Worship 301: There's Something About That Name

MONDAY

The holy and everlasting name of God was revealed ultimately by the person and work of Immanuel. Read Isaiah 7:14. What does the name Immanuel mean? (Look at the footnote for this verse in your Bible). Who was it, then, that was coming into the world? What was the sign of His coming? Look at Isaiah 9:6-7. What will this child be called, according to Isaiah’s prophecy? What kingdom is Isaiah talking about in verse 7? Does he mean David’s physical Kingdom? The Kingdom of Israel, or the Kingdom of God? Notice that the Kingdom this child was to posses would increase in peace forever! Could such an inheritance be attributed to a physical worldly Kingdom? Now read Matthew 1:18-25. Prophecy fulfilled! So far, we’ve seen many qualitative names given to Jesus, most importantly Jesus and Immanuel. Write Proverbs 18:10 on an index card and memorize it.

TUESDAY

Read the introductory pages of your Bible. If you have an NIV or a NAS, there’s usually an explanation for why the translators chose to translate God’s name as LORD in the pages of Scripture instead of YHWH, known as the tetragrammaton. If your Bible doesn’t have these introductory pages then ask someone who has an NIV or a NAS to let you read this part of their Bible. It is usually located in the preface. Do you believe that abstaining from pronouncing or writing God’s personal name is what the third commandment is all about? Think about what this name stands for. Read John 17:11. What was this name that the Father gave Jesus? What power does it hold for those who believe in it? You see, Jesus shares God’s name. The name of the God of Israel and the Word made flesh among us (Immanuel) is the same, all-encompassing, supreme name. Read Phillipians 2:9-11. what name is this that God gave Jesus? The name that is above every name? The answer is in verse 11: Jesus is LORD!!! The phrase “in the name of the LORD” is replaced all over the New Testament by “in the name of Jesus”. The name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the same as the name of Jesus. Compare Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:38. Write John 8:58 on an index card and memorize it. "I am" in the Greek is "ego eimi": I am, I have been, I will always be. Jesus declares himself to be The Lord Almighty!

WEDNESDAY

To use the name of the Lord in vain is to trivialize God’s very existence and dishonor what His name stands for. Read Leviticus 19:12. Look up the word profane in a good dictionary. What kind of swearing is spoken against of in this passage? Now read 2 Samuel 2:27. Is this man using God’s name in vain? In those days people used God’s name to validate their words. Since God’s very existence was the only and ultimate truth, people commonly used His name in oaths. Jesus teaches us, in the same spirit, that any oath or promise we make we should count worthy to keep so that we may be people of integrity. False swearing is considering oaths in God’s name as the only ones worthy to keep. This is a gross misuse of God’s name because of hypocrisy. Jesus accused the Pharisees of this very thing in Matthew 23:16-22. Write Matthew 5:37 on an index card and memorize it.

THURSDAY

The only time you hear people speaking the name of God outside of a worship service is probably when they invoke His name to condemn someone or something, out of anger or frustration. An angry man was using God’s name freely as he vented his anger toward a clerk in a store. Almost every sentence had a request for God to condemn something or someone to eternal damnation. The man had his eleven year old son with him, who wasn’t the least bit surprised about his dad’s behavior. An older clerk walked over to the situation and asked, “Pardon me, sir, but do you always do your praying in public? And so loudly? My God is not in the damning business, and you are giving this young boy the wrong idea about God: you are implying that God desires to condemn rather than to seek and save the lost.” Now don’t think that just because you don’t curse or use God’s or Jesus’ name in profanity you’re guiltless of using His name in vain. Matthew 7:21-23 reveals that those who invoke the holy name of God without pursuing a holy life are only being pretentious. The harshest words from Jesus are reserved for those people (see Matthew 23). Write Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 on an index card and memorize it.

FRIDAY

The people of God’s covenant community respect Him. When He speaks, the people listen; when He commands, they obey; when He is disobeyed, he does not hesitate to punish because He loves His people. There is a stability in the relationship between Him and His people that can never be in any other religion. YAHWEH is the same yesterday, today and forever. The beginning of knowledge and wisdom is fear. See Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-5; 9:10; 14:27; 16:6. The very nature of the name of God is to be feared. Go back to Psalm 111:2-9. Remember the distinction that is made in the Scriptures. It is not a fear of terror, due to punishment, but an honor and respect out of what the Lord has shown Himself to be to His covenant people. (1 John 4:18). Write Exodus 3:14 on an index card and memorize it.

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