What's In a Name?

Last time we talked about the meaning of names. (What Is Your Name?) We finished with Jacob, the deceiver, receiving a new name from God. Just for the record, the Angel could have dislocated Jacob's hip in the first second, but it seems that he let Jacob continue the "fight" until dawn. Then with one touch He disabled Jacob, proving that Jacob's "success" with men was as illusory as his success with the Angel. God had provided the result as He decreed. The name of Israel was to remind Jacob, as well as others of the real power in life comes from God and not our conniving. (Genesis 32)

Others had their names changed by God. We will look at some of them. Here is a link to as comprehensive a list of changed names as I could find is below. (Don't worry, we won't look at all of them...this time.) There are about 41 names. (With a few repeats.)

Not all of them were divine changes, and in fact Daniel and the three guys were changed by Nebuchadunezzar from Yahweh honoring names to names of Nebby's gods. (I am willing to bet that they got changed back after chapter 3 or 4 for sure.) We will omit them in this discussion.

Naomi, "Beautiful," changed her own name to Mara, or "Bitter" in Ruth 1:20. This was not God ordained, but it was "God reversed" later on. What a beautiful story.

Abram and Sarai are the first two names we find to be changed. Abram meant "high father" and Sarai was "My Princess." Genesis 17 finds God changing their names to Abraham and Sarah. "Father of many nations" and "Mother of nations." These were clearly prophetic because they had, at 99 and 90 years of age, had no children.

A guy named Simon is next. Simon means "God has heard," and Jesus changed it to Peter (Cephus), meaning a rock or stone. Again, this "Peter" was the one who quailed before a servant girl and denied that he knew the Lord there times. He is also the one who led the church during the first days in Acts, preaching with boldness and power, even to the extent that his life was in jeopardy. Quite a change was evident there. (John 1:42)

Saul of Tarsus changed his name to Paul. This was not so much of a switch in outlook as one of ministry. Saul, the Jewish name is Paul in Greek. Paul was sent to the Gentiles, so chose to forego his more Jewish identity to aid in reaching the unsaved. At one point he said that he became all things to all men, so that, by all means, he could win some. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

We could also say that it reflected a change that was the reverse of the Old Testament Saul. He was humble and dedicated to the Lord in the beginning, but was deflected by pride and became an avowed enemy of God's plan. The New Testament Saul went the opposite direction. He literally murdered believers in the mistaken belief that he was going "God's work." God changed him and his new name reflected a totally different person.

We find another interesting case in Hosea 1. Hosea had three children and named the second one Lo-Ruhamah, meaning, "No Compassion or not Loved." Hosea's wife was seemingly unfaithful and he may have doubted his paternity of this child. The third one was Lo-Ammi, "Not My People." This sounds like a pretty harsh assessment.

God had told Hosea to marry this woman in order for the Lord to make a statement to Israel. They had "played the harlot" and worshiped other gods and He was now calling them what they had become. But, we will do a little reverse "rest of the story."

It did not end there. Hosea reconciled with his wife, magnanimously forgiving her wandering and as a sign of acceptance, renaming her children. Lo-Ruhamah became Ruhamah "I will have compassion or Loved," and Lo-Ammi, Ammi. "You are the people of the living God." (2:23)

Chapter 3 sums up the touching story of Hosea and Gomer. It also previews the long term and perpetual relationship between Israel and her God. This is another life changing name change.  This was a foretelling of the Lord's forgiveness and that He would accept them forever. 

Yet another name change that resulted from "unfaithfulness," to put it mildly, is David's son, Solomon. (2 Samuel 12:23, 24) Solomon means, "He who has made peace." Surely David and Bathsheba needed that, both in their personal relationship and their relations with the Lord. Nathan was sent by the Lord to rename the baby Jedidiah. This was more of a "second name" as opposed to an absolute change. It means "Loved by the Lord."

That certainly could be applied to all of us. Jim, Jedidiah. That has a nice ring. Put your name in there.

Finally, we come to you and me: God says, "I  will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it." (Revelation 2:17). Most of our examples reflected a change from the old to the new. And to the "overcomer" Jesus promises a new name. Revelation 21:5 quotes God promising to make "all things new." That is not limited to just the new heaven and new earth. (Just)

It is also reflective of what He has already done in our hearts and lives. What's in a name? What is your new name?