The following is taken from a sermon preached by our pastor,
Doyle Armstrong, at the Bible Study Center in West
Carrollton, Ohio; 851 S. Elm St. If you would like more free
Bible Studies, write to us or call our computer bulletin
board at (513) 866-6435 to download files of ascii text Bible
Studies which you can use with any type of computer.
ARE NAMES IMPORTANT IN THE BIBLE? DOES GOD REALLY CARE WHAT
WE CALL HIM? DOES THE NAME OF A CHURCH MAKE ANY REAL
DIFFERENCE? DO NAMES IN THE BIBLE CONTAIN SECRET KEYS TO
INTERPRETATION?
Consider this fact: OVER 2000 MORE NAMES COULD BE ADDED TO
THIS LIST OF RELIGIOUS GROUPS and to the names commonly used
to identify God (the Father) and to God manifest as the Son.
We live in a day when people have been brought to what seems
like an ULTIMATE BABYLON. Babylon means a state of confusion
and is used in the Book of Revelation to picture SPIRITUAL
CONFUSION. There are SO MANY conflicting theories taught as
to the right names for the church, for God, etc.
Acts 4:12 and Philippians 2:9 say: "Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name:"
From these verses it is evident that the NAME of our SAVIOR
is a very important part of our SALVATION. SINCE SALVATION IS
THE MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION ONE CAN EVER OBTAIN, IT IS WORTH
OUR TIME TO LEARN WHAT IS A NAME (Biblically)? In other
words, when the Bible speaks of a NAME, the word comes from a
root meaning to "have knowledge of" or to "know" someone.
This means that YOU KNOW THEM and not just the WORD by which
they are called.
The Hebrew word for "name" is the same word as is also
translated "SHEM." This is the "name" of the son of Noah who
was the forefather of Abraham and the entire Israelite
nation. Anyone who is familiar with Bible typology can easily
see DIVINE PROVIDENCE at work in providing such a NAME for
SHEM. The word itself means a description or identity which
is peculiar to a particular person, place, or thing. Today we
use the English word name much differently than its meaning
in the scriptures. We say, for example, that two people who
are called Bob have the SAME name. That is not entirely true
in the biblical sense of the word. To illustrate what I am
saying, please read II Corinthians 11:4 in your Bible. Paul
the Apostle says it is possible for someone to preach
"ANOTHER JESUS." It is obvious from the context that he is
making reference to someone who is called "Jesus", yet who
has an altogether different IDENTITY and therefore is not a
manifestation of the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE (John
14:6). Today we think nothing of calling many different
people by the same word, but Paul was showing us that people
can talk, sing, and preach about Jesus (or even the Greek or
Hebrew equivalents of the word Jesus) and STILL NOT SERVE AND
PREACH THE TRUE IDENTITY OF THE SON OF GOD (They do not KNOW
the TRUE "JESUS.")
Jesus Himself spoke in Matthew 7:13-23 and showed that even
false prophets and phoney "Christians" would use His name TO
NO AVAIL! Notice, He DID NOT say they would use the wrong
name. This proves that simply speaking His name or doing good
deeds in His name will not prove nor provide salvation.
There is much confusion and even strife amongst many today as
to whether the Son of God should be called Jesus, Christ (or
the equivalent word from the Hebrew language, "MESSIAH"),
IESOUS (the word "Jesus", transliterated from the Greek
manuscripts) or even Yeshua, Yahshua, or a direct
transliteration from the Hebrew language, Yehowshuwa
(pronounced yehhoshoo'ah).
Sometimes it seems that some people think only one particular
language belongs to God and that He cannot understand the
others. Such is true in only one sense; God communicates in
the language of the SPIRITUAL heart. The scriptures denounce
those whose lips (words) honor Him, yet whose hearts are far
from Him (Ezekiel 33:31, Matthew 15:8).
Some people believe God speaks in the Hebrew language, but
that is not Biblical. The Hebrew people were descendents of
Eber, who lived six generations before Abraham. Eber's son,
Peleg, lived during the time when God originated the many
languages among mankind (due to the construction of the tower
of Babel). There are no details in the scriptures to tell us
much about Peleg or his spiritual state. His NAME is a word
which means a "dividing of the earth." The Bible shows us
that the region to which he was "divided" was UR of the
Chaldeas (Genesis 11:31 and context). God told Abraham to
leave the country (of his ancestors and his father's
household) and to go to a place where He would lead him.
