From: AliSavMuh7

 

 

Now that I have explained why YHWH is referred to as Israel’s Redeemer in the Hebrew bible, I will now explain why He is referred to as Israel’s Savior. As you begin to read the verses I have provided below, it will become clear that the title of “Savior” as it applies to YHWH in the Hebrew bible has nothing to do with God coming into the world to save people from their sins.

 

 

Exodus 14:

30 On that day, YHWH saved Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore

 

Numbers 10:

9 “When you go to wage war in your Land against an enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound short blasts of the trumpets, and you shall be recalled before YHWH, your God, and you shall be saved from your foes.

 

Deuteronomy 20:

4 For YHWH, your God, is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you with your enemies, to save you.”

 

 

Throughout the Torah, YHWH is described as a God Who saves His people from the hand of their oppressors and enemies. There were times when He would fight for His people, as He did when the Egyptians were chasing the Hebrews through the sea, and there were times when He used human instruments to save His people from the hand of their enemies. In the book of Nehemiah, reference is made to these “saviors” that YHWH sent to His people.

 

 

Nehemiah 9:

27 So You delivered them into the hands of their enemies and they afflicted them. But at the time of their affliction they would cry out to You and you would hear from Heaven; and in Your abundant compassion You would send them saviors who would save them from the hand of their enemies.

 

 

Among these “saviors” whom God used as His instruments to save His people were Gideon (Judg. 6:14, 36 & 7:7), Saul (1 Sam. 7:8, 9:16, & 14:23), David (2 Sam. 3:18), & Jehoash (2 Ki. 13:5).

 

 

Judges 6:

14 Then YHWH turned to him and said, “Go with this strength of yours and you shall save Israel from the grip of Midian. Behold I have sent you!”

36 Gideon said to God, “If You wish to save Israel through my hand, as You spoke…

 

Judges 7:

7 YHWH said to Gideon, “Through the three hundred men who lap shall I save you and I shall deliver Midian into your hand – and let all the [other] people leave, each to his place.”

 

1 Samuel 7:

8 The Children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not be silent from crying out on our behalf to YHWH, our God, that He save us from the hands of the Philistines.”

 

1 Samuel 9:

16 At this time tomorrow I will send a man to you from the land of Benjamin; you shall anoint him to be ruler over My people Israel and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines - for I have seen the [distress] of My people, since its cry has come before Me."

 

1 Samuel 14:

23 So YHWH saved Israel on that day and the battle passed by Beth-aven.

 

2 Samuel 3:

18 so now do it! For YHWH has said to David, ‘By the hand of My servant David shall I save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.”

 

2 Kings 13:

5 So YHWH supplied Israel with a savior and they escaped from under the rule of Aram; the Children of Israel dwelt securely in their homes as they had in the past.

 

1 Samuel 4:

3 The people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “Why did YHWH smite us today before the Philistines? Let us take with us from Shiloh the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH that He may come in our midst and save us from the hands of our enemies!”

 

2 Kings 19

19 So now, YHWH, our God, save us please from his hand, then all the kingdoms of the world shall know that You alone are YHWH, God.”

34 And I shall protect this city, to save it, for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.

 

 

 

As I mentioned before, there were times when YHWH would fight for His people and save them from the hand of their enemies. An example of this can be found in 32^nd chapter of the second book of Chronicles. For a detailed account of how YHWH saved Judah from the hand of Senhacherib, begin reading from verse 1.

 

 

2 Chronicles 32:

22 Thus YHWH saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of everyone, and He guided them all around.

 

 

Many years before the event above took place, David prayed a song of praise for God to save Israel from the nations.

 

 

1 Chronicles 16:

35 Say, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us and deliver us from the nations, to give thanks to Your holy Name, to glory in Your praise.’

 

 

Hundreds of years later, Isaiah encouraged the exiled captives to exercise patience because their God would be coming with revenge against the captors, and he assured them that God would be coming to save them, just as He had promised to Jeremiah.

 

 

Isaiah 35:

4 Say to those of impatient heart, ‘Be strong; do not fear. Behold, your God will come with revenge, with Divine retribution; He will come and save you.’

 

Jeremiah 30:

10 But as for you, do not fear, My servant Jacob, the word of YHWH, and do not be afraid, Israel; for behold, I am saving you from distant places, and your descendants from the land of their captivity, and Jacob will return and be at peace and tranquil, and one will make [him] afraid.

11 For I am with you – the word of YHWH – to save you; for I will bring annihilation upon all the nations among whom I have dispersed you, but upon you I will not bring annihilation; I will chase you with justice, but I will never eliminate you completely.

 

 

In the book of Zechariah, YHWH tells how He will save His people who were exiled and dispersed throughout the nations. At that time, Israel and Judah will be reunited, and the people will live as one nation.

 

 

Zechariah 8:

7 Thus said YHWH, Master of Legions: Behold, I am saving My people from the land of the east and from the land where the sun sets;

8 and I will bring them and they will dwell within Jerusalem. They will be a people unto Me, and I will be a God unto them, in truth and in righteousness.

 

 

After examining all of the evidence from the Hebrew bible, it should be absolutely clear as to Who is and who isn’t Israel’s “Savior” and “Redeemer”.

 

 

Hosea 13:

4 I am YHWH your God since the land of Egypt, and you should not have known any god beside Me, for there is no savior but Me.

 

 

As God says in the passage above, there is no God besides Him, and there is no Savior other than Him. The speaker identified Himself as YHWH, not Jesus. According to Revelation 14:1, God and the “lamb” have two separate and distinct names. God’s Name is YHWH and the “lamb’s” name is Jesus. It was YHWH Who brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, and it is He, their Savior and Redeemer, Who they should continue to worship.

 

 

Isaiah 43:

11 “I, only I, am YHWH, and there is no deliverer aside from Me.

12 I have foretold and brought salvation and informed you; there was no strange [god] in your midst. You are My witnesses – the word of YHWH – and I am God.

 

 

I say again: The Christian doctrine of salvation is alien to the doctrine of salvation described in the Hebrew bible. No Christian can argue with that fact.