Tuesday: From Abram to Abraham
Gen: 17:4-5
Though the names of God come with spiritual and theological significance, they do not end just with God. Names of people in the ancient Near East were not just meaningless ways of identification as often they are to us. To name a girl Mary or Susy does not make much of a difference today. For the ancient Semites, however, human names came heavy-laden with spiritual significance.
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
All Semitic names of people have meaning and usually consist of a phrase or short sentence that comprised of a wish or an expression of gratitude on the part of the parent. For example, Daniel means “God is my judge”; Joel means “Yahweh is God”; or Nathan means “Gift of God.”
Because of the significance attached to names, names would often be changed to reflect a radical change in someone’s life and circumstances.
Look up the following texts. What situations are they addressing, and why were the names changed in these situations?
In one sense, however, it is not that hard, even for modern minds, to understand the significance of what a person is called. There are subtle and, at times, not so subtle effects. If someone is constantly called “stupid” or “ugly,” and if those are the appellations used for them all the time by a lot of people — sooner or later those names could have an impact on how the person views himself or herself. In the same way, by giving people certain names, or changing their names, it seems possible to influence how they would view themselves and thus influence how they would act.
With this in mind, it is not so hard to understand why God would want to change Abram to Abraham. Abram means “Father is exalted”; God changed it to Abraham, which means “Father of a multitude.” When you look at the covenant promise in which God says “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you”(Gen: 17:6, RSV), the name change makes better sense. Perhaps it was God’s way of helping Abraham trust in the covenant promise, which was being made to a 99-year-old man married to an old woman who had up until that time been barren. In short, God did it to help increase Abraham’s faith in God’s promises to him.
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Most of us do not have descriptive names, although we often carry family names for many generations. Some of my extended family are very keen on ancestry studies and have mapped the genealogy of our family back 14 generations. I was given the same Christian name, Maurice, as my grandfather and it is interesting that the name occurs half a dozen times in our known ancestry. It is also interesting to note that about half my current Ashton relatives have quite wiry unruly hair (I didn't inherit that characteristic). Given that Maurice means "of Moorish descent", I have speculated that maybe the name first entered the family tree as a descriptive name. Maybe one of my ancestors was a North African Berber (Moor).
Biblical names were often descriptive and in Abram/Abraham's case prophetic. Somewhat surprisingly, the nation (both ancient and modern) that descended from Abraham has chosen to be named not after Abraham but after Jacob (Israel). Israel means "Wrestled with God".
God promises us a new name. Read what he says in Isaiah 62:
It is very nice to know the meaning of your name. My name is Mercedes I would say like the car☺ but it should have a meaning I will look it up I do wonder what name God will have for me. You comment was very nice thank you for that
Well if the name comes from Spanish, it means “mercy or favor”!
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Isa 49:16.
From Abram to Abraham
It was 24yrs after Abram and the Lord had an encountered (as mentioned in the bible) then his name was changed. It was a walk of friendship and faith, of daily talking and listening. The Lord asked his to walk before him and be perfect. Abraham fell several times but got up with the help of his spiritual friend and cont the spiritual walk. A walk of perfection.
It was so educative that all names in the bible had a deeper meaning. All of Jesus names meant something. E.g Immanuel, Christ, Jesus Christ etc. There is a song that says--He/you know my name, another says 'there is a new name written down it glory and its mine. It is not surprising I never heard the name Jezebel or Judas given to anyone outside of the bible!!! People might not have a certain name but behave in such ways that they are referred to as certain names (for good or bad).
Have you ever heard your name being called but no one way around? How does it feels? The Lord address us by our names and not just- hi/hey woman/man. Bible says the Lord has our names imprint in his hands, how beautiful.
"It is not surprising I never heard the name Jezebel or Judas given to anyone outside of the bible!!!
Yes, and I never heard anyone naming his son Balaam.
With my name, Karen, becoming popularly used to represent someone with a negative attitude, I sometimes felt like changing my name. But what I have decided instead is to simply continue to be who God made me and give my name a positive representation to counteract the negative popular image. By God's grace, I will change the reputation of the name Karen in the eyes of those who know me.
In both Abram/Abraham and Jacob/Israel, God was making known to all the required change in one's experience, which entering into a covenant with God will bring. Circumcision was a similar "statute" that was used to demonstrate a needed change from unbelief to faith. Generations later, the required blue border on the garment was given as a statute and a constant, visible reminder.
I grew up really disliking my name. It was simple, plain and seemed at home to be attached to trouble. It seemed to be used often to relieve stress coming from life difficulties not of my choice.
When I grew up and was long separated from that environment, I still had trouble seeing positive purpose in my existence.
