Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title."
--"Romeo and Juliet" Act II scene ii
Shakespeare's most famous written line; "What's in a name?" It's a question most of us could respond by reciting the following line. But how often do we think about that question?
Within the context of the play we see that Romeo's name does not define him; it does not govern his actions. However, it still identifies him. It identifies his heritage and his background, but not the reputation of his person.
In America our approach to a name is similar; they mean very little. The only significance of them is heritage, background, and identification. But in many cultures and religions this is certainly not the case.
In the Bible we see peoples' names that hold importance in their meaning. These names are chosen in attempt to identify one's specific person and personality. We can see this in both the Old and New Testament. God even renames some people (Abraham, Israel, Peter, Paul...) in order to accurately identify their (new) person/lifestyle.
Over the next month I will be taking on the task of learning the importance of God's many names. But God's names are more than just identification. There is literal power in the names of the Lord.
It's an odd concept to think about...but just reflect on it for a little bit and check out Psalm 20:
verse 1
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
verse 5
May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
verse 7 and 8
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.
The name of the Lord protects. The name of the Lord is praiseworthy. The name of the Lord raises up. That's not even the Lord, that's just His name that is doing all that (just imagine what the Lord Himself can do if simply His name can do all that). Now how does that make rational sense?
Like with most abstract concepts, it is easier understood by use of metaphor:
Go back to history class where you learned about the Romans. Being considered a Roman citizen they were protected because it meant Rome was on their side. It was appropriate to celebrate their citizenship because of the safety that is implied. And even the lowly Roman citizens were treated decent (comparatively) as Paul's testimony shows in Acts 22.
It's not a perfect metaphor but it gets the point across; it is possible for a name to hold more than just meaning, but power as well. The Lord's name holds power. That is why it is crucial not to say it in vain, or to throw it around in common speech. One does not go throwing around guns for fear of their misuse, and yet we throw the Lord's name in vain as if it were without power or importance. Ironically, the Lord's name is more powerful than guns and yet we are more careful with guns than we are His name.
So don't let Shakespeare answer that famous question for you. Think about it..."what's in a name?"
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