What's in a Name

Good Morning,
 
What's in a name?  How did you decide on a name for your children?  I was named after my Dad's twin brother, who was names after my great-grandpa, Henry May.  That's not as common today as it was.  Many today give their children a name because they like the sound, or African American's give their children a African name, and those converted to the Muslim faith, give their children a Muslim name.  In Bible language name always means character.  Names are not given arbitrarily there, as with us, but are always given with reference to the character or work of the person names. 
 
"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name?  what shall I say unto them?"
 
Have you every though, why would the children of Israel need to ask Moses what God's name is?  Remember they had been in Egypt's captivity for over 400 years.  In Egypt, they had gods for everything, with many different names. By their question, they were asking Moses:  "What is His name?, Who and what is this God of whom you speak? What is His character; what are His attributes; What does He do?  In short, what sort of a being is He?"  A close study of names given to God throughout the Old Testament does answer each of these questions.  But at this point in time, God Himself answered this question for the Israelites.  "And God said unto Moses, "I am that I Am"; Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you; this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."  In this He was saying, I am everything to you, and for eternity.  I am unchangeable, and that is what a God must be.
 
We find this in our Lord Jesus.  In the Gospel of John Christ adopts this name of "I am" as His own.  When the Jew were questioning Him as to His authority, He said unto them:  "Very, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was I am."   And in the Book of Revelation He again declares;  "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."   Now throughout the New Testament, and especially what He the does and what He teaches in the Gospels, we find what His name means; what His character is; what His attributes are; what does He do?  In short, what sort of a being is He? 
 
When we are faced with life's situations, and we ask, "What would Jesus do", we need to know Him personally, and then we need to know all we can about Him.  Dan is teaching from the Gospel of Mark, chapter by chapter.  If you have not been attending, let me encourage you to start.  It has been great, and I learn something new each week about Jesus, His character and His attributes, who He is and what He does.  Please join us at 9:45.
 
May God bless your Saturday, and always remember that you are loved!!! 

Henry