What's In a Name?

Shakespeare's Juliet once posed this question: "What is in a name?" She concludes, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Juliet's dilemma centered on dating a boy from the "wrong" family. It may be easy to cast aside a name for romance, but it is not always easy under other circumstances. Today, names are given as based on preference.

But in other times, and other cultures names were given to demonstrate the character of person or the hopes of the parents or the recognition of something significant. For example, as she lay dying, Rachel names her child, Ben-oni, son of my sorrow, but Jacob renames the boy Benjamin, son of my right hand.

What is in a name? It really depends on why the name was given in the first place and on who gave the name. A name may bear no significance at all. It may be devoid of all of its original meaning. A child may grow up wearing a label that was chosen simply for its pleasantness to the ears. Then again, it may tell you everything you need to know about a person.

For that reason, a study of the names of God is a fruitful study. God has revealed some of his invisible attributes through nature, such as, his omnipotence and eternality. However, if we are to truly know God he must reveal more of himself to us because it is beyond human ability to figure God out on our own. God has revealed himself to us through his Word. One of the ways that he reveals himself to mankind in his Word is through his names.

Each name or title reveals a facet of his character, nature, or being. The names help to illuminate our understanding of our Creator and Redeemer. As the various names of God were used for various circumstances, they serve to strength our faith that God is able to meet us in any situation.

More importantly, God reveals a concern for his name and his desire that his name should be treated as holy. The Third Commandment forbids the misuse of God's name. During the Exodus, the Lord told Pharaoh, "But I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Ex. 9:16). Concerning his patience with Israel, the Lord states, "But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it form being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out" (Ezek. 20:22). Even Jesus stressed the importance of God's name when he taught his disciples to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matt. 6:9).

God honors his name because it is synonymous with who he is. I invite you to join us on Wednesday nights (7:00 PM CST) at Monticello where we are studying the names of God. Each mediation is meant to draw us closer to the God who has revealed himself. He is great and greatly to be praised.