The Greek words are egō eimi. I AM. Jesus didn’t say, “Before Abraham was, I was.” He said, “I AM.” The Jews immediately picked up stones because they understood exactly what He was claiming. Thomas eventually stood before the risen Christ, saw the wounds, and declared, “My Lord and my God.” John 20:28 KJV Exodus reveals the great I AM. Psalm 22 describes the pierced hands and feet. Zechariah tells us they would look upon the One they pierced. John shows us the nails, the wounds, the divine claim of Christ, and Thomas worshipping Him as Lord and God. Then we find that striking picture within the ancient associations of the letters in God’s covenant name. BEHOLD THE HAND. BEHOLD THE NAIL. #MoreJoyMinistries