New Name

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

NEW NAME

Gen 17:3-8

3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

NIV

This change in Abram's name to Abraham has a fascinating truth regarding the conditions of a covenant. These steps or conditions are quite different in ancient times than what we use today as a covenant, or agreement between two people, such as a legal contract is a covenant. In ancient times, there would be an exchange of weapons, that is one would protect the other. Interestingly, God told Abram He was his shield, we saw that in chapter 15. Of course, Abram could not give God his weapon, but this is the way it is with God. Second, the two would exchange cloaks as a symbol of sharing their wealth and possessions, of course, God told Abram He was his great reward, also in chapter 15. Naturally, Abram could not give God his wealth or possessions, but God did test him later about sacrificing his son Isaac. Third, there was the letting of blood, between two men cutting the palm of the hand and joining them to exchange blood, God had Abram's blood those three animals, but also this covenant with Abraham was to include circumcision, the removal of flesh. Interestingly, today we are told to circumcise our hearts as a symbol of our covenant with God. There were several other conditions, but the most interesting one was the exchange of names. It was usually taking the other man's first name and making the middle name of the other. Here is where God took his name which Abram would have understood as JHHW and put the H or the Ha sound in the middle of Abram, making it AbraHam. The meaning of his name indeed changed from exalted father to father of many, however, we also wonder because God is Father to all, the H in Abraham’s name makes him simply a father of many. If the covenant God made with Abraham was so significant, we can understand how significant God’s New Covenant is with us. We may maintain our full names, but our new name now includes the name of our Lord, as we are called Christians, but also God has given us a new name written on a white stone. God gave us his only Son, our great reward. God gave us his armor, including his shield, and of course, the greatest weapon, the sword. As we noticed, we circumcise our hearts, and He gives us the Spirit to dwell within that circumcised heart. God has made this covenant with his grace and power with us. We are eternally in a covenant relationship with our LORD and GOD. He is our everything, and we owe him all of us, loving him with our whole being, heart, soul, spirit, and body, as he has given us everything in His Son Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for your great covenant with us.