What's Your Name?

It is well known that in biblical times, much more so than today, a person's name had a special significance that often described aspects of that person's life. In some cases it described someone's rank in society or the circumstances surrounding his or her conception or birth.


Although it is much less prominent today, at least in the West, we can still find traces of it today, both for good and bad. As an example of the latter, no one wants to be called a Judas or a Benedict Arnold, names synonymous with betrayal (for my non-American readers, Benedict Arnold was a general who betrayed the United States during the American War for Independence by agreeing to surrender West Point to the British Army). On the other hand, a name with an honorable history is often passed down to new generations in order to perpetuate a legacy.



In the Scriptures, we find this dynamic at work constantly. In fact, I believe that it is a subtle motif that can be found throughout the Bible. I hope to show that there are two ways to be given a name in Scripture. On the one hand, I hope to demonstrate that the essense of sin and unbelief is the desire to make a name for one's self, thereby functionally dethroning God and taking divine prerogatives. These individuals are always met with destruction. On the other, those who humbly acknowledge their dependence on God are often honored by him with a name that He gives to them in love.

Attempting to make a name for one's self is ultimately the sin that doomed our first parents, Adam and Eve. The serpent's temptation appealed to the desire to be like God and be the ones who decide what is good and evil.

Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4,5 NKJV)

Sadly, the sinful desire to make for one's self a name and thus sin against God whose name alone is worthy did not stop with Adam and Eve, but continued throughout biblical history. The story of the Tower of Babel is even more explicit:

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:1-4 NKJV)

Of course, we know the rest of story of how God saw this arrogant attempt and stopped it by confusing the languages and scattering mankind all over the face of the earth. Even this however, could not stop Man in his pride from trying to exalt himself and make for himself a name, like those original people did at Babel. Other examples of individuals trying to make a name for themselves also include:



-The king of Babylon (whom some commentators think was a type of Satan in his initial rebellion)

"How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
To the lowest depths of the Pit.

　

- The King of Tyre (who also is thought by some to be a type of the Devil)

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

"Because your heart is lifted up,
And you say, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of gods,
In the midst of the seas,’
Yet you are a man, and not a god,
Though you set your heart as the heart of a god...‘Therefore thus says the Lord God:

"Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,
7 Behold, therefore, I will bring strangers against you,
The most terrible of the nations;
And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom,
And defile your splendor.
8 They shall throw you down into the Pit,
And you shall die the death of the slain
In the midst of the seas (Ezekiel 28:1,2;6-8 NKJV)

　

-Nebuchadnezzar

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

　

-Herod

Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:20-24 NKJV)

　

-The Man of Sin

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NKJV)

　

These examples show that ultimately what lies at the heart of sin and rebellion against the creator God is the desire to take from Him the glory that is due Him, and replace it with a self-styled glory that comes from prideful self-aggrandizement. The only end of this is total, unrelenting, and eternal destruction. In fact, in all the above cited Scriptures, that destruction is always declared and/or carried out.



Contrast this however with a different kind of name; a name given only by grace. This is a name that is not self-given, but rather a name that God Himself gives to His people who turn from making a name for themselves, but rather glory only in God's name and turn away from self-glorying.





-Abraham

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

"Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV)

　

-Jacob

And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:28 NKJV)

　

-David

But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, "Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: "You shall not build Me a house to dwell in. For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar–’"’ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. (1 Chronicles 17:3-10 NKJV)

　

-Zerubabbel

‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:23 NKJV)

　

-Joshua the High Priest

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."

And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head."

So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.  (Zechariah 3:1-5 NKJV)

　

As we come to the New Testament, we find that much the same theme continues. Those who entrust themselves in humble faith and obedience to God are endowed by Him with names and/or precious legacies. Our Lord Jesus Himself was exalted with the name that is above every name because of His obedience to God; even obedience to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-11). Simon was given the name Peter meaning "rock", after his confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, which Jesus said would be the rock upon which His Church is built (Matthew 16:13-20). John was dubbed "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23; 21:7; 20).



As for Christians throughout history and today, the Scriptures are replete with the blessed names and titles given to God's covenant people in both testaments. Christians are called saints (Daniel 7:27; Romans 1:7), children (1 John 3:1), a Kingdom of/and Priests (Exodus 19:6; Revelation 1:6; 5:10). Our Good Shepherd Himself knows His sheep by name (John 10:3). All of these names and more come to God's own people; those who humble themselves before Him and seek not to make a name for themselves, but who seek to make God's name great throughout the earth. These are the ones who pray that God's name would be hallowed (Matthew 6:9). And as we pray and labor for God's name to be made great, He in His greatness and love, bestows upon us with names and titles that no one can take away.