Before blessing Abram with the greater blessing, God changed his name to Abraham. With this, the repeated hearing of this name filled him with faith and hope in its fulfilment. The Jewish people lay great emphasis on naming a child for his/her name defines his way and role in life. All over the world, the father of the child is required to name the child and for this much time is spent in prayer to seek Divine guidance. But what really is the link between the name and every other aspect of the life of that individual?
Effect of one’s name on his life – A name reveals the identity and relationship of a person but the real and true identity of a person is known only to his wife or a few close ones. Behind the name is a person with specific abilities, attitudes and a manner of living. Sometimes a designation also becomes a part of the identity of an individual, though that is superficial and temporary association. God apart from being the Creator, Sustainer and Provider, works in innumerable ways in the universe. Abraham called God Jehovah Jireh, when his son asked about the sacrificial lamb, not knowing that he himself was to be the sacrifice (Genesis 22:9). Lord Jesus is known as the Saviour Lord, the Lamb of God (John 1:29).
God has sent every individual into the world with a specific purpose. In certain cases, God reveals this purpose before birth, while in others, He uses the father of the child to do the task by giving him a specific name. With this the control and authority of the parents was accepted by God. In like manner when a child’s name was decreed by God before his birth, God identified Himself as the Father and authority over that child to fulfil His purpose.
God created all things and gave Adam dominion authority over ‘every living thing that moves on the earth’ (Genesis 1:28). As per the same authority God brought every beast of the field and every bird of the air ‘to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever name Adam called each living creature, that was its name’ (Genesis 2:19-20). God did not create the woman by starting afresh but by using what was already there in Adam and made her to be his ‘suitable help-meet’. She was created to be equal and opposite of Adam to help him yet also oppose him in his wrong decisions. Thus a woman is created to be a partner with man in all his works decreed by God and thus they both glorify God.
As per the principle already established, God ‘brought her (the woman) to the man’ (Genesis 2:23-24). Adam then accepted her role, and said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman (isha) because she was taken out of man (ish)’. Thus, the state of equality and co-dependence on each other was established between them, for if Adam was worthy, she would help otherwise oppose him. After the sin of disobedience and doubt in God, when asked by God, Adam blamed the woman and God also for his fall (Genesis 3:12). He said to God, ‘The woman that You gave me to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate it’. An alcoholic blames his friends for his drinking habit and in every mistake that we commit, we tend to blame others, without accepting the blame ourselves.
After being pushed out of the Garden of Eden, ‘Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living’ (Genesis 3:20). Eve is supposed to be the partner of Adam, like him in all his relational aspects, both with God and with others. She is supposed to be his mirror-image and a reflection of what a human being is supposed to be, as his ‘Ezer-kenegdo’. By giving her a new name, Adam, with his new sinful nature, changed the equation set up by God. This is the only time that the change of name brought degradation and curses in the life of any individual. With this change of name and role, firstly, she was made to bear the whole blame for the sin and Adam tried to put her in her place. This name became the name of humiliation for her. Secondly, her role was reduced to bearing children and in this manner let man continue to live through his offspring even after death.
Both of these aspects of her new life reject any consideration of her own being, who she is, she might be or desire to be. From an equal, she became the property of her husband and prohibited from having any inheritance. God commanded Moses for a census and only men were counted so that ‘to these the land shall be divided as an inheritance’ (Numbers 26:53). Zelophehad of the tribe of Manasseh had only daughters and no sons and his daughters sought a share to ensure his name not be removed from the Israelites. God accepted their demand and a new rule of daughters also receiving a share was established.
This state of the woman’s status continued till the coming of the Messiah and God favoured a woman Mary to be the first to know about His coming (Luke 1:30-33; 41-43). A woman, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, confirmed the pregnancy. Also a woman, Mary Magdalene, became the first person to see the Risen Lord and be the messenger of His resurrection from the dead (John 20:17). When man changes the name of someone, it becomes an attempt to undo the plan of God, thus, bringing unfortunate results. Changes brought about by God in the name, the present situations or state, help us walk in His ways and His protection and provision.
Why did God change the name of Abram and Jacob? God created, first, the herbs and fruit trees ‘whose seed is in itself’ (Genesis 1:11-12; 22; 26-28). God then created the sea creatures and the birds and blessed it all to ‘be fruitful and multiply’. Finally, after everything was already there, God created male and female and blessed them also to ‘be fruitful and multiply’. The seed and the capability to multiply was given by God in the seed within themselves, to everything, a plant, a bird, a fish or man/woman. However, this capability also got affected by the sin causing fallen nature in everything. A female could be incapable of child-bearing and the reason could be consequences of sin or demonic activity and in like manner, the earth also mixes its produce with thorns and thistles.
Abram received God’s promise at the age of 75 years, for God told him, ‘I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2). Abram means ‘father of many’ and God’s blessing to Abraham included three parts. First, to be a great nation of many people; second, to be famous and be known and respected by others. The final part was that he himself will be a blessing to others and thus be the channel of God’s blessings. He believed in God but could not stand firm in faith in a famine and went to Egypt, asked his wife Sarai to lie about their marriage and thus be rebuked by Pharaoh (Genesis 12:12-19). God confirmed the same message again and compared his descendants to be as numerous as the stars.