Since UR means "light from a flame," and since CHALDEA means
"lost" (or a state of destruction), we can learn from the
spiritual type that the ancestors of Abraham were from a
place which is symbolic of FALSE RELIGION whose "light" is
the flames of the Lake of Fire (The Lake of Fire is NOT the
same as Hell as most people believe! It is symbolic, whereas
Hell is a literal place. In fact the Bible says that Hell is
cast into the lake of fire - Rev. 20:14). Abraham must "COME
OUT" of false religion (in type or allegory) in order to be
"saved" (literally) even as we do SPIRITUALLY TODAY. We "come
out" of SPIRITUAL BABYLON or CHALDEA (same place) so God can
lead us to the truth (Revelation 18; especially verse 4).
These things and many other details in the types of Genesis
11 and 12 prove the fact that Eber (the forerunner of the
Hebrew nation) and Peleg (the forerunner of the Hebrew
language) WERE NOT SERVANTS OF THE TRUE AND ETERNAL GOD!
Therefore, a major Bible principle would be broken if God
gave these UNGODLY MEN an exclusive and personal "GOD"
language.
Other people are just as wrong in their beliefs that God
speaks in KING JAMES ERA or MODERN DAY ENGLISH! For example,
many people almost make an idol out of the word, "JESUS," not
realizing that His name is spoken differently in different
languages (as is OFTEN the case). As an example of the
confusion this can bring to the uninformed, please read Acts
7:45 and Hebrews 4:8 in a King James Version of the Bible.
These passages speak of the one who led Israel into Caanan
after Moses's death. They call Him Jesus. WHY? Because the
name Jesus is the SAME NAME (when translated from the Greek
manuscripts) as the name Joshua translated into English from
the Hebrew text. If you had lived in the first century and
had spoken the Hebrew language, you would have called Jesus,
Yehowshuwa. If you had spoken Greek you would have called him
IESOUS (pronounced eeaysooce') because His name (IDENTITY)
was to be "Yahweh Saves" (Matthew 1:21). Therefore, you would
have called Him by the word which had such a meaning in your
language.
Perhaps at this point you are wondering, "why don't people
speak the name the same way in all languages?" The answer is
very simple. By the very meaning of the term "NAME," it is
more important to keep the MEANING of the word, when changing
from one language to another, than it is to SPEAK or
pronounce it the same in all languages. Remember, to "NAME"
means to describe one's identity.
The first century writers of our Bible sometimes
transliterated (emphasizing the WORD itself rather than its
meaning) names from one language to another. However, they
realized the importance of the MEANING of Jesus' name, so it
was translated. If you are familiar with any of the thousands
of spiritual types (allegories) in the Bible, you then should
realize the importance of TRANSLATING the original MEANING
(identity) of ALL THE NAMES IN THE BIBLE whenever you change
from one language to another. THE MEANINGS OF THE NAMES ARE
WHAT IS IMPORTANT! NOT HOW YOU SPEAK OR PRONOUNCE THEM. With
all the fuss over pronunciations today, one would think that
in Matthew 1:21 the angel of the Lord must have stressed the
pronunciation rather than the MEANING of the name of Jesus.
The fact is, God is FAR more concerned that TRUTH be spoken,
and with the reasons it is spoken than He is with HOW it is
spoken!
To better illustrate God's concern with the MEANING of names
(IDENTITIES), one should study in depth the reasons He
CHANGED THE FOLLOWING NAMES:
Genesis 17:5 Abram ("Lofty and exalted father") changed to
Abraham ("Father of Multitudes").
Genesis 32:28 Jacob ("heel grabber") changed to Israel
("Prince of God") Genesis 17:15 Sarai ("domineering") changed
to Sarah ("lady, princess, queen")
Acts 13:9 Saul ("desire, demand") changed to Paul ("stop,
cease")
Matthew 16:17-18 Simon ("hearing") changed to Peter ("large
rock") For the same reason (the types), God specified the
exact name for these SEVEN people before they were born:
Genesis 16:11 ISHMAEL ("El or God will hear")
Genesis 17:19 ISAAC ("laughter")
I Chronicles 22:9 SOLOMON ("peaceful")
I Kings 13:2 JOSIAH ("founded by Yahweh God)
Isaiah 44:28-45:1 CYRUS (Persian for "sun or throne")
Luke 1:13 JOHN ("favored by Yahweh")
Matthew 1:21 JESUS ("Yahweh or Yahwhoo Saves")
Revelation 22:4 says: "And they shall see his face; and name
shall be in their foreheads".
If you are familiar with Bible symbolism, you realize that
"in the forehead" is a reference to the mind. Does that
simply mean that the WORD "JESUS" or the WORD "YASHUA," etc.,
is in their mind?
Notice Revelation 19:11-13: "And I saw heaven opened, and
behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head
were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man
knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God."
