What’s in a Name?
By Grant Gaines
The most popular boy and girl names over the past decade are pretty standard. You have your John’s, Michael’s, Thomas’s, Alex’s, Meredith’s, and Elizabeth’s. But now, possibly more than ever, there is a rise in unique names such as “Rhythm,” “Agape”, “Lark,” “Tymber” and “Anthem” just to name a few1. You even have something as distinctive and creative as “La-a” (pronounced “La-Dash-a”). I’m still not sure how I feel about the grammar of that name but the parents certainly get creativity points for that one!
So what’s in a name? Why do parents name their kids certain things? Well the answer to that question depends on what century you lived in.
In our modern day and age a child’s name is determined by a wide variety of factors. You might name your child after a beloved friend or role model. Your child’s name may not have taken very much thought as his or her name is a family named passed down through the generations like a bowl of gravy gets passed down at Thanksgiving. Or maybe you named your child a certain name simply because you like the way it sounds when the name rolled off your tongue. The name may look and sound great but the name itself really has no meaning at all. All the name really is is just a grouping of letters that become your identity.
On the flip side of the coin, way back in the biblical times a name actually had meaning. It didn’t matter how long it was, what it sounded like, or how hard it would be to pronounce when the teacher was calling roll in elementary school, the name a child received had a special meaning.
Pretty cool, right? Well, I suppose your level of excitement towards your name would really depend on what mood your parents were in when your mom gave birth.
You have some great names in the Old Testament such as Elijah which means “My God is Yahweh.” David which means “Beloved.” Joshua which means “God is my salvation.” Samuel which means “God hears.” Gabriel which means “Champion of God.” And Jeremiah which means “Raised up or appointed by God.”
But there are also a fair share of children in the Old Testament who weren’t quite as fortunate as Elijah, David, or Joshua. Take Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Isaiah 8:1-4) for example. Right off the bat this poor kid is at a disadvantage because of how long and awkward his name is. But adding insult to injury, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means “Quick to plunder, swift to spoil.” Yikes! Could you imagine your parents, teachers, and friends calling you “quick to plunder, swift to spoil” your entire life? Talk about cruel and unusual punishment!
And while many of these great and sometimes downright mean names have come and gone over the years, there is one name that stands superior to the rest-Jesus. The name “Jesus” itself is simply the Greek form for the Hebrew name “Joshua” which was one of the most common names of Christ’s time. The name Joshua means, “The LORD saves.”
What a fitting name for the God in flesh who came to earth to bear the weight and punishment of our sins and by doing so, saving all who would call upon His name. Talk about living up to your name!
But Christ’s name gets even better because we see the message of Christmas in Matthew 1:23 (NIV) when we read that, “‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him ‘Immanuel’-which means ‘God with us.'” Not only is Christ’s name “The LORD saves” it is also “God with us.” If you put the two together, Jesus’ name is “The LORD who saves is with us.” What a name!
The Lord who forgives us of our sins is in our midst. The Lord who frees us from our addictions is in our hearts. The Lord who rescues us from bad relationships walks among us. The Lord who liberates us from our past failures goes before us. The Lord who releases us from condemnation (Romans 8:1) covers us in the shadow of His wing (Psalms 91:4). The Lord who understands our fears and doubts allows His peace to reside in our souls. And The Lord who delivers us from death, hell, and Satan is ever present in our lives.
What a name! What a Savior! What a Father! What a God!
And what a great opportunity we have this Christmas season not just to celebrate the presents that are neatly wrapped under a glistening Christmas tree but to celebrate Immanuel’s presence in our lives.
In Jesus NAME, amen!
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©Grant Gaines 2013
