Name refers to a label or designation that sets one person apart from another. But in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible a name is much more than an identifier as it tends to be in our culture. Personal names (and even place names) were formed from words that had their own meaning. Thus, the people of the Sacred Scripture/ Holy Bible were very conscious of the meaning of names. They believed there was a vital connection between the name and the person it identified. A name somehow represented the nature of the person.

This means that the naming of a baby was very important in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. In choosing a name, the parents could reflect the circumstances of the child's birth, their own feelings, their gratitude to God, their hopes and prayers for the child, and their commitment of the child to God. For instance, the name Isaac reflected the 'laughter' of his mother at his birth. - Gen. 21:6 - Esau was named 'hairy' because of his appearance. Jacob was named 'supplanter'  because he grasped his brother Esau's heel. - Gen. 25:25-26 - Moses received his name because he was 'drawn out' of the water. - Ex. 2:10 -

A popular custom of ancient times was to compose names by using the shortened forms of the divine name El or (Je) as the beginning or ending syllable. Examples of this practice are Elisha, which means "God is salvation" Daniel "God is my judge" Jehoiakim "The Lord has established" and Isaiah "The Lord is salvation."

Sometimes very specialized names, directly related to circumstances of the parents, were given to children. The prophet Isaiah was directed to name one of the children Maher-shalal-hash-baz, meaning "speed the spoil, hasten the prey." This name was an allusion to the certain Assyrian invasion of the nation of Judah - Is. 8:3-4 - God directed Hosea, the prophet to go and get marry. He told him to name his first son 'Jezreel' and name the second, a daughter 'Unloved' and the third, a son 'No-People-of-Mine'. All these names referred to God's displeasure with His people. - Hos. 1:2-9 -

The change of name can also be of great importance. Abram's name was changed to Abraham in connection with his new calling to be "a father of many nations' - Gen. 17:5 - God gave Jacob the new name 'Israel' (God strives) because "he struggled with God and with men, and prevailed" - Gen. 32:28, 35:10 - In giving or taking of new names, often a crucial turning point in the person's life has been reached. Apostle Simon was given the name 'Peter' (the Rock) by the Lord Jesus Christ, and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven. - Matt. 16:16-19 - Apostle Saul was renamed Paul, a Greek name that was appropriate for one who was destined to become the great apostle to the Gentiles.

The connection between a name and the reality it signified is nowhere more important than in the names referring to God. The personal name of God revealed to Moses in the burning bush - "I AM who I AM" - conveyed something of His character. - Ex. 3:14 - According to Exodus 34: 5-6, when the Lord "proclaimed the name of the Lord" He added words that described His character. The name of the Lord was virtually synonymous with His presence: "For your wondrous works declare that your name is near" - Ps. 75:1 - To know the name of God is thus to know God Himself - Ps. 91:14 - For this reason, to "take the name of the Lord your God in vain" is an act in anyway that is inconsistent with the profession that He is the Lord God.

The New Testament also emphasized the importance of names and the close relationship between names and what they mean. A striking illustration of this is in the Book of Acts 4:12. In this instance the name is again practically interchangeable with the reality which it represents. Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "Hallowed be Thy name" - Matt. 6:9, Luke 11:2 - Christians were described by the apostle Paul: "The Lord knows those who are his own" and "All who call on the name of the Lord must avoid sin." - 2 Tim. 2:19 -

A true understanding of the exalted Jesus is often connected with a statement about His name. Thus, Jesus has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels. So he is now as far as above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name. - Heb. 1:4 - According to apostle Paul, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.

But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all others names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. - Phil. 2:9-11 -

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -