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Concise Bible Dictionary
:
These are often expressive of character or of relationship.
God
was revealed to
Abraham
,
Isaac
and
Jacob
, as GOD
ALMIGHTY
, which indicates the character in which God was pleased to be known by them: He was not known to them as
JEHOVAH
(
Ex. 6:3
3
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)
). This does not mean that they had not heard of the name, but that it did not express the character of His relationship with them. To
Moses
He said, “I am JEHOVAH,” and by this name He was known to
Israel
: it formed the basis of their relationship with God. When
power
was committed to the
Gentiles
under the headship of
Nebuchadnezzar
it was said, “THE GOD OF
HEAVEN
hath given thee a
kingdom
, power, and strength, and
glory
” (
Dan. 2:37
37
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2:37)
). In Christianity God is made known under the name of
FATHER
(
John 20:17
17
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)
). Much is involved in the various names by which God has been pleased to make Himself known. So
the
Lord
Jesus
has various names:
Son
of God,
Immanuel
, Son of
Man
, and more; they all designate one Person, but each has its own import. Throughout the
New
Testament
His name is the center of all
blessing
(
Isa. 9:6
6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
; Phi. 2:9-11).
God has
authority
to give names (
Rev. 2:17
17
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)
); and the name given by God indicates that which God sees fit to express in the one to whom it is given. Hence “name” is characteristic. He altered the names of some persons:
Abram
was changed to Abraham;
Sarai
to
Sarah
; Jacob to Israel; and He gave reasons why they were altered; and the Lord Jesus gave
Simon
the name of
Peter
. God also applied to Israel symbolical names: as
Lo-
ammi
, “not my people;” and
Lo-
ruhamah
, “not having obtained
mercy
,” to
mark
His attitude towards them.
In the
Old Testament
persons often gave their
children
names of significance: thus the wife of
Phinehas
, when she heard that the
ark of God
was taken, and that her
husband
and her father-in-
law
were dead, called her child Ichabod, “where is the glory?” for the glory was departed from Israel, the ark being taken. Where the reason for a name is mentioned, all is plain; but where no reason is given, the meaning cannot always be ascertained. A name may
bear
several meanings, by being traced to different roots. For many years lists of the Old Testament proper names, with their significations, have been given in Concordances (mostly as drawn from Gesenius), and
sometimes
certain deductions have been drawn from those meanings as giving the character of the persons bearing the names; but it should be remembered that in many instances, several persons have borne the same name, persons who were quite different in their status and character; so that the names could have had nothing to do with their characters. It is evident also from the case of
John the Baptist
that it was customary to name a child after some of his ancestors. On this ground objection was made to his being called John (
Luke 1:59-63
59
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63
And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. (Luke 1:59‑63)
).
Besides this, modern
Hebrew
scholars give very different meanings to some of the names, making their signification more and more uncertain. For instance,
Abishai
signifies, according to Gesenius, “father of a gift”; but Furst interprets it, “Ab is existing,” or “God is existing.”
Adami
signifies “human,” Gesenius; but “
fortress
,” Fürst.
Adonikam
signifies “lord of the enemy,” Gesenius; but “Adon is assisting,” Fürst. In some words other lexicographers, as Ewald, differ from both of the above.
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“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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