His Name…

 

His Name… 

This insignificant teenager from this nothing town of Nazareth, she is first to hear his name spoken into earth’s round atmosphere. This name of this coming King. This name that is ‘above every name’ (Philippians 2:9-11). This name full of power and light. This  name of Him through whom all worlds were made.

In Hebrew culture, as with many African cultures, names are not merely labels to call a person by. Names are adjectives as well as nouns, deep descriptors chosen carefully, capturing a person’s essential character, proclaiming their destiny, the shape of their calling in God. 

Both Mary and Joseph are given the name of their child, and Joseph is given this explanation for it…

‘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.’

Matthew 1:21

Jesus. His name in Aramaic and Hebrew is Yeshua and it means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” This word is built from ‘Ya’, which is an abbreviation for Yahweh, the personal name of Israel’s God, and the verb ‘yasha’ which means to “rescue,” “save,” or “deliver”.

God didn’t give His son the name ‘King’, the name ‘powerful’ the name ‘mighty’. He gave Him the name which means ‘I’m coming to save you’. I will rescue you. I will deliver you out of darkness. You are not alone in the dark. I’m coming. 

Jesus, His name was given to Him by God because He was given by God. To us. For us.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him’. 

John 3:16-17

Jesus left heaven to come to earth. This earth. The hurting one. He came into our human story, our human wreckage. He came to save us. Before we even knew we needed saving. 

‘Jesus’ wasn’t just the name He was given. It was the reason He came. Because His name meant ‘The Lord saves’ His path lead to the cross that saved us. He has always been the ‘Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world’ (Revelation 13:8). Before the foundations of the Universe were laid Jesus’ walk to this cross had begun.

Jesus, He knew His name. He knew He would live it. Every lash, every torment, every humiliation, every nail. He knew. He knew all along that this is where His journey would take Him, where love for frail human beings would take Him. And still He came for us. 

For every one of us.

‘for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Romans 10:13

He didn’t just come to give us a lovely sentimental feeling and warming family holiday season each December. The message of Easter has always been right there, embedded deeply within the story of Christmas.

He came to be His name.

‘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.’

Matthew 1:21

God is with us. Because He has broken every chain that kept us from Him.