What's In a Name?
Notes
Transcript
What’s in a name? Names and their meanings are interesting, aren’t they? All around us, in every part of life, names are given to things, places, and living creatures, usually to help describe what they are. We may not always understand the etymology of the words used, but most of the time if you go to the trouble of looking it up, you’ll find that the name for something has a meaning that fits the thing bearing the name.
One example that readily comes to my mind is the word “dinosaur.” As you probably know, “dinosaur” means, “terrible lizard,” which describes well the extinct creatures that used to roam the earth! Another descriptive name is the word, “snake,” which means, “to crawl or to creep.” After a while of using a name, we may forget its meaning, and the name is simply a label rather than a description. But many creatures were named by describing them.
We could talk about other things in nature being given names that described their character. Names for rivers, mountains, and all kinds of living creatures are this way. Of course, human names are often chosen for this reason as well. Perhaps you have been given a nickname by friends or coworkers that describes you in some way, either accurately or in caricature. In Western culture today, it may be more common for parents to choose their baby’s name according to family tradition or because of the sound of the name itself, but in many cultures, names have been chosen for babies primarily because of their meaning. Sometimes names were chosen with reference to surrounding circumstances, or to indicate the desires that parents had for their child. The Bible records examples like this.
After Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel, we read in Genesis 4 that Cain murdered his brother, and was exiled by God. After this tragic sequence of events, Eve gave birth to another son, and called his name, “Seth.” His birth was a blessing to grieving parents, and his name means, “substitute,” or “replaced.”
In Genesis, we read how God miraculously gave a child to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. When God promised that Sarah would bear a son, Abraham laughed. God told him to name their son Isaac, which means “laughter.”
In Exodus chapter 2, we read how a Hebrew couple had a son while they lived in Egypt. Baby boys were murdered by the Pharaoh’s orders, and when the boy’s parents couldn’t hide him anymore, they put their 3-month-old boy in a little boat in the bulrushes at the edge of the river. Pharaoh’s daughter found the boy, and adopted him. She called his name “Moses,” which means, “drawn out,” or “saved from the water.”
In 1 Samuel, we read of a young wife named Hannah, who had been unable to bear children. She prayed earnestly at the tabernacle for God to give her a son. When God answered her prayer, she named her son Samuel, which means, “heard of God,” or “asked of God.”
As I said, people in many cultures have done this in the past, and still do today. When my wife and I have welcomed our children into the world, we have chosen their names with attention to the meaning. It is our desire to choose names with meanings that will highlight things that God values, and provide ideals to which our children may aspire as they grow and develop.
With all this being said, it should come as no surprise to us that God places great store by names! There are a few instances recorded in the Bible where God chooses the name of the baby. I have already mentioned Isaac as one example. Another example is John, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, in Luke chapter 1. “John” means, “Jehovah has been gracious.” Considering that this boy John grew up to be known as John the Baptist, the meaning of his name fits very well! He was the prophesied “voice of one crying in the wilderness,” preparing the nation of Israel to hear and receive Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was sent as the ultimate demonstration of God’s great grace to condemned sinners. God’s choice of John’s name very accurately described God’s purpose for John’s life!
Of course, none of these examples of meaningful names can possibly compare with the meanings of the names of God Himself. And since this is December, the month in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is fitting for us to take some time and consider the meanings of the names of the only begotten Son of God. What’s in a name? As we’ll see in a moment, plenty! I hope you’ll stick around as we explore the meanings of the names of Christ.
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Good morning, and welcome to Truth for Today, a weekly radio ministry of Bible Baptist Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. My name is Ethan Custer, and I serve as the assistant under Pastor Mike Custer, the regular host of this broadcast. We at Bible Baptist Church desire to be a spiritual help to you in any way that we can. Our church building is located at 6367 Gateway Drive, on the west edge of Grand Forks. We meet several times each week to worship God, and our highest desire in life is to obey and please the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do. Our source of truth and guide for living is the Authorized King James Bible, the Word of God in the English language. In the Scriptures, God offers solutions for every one of life’s problems! If we can help you in any way, please let us know. We would appreciate that opportunity. I’ll be giving our contact information at the end of the broadcast, so I hope you’ll stick with me.
The names of Jesus Christ are not incidental or commonplace. They have been chosen very carefully by God, because they are full of meaning and significance. We may simply use them as a label to refer to the Lord, and many do. However, God intends His names to be descriptive and instructive for us; they tell us things about God’s character! For this reason, it is a beneficial and blessed exercise to search out and study the names of God, so that we may learn more about Him. That is what we will do this morning with the names of Jesus Christ.
