We are dealing with a factor very large in the history of God’s involvement with earth. God not only is perceived in many names in Scripture, but is interested in the names of persons with whom he has to do. The primary emphasis on naming, as related to him, is that there are many gods (symbols), but only one God (Divine life-force). If we are dealing with God, we need to know how that is done if we are to be assured meaning to experience. There are situations in Scripture representing the point – that all matters presumed to involve God are miracles in earth context. The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, offers a dramatic illustration of identity and understanding – as does the exchange between Jesus and Satan in the temptation episode of days. God usually works with mankind in the simplicity of human contexts. He may give or change names along the way: Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah, Saul of Tarsus becomes Paul, the Apostle, even Jesus has a number of names – at least four offered by Isaiah, and several in the New, some likely treated as nicknames or titles like Lord – Master in conversations with the disciples. For Christians, the matter of names becomes vital in prayer given signatory in the name of Jesus Christ. So sacred was the name of God for scribes that when that name was penned, the pen was discarded, presumed to have performed its highest meaning in transferring name to paper, that it should not be called upon to form another word. It represented the devotion of the scribe and a requirement of his order.
For the Jews the two names in common use relating to God were Elohim and Jehovah. Elohim related to the generic concept of God. Who is your Elohim? For Elijah, his Elohim was Jehovah. For the prophets challenging him, their Elohim was Baal. In conflicts of this nature, the truth was presumed to rest in the outcome of the conflict: Moses and the Israelites escaped Egypt, and the army of Egypt was destroyed; Elijah was vindicated and the prophets of Baal were slain. Daniel escaped alive from the lion’s den and his enemies were destroyed. The stories from history are many. Students of Scripture learn how pre-Christian thought in the revelation of God to Israel was expressed as a factor in everyday culture. For example God was Jehovah-jireh (The Lord will provide.) God was identified in his ministries to mankind. So magnificent was the concept of the identity of God that witness of God to community of strangers was clear. It was affirmative. It was to human benefit. It made persons who followed the culture devotional, meek, humble, loving, committing to God and this proved by their effort to follow Scripture. Certainly many followed other gods, as in the Baal period. The legitimacy of the faith of God in Scripture is not defined by the number of persons following that light, but in the life and principles of that light. In our era many persons in Israel do not believe in God, and many persons claiming Christian church relationship don’t believe in the authority of God in Jesus Christ. Something other than God is their god – the most significant factor of their lives. It may be self, perhaps the most common for us from among the gods.
This concern about the identity of God, both by the Christian and others offer considerable difficulty to the Christian in public prayer. Since all prayers of Christians are offered to God and are scripted for identity with the name of Christ, what pattern is to be followed in public prayer in which persons are offended in the naming of God? In modern life to afford devotion to God, and identify it as the believed context of one God only, not just an Elohim, creates embarrassment in many instances, and for some resistance. Apparently it is taken as complimentary if we mention the names of our teachers, or physicians, or colleagues, but to mention the name chosen of God is taken as bad taste, as inconsiderate and unfeeling of others. If any persons, in God or humankind, who have served me and made my life better are properly noted in the course of communications why is the matter embarrassing rather than honoring? In devotion to God and recommended to all persons we serve Jesus Christ. The consecutive treatments of Jesus related to his name with God’s in John’s Gospel 14-17 are to be used for clarity. The true Christian accepts living and working in a world that may be unaccepting of God’s provision in Jesus Christ in the miracle of Emanuel (God with us), but unwilling to be silent about the meaning of his name. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020