What's In A Name?

 What’s In A Name

By Liz King

Names are important. They have meanings and are meaningful.  Some are remembered throughout time.  Some names are feared.  Some names are passed down from generation to generation.  Some names are considered holy, and some are considered evil, but there is only one name that is different than all the rest.  It is considered holy, but it is also treated with disregard, disdain, dishonor and abuse.  It is a name that holds power.  It is a name that one day everyone will bow to.  It is the name above every other name, It is the name of Jesus, the name of our God.

Why is it that the Name of Jesus and God are the only deity names treated without reverence or respect and used as a word of disdain and disgust.  It flows out of the mouths of parents, children, even Christians, and Hollywood.  Many put it up there with the four-letter word and every other profanity.  Why does the world and even those who claim to follow Jesus use His name in such disregard and dishonor?  We do not do that with any other deity. If you misuse the name of Mohammed, people's lives are threatened.  You don't hear anyone say oh my Buddha, or Shiva, or even Lucifer.  Why?  I believe it is because Jesus' name is the only one that holds true power.  All the other deities wish to be God and desire to be worshiped as God, yet God’s name is the only one thrown around with no regard for its holiness.  The Jews feared to even say the name of Yahweh.  Whenever the scholars would write the name of God, they would wash their hands before even writing it, it was that Holy to them.  What happened?

One of the ten commandments God gave Moses was not to use God’s name in vain.  Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 says, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain”.  If God takes His name so seriously, shouldn't we?  What does vain mean? It means having no real value or significance; worthless, empty, idle, hollow.  Why do some believers throw the name of God/ Jesus around in emptiness and hollowness after everything He has done for them?  Have they forgotten who Jesus is or the power of His name?  You may say that Jesus and God are separate, but they aren't. They are one and the same.  Jesus is God. 

Many people would say that taking the name of Jesus or God is nothing. It doesn’t hurt us.  I wonder what God thinks?   It breaks his heart. He loves us and gives everything for us.  He died for us, conquered death for us and we use the name of God/ Jesus in hollowness and disgust.  The Bible does say He will hold us accountable for the misuse of His name, but why is it that Jesus’ name is the only one thrown around without the honor and respect that it deserves.  The name of Jesus is powerful.  It is in the name of Jesus that people were healed, brought back to life, saved, and rescued.  The name of Jesus can command demons to flee. The name of Jesus can change atoms and the atmosphere.  So, if it is that powerful, why do we misuse it to be powerless.  I believe it is because the enemy wants us to not realize the name's true power.  If they can make the name of God/Jesus appear powerless, we will never realize its true power. It makes them laugh because the creation mocks and disregards their creator and savior.  The enemy doesn't want you to realize it's the name they actually fear and tremble at.  If we don’t believe in the power and holiness of the name of Jesus/God, we will not come to the true understanding of our need for Him or the real power in His name.  Satan and his angels rebelled against God wanting to be like him.  Satan tempted Jesus to worship Him and Jesus refused. Jesus was the one who had the power, not Satan. Satan has no regard for God/Jesus or His name.  The fallen angels or “deities” want to be above God and want to receive the honor and worship they will never deserve.  They do that by deceiving the children who were created by the one true God and getting them to worship and honor them instead of God.  That hurts God, because that means we honor the evil and corrupt over the holy and righteous one and only true God.  The enemy wants God’s image to blaspheme their image, the one they were created to reflect.  To me this proves Jesus/God is the one true God.  If the lie hates the truth, then the lie will try to deceive everyone else who was made from the truth to hate the truth and fall for the lie.

I think it hurts God the most when those who claim to follow Him misuse and dishonor His name.  It breaks his heart when children take the name of God and the name of Jesus in vain.  They are only doing what they have seen and been taught.  They do not realize and respect the holiness of the name of Jesus and who he is. The name of Jesus means “the Lord is salvation”.  You would not treat the name of a loved one or one who has saved your life as an expression of disgust.  Then why do we do that with God/Jesus?  Do we forget what He has saved us from?  Do we make His name powerful or treat it as powerless?  One day every knee is going to bow, and every tongue will confess, in the earth, under earth, and in heaven that Jesus Christ is Lord.    I pray that if you misuse the name of God/ Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, maker of the universe, you will begin to see the importance and freedom that is in the name of Jesus.  Repent and seek forgiveness. God loves us and is merciful and mighty to forgive (Daniel 9:9).  Begin to use the name of Jesus in power.  Teach your children and those around you the importance of that name.  That name is Jesus.  That name was nailed to a cross.  That name took our place and paid our debt.  That name rose from the dead on the third day.  That name is the one who created you and spoke you into existence.  It is that name who loves you more than you could ever know.  It is that name who saved us from an eternity of pain and death eternally.  His name heals, redeems, restores, and demons flee.  That name has power.  Let us praise the name of Jesus rather than use it in disdain.