The Name

In the Bible times, the Hebrew people would name their kids based on either something God had done for them, or a characteristic of that kid. For instance, names such as Rafael. Rafa means healing, while El is a contraction of the word Elohim meaning God. So Rafael means "God is the healer". Or with Esau in Genesis, he was born very red and hairy, so his parents called him Esau or "Red Guy". Likewise, Malachi comes from the Hebrew word Malak which means messenger, and ai which would translate as my. Malachi at birth was proclaimed to be "My Messenger." The Hebrews had an understanding that their name was everything. That by the very nature of their name, you would be able to tell so much about a person. Your name was all important in the Hebrew society. Isaiah does something interesting when he writes, he names his kids based on what would come to happen in Israel. Even in the New Testament we see predictions about a person based on how they are named. Mary and Joseph were commanded to name their son, who would be born miraculously from a couple who had never consummated their marriage, Jesus. In Hebrew his name is Yehu-Shua. Yehu being a shortening of the divine name YHWH and Shua meaning salvation. Jesus' name was Joshua or the "Lord is My Salvation". It even says in Matthew 1:21 that "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Was there ever a more powerful name attached to person? The very name of Jesus proclaimed that God's salvation was present. The very core of his person was the salvation that God has to offer his broken creation. It is no wonder that his name is the Name above all names.