PSALM THIRTY ONE

WHAT IS IN A NAME? 
 
   Until recent years a name was an indication of two things. You
carried a name which indicated the family to which you belonged; you
also carried a name which indicated the character your parents hoped
you would develop. Today, a change has taken place. In the first place,
parents are giving children grotesque names without rhyme nor reason
and in addition, it is now so easy to change your name by deed poll. 
   Bible Names were always given very purposefully. Names were often
changed after conversion or baptism. The Name of God was something very
special - the incommunicable name of God. Jehovah - Lord - Yahweh - He
who is - are often translated in the English simply by the word - Lord.
In other languages the translation is often weaker. 
   The common people of former generations only bore the family name,
and such a name was often derived from a calling or occupation - Knight
(if a poor man was elevated), Smith, Baker, Palmer. When identifying a
person in particular there was in some languages the use of 'ap' = the
son of. A man could therefore be called Smith ap Baker, i.e. he worked
as a smith and was the son of the baker. 
   When we are born again, our names are written in the Book of Life,
and we carry the Name of the Family of God. The OTHER NAMES of God in
the Scriptures are not new names, but a description either of a
characteristic or action of God in a given situation. Thus we have
JEHOVAH JIREH - The Providing God - when God provided a sacrifice in
the place later called Mt. Moriah. JEHOVAH NISSI - The Lord is my
Banner - was given when Moses's hands were held up by Aaron and Hur to
give Israel the victory over Amalek. JEHOVAH SHALOM - The Lord my Peace
- was revealed to Gideon when he saw an angel and God said, "Peace be
unto thee, thou shalt not die. 
   There are more of these names revealed in the Scriptures.  
   In verse three of this psalm the singer prays, "For Thy Name's sake
lead me, and guide me, and pull me out of the net!" We are the family
of God. We bear His name. God will uphold His Name, even when He
chastises you for wrong doing. Jacob of old wrestled to know the Name
of God and his own name was changed. There is a Name of God to meet
every situation in your life. He will be what He will be ....to the
soldier a soldier; to the traveller a traveller; to the fisherman a
fisherman. God can lead, guide, and pull you out, in any circumstance
you may find yourself. He will do it FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE, provided that
you have accepted His invitation, through His Son, to JOIN THE FAMILY
and bear HIS NAME. 



Copyright (c) 1995, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved.



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