What’s in a name? Why are names significant? Why does God value them?
Think about some of the names of God and consider the meaning behind them…
El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
Adonai (Lord, Master)
Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
Elohim (God)
Abbah (Father)
If God, our Father, allows that many distinctive names to describe Himself, don’t you think it’s amazing that He has prescribed names for us? Names within the Bible and in Hebrew culture are declarations of destiny and purpose…. sometimes they had positive meanings and sometimes they had negative meanings.
Positive examples include Joshua, whose name means Yahweh is Salvation. Joshua led the Israelites through Jordan and took over the promised land while allotting the twelve tribes within that Promised Land (Joshua 1:9).
A negative example includes Achan, whose name translates to the troublemaker. Achan sinned and through that sin he caused many deaths in the Israelite army (Joshua 7:1).
Several characters within the Bible had names which were prophetic in meaning, but it leaves us in 2019 wondering if our names are prophetic in nature too. If God knew you before you were knit in your mother’s womb, don’t you think that also means he knew your name and exactly what your life impact would be?
Our names mean something now. As in the Bible and Hebrew culture, our names are declarations of destiny and purpose. If God chooses to change our name, as He did with Paul from Saul or Israel from Jacob, then He does that with a declaration of destiny and purpose.
In the next week, consider what your name means. What is the definition according to different cultures? What does your name mean to God? Read Revelation 2:17 to consider the re-naming in Heaven that will occur during the End Times.
~Emily
Iron Porch 