What's In A Name?

What's In A Name?

"Let us exalt His name together" - Psalm 34:3

Names mean a great deal to us. You only have to observe a young couple deliberating over the name of a newborn. The thought (and hopefully the prayer) that goes into such a decision shows the importance of our name. However, though we value our names today, it's nothing in comparison to what names meant in Hebrew culture - particularly in the Old Testament, but also in the New. In those days, enshrined within any name was meaning. When you gave a child a name, it meant something - it could even mean something regarding revelation. We might say it could mean something 'prophetically'. A given name could actually be a blessing upon a child's life or, for that matter, a curse.

We see this frequently within Scripture: names have inherent meaning in the word of God. Many names have positive or affirming meanings. Take the very first man, God called him 'Adam'. In Hebrew, 'Adam' means 'earth', speaking of how he came about, and reminding us all that in the beginning God created. Later, God changed the name of the patriarch 'Abram', which means 'exalted' or 'high father', to 'Abraham' - and that little addition changed the meaning to 'father of many'. The converse is also true: names can have negative connotations. There are several examples we could give, but one that stands out to me is Eli's daughter-in-law who we read of in 1 Samuel 4: 'She named the child Ichabod, saying, 'The glory has departed from Israel!' because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband'. 'Ichabod', meaning 'the glory has departed' - such meaning and revelation in a name, rebuking a nation who were estranged from their covenant God.

However, when it comes to Divine names, this principle of meaning and revelation applies all the more, because the names of God have great instruction for us. Indeed, there is a dual revelation in most of the names of God. First of all, there is a revelation concerning the character of God Himself. When we find a name of God, He is telling us something about His personality and His nature - but that's not where it ends. There is not only a revelation about God Himself, but about His provision for us and His relation toward us in the covenant that we have with Him. So there is something for us to learn in God's name. As the little chorus says: 'Every name that He bears is a blessing He shares'. I want you to remember that as we consider 'The Wonder Of His Name' in our next Bible study series...

[Follow with us through 'The Wonder Of His Name' in coming weeks...]