As you may know, the Lord Jesus Christ has many names. This isn’t to be confusing to us. Instead, it is to help reveal His nature to us! You and I use names as a convenient way of indicating a specific person, not as a way of describing their entire nature. But God looks at things differently. He wants us to not only know about Him, but to know Him personally. Since we don’t have the opportunity to sit down with Him and have a physical conversation, He has revealed Himself to us in His Word, the Bible. Part of this revealing is through the names He has given Himself. Those names aren’t chosen because they sound beautiful or look good written out. They have been chosen because they tell us important things about His character and behavior. We don’t have time to explore all the names of Jesus Christ this morning, but I hope that you’ll think with me as we look at a few of them, and that you’ll come away from this time with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the glorious Saviour.
A good place to start in this exercise is in the New Testament, where we find the angel Gabriel appearing separately to Mary and to Joseph, telling them about the coming supernatural birth of the Son of God.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Gabriel made it very clear that this baby was to be named Jesus! He told Joseph the same thing.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
God chose the name of “Jesus” for His only begotten Son. Most people have heard this name. But do you know what it means?
“Jesus” means, “Jehovah is salvation.” “Saviour.” And what a marvelous truth this is! So many people are trusting in their good works or their righteousness to obtain salvation, but the name “Jesus” means something very different! Friend, your religion and good works don’t bring salvation. Jehovah is salvation! Matthew 1:21 is such a blessed verse.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Jehovah is salvation…and He proved it by sending His Son to shed His blood and purchase forgiveness for sinners.
The name we often use in combination with “Jesus” is “Christ.” “Christ” means, “anointed.” He is the anointed one by God! This name corresponds to the Old Testament name, “Messiah.” “Messiah” means “the anointed one.” These two names are from two different languages, but with the same meaning. He is the ONLY one chosen by God to bring us salvation! This truth is shown in something as simple and foundational as His name.
In Isaiah chapter 9, we find the prophet foretelling of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is a familiar Christmastime passage, and it contains several names of Christ. But perhaps you’ve never taken the time to study the meanings of those names. Let’s do that now.
Isaiah 9:1-7 says, “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, When at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, Beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, And as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, And garments rolled in blood; But this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, To order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice From henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
The first name in this passage is found in verse 6. It is “Wonderful.” Some have stated that Christ’s name is “Wonderful Counselor,” and indeed He is a wonderful counselor to us! But in Isaiah 9:6 there is a comma between those two words, indicating that they are separate names. One of Christ’s names is “Wonderful,” which means “a miracle, a marvelous thing.” It is a blessing to meditate on the ways that Christ is a miracle and a marvelous thing to us! Is He a marvelous thing in your life? He is truly wonderful, not just in deed, but in His nature.
The next name recorded in this verse is “Counseller.” A counselor is a person who gives advice. Anyone may give advice, but we usually reserve the label “counselor” for someone who is skilled and qualified in giving advice. No one is skilled or qualified to advise us like God is! The Scriptures are full of His counsel and advice to us, and His counsel meets every need we can have. When you need help and advice, where do you turn? The only begotten Son of God is the best counselor you could ever desire or need. His counsel is always perfect. The fact that He is wonderful—which means a miracle, and a marvelous thing—naturally affects His counsel. Like everything else He does and is, His counsel is miraculous and marvelous!
The next name of Jesus Christ in Isaiah 9:6 is “The mighty God.” You only need to begin to read the Biblical account of His earthly ministry, and you will see the might that He exhibits! He is so mighty, He commands the natural world with His voice, He banishes demons with His commands, and He heals incurable diseases with mere gestures. Are you inclined to think that your problems are unsolvable, or that your sin is unforgivable. If so, you don’t understand that the very name of Jesus Christ is “The mighty God.” He is God of all, and He is mighty! Go to Him for help!
Next, we find the name, “The everlasting Father.” We might ask, “How can the Son of God be named ‘The everlasting Father’?” That is a logical question, and it is one that 1 John 5:7 answers for us.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
God is a three-part being. The term “trinity” has been coined to show this. God is much bigger than our understanding, and for that I am thankful. If He is capable of creating the universe, creating human souls, defeating evil and forgiving sinners of their sin, then it is necessary that He be bigger than our ability to understand! I cannot explain to you how God can be one God, as James 2:19 tells us, and yet He can be three persons. Those are paradoxical ideas to my mind. But God is greater than our brains can comprehend! Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is wonderful, He is the Counseller, He is The mighty God, and He is The everlasting Father.
Everlasting means, “without end.” You and I have seasons of lesser and greater abilities and power. Youth is marked by growing strength and abilities, the middle decades are typically characterized by exercising those abilities, and the final years are marked by diminishing strength and abilities. But Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father. He has always been the Father, and He always will be. He is unlimited.
The last name given in Isaiah 9:6 is, “The Prince of Peace.” What a wonderful name this is! Most people love peace. Some people enjoy conflict, humanity in general thrives on peace, not on strife. Jesus Christ is all-powerful, and He may accomplish whatever destruction and victory that He chooses. But His purpose is not to wield His might as a threat and a club, but to bring peace. He came the first time in peace…to save souls, not destroy them.
