What’s in someone’s name? Does it really matter? Actually, selecting a name for a child can be a big deal, maybe even more than we realize. Because it’s something the boy or girl must live with the rest of their life. When’s the last time you met a little girl named Jezebel, or a little boy named Judas?
Years ago, especially during the hippie era, some parents would select whimsical names for their kids, like Moonbeam, Summer Rain, Dandelion, or Apple. (That last one never ap-peeled to me.) In a documentary series about some pro football players I saw recently, one of them named his newborn son Maverick. Maybe because the athlete’s a bit of a maverick himself.
Remember the Johnny Cash song, “A Boy Named Sue”? It’s about a dad who named his son Sue before abandoning the family, reasoning, “this world is rough, and if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough.” A boy with that name would definitely have to be tough to withstand the ridicule he’d face growing up.
In the Bible, names often carry great significance. In fact, God sometimes bestowed new names to match changed circumstances. Abram became Abraham, reflecting the Lord’s promise he would be “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). His wife, Sarai, became Sarah, signifying she would be “the mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15-16).
Jacob became Israel, “because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28). Jesus Christ told his headstrong disciple Simon he would have a new name, Peter, adding, “on this rock I will build My church…” (Matthew 16:18).
One of the most beautiful names in the Scriptures is Immanuel. It’s cited first in Isaiah 7:14 and then in Matthew 1:23, referring to the Messiah. It means, “God with us.” God taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.
But one of the more curious names in the Bible is that of an obscure fellow named Jabez, which in Hebrew means, “sorrowful,” “painful” or “he causes pain.” He’s only mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, which states:
“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
His mom might as well have been calling him “pain in the neck.” We don’t have any specifics, whether his was a particularly difficult birth, or perhaps he might have been a handful from his first moments of life outside the womb. In any event, this was a guy saddled with a name that everyone knew meant, “he causes pain.” Can you imagine growing up like that?
Think of a parent constantly haranguing a child, saying things like, “You’re stupid!” or, “You’ll never amount to anything!” The old – and very inaccurate – saying declared, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” In reality, harsh names and negative words often hang with us long after physical injuries have healed.
No wonder Jabez cried out to God, pleading for His blessing. He apparently didn’t get that from his mom. The good news is simple: the Lord granted his request, although the passage doesn’t explain in what ways that happened. We do know he was “more honorable than his brothers.”
What about for us? You might have a name you’ve cherished, perhaps one that’s been passed down through your family. Or maybe you’ve been named after a favorite relative. Or you may have a name you never liked, to the extent you’ve gone by your middle name instead – or by your initials or a nickname.
For followers of Christ, whether we enjoy our present name or not, we’re promised one day we’ll receive a brand-new name. In Isaiah 62:2, speaking specifically of Jerusalem, God says through the prophet, “you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate.” We see this demonstrated through the renaming of biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Israel and Peter.
In the last book of the Bible, we’re told that one day we all will experience something similar: “To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).
Hopefully you don’t have a name like Jabez, which always reminded people that he had been a pain in the neck in one way or another. But whether we like our name or loathe it, we can look forward one day to receiving a name from the Lord that He’s specially selected just for us alone. In the meantime, we know He regards us as, “…My people, who are called by My name…” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
No comments:
Post a Comment