In The Name Of Naming Names

Bro. Eli,

Are there special names named by parents to their baby that has deep meaning from the Bible. Or does God instruct us what to name after the baby when we become parents to them?

Peamifatie

pambaluyut@yahoo.com

Dear Peamfatie,

Human society now has gone so far from the original ways of the Creator.

(Malachi 3:7) “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, wherein shall we return?”

This is because of the darkness that envelopes the mind of an unbeliever.

(2 Corinthians 4:4) “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

The evident result is their alienation from God; having been driven so far away because of the darkness in their hearts.

(Ephesians 4:18) “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart…”

The Bible is complete with its teachings regarding names. In fact, a name is one of the most important things in life that we have to consider. God’s name is an object of worship.

(Matthew 6:9) “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

The original Hebrew word (translated hallowed in English) is ‘hagiazo’, meaning to venerate. This shows the importance of God’s name. David have known this fact. He worshiped God’s name.

(Psalms 138:2) “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

In fact, the third of the ten commandments prohibits the use of the name of God in vain.

(Exodus 20:7) “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

Enemies of God use God’s name in vain to deceive people.

(Psalms 139:20) “For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.”

Even the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is being used by false prophets to mislead people.

(Matthew 24:4-5) “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

God’s name must properly be used on things that are of God.

(Isaiah 43;7) “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

God’s people and God’s city are called by His name.

(Daniel 9:19) “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.”

It is not proper to claim that a group or a church is of God and call it by the name of a man like; the Wesleyan Church (after the name of John Wesley), or the Lutheran Church (after the name of Martin Luther), or the Seventh Day Adventist Church (instead of using God’s name, they used ‘Seventh Day’) apparently proving that they are not of God!

The Church in the Bible is named after its real Owner: God, hence, The Church of God.

(1 Corinthians 1:1-2) “Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God–and our brother Sosthenes: To the Church of God in Corinth, men and women consecrated in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ– their Lord as well as ours.” Weymouth New Testament

The Jehovah’s Witnesses use a fictitious name for their God. They admit this in their publications. In their book “Reasoning From The Scriptures” page 192

 

They are using the name Jehovah not because they believe it is the true name of God, but because of its popularity since the 14th century, inspite of the fact that they are “inclined to view the name Yahweh is a more correct form”.

Names are also important for God’s people.

(Ecclesiastes 7:1) “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.”

We can choose a good name for our children, or a good name can be chosen by maintaining the dignity of our person.

(Proverbs 22:1) “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

Wrong application of a name is a misnomer.

mis·no·mer [miss nṓmər]

(plural mis·no·mers)

noun

1. unsuitable name: a wrong or unsuitable name or term for something or somebody

2. calling something by wrong name: a use of a wrong or unsuitable name or term to describe something or somebody

[15th century. < Old French < mes- “wrongly” + nommer “to name” < Latin nominare]

Microsoft Encarta 2007

God’s way of giving a name is with prudence. He named His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It spells the characteristic, the dignity, and the responsibility of His Son.

(Acts 4:10-12) “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

The name Jesus Christ was given by God.

(Philippians 2:9-10) “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth…”

In naming a child, it is wise to consider circumstances, characteristics, and of course, the holiness that a name carries with it. You will notice that in the Bible, duplications of names are frequent like, the name John, Jesus, Jude, etc.

Isaac was named so because when the angel announced that at her old age, Sarah will conceive and give birth to the promised seed, she laughed. Isaac means laughter.

יצחק

yitschâq

yits-khawk’

From H6711; laughter (that is, mockery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham: – Isaac.

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary

(Genesis 18:12) “Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

(Genesis 21:5-6) “And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”

Esau was named so because of his physical characteristics.

(Genesis 25:25) “And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.”

Abram’s name was changed by God to be Abraham: making him to be the father of many nations.

(Genesis 17:5) “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”

Maybe, my parents named me Eliseo, a prophet of the Old Testament times, because they were guided by the spirit of God, as to my ‘would-be’ calling.

I have given names to so many babies in the past four decades; and most of them have grown up, with God’s help, to my expectation in the spirit of the name given them.

Now, because people have gone too far from God’s way, you can hear names which are products of inverted names and, sometimes, the mixture of the first and second syllable of the father’s and mother’s name which does not denote anything holy. I am afraid that the next generations of people will be non-sensible people having nonsensical names.

I hope and pray that this premonition be wrong.

 

God Bless,

EFS