The Name
The Second Commandment, Part Two
The NAME counts for something…in the Hebrew culture it counted for everything. That's why the genealogy listed the name and attached one name to another name. Often you see the full association. For example, Judah would have been identified as Judah son of Jacob of the tribe of Judah. And Jesus of Nazareth (the town he was from) was the son of Joseph of the tribe of Judah. Names in ancient times stood for where they came from, who they were related to, and what they were named.
The names of God meant even more. It was and remains to be an unspeakable name. God identified himself as I AM to Moses. The reference to I AM basically meant God is everything in the universe. I AM Creator. I AM Sustainer. I AM Provider. The list goes on and on because God IS the source of all life. There were and are Orthodox Jews who do not speak or write the name of G-D (God) because it is so holy. In Hebrew, YHWH is sometimes referred to as Adonai which means “Lord”.*
Because the children of Israel had been in Egypt for 400 years they would have had a deep understanding of the Egyptian culture and Egyptian gods. They would have held onto their Hebrew roots and practices within their homes and in the confines of their own families, but when they went to the market or to work they would have encountered the Egyptian culture and gods. Four hundred years is a long time to live among other people who have different thoughts and who worship gods that you don’t believe in.
That’s what God wanted to help the Hebrew people reclaim. He wanted them to know how very much He loved them and wanted to take care of them. In order for that to happen, they needed to understand who He was and whose they were. He needed them to know his promises were not empty promises...they were FULL.
God was saying he is not the God of empty but he is the God of full abundance (John 10:10). God is the one true and He wanted his children to embrace that! He wanted them to receive the fullness of his love.
Purity is important here as well (1 Peter 1:7) because God is the real deal. Even when things get tough and trials come, God is pure love and He doesn’t allow anything to be wasted. God makes it so every trial is used for our good. God doesn’t create the bad but He walks with us, stays with us, keeps us to Him while we are being purified. The name of God is pure light not dark, it's 100% pure gold. The NAME of God is pure and being a follower means you are connected and dedicated to God. To have a pure heart means to be fully sold out for God with no wavering, no other loyalties. So nothing, absolutely nothing stands between you and God. Those who have a pure heart will see and hear God. Every thought and action is motivated by love of God. Psalm 73:1 (NKJV) says, “Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.” Why was that important for Moses and the children of Israel?
God knew taking the promise land would be difficult. God knew they faced difficult times ahead and they needed his protection and care. God knew they needed HIM. In order for them to accept his love they needed to believe in His holy name. God told Moses the children of Israel needed to know His name was full so they would rely on Him when times got tough.
The offer God makes includes:
His Love Genesis 39:21 (NKJV), “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
His Protection and Care Genesis 50:22-24 (NKJV), “So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.””
Life without Fear Proverbs 3:24-26 (NKJV), “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.”
Freedom Exodus 6:6 (NKJV), “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.”
Power Exodus 7:5 (NKJV), “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
Security and Safety Psalm 18:2 (NKJV), “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Well-being Psalm 23:2 (NKJV), “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”
The offer God makes also took into account the mission given to the people of Israel. God was trying to prepare them for the promise land. God knew they would encounter resistance from people who believed in other gods. He also knew they would be faced with lawless ideations. Taking another man’s wife was acceptable. Murdering someone who took your cow was okay.
God was offering to be in a covenant relationship with the people of Israel and protect them from the lawlessness they would encounter.
The promise meant...I am your God and you are my people. I will bless you and will bless those who bless you. I will also curse those who curse you.
That is still important for us today because the covenant is real, alive, and remains in place. God’s name is holy and our God is truth. All who believe are His children. The name of God is full, abundant and rich. The name of God is the name that protects, offers safety, love, care, support, power, freedom, and life without fear. The name of God is unlike any other name...
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Be thankful for the fullness of God.
Spend time throughout your day being thankful for God’s fullness and abundance. Speak thankful words to God.
And You WILL Be Blessed, Deb
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