Do you have peace in your life? Are you at rest in your heart? You’ll remember than when Christ was born, the angels announced His birth to the lowly shepherds in the hills around Bethlehem. Luke chapter 2 tells us this:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will toward men.
Christ’s coming in the form of a baby in a manger represented God’s intentions toward sinful man. God doesn’t desire to crush us in fury over our sin; He desires to save us in His grace and mercy! Christ’s birth was God’s demonstration of His desired peace with sinners. He sent His Son as a gesture of good will. Jesus Christ is The Prince of Peace. He presides over it, He rules it, He administers it. He didn’t come to give political peace between human governments; He came to bring inner peace in the heart, between sinners and God. Do you have this kind of peace in your heart? Are you at rest in your soul? If you are still in your sins, and you have not come to Jesus Christ in repentance over your sins and faith in Him alone, you do not have what the Prince of Peace has to offer. The peace of God is greater than any circumstances we may encounter. Life is relentlessly chaotic, but God’s peace may rule our hearts, giving rest to our souls. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.
There are two more names that we will look at this morning. The first is found in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
And shall call his name Immanuel.
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Another name of Jesus Christ is “Immanuel.” We probably don’t see that name too often in the USA in 2022, but as I just read in Matthew, it means, “God with us.” This is an amazing thought to consider. God is the Creator in Heaven, and we are sinners on Earth. There is such a gulf between us—in nature, in power, in behavior, and so much more. But when Jesus Christ was born as a baby to a virgin named Mary, God Himself came down from Heaven to be with man…with sinners. What a loving God He is! We are corrupted and polluted by sin, and He would be justified in judging us swiftly. But Christ is the Prince of Peace, and there is only one way for God to bring peace between sinners and Himself, and that was to judge sin by judging the sinless Christ…Immanuel. Friend, you and I don’t have any hope of salvation if Jesus, which means “Jehovah is salvation,” is not also “Immanuel”…God with us. He took human form upon Himself, so that we may take His righteousness upon us through His great gift of salvation. Have you received this gift of salvation? Have you been born again?
The last name of Christ that we will see is found in John 1:29-36, which says, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”
Another name of Christ is, “The Lamb of God.” Beginning in Genesis 4, God required that a lamb be given to Him as a burnt sacrifice. The lamb needed to be healthy, without disease, broken bones, or other blemishes. It was “innocent” and spotless. It “didn’t deserve” to be sacrificed. This kind of lamb is a good representation of Jesus Christ Himself. Christ came to earth, to live as a man, and to one day be nailed to a cross as a convicted criminal. Not only that, but God His own Father judged Him for the sin of all mankind. But Christ never committed sin; He didn’t deserve it! But this is the only way that we could be saved. We have sinned; we deserve judgment. We cannot pay for our own sin except by death. And when we pay by death, there is no hope of Heaven and deliverance! But Christ deserved no punishment, and because of that, He is qualified to give us deliverance. He is the Lamb of God; He takes away the sin of the world. Because of His shed blood, you and I may avoid death and judgment, and we may enjoy Heaven with God for all eternity.
Has the Lamb of God taken away your sin? He died and shed His blood on the cross nearly 2,000 years ago. He bore God’s full punishment for sin. But that doesn’t mean that He is YOUR Saviour. That doesn’t mean that He has given you peace in your heart. Have you agreed with God about the wickedness of your sin, and asked Him to take it from you? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ’s payment ALONE for your salvation? Is Christ your Saviour? If not, you are still in your sins, and still bound for God’s judgment. Your good works cannot save you. Only Christ can save you.
The names of Jesus Christ tell us many wonderful things about Him. And there are many more that we did not explore today! I encourage you to study them on your own. But more urgently, I beg you to settle the matter of your sin with God today. If you have not been born again, you do not yet have a home in Heaven. Your religion and good works cannot save you. No one earns salvation; it is only given by God as a free gift to those who come to Him in humble faith and repentance.
As we’ve seen today, the meanings of God’s names are interesting and often instructive! No matter what your name means, the Bible tells us that the names of God’s children, the saints, are written in His book in Heaven. Is yours there? If it isn’t, seek Him in faith and repentance today!
If you have any questions about this broadcast or about other truths from the Bible, we at Bible Baptist Church would be glad to visit with you! You may contact us in a number of ways. First, you may contact me via email by writing to truthfortoday@bbcgf.org. You may also find our website at www.bbcgf.org. Bible Baptist Church is located at 6367 Gateway Drive in Grand Forks, and we have regular Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening services. You are welcome to attend any of them. If you would rather watch the livestream of our services, or if you would like to watch archives of past services, you may find them on our website as well.
Thank you for listening today! Please tune in again next week at this same time for more truth from God’s Word, on Truth for Today.