A New Name

I would like to talk to you today about

What is in a Name. Most have seen the

TV commercial where a well-known

person recommends a certain credit card.

You do not know the speaker by his face,

but you recognize his name as it appears

in the corner of his credit card. Names

supply personal identification and reveal

information about us. God is interested in

names.

 

In Bible times, a name revealed the character

of a person. Jacob meant “One who follows

on the heels of another.” It also means ‘to

overtake and replace by trickery and

deception.’ His rival was his own twin

brother, Esau. “Is not he rightfully named

Jacob?” cried Esau after Jacob had robbed

him of his birthright.

 

One day, Jacob learned Esau was coming

after him with four hundred men. His only

escape was to make things right, and he had

to start by making things right with God.

That night, as Jacob wrestled with the

heavenly angel, God gave Jacob a new name.

 

God is doing the same today. He gives a new

name and a new character to those who seek

Him. Is your name discouraged, disappointed,

or broken hearted? He waits to make all

things new. God changed Jacob, the deceiver,

to ‘Israel, A Prince with God.’ He is doing the

same for all who come to him through Christ

Jesus.

 

Father, give me a new name and let it be

written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Amen

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  Revelation 2:17 KJV

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  Revelation 3:5 KJV

Who needs to hear this?