TO CHEW ON: "You shall be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the Lord will name." Isaiah 62:2
Whenever I read about a new name in the Bible, I think of Donna Smallenberg's painting by that title. In it a beautiful queen looks intently at a glowing white stone with an inscription on it. Smallenberg's inspiration for that painting came from Revelation 2 (Revelation 2:17) and Isaiah 62. She says of her depiction:
"This woman representing the overcoming church in Revelations 2 is given a white stone with a new name written on it. The white stone is symbolic of priestly revelation, the new name reveals her true calling and destiny. Isaiah 62 speaks of her shining like the dawn, of being a crown of beauty in the Lord's hand..."
What was her old name? "Forsaken." "Desolate" - Isaiah 62:4.
Her new name is "Hephzibah"—"My delight is in her," and "Beulah"—"married," and a "Holy People," "The Redeemed of the Lord," "Sought Out," and "A City Not forsaken" - Isaiah 62:4,12.
This new name promise is repeated in Revelation 3:12:
"He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem... And I will write on him My new name."
Neil Anderson, in an appendix to the book The Bondage Breaker lists statements that summarize our identity in Christ—our new names. Below are a few from a much longer list. Let's ponder them today and thank God again for the wonderful thing He did when He sent Jesus to earth to adopt us and make us His own.
- I am a new creation - 2 Corinthians 5:17.
- I am a child of God - John 1:12.
- I am a son/daughter of light not of darkness - 1 Thessalonians 5:5.
- I am Christ's friend, chosen and appointed to bear His fruit - John 15:15,16.
- I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ's life - John 15:1,5.
- I am God's workmanship—His handiwork - Ephesians 2:10.
- I am one of God's living stones - 1 Peter 2:5.
- I am a joint heir with Christ - Romans 8:17.
- I am a citizen of heaven - Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:6.
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that I am Yours and have a new identity in You. Help me to live true to the names You call me. Amen.
MORE: Our thanks back to God
In the last few days I've been listening to Robin Mark's 2009 Year of Grace CD while cooking dinner. One song I can't hear enough times is his rendition of "Greater the One." As we ponder Jesus' coming to earth as a baby and all His life means for us now (our new names and all the benefits of new life in Him), this song is the perfect response. Sing along with Robin Mark these words of appreciation and thankfulness to our beautiful Saviour.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
