The Concept of "Name"
From Eco-Bible 1
These are notes for an incomplete "Concept" page.
- Information is being added as the Bible Pages are added. In the end, everything will be compiled, further information added (as necessary), broken links connected, etc.
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- God gives things names as he creates them - defining their significance.
- Adam was given the task of naming the animals (calling them something which accurately explained their significance), in order to realize that there were none that corresponded to himself - Gen 2:19-20 - Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; ...
- Adam gave the woman her name, which explained her significance. Gen 2:23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
- Adam gives his wife a second name - Gen 3:20 - The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
- Naming the woman "Eve" was an expression of faith - a trust in the promise of hope that was embedded in the judgment. Biologically, she would still be the mother of those who would be destined for death (because of sin in the world); but spiritually, she would become the mother of those who would repent and become followers of the living God - those who could be characterized by the word "living" in a sense that went far beyond mere biological existence.
- After the Flood, the people wanted to stay together and make a "name" for themselves. The goal of this name was to prevent themselves from being scattered.
- Gen 11:4 - They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth."
- This was a rebellion against God's command to "fill the earth." The offspring of Shem, Ham and Japheth did not want to spread out. Instead, they built a city, with the same spirit of rebellion as Cain had, when he did so. They wanted to give themselves their own significance ("name").
- God changes the names of Abram and Sarai, to emphasize their significance to future generations.
- The name Abram (meaning "exalted Father") is changed to Abraham (meaning "father of many"), for he will become the father of many nations. There will be nations and kings coming from Abraham.
- Sarai probably means "princess-like" (she has the character of a princess), whereas Sarah indicates that she is "the princess" - the one through whom nations and kings would come.
- Solomon taught and explained all sorts of things related to nature. This would, of necessity, include the giving of names, if the organism had not been previously named! (Consider the fact that, in the Old Testament, "naming" something had to do with understanding its significance.)
- The names of Job's daughters not only emphasized their beauty, but may have also described the beauty of the change in his own circumstances.
- "Name" represents the person and everything about him. God - his fame, reputation and person - is described as "majestic."
- "Name" and reputation are closely linked. In this passage:
- About the righteous king: Psa 72:17 His name (= good reputation) endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun (= figurative for "forever").
- About Yahweh: Psa 72:19 Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.
- Psa 135:13 Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations.
- Psa 148:13 let them (= all creation) praise the name of Yahweh, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens.
- Because of his name - i.e., because of the significance of his name, representing all that he is: greater than all of creation.
- "For my name's sake..." - Because of who God is - everything about him.
Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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