When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, "Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Genesis 17:1-5
There is a somewhat funny story behind what God showed me behind this passage. This year, I am teaching art for young students at a homeschool tutorial. I had a project in mind--to make mosaic pictures out of bits of melted crayon--but due to illness, I was unable to prep as much as I had planned. I had a bag of crayon bits, but I knew it would never cover the masterpieces I had in mind for my sweet kiddos. I had hoped to stay up late the night before ironing more crayon bits, but fatigue drove me to bed and so I showed up the next morning with my inadequate bag of crayon pieces, no idea what I would do with them, and a prayer on my lips. Just before class, I sensed a whisper: "Names. Talk about names and have them decorate their initials." I cut my paper down to a smaller size and began a word search on the Bible on my phone (sometimes I love technology!). It was Genesis 17: 1 that stood out to me.
"Are You sure, God? That seems a bit much for the little ones... the bit about walking before You and being blameless," was my thought but I jotted the verse on the board as the little people arrived and we dove in with me having no idea what would come of it.
As it turned out, God had some pretty amazing things to say to me... and to them, I suppose, but I honestly think I am usually the one who learns the most out of these classes! We talked about names: How each of their names was chosen by their parents specially for them and most have a story. How God has many names in the Bible, and how each one reveals something about His nature. How He changed the names of some of His people from time to time to reflect His plan for that person. Then we got to business talking about the passage above. I told them in brief the story of Abram and God--how God had promised Abram a son and made a covenant with him that his offspring would be more numerous than the stars. Due to the age of the children, I did leave out the bits about Sarai and Hagar, instead focusing on this passage where Abram was 99, childless, and still believing in the promise of God.
The first name we talked about was El Shaddai--God Almighty. I asked the children why God would reveal His name as "Almighty" to an elderly, childless man at this moment? We decided that it was likely because God was getting ready to do something that was not possible for anyone but an Almighty God! He was going to give this old man and his aged wife a child when they were physically too old for childbearing. He was telling Abram that He could do what He said He could do!
The next name we discussed was Abram, which means, "High Father." It was at this time that God changed Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "Father of Many Nations." Quite a title for an old man without children, but remember that it was El Shaddai Who named him thus! Sure enough, about a year later Abraham and Sarai (now called Sarah) did have a son, and that son had two sons, and one of those sons had 12 sons... and within a few generations later, the nation of Israel was established!
Something I did not mention to the children but that God did bring to my attention is that Abraham--the Father of Many Nations--is not only the father of the Jewish nation, but also my father as well. How is that? He is my father in faith, as Paul wrote to the Galatians: "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:29) God's renaming of this man of faith was also a reflection of His plan of rescue that He had already set in motion to redeem the sin-twisted world He had made. What a wonderful name Abraham was given!
God also told Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed. This promise received its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ who came to die for the sins of all people everywhere. In Him we can now live apart from sin and look forward to eternal life. In keeping with my discussion on names, however, there is one other passage that was in the forefront of my mind that day and in the days since but that I did not bring out to share with the children. It is found in Revelation, and it is a promise that gives me great hope and comfort during times when I am feeling the weight of my sin or my inadequacy. In Revelation 2:17, Jesus says, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'"
Some day I, too, will receive a new name from my Lord. However, my new name will be personal, not public as Abraham's was. When I ponder this, I think it must be because Abraham received His new name at the beginning of the redemption story. He was to be the great father of faith, the first one that God singled out and set apart for Himself. When my new name is given, it will be at the end of the redemption story, or at least the the end of my story. The entire work will be done, from beginning to end, my race run, my part in the Great Story complete.
My new name, then, will not reflect a promise and a hope for the future, but will instead represent what has been done and will already be accomplished within my heart. I do not know what my name will be, but I can speculate that it will reflect the goodness of God in my life, the specific trials He strengthened me through, and especially that it may reflect the final and utter eradication of my sin nature--a new name on an unblemished stone to mark the occasion of my final transformation from glory to glory. In this flesh, my name is Heather--a name tarnished by the sin I have committed. Then, I will have a name that perfectly reflects my Father and His completed work in me; the final restoration of my relationship with Him. . . and every last trace of my sin nature--including my present name--will be eradicated completely. What a magnificent promise!
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
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