The angel of the Lord told Joseph and Mary to name their son after the great Old Testament military leader, Joshua — the one who led the Israelites to the promised land. I think that’s also a big part of the story behind the name of Jesus.

The author Robert Morgan makes an interesting comparison between the Old Testament Joshua and the New Testament Jesus:

The two men shared a similar task. Joshua followed Moses the Lawgiver and led the people into the future God had planned for them. After the death of Moses, Joshua rose up to do what Moses could not do: lead the Israelites across the Jordan River into victory. The New Testament Joshua came to do what the Law itself could not do and to lead us into eternal life.

Robert Morgan, “He Shall Be Called: 150 Names of Jesus and What They Mean to You”

Morgan goes on to quote these powerful lines from Romans:

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:3-4

God chose the name “Jesus” as a way of pointing us to the spiritual victory He will win through His Son.

We just wrapped up the Christmas season when many people in the world have been thinking about the birth of Jesus. That’s undoubtedly a good thing. But so many of those nativity scenes only tell part of the story. The “silent night / all is calm / all is bright” picture of the birth of Jesus isn’t the full story.

The Old Testament Joshua was a warrior. He led God’s people in battle, led them to victory. And by naming His Son Joshua / Jesus, God is telling us that He is waging war on OUR enemies: the powers of Sin and Death and the devil himself. God is taking a shot at these enemies who have enslaved us.

The name of Jesus is Good News because it declares that God has made a way for us to live in the promised land. He has delivered us from the true enemy of our souls.

Our God is mighty to save.

This, too, is part of the story behind the name.