This symbolic description of Jesus states that He had a name
that no man knew, then it declares His name is called "THE
WORD OF GOD." The WORD OF GOD is not a single word (name) nor
just a phrase. The WORD OF GOD is as deep and as vast as
ETERNITY itself. It transcends all of space and encompasses
all attributes and characteristics of DIVINITY. Incorporated
under the heading of "THE WORD OF GOD" are tens of thousands
of TYPES, SYMBOLS, ALLEGORICAL PICTURES, PROPHECIES, MORAL
INSTRUCTION, SPIRITUAL LIFE GUIDELINES, and even HIDDEN KEYS
THAT REVEAL ALL THINGS BOTH NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL.
I Corinthians 2:7-10 and 14; "BUT WE SPEAK THE WISDOM OF GOD
IN A MYSTERY, EVEN THE HIDDEN WISDOM, WHICH GOD ORDAINED
BEFORE THE WORLD UNTO OUR GLORY: WHICH NONE OF THE PRINCES
(wise men) OF THIS WORLD KNEW: FOR HAD THEY KNOWN IT, THEY
WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY: BUT AS IT IS
WRITTEN, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE
ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH
PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM
UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT: FOR THE SPIRIT SEARCHETH ALL THINGS,
YEA, THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD. " "BUT THE NATURAL MAN
RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD: FOR THEY ARE
FOOLISHNESS UNTO HIM: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, BECAUSE THEY
ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. "
Romans 1:20; "FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE
CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY
THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD,
SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE. "
Psalms 19:14; "THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD: AND THE
FIRMAMENT SHEWETH HIS HANDIWORK. DAY UNTO DAY UTTERETH
SPEECH, AND NIGHT UNTO NIGHT SHEWETH KNOWLEDGE. THERE IS NO
SPEECH NOR LANGUAGE, WHERE THEIR VOICE IS NOT HEARD. THEIR
LINE IS GONE OUT THROUGH ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO
THE END OF THE WORLD. IN THEM HATH HE SET A TABERNACLE FOR
THE SUN. "
These verses and others show us quite clearly that EVERYTHING
which God created is intended to symbolize, represent, and
"PREACH" about His GLORIOUS GREATNESS and the multiple
attributes of His DIVINE NATURE. This is true whether we
study the spiritual principles illustrated in the many
different arrangements or electrons and protons (which make
up the various elements) or even if we simply study the
characteristics of various plants and animals or parts of the
human body.
Someone might ask, "BUT WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH
THE NAME?" Friend, that should be obvious at this point in
our study. THE NAME OF THE LORD IS HIS IDENTITY and that
IDENTITY IS EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS WORD! Notice the following:
THE "WORD" CREATED ALL THINGS...John 1:1-3 " In the beginning
was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made
by him: and without him was not any thing made that was
made."
THE "WORD" IS THE SOURCE OF FAITH AND THEREFORE THE SOURCE OF
SALVATION. Romans 10:13-17; "For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall
they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the
feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the
gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God."
THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRITUAL CONCEPTION.("begat,"
"begotten") James 1:18; "Of his own will begat he us with the
word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his
creatures."
I Corinthians 4:15; "For though ye have ten thousand
instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in
Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
1 Peter 1:23; "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but
of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever. " (The Greek word which is translated
"born again" in this scripture can also be translated
"begotten". It is obvious that it should have been so
rendered in this text as the context speaks of the part of
the father, the giving of seed in order to produce life. The
aspect of being "born" is of course the mother's job, and is
not the immediate result of the "seed" of the father.)
THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRITUAL "BIRTH"...John 3:3 & 5;
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, Verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God." " Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God." (The "water" is definitely
not literal, but is the "water of life" which is mentioned in
Ephesians 5:26).
THE "WORD" IS THE MEANS OF SPIRIT AND LIFE...John 6:53-54,63;
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up
at the last day." "It is the spirit that quickeneth: the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit, and they are life".
THE "WORD" IS THE WEAPON (protection) OF THE
Spirit. Ephesians 5:17; "And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
THE "WORD" IS THE SEED WHICH PRODUCES TRUE SPIRITUAL LIFE IN
HONEST HEARTS. Luke 8:11 and context; "Now the parable is
this: The seed is the word of God."
