Praising the Name of the Lord

Bible Reading

[Exodus 3:14,15]

God said to Moses, "I am who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."

[Isaiah 43:3]

For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior ...

[1 Chronicles 16:10, 29]

Glory in his holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

[Psalm 20:7]

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

[Acts 2:21]

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

[Deuteronomy 28:10]

Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.

[Revelations 3:12]

Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

My reflections:

Names play a very important role in the Bible. Names stand for and represent their owner, and the meaning of the name often foretold the character and future of the owner. To confer a good name was a blessing (Genesis 17:5 - Abram -> Abraham; Genesis 32:28 & 35:10 - Jacob -> Israel).

In the Bible, there are several names of our Lord God. God is I AM, the Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Almighty, "our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), "beyond understanding" (Judges 13:18), and "Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6). To call on His name is to worship Him (Genesis 12:8, 13:4); his name is the object of our praise (2 Samuel 22:50, 1 Chronicles 16: 10, 29, 35, Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 8:1, 9, 9:2, 18:49 ... ); and the temple is where the Lord's name resides (Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29). The city that represents the complete restoration of Israel will be named "The Lord is There" (Ezekiel 48:35)

In the language of the New Testament, we who are the components of the Church are that temple and that city (1 Corinthians 6:19; Revelations 21:2). For us, the name of the Lord Jesus is the power that gives us healing and salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:16, 4:12), the assurance of faith that our prayer will be answered (John 14:14, 15:16, 16:24), and gave us the new name 'Christians' (Acts 11:26). To be called Christians means that we are called by the name of the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:10). This is not only a blessing in this age, but also an eternal blessing that we will be recorded in the book of Life as citizens of the new Jerusalem (Revelations 3:12, 22:4). Isn't it only proper that we should praise the name of the Lord?