What's in a name? For contemporary Canadian culture probably not all that much. Many families name their children by looking for an unusual or nice-sounding name, with little thought to a specific hidden meaning in the chosen appellative. Business names may be a bit more significant. Market research is often done when choosing business names to ensure that the resulting identifier is acceptable to the majority of people whom the firm may serve.
Ancient Hebrew culture was much more aware of the significance of names. Sometimes, when life changing events took place, names were altered to reflect a new significance.[1] Probably the closest parallel we have to this practice is the use of titles and nicknames. Moose, Lefty, Shorty, Doc, Pastor - these terms reflect aspects of character or function as seen by others (political correctness notwithstanding). Sometimes we like our nicknames; sometimes not so much. Who wants to be called Four-Eyes or Fatso?
In Scripture, when God was about to do something special, He often revealed Himself by Name to His servants. As God was building a covenant with Abram, He revealed Himself as The Lord , Who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees.[2] To Moses, God was the great I AM.[3] When the time was fully ripe to send the Redeemer into the world[4], John tells us He was called The Word.[5] This Biblical practice is all the more significant when we read in the Psalter You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name.[6] This verse intrigues me.[7] What does this Scripture imply for us in the 21st century?
Several commentators see the immediate reference point of this Psalm as the covenant God established with David, culminating in the promise to build an eternal house for David's offspring.[8] This promise, of course, is fulfilled in the coming of Christ, as great David's Greater Son.[9] So often in Scripture, however, secondary fulfillments of God's promises are also implied. Several passages indicate that the Word of God has an eternal permanence about it.[10] I believe this verse is stating that the Lord has placed a special status on His Word, elevating the written revelation to an amazingly exalted position. He has exalted the Word above His name.
Consider God's name. His name is manifold, because no one word in any language is large enough to embrace all the ideas implicit in the character of our Wonderful God. Think of what you know of the names of God. He is The God Who Sees Us,[11]The Lord our Provider,[12]The Lord our Healer,[13] God our Maker,[14] God our Strength, [15]The Great and Powerful God,[16] Lord of all the earth,[17]God my Saviour, [18] God my Father, [19]God of Grace, [20] God of Peace, [21] God of Truth.[22] This is only scratching the surface. A thorough study of God's names could take entire volumes and more. God reveals His character to us through His names.
God shows us His character traits (the old theologians call them God's attributes) through His many names because we have a multiplicity of needs. Sometimes we need to see Him, as Abraham did, as the God who Provides. At times we need to be reminded, like Hagar, that He is the God Who Sees Us - whenever and wherever we are. Perhaps we need a fresh awakening of His Grace, or the soothing Presence of His Peace. Maybe today you need Him in a real way to be your Father. Perhaps you need to cry to Him as your Saviour. He is everything you can need, and so much more.[23]
Now, think on this thought: He has magnified His Word above all His Name. What is this verse trying to say, and what could it mean to us in 2021? Could it be implying that the written Word of God, the Bible, is for us, and for all who read it, everything that God reveals Himself to be for us? I state this cautiously, as I do not want to equate the Bible with God. We do not worship a book - we worship the Author of the Book. At the same time, the Author has expressed that His Word bears the same weight as His character. Indeed, John identifies the Person of Christ as the Word, as already referenced.[24] When God speaks in His Word, because He is Truth Himself, He cannot lie. His Word takes on the very authority of His own character. Hence, His Word reveals to us His character.
So what does this really mean today? In the Word I find the Peace of God for my situation. In the word I hear the voice of Grace that my heart so desperately craves. In the Word I come to understand His awesome Power. In the Word I listen to His call to holiness. The Word, which He has exalted above His name, becomes for me the vehicle to hear and appropriate God's voice.
Now let's meddle a bit. How much of a reader of this Word are you? We delight to share the Word of God so that others can find life. Are you finding daily strength, life, growth, encouragement and challenge in the Word? Do you hear God's voice meeting your situation as you spend time in His Word? If He has granted such a high position to the written revelation, should not we who follow Him want to know this Word more and more? If you are like me, you are thrilled to hear testimonies of God's saving grace that come as a result of prayerfully shared Bibles and testaments. The same writing that saves us is also given that we might grow and develop in our Christian experience.[25] How well are you sowing the Word of God into your daily experience?
Can we trust the Word to do this for us? Of course. Why else would God say what He does about it? It is settled forever[26], it is Truth.[27]
He is waiting to show you great and mighty things in His Word.[28] Take up His offer. If you call to Him - if You spend time with Him in His Word- you will not be disappointed. He guarantees it.[29]
[This article first appeared in The Canadian Gideon in 2006]
[1] To see this in action , see Genesis 17:5 (Abram to Abraham); Genesis 17:15 (Sarai to Sarah); Genesis 35:18 (Ben-Oni to Benjamin).
[2] Genesis 15:7
[3] Exodus 3:14f.
[4] Galatians 4:4
[5] John 1: 1-5
[6] Psalm 138:2 (NKJV)
[7] I am quite aware that there is some dissension in the translation of the Hebrew of this phrase. Readers of the NIV or NLT will find differing phraseology. Finer points of translation are for another place; I accept the rendering of the NKJV for this verse as an acceptable representation of the Hebrew text.
[8] 2 Samuel 7:12 - 17.
[9] Matthew 22:42
[10] See, for example, Psalm 119:89; Revelation 14:6
[11] Genesis 16:13
[12] Genesis 22:14
[13] Exodus 15:26
[14] Job 35:10
[15] Psalm 18:2
[16] Jeremiah 32:18
[17] Micah 4:13
[18] Psalm 18:46
[19] Matthew 5:16
[20] I Peter 5:10
[21] I Thessalonians 5:23
[22] Psalm 31:5
[23] For a wonderful list of the many Names of God in Scripture, see Henry Blackaby and Claude King, Experiencing God (workbook edition). Nashville: LifeWay Press, 1990, pages 220 - 221.
[24] See note 5.
[25] I Peter 2:2 - 3
[26] Psalm 119:89
[27] John 17:17.
[28] Jeremiah 33:3
[29] 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
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