With these thoughts in mind, it should be obvious to us that
when the Bible says there is no salvation in any other
"NAME," IT IS SAYING THE SAME AS "THERE IS NO SALVATION
EXCEPT THROUGH THE TRUE WORD (identity) OF GOD. "Now, the
question SHOULD be considered: IS ALL BIBLE PREACHING TRULY
THE WORD OF GOD? OUR ETERNITY DESTINY IS AT STAKE. Please
study the following thoughts and scriptures:
(1) MIRACLES, CASTING OUT OF DEVILS, and GOOD WORKS DO NOT
PROVE THAT THE PREACHING IS THE WORD OF GOD. Study Matthew
7:13-23, Matthew 24:24, II Thessalonians 2:8-12.
(2) PREACHING FROM THE BIBLE IS NOT PROOF THAT THE TEACHINGS
ARE THE WORD OF GOD. Study II Peter 3:16.
(3) PREACHING SOME TRUTH (PART of the WORD) IS NOT PROOF THAT
ALL TEACHINGS ARE TRUE. Study II Corinthians 2:17 and 4:2.
(4) IF A PREACHER MIXES MAN'S TRADITIONS WITH THE WORD, IT
CANCELS ITS EFFECTIVENESS. Study Mark 7:13.
(5) SIMPLY READING THE BIBLE DOES NOT SUPPLY YOU WITH THE
WORD OF GOD. IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM AND
ALLEGORY RATHER THAN JUST LITERAL HISTORY (Gal. 4:22-26,
John 5:39, I Cor. 10:1-13, Hebrews 8:5, I Cor. 2:14, etc.).
II Corinthians 3:13-16 shows us that even the chosen people
of the Old Covenant could not grasp the spiritual meaning of
the scriptures. They saw them only as HISTORICAL and MORAL
instruction. They were really MUCH MORE than that! EVERY
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT IN THE SCRIPTURES REVEALS PROPHESIES AND
TEACHINGS FOR TODAY.
Many people call their BIBLE their "SWORD" (from Ephesians
6:17 which says the sword of the Spirit is the WORD OF GOD).
Though we FULLY agree that we OBTAIN the WORD OF GOD from the
Bible, we must emphasize, THE BIBLE IN ITSELF IS NOT THE WORD
OF GOD (It must be given SPIRITUAL MEANING and APPLICATION to
become the WORD OF GOD). If the BIBLE itself is LITERALLY the
WORD OF GOD, then:
1) Bibles "increased" in the first century A.D. Acts 6:7
2) Saved people EAT BIBLES. Hebrews 6:5, John 6:53-63
3) John 1:1 would mean, "In the beginning was the BIBLE, and
the BIBLE was with God, and the BIBLE WAS GOD."
4) Since salvation is by the word of God, lost people would
need only to read the Bible to be saved. In that case, the
greatest work that could be accomplished would be to see that
everyone has a Bible. That is NOT the case!
In order to finish briefly answering the questions we
presented at the beginning of this booklet, we need to
consider the NAME FOR THE CHURCH. Thousands of names are used
by men today to NAME CHURCHES. The BIBLE makes use of only
THREE NAMES USED BY CHURCHES TODAY (Acts 20:28, I Corinthians
1:2, 10:32, 11:22, 15:9, Galatians 1:13, I Timothy 3:5, I
Thessalonians 2:14, Romans 16:16, etc.). Since the word
"CHURCH" and the word "ASSEMBLY" are BOTH correct
translations of the Greek word
used in these texts, then the names "CHURCH OF GOD,"
"ASSEMBLY OF GOD," and "CHURCHES OF CHRIST" would all SEEM to
have BIBLICAL BASIS. Yet, Jesus' prayer in John 17:12 begs
the Father to KEEP FOLLOWERS AS "ONE" or in UNITY through the
FATHER'S NAME. From our study of the MEANING of the word
"NAME," we should easily realize that Jesus' request was for
UNITY resulting from a common knowledge of the TRUE
CHARACTERISTICS and IDENTITY of the Father. Since the WORD OF
GOD reveals the Father, the REAL ANSWER to Jesus' prayer only
comes to pass when FULLNESS OF REVEALED TRUTH IS PREACHED! IT
WILL NEVER BE FULFILLED BY HAVING CERTAIN WORDS ON A SIGN ON
A CHURCH BUILDING!
Mankind has always been concerned with certain WORDS or
LITERAL PHRASES which are written down or spoken. The TRUE
and LIVING GOD (whether you call Him Elohim, Yahweh, Yawhoo,
Jehovah, Lord, Father, or even Jesus, Yehowshuwa, Yahshua,
Yeshua, Joshua, etc.) IS CONCERNED WITH SPIRITUAL MEANINGS
AND PRINCIPLES. So the only way that you and I can truly
approach God in the "name" of Jesus, is to study and
assimilate in our hearts the "identity" (i.e. name ) of
Jesus, and then God will truly "see" us "IN CHRIST".