What’s In A Name
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” 17:3 Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, 17:4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 17:5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 17:6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 17:7 I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 17:15 God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 17:16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Notes:
- How is Lenten season going for you so far? For some, Ash Wednesday seems weeks away. Unlike the Advent season and the weeks leading up to Christmas which fly by in a flash, Lent and the weeks leading up to Easter seem to drag on at a much slower pace.
- Time probably was dragging for Abram and Sarai too. Both now in their 90s, the couple had been waiting 24 years since God first appeared to Abram and told him to go to the place where God would show him and that from him would come a great nation. 24 years. That’s a lot of time to wait—and think—and pray.
- In today’s passage, we get to eaves drop on the conversation God has with Abram in that 24th year.
- In this divine encounter, two things happen: the promise of a great nation to come is reinforced and in the process, everyone in the story gets a new name.
- For the first time, God is referred to as God Almighty–El Shaddai, which in Hebrew could be translated God of the Mountains—maker of heaven and earth. There are echoes of Psalm 121—I will lift up my eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help.
- Abram (Exalted Father) and Sarai (contentious and quarrelsome) are also given new names. They become Abraham (father of a multitude) and Sarah (princess). The new names proclaim a new purpose. These names connect to the covenant God has with Abraham. In Ch. 15: 18, God already had established a covenant but that was mainly about the land. Here, the promise is about God being God to Abraham and Sarah and their offspring forever.
- And as we saw last week with Noah in God’s proclamation after the great flood when God placed a rainbow in the sky, God’s promises are not contingent on our faithfulness.
- Even still, Abraham is told to walk before the Lord and be blameless.
- Through him God’s covenant is fulfilled in Jesus. When we profess Jesus as Lord and savior, we too are given a new name—disciple, Christian. The covenant made with Abraham and Sarah has been made available to us—God is our God and we belong to God. Whatever other name, title, or descriptive phrase we have—son, daughter, wife, husband, sister, brother, title associated with careers, professions, jobs, or ethnicity are subordinated to Christian.
- We walk before him, doing the best we can to be blameless (complete, full)— mature in faith. Gen 15:6. Abram believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness. Hebrews 11:8. By faith…
- Our walking is with patience and perseverance. While we wait for justice, some outcome of a personal dilemma or crisis to be resolved, we continue to wait on the Lord to reveal which way to go, how to go, and knowing that God has already worked the situation out. You may not hear a clear message as it appears was the case with Abram.
- God started out with general instructions in Ch. 12, then nothing happened. By Ch. 16, Sarai and with Abram’s cooperation, decides to move things along. In Ch. 17, God course corrects and in Ch. 18, God gets even more specific.
- With the name we have in Jesus Christ- disciple, Christian—we step out in faith knowing that God’s got our back. If we make a mistake or go the wrong way, if we have sincerely acted in faith, then we too will be deemed blameless. God will help us course-correct as we look for more instructions as we go along.
- Remember what’s in your name, Christian—purpose, power, love, and the grace of God. Amen.