Your Name Is?

Genesis 32:27-28 “[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God] …” (AMPC)

Names are very, very powerful. Names are tools of identification and because names are tools for identification, they inadvertently become a tool for identity. When you are called a certain name, after a while you derive your identity from that name. 

So, names go beyond being tools of identification to us humans, they become tools of identity. We derive our identity inadvertently from our names. And it is not far-fetched to see someone behave like his or her name. In fact, it is most likely that people will eventually behave like their names. Why? It is because every time you are called that name, it is like a destiny is being proclaimed over you, a destiny is being spoken over you. And God usually would call us by name.

God is a God of names. He has several names and each of those names describes several attributes. Each of God’s names talks about different identities, if you will, of God. God has so many names. Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Mekoddishkem, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Sabaoth, Jehovah Overdo (a Nigerian addition). You run out of names for God, so to speak, because He is so big that as many names as we have already, they are still insufficient for our God. So, our names call forth our destinies, our prophetic destinies. Names are so, so crucial. There was a man in the Bible called Nabal. Nabal had a lot of money. He was wealthy. However, the Bible described him as a fool. He did not know where to apply common sense. 

David had watched over Nabal’s flock and herdsmen. And when it was time for harvest, David sent his men to Nabal saying your boys are loyal, send something to your boys. We have not done any harm to your men or livestock (1 Samuel 25:4-9 paraphrased). Nabal cursed David out, basically. David became upset, and he was going to attack Nabal. But Nabal had a wife, a wise woman called Abigail. Abigail ran to David and said this in 1 Samuel 25:25 “Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.” (KJV, emphasis added). Abigail taught us a big lesson on the significance of names here. 

Nabal means fool. Abigail was saying that he is just behaving like his name. Do not let that ruffle you. And this should give us wisdom to deal with certain people. Certain people will behave in a certain way, sometimes their names speak forth. Nabal was spared because of Abigail. But the key thing here for us is that Nabal is his name and folly is with him. As his name is, so is he. What is your name? Think about it. What is your name? 

Prayer: Father, in Your mercy, let it please You to reveal my name to me and make my name reflect Your purpose and glory, in the Name of Jesus. Amen!