Biblical Theology – Part 2 – What’s in a name?

In an effort to avoid writing out a whole sermon I’ll focus on the ‘big point’ of the passage in Exodus 3 in this part, then Exodus 4 in the third part in this series. However this will still be long :P

Context, context and context. These are the three things which help a preacher in understanding the passage they are preaching from – particularly if the passage is from the Old Testament. We are looking at the context of the verses within the chapter, the context of the chapter within the book (Exodus), and the context of the book within the whole bible.

So how does Chapter 3 of Exodus fit into what we know of the book of Exodus so far? Well in the first two chapters we open with the scene of Israel, numerous in number, enslaved in Egypt. A new pharaoh has risen and in response to the growing number of Israelites, sets in motion a course of infanticide – killing all Israelite boys at birth. Moses’ mother, fearing the death of her son, places Moses in a basket and sets him off into the Nile. Through a miraculous series of events Moses’ life is spared and he ends up as Prince of Egypt (so to speak).

Now, this story isn’t all that unique. It sure has some miraculous points, but is it really all that important? This is where we take a further step back and look at the wider context of what’s been happening.

Casting our minds all the way back now to Genesis 12 and the solitary figure who is promised grand things from God – Abraham (then known as Abram). Three things are promised to Abraham:

1. He will have many descendants
2. He will have live in a place promised by God
3. His nation will be a blessing to all the nations

Ok, straight forward enough. The rest of Genesis reveals to us how this plan is put into action. Skip a few chapters ahead (and big names such as Isaac, Jacob & Esau) and we find ourselves with Jacob and his twelve sons – one of which is Joseph and his technicolour dream coat (well, not literally but you get the point). Through a long series of events Joseph and his family end up leaving the Promised Land given to Abraham and living in Egypt in prosperity.

Fast forward a few years and we start to see that things are not as they are supposed to be. God’s promises are being reversed. The first promise – numerous descendants – seems to be fulfilled, but this new Pharaoh seems bent on destroying the nation. The Israelites are far away from the Promised Land and are in slavery. And blessing…what blessing are they being to the other nations? So Israel cries out to God…

And God remembers them. Not remember in the sense of, “Oh…yeah…forgot about you guys…” but remember as in God taking the next step in his plans. God sets about putting his promises to Abraham into action.

The first thing He does is raise up a deliverer. Moses. The prince of Egypt. The murderer. The fugitive. The unlikely hero. And the hero of the story is quite reluctant to go. Who am I that people will listen to them? Who will I say sent me that they will listen?

God then introduces himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And breathtakingly declares that the one who sends Moses is called ‘I AM’. A name which reminds us that God is God – He is who He is, everlasting to everlasting, unchangeable, immutable. The great ‘I AM’ has sent Moses. At this moment the music rises to a crescendo, the lights of the heavens are filled with God’s glory and Moses is on his knees in awe and wonder.

What’s in a name? Why is God’s revelation of his name so important? Well, because it is in the name of the Lord, Yahweh (or a close pronunciation to it), that Israel is saved. It is the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, the God of the universe who chooses to reveal His personal name to us.

But not only has He revealed His name, through it He chooses to save His people. Moses asks the question, “When I go to the people, who shall I say sent me?” And Yahweh reveals that because of who He is, He will keep the promises made to His people.

What an amazing thought it is to know that God is a personal God, ready and willing to reveal Himself to His people. But consider this, even more amazing thought for us Christians: Israel knew the name of the God of the universe, we Christians get to call him Father.

How good is that!? The God of the universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, this great God that we have…we now personally call Father!

Jesus takes our knowing God’s name even further than Israel dared to dream.

The ESV captures this point more clearly than most bible translations. In John 17:6 Jesus says, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.” (emphasis mine). Jesus reveals the name of the Father through himself. The name of the Most High who saved Israel all those years ago is being fully revealed through Jesus Christ.

Paul connected the importance of the name when he sung, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

And finally, Peter would capture the importance of a name after being questioned about healing a crippled man in Jesus’ name, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (emphasis mine).

Now if the thought of knowing God’s name, knowing the Father, and knowing salvation through the one and only name of Jesus does not stir your heart to confidence and praise…then you need to check your faith!

Next BT post will look at Exodus 4.