1 January 2010
Psalm 103; Isa. 62:1-12; Rev. 19:11-16; Matt. 1:18-25

Today we celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus. The Isaiah passage celebrates the salvation of the Lord and in that salvation the one who gets a new name is actually His people. Isaiah says they will no longer be called forsaken or desolate but “My delight is in her” and “Married.” The people will be called “The holy people” and “the redeemed of the Lord” and “Sought out, a city not forsaken.” Taking His Name changes our status. The work of the Lord is to glorify His Name and change our names including our destiny. This is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible in understanding just what it means to be the people of God.

The name of Jesus is proclamation of faith and truth. The name means literally the Lord saves. To say the name is to speak the greatest truth we can ever speak. It is a source of comfort and strength, a statement of faith in the one whose name it is. The name is the greatest reality of all. In John 14.6 Jesus says He is the truth, and in fulfilling the truth of His Name He embodies the truth. His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension are all testimony to the truth of His Name. It is the testimony of the psalmists and the prophets and it is the testimony of those who have been redeemed, it is our creed and our joyful proclamation.

The name of the rider is the Word of God, and as John wrote, the Word was with God and the Word was God. He also bears the inscription, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” His names are many but in the end He is the Lord who saves. We are saved from our enemies and we are saved from death. The salvation of God isn’t temporary, it is eternal. He is the one on whom we rely. We cannot save ourselves, we need a savior. I would suggest that you pray through the names in this passage today and meditate on what each of them means in connection with Jesus and ask the Lord to give you a new appreciation for these characteristics of Jesus.

Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!