Since almost thirteen years had passed, Sarai, his wife, took the matter in her own hands and asked him to have a child with her maid Hagar (Genesis 16:3). Ismael was born and was also blessed by God. At the age of 99 years, God again visited him and narrowed down the time to change his name to Abraham, ‘father of many nations’ (Genesis 17:5). After his name was changed by God, he readily moved forward to offer his son, Isaac as a sacrifice, at God’s command (Genesis 22:2-10). God intervened to stop him when he had raised his hand to strike his son to sacrifice him and a ram with its horns caught in a thicket was made available as a sacrifice. This was a test of faith for Isaac also, for he was a teenager or an adult at that time. Both found God not in their comforts, tending sheep or worshipping with others, but when far from home with uncertainty about the present and the future.
A changed name when heard repeatedly, gets registered as truth in the individual’s mind and heart, helping him to expect the miracle in his life in near future or immediately. The repeated hearing of that new name activated the seed of multiplying in him and Sarah, both.
Jacob carried the pain of his name which means a supplanter, the one who takes the place of someone else through deceit. He received the blessing of the firstborn son Esau by presenting himself as Esau to his blind father, Isaac (Genesis 27:22-29). He had to flee to Padan Aram, his mother’s place to escape Esau, who had decided to kill him (Genesis 28:1-13). Enroute, at night in a dream, he saw the ladder to heaven with the angels ascending and descending on it, while God was on the top of the ladder. Jacob received Abraham and Isaac’s blessings from God with the added assurance of protection. After spending more than twenty years, while coming back to his father, he was filled with great fear of Esau, divided his camp into two and sent them ahead with great gifts for Esau (Genesis 32). At night and alone, he wrestled with God, suffered injury to his thigh-hip muscle and was made to submit. He could never walk straight again but limped.
Jacob’s both encounters teach about our spiritual life. Through faith as the ladder, we learn to rise above our situations, one step or rung at a time. Meditation on the Word helps us understand the ways of heaven, helping us to live in that manner here. Faith as a wrestling match reveals our inner struggle with our doubts, hesitations and lack, of both spiritual and material strength, and overcome them. Jacob became Israel, ‘the one who strives with God’ and like him, though, we may come out of our troubles limping but definitely victorious. Such events help us identify and use the God given strength and skills, we never knew we had, before we go into such storms and face them.
The change of name helped Abraham and Jacob and many others view their lives in a new perspective. Then, instead of blaming God for being unfair to them, praise was on their lips. It was no longer individual effort but the invisible hand of God guiding their every step for productive results.
Who receives the new name and why? In His letter to the church of Pergamos, Lord Jesus promised two things to the overcomers. First, the hidden manna to eat, which represents Divine spiritual food to nourish their souls. Second, the white stone with a new name, signifying forgiveness of sins and removal of all blemishes. The new name brings a new relationship with specific responsibilities.
Second, God gives a new name or a new meaning to the existing name to those whom He chooses for specific tasks. In His power, such a person can identify his fears, the basis of these fears and turn to God to submit and overcome. God brings forward hidden capabilities in the individual, to glorify His name.
Third, the new name helps in identifying the purpose of a person’s life. A young Prophet Jeremiah was told by God, ‘Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations’ (Jeremiah 1:5). The purpose of our lives is not decided by our parents or ourselves but in heaven much before birth. The new name helps us move in the right direction.
Fourth, the change of name helps us to think and live differently with a changed mentality. Jacob as Israel could tell Esau, ‘Please take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough’ (Genesis 33:11). He was satisfied with what God had ordained for and given him and returned the stolen blessing.
Fifth, one with a new name moves to get closer to God to fulfil the role that he has been given by God. Prophet Jeremiah was grieved by the inequality in the people to cry out to God, ‘Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?’ (Jeremiah 12:1-5). He was pained at the way the Word of God was rejected and his own life was also in danger. God challenged him instead, ‘If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?’ He was further warned about heavier opposition ahead from his own people. Prophet Jeremiah could face, in faith, near death situations and remain steadfast in faith.
Sixth, the new awareness of God and His Sovereign reign lead one to seek Him in His Word and through fellowship with others. This better understanding helps in finding new ways to counter the evil strategies of the forces of darkness, to reach others and win souls.
Seventh, God turns failures to success by giving strength, guidance and new partners to start afresh. Though we may not receive a new name, we are assured that, ‘if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, with this new birth, like Nicodemus, we also serve Him with this transformed identity, that aligns with His work of redemption.
God’s work in anyone never stops and He works in us at every stage of life, ‘both to will and do for His good purpose’ (Philippians 2:13). His hand turns everything for our good to display His love for us, in us and through us to be a blessing to others. We learn to follow Him through submission to His will, every day afresh, seeking His hand of guidance.
When we are overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, God steps in to give us a new name, to enable us to fulfil the purpose of our lives. In this manner, we are filled with spiritual strength and start moving forward in new enthusiasm. The greater our effort to know and get close to God, through study and meditation of His Word, the more successful we become in our works.
