Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Virginia Beach: Chapel Messages

SELAH MOMENT
Nov. 18, 2007

The song writer sings, Blessed be your name, Blessed be your glorious name.

What is in a name? What is in the Lord Himself that evokes such praise and rejoicing?

The names of God reveal the weightiness of God’s character.

He is an eternal person of divine worth; far above the heavens, while at the same time intimately involved with His people and His world.

The divine worth of God was acknowledged by Seth and his descendants when they began to call upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26) and by Abraham and his descendants when they built altars and called upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 12:8; 13:4; 21:33).

The Levitical priests were chosen by God to stand and to minister in the name of the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:5).

The prophet Zephaniah anticipated a future day when the nation would call upon the name of the Lord with pure speech and serve Him with one accord (Zephaniah 3:9).

Moses asked the Lord, who was calling Him into service, what shall I tell Israel is the name of the God sending me to lead you?

God responds with, I am Who I am asserting His eternal and dynamic presence in and with His people.

Later in the revelation, Isaiah declares the name of the Lord to be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (9:6).

But what does all this mean to us? How does it apply to us when we are hurting or when we are rejoicing?

The Psalmist knew the answer to this question because he confessed our help is in the name of the Lord (Psalm 124:8).

He understood the declaration of the Lord Himself to Moses, I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy (Exodus 33:19)

The Wisdom writer declared, the name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it for safety (Proverbs 18:10).

The prophet Daniel confessed that great mercy is associated with the name of the Lord (Dan 9:18).

The apostle Paul sang to the name of God because of His mercy (Rom 15:9).

And most importantly, both Testaments declare that salvation is found only in the name of the Lord (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9-11).

Despite the weight and worth of God’s person some will refuse to depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19) and others will curse the name of the Lord (Revelation 16:9).

Yet, let God be true and let it be known that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

Blessed be your name, Blessed be your glorious name.