One day when walking through the grocery store the Holy Spirit turned my eyes towards an item that had my name on it. I was impressed to look up the meaning of my name when I got home.
It shocked me to learn that the meaning of my first and middle names were, “God’s gracious gift and mercy”. With my last name Mosca, it means “God’s gracious gift and mercy fly”.
Now instead of detesting my existence, I’m constantly reminded of God’s precious gift and His amazing mercy towards me and all who love Him and are called by His name.
That's beautiful!
Not long I got to know the true meaning of my name because I do think since Abraham is Father of all Nations, Sarah is Mother of all Nations too(sounds funny). But now I know the meaning of Sarah is "Princess" and this has constantly remind me that I'm a daughter of the King...Jesus.
Rev. 2:17 and 3:12 are two of the promises giving us the blessed assurance that God has plans to give us new names. It's great news, when you consider some of the names parents have named their children, especially in recent times, simply unbelievable! In ignorance some have called their precious offspring names that have evil written all over them. Some people just don't understand how serious this is, hence, they give little or no thought to choosing names for their children. Thanks be to our Loving Heavenly Father, His name will fit just perfectly. I can't wait to have mine written on me or on the white stone.
i think that the discussion about the "roots of a name" pales in significance to the phrase "FATHER OF MANY NATIONS" which is said twice in verses 4 and verse 5 from chapter Genesis chapter 17...why did THE LORD say "Father of many nations"?? What are the nations?? Are the nations Spiritual or physical or both??...so many questions that need to be explored from these verses regarding the meaning of this phrase...“father of a multitude of nations.” Abraham was the physical father of many nations—ethnic Israel through the promised son Isaac, Ishmaelites (v. 20; 21:13; 25:12–18), Edomites (25:23; 36:1–43), and his descendants through Keturah (25:1–4). But this promise finds final fulfillment in the multitude from every tribe, language, and nation who share the faith of Abraham and are baptized into Jesus Christ (Rom. 4:16, 17; 15:8–12; Gal. 3:29; Rev. 7:9)….ESV, Reformation Study Bible.
FATHER OF MANY NATIONS….God’s grand mission to restore his rebellious worshipers, as broad as it seems, was as narrow as a single man—Abram. But the scope of that mission was about to become much broader. God told Abram that he was going to make him the father of many nations and accordingly renamed him “Abraham.” The Lord would indeed make Abram into Abraham, and he would do it in two ways. In a purely physical sense, Abraham’s sons Ishmael and Isaac would become the fathers of nations. Ishmael, in spite of his shame and rejection, would father a great nation (Ge 17:20). His children would go on to become the Ishmaelites (25:13–16; 37:27–28). Isaac’s two sons, Esau and Jacob, were both the source of nations. Esau would become the father of the Edomites (36:9), who lived on the borders of Canaan. Abraham’s grandson Jacob was renamed “Israel” by God—the name of the great nation he would father (35:10–11). In a spiritual sense, Abraham’s descendants would form a massive number of individuals from many nations. God used Abraham as a father of many spiritual descendants who, like him, entered into a relationship with God by faith. This cross-national, interracial people group was what God was working to establish through Abraham. God’s promise to make Abraham the father of many nations involved two major campaigns into the hostile territory of the rebellious Gentile nations, drawing worshipers who would place their faith in God. The first campaign to reach the nations occurred as God called Israel to be his witness to the Gentiles (Isa 42:5–7). While limited in success, many representatives from other nations were reached during this time; Israel’s witness to the Gentiles included unique missionaries like Jonah and memorable converts such as Rahab and Ruth.God’s second campaign to bring his promise to completion involves his new cross-national, interracial people—the church. From its very onset, the church was intended to finish the work of reaching the nations (Ac 2:5–11). As the church expands, bringing the message of Abrahamic faith to the nations, God’s promise to Abraham is slowly coming to fruition. NIV Jesus Bible.
Mark- I like the way you explained your findings but according to the bible there is nothing like interracial/biracial in the site of God. Those were phases coined by men rooted in sin. Paul writing to the Galatians stated Gal 3:26-29. neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, bond nor free. When we accept Christ, then we become Abraham seed. I do not know if Abraham physical seeds matters like his spiritual seeds. Jesus stated to the people when the Jews boasted they were of Abraham seed, John 8:33-59. What a beautiful explanation of who are the descendance of Abraham that matters.
I come in contact with physical Jews very often.
A little humor here. When I was in college I had a roommate who was going out with a girl named Delilah. She was as treacherous us Samson’s Delilah too! She was trying to pull my roommate away from his girlfriend who had been my friend since high school.