Not long ago, I began a study on whether it makes a difference what the church of the Lord calls itself. We observed recently that man believes there is something in a name. Men are naming their children left and right in Alabama after Nick Saban, to honor the (likely) Hall of Fame coach. Students want to change the name of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University because they do not want to honor the name of a man who was a dyed-in-the-wool racist.
Just since that time, the news has reported that George Mason University wants to rename its law school after the late Supreme Court justice, Antonin Scalia, to honor him. My wife took my name when we married as a sign of very close association, as well as to honor me. We have the right (even obligation) to name our children since, at birth at least, they belong to us. I cannot name your children for you. We also name our pets because we do own them. So, naming is a sign of honor as well as possession and association.
The word “name” is found in the English Bible (NASV) 1,142 times; 887 of those are in the Old Testament. “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:19-20). In naming the animals, Kenneth Matthews writes, Adam was “thereby exercising his authority over them” (I:215).
But God also gives names, showing His authority over those He names. In fact, it would be quite an honor to be named by God Himself. Recently, Rachel was at an art guild meeting and began speaking in sign language (which we study at church) with a woman there. The woman was so excited about Rachel speaking her language, that she gave Rachel a “sign-name.” Another woman there, who had been signing for this individual, told Rachel it was a great honor to be given a sign-name.
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God gave man his name: “He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them “man” in the day when they were created” (Genesis 5:2). The Hebrew word for “man” here is “adam.” God showed His authority over the human creation, by naming them “man.”
God promised to make Abraham’s name “great” (Genesis 12:2). God named Ishmael, telling his mother, Hagar, “you shall call his name Ishmael [meaning “God hears,” p.h.], because the Lord has given heed to your affliction” (16:11). God, of course, changed Abram’s name, which meant “exalted father,” to “Abraham,” meaning “father of a multitude,” indicating the fulfillment of God’s promise to make Abraham’s name “great.” God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah (meaning, “princess” since she would be the mother of kings; 17:15).
God chose Isaac’s name (17:19). God changed Jacob’s name (which meant “deceiver”) to Israel, so that the nation would perpetually carry God’s name (32:28ff) – “El” being a shortened form of the word for God (Elohim).
Yes, God has the authority to name what belongs to Him. It is also a great honor to be named by God. Does it matter what we call ourselves? We are searching the Scriptures to answer that question…
–Paul Holland
