"Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his Name, and what is his Son's Name, if you know?" (Prov. 30:4)
From ancient times great importance was attached to the naming of an individual. The children of the nation of Israel were bene Israel, or "sons of Israel," identifying them with the holy nation. The Jewish people use the word "haShem" which means "the name," when speaking about God. Jewish first names were linked to the individual's spiritual identity. Thus we see that names are of great significance throughout the scriptures. We must also note that great significance was placed on the Name of the true God. The Lord revealed His name to Moses at the request of the Prophet to know His name (Exod 3:13-16). God wants us to know His name today. His Name is a memorial for all generations (Exod 3:15) In Exodus 9:16 the Lord said: "And for this reason I have raised you up, in order to show you My power, and in order to declare My name in all the earth."
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GOD'S NAME TO THE PSALMIST
The Psalmist wrote and sang much about the name of the Lord. He saw the name of the Lord as something that he exulted in. God's name to him was marvellous and majestic--and he had to make it known.
ISAIAH PROPHECIED A CHILD WOULD BEAR GOD'S NAME
When Isaiah the Prophet prophesied of the coming of Messiah, he stated first that would come in the form of a child who would bear both His Father's name and attributes:
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)THE ANGELS TESTIFIED OF THE NAME OF THE LORD
The angel which appeared to Joseph in a dream said: You shall call His name Jesus (meaning Savior) because "He shall save his people from their sins" (Mt. 1:21)The Virgin Mary also experienced an angelic visitation. The angel came to this woman who all her life had been taught that YHWH was the salvation of Israel. "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place." (Isaiah 43:3)
The name "Yeshua/Jesus" speaks of His divine mission. JHWH saves. But the name "Immanuel" speaks of His nature - God with us! Both of these names are very significant because they underscore God's role in redemption. From mankind's fall, and being placed under God's Law and in sin, man has not been capable of saving himself, so as to reconcile himself to God. God had to redeem us from the Law's demands, and save us from our sins. He robed Himself in flesh and performed this redeeming and atoning work. Gal.4:4-5, Jn.3:16-17!
Believing and testifying of or declaring Yeshua/Jesus as Immanuel is the theme of the Christian Faith! John opens his gospel in Jn.1:1,14,18 by showwing us Yeshua/Jesus is truly God manifested in the flesh! Again, in 1 Jn.4:1-3 he warns that individuals who deny this are antiChrist.
In Heb.2:14 we read that God became flesh in Jesus Christ, because we "the children" are made of flesh!" This truth emphasizes the fact that salvation is totally the work of God!
"Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call his name Yeshua/Jesus ("Yahweh Is Salvation). He will be great, and will be called Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." (Luke 1:30-32)
"Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet (Isaiah), saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which is translated "God with us." (Matthew 1:21-23, Isaiah 7:14)
HE WALKED AMONG US & WE BEHELD HIS GLORY
God has spoken to us through His holy prophets, in His written Word. He has manifested His very presence. He has disclosed His righteous, holy character to mankind when He robed Himself in flesh in Messiah, the Living Word. (Rev. 19:13) The scriptures say: And the Word became flesh, and dwelled among us, and we beheld His We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) And again, "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten of the Father who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him." (John 1:18) In these last days God has spoken to us in His Son..." (Hebrews 1:2)
THE NAME OF THE LORD HAS BEEN REVEALED IN MESSIAH
"Help us, O Elohim of our salvation, for the glory of your Name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your Name's sake." (Psa. 79:9)
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to a crowd that was gathered to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. Yearly, they went up to celebrate the feast, as the Law commanded. They did expect the supernatural phenomena which happened, as a sign to them, for "they each heard the disciples speaking in tongues s the Spirit gave them utterance." In Jerusalem, there were living, devout Jews from every nation. When this supernatural occurance happened, they said: "How is it that we each hear them in our own language?" Peter stood and taught the crowd about the prophetic fulfillment of prophecy, saying: "This is that spoken by the Prophet Joel." (Joel 2:23)
THE REVELATION OF haSHEM COMES TO ISRAEL
"Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be."(Zech. xiv. 8) Messiah said "He who believes inMe as the scriptures have said: Out of his belley shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38)
He also commanded His disciples go:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:19)
HALLOWING OR SANCTIFYING THE NAME OF THE LORD
Yeshua/Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Our Father, hallowed be your name. (i.e.) May your name be sanctified. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This which is called "The Lord's Prayer," is recited daily, but few comprehend the magnitude of it. HaShem was used as a title of God out of respect for His holy name. But Yeshua taught in greater detial "how" we are to hallow or sanctify the name of the Lord. The Psalmist wrote this prophetically of Messiah: "I will declare thy name unto My brethren." (Ps. 22:22, Heb. 2:12) The Hebrew word "declare" is from the root caphar, which means "To score with a mark, as a tally or record." "To inscribe, innumeratee, recount, i.e. celebrate, commune, count, declare, number, reckon, inscribe, show forth, speak, talk, tell, or write." The Greek word for "declare" means "To make known, to certify, declare, to cause to understand." In Psalm 45, we see the heart of God's people as Messiah's "witnesses," to declare the name o the Lord. They as that congregation who is joined to Him in holy covenant relationship, by the authority of God's Spirit are saying: "Come...Let him that is athirst come drink of the waters of life." They are declaring the name of Him who is the very Fountain of Life itself.
"I will make your Name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise you for ever and ever." (Psa. 45:17)In John 17, we read the last prayer of Messiah in Gethsemane before he was arrested. As it is written: "I have declared unto them thy name...Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (v17) and again, "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth." (v19)
TESTIFYING--OF& DECLARING haSHEM-THE NAME
Yeshua told His disciples that they must pass on His teachings. One of these important teachings concerned the (one singular) name of the Lord. In His intercessory prayer of John 17, Yeshua/Jesus said: "I have manifested your name." (Jn 17:6) and "I have made known to them your name." (Jn 17:26). Jesus himself in person was and is God's name. (YHWH-Yahweh is Salvation)
They understood that He was instructing them to baptize converts into this one name. They would be Messiah's witnesses. (Acts 1:8) They would need power to do this, and Messiah instructed them to wait in Jerusalem till they received His power from on high. (Luke 24:49) By publicly being immersed in Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ's name, those first 3000 Jewish converts and others, were declaring that Messiah had indeed come. They were testifying to this truth God's salvation, by being baptized in Yeshua's name for the remission of sins.
As they waited on God in prayer those days following Passover, suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues of fire distributing themselves and resting on the heads of the disciples. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
With the Apostle Peter's command to repent, be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost," (Acts 2:38, 3000 Jews were given the full and experiencial salvation the Lamb of God gave His atoning blood to provide.
The fire of God kept spreading, and the name of the Lord was revealed in every place. To the Samaritans, in Acts 8:16. To the Gentiles in Acts 10:46-48. To those believers who had only known of John's baptism in Acts 19:5.
"Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known my Name." (Psa. 91:14)
