What's In A Name?

He built pagan altars in the Temple of the LORD, the place where the LORD had said, “My name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” [2 Kings 21.4 bold added] 

The verse above is about Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

For the purpose of this article, another verse should be included here:

Manasseh even made a carved image of Asherah and set it up in the Temple, the very place where the LORD had told David and his son Solomon: “My name will be honored forever in this Temple and in Jerusalem—the city I have chosen from among all the tribes of Israel. [2 Kings 21.7 bold added]

2 Kings 21.4 and 2 Kings 21.7 mention God's name. In the context of these two passages, God's name stands in particular contrast to idolatry. Idolatry is a direct affront to the name of the LORD.

As the Word of God is timeless in its relevance to humanity, we should understand how God's name and idolatry are in contrast to one another even today. But first, we should understand that Jesus, even though we have no record of Him ever using the word "idol," unmistakably taught us, through the Model Prayer (aka The Lord's Prayer) the importance of God's name:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. [Matthew 6.9 bold added]

Why, do you suppose, the first item of the prayer Jesus taught was that we should keep God's name holy? The significance is most profoundly explained in the first three of the Ten Commandments:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7 bold added]

What should be recognized in all the passages of Scripture noted herein is the word, "name."

God's name is to be distinctly revered and kept separate from idols. The Old Testament taught this truth and Jesus also taught it for New Testament believers.

However, New Testament "believers," just like Manasseh have intermingled God's name with idols in their worship of Him. This is on blatant display every time a "believer" says, "God (by name) uses finance, insurance, medicine, or technology (all idols by definition of being man-made and having many various names)."

Today's One Year Chronological Bible reading further confirms the glaring offense of mingling God's name with idols in Jeremiah's writing:

Listen to the word of the LORD, people of Jacob—all you families of Israel! This is what the LORD says: “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me? They worshiped worthless idols, only to become worthless themselves. They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us safely out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness—a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and death, where no one lives or even travels?’ “And when I brought you into a fruitful land to enjoy its bounty and goodness, you defiled my land and corrupted the possession I had promised you. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who taught my word ignored me, the rulers turned against me, and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal, wasting their time on worthless idols. Therefore, I will bring my case against you,” says the LORD. “I will even bring charges against your children’s children in the years to come. [Jeremiah 2.4-9 bold added]

We might as easily ask ourselves, "What do we find wrong with God that leads us to finance, insurance, medicine and technology?" Likewise, we do not ask, "Where is the LORD, the miracle-working God of the Bible?" Instead, we ignore God's Word and turn to the named idols of man's making: finance, insurance, medicine and technology leaving us hopelessly damned to curses (God's charges against us) for our unbelief. And still we wonder why the Church today is so overwhelmingly powerless!

It should be understood here that Jesus' atoning work ONLY applies to those who believe in Him calling upon His name. Just as Jesus taught us to pray, we must keep the name of God AND therefore the name of His Son holy. Faith in God through Jesus Christ allows no mingling of His name with the name of any idol (here is a good place to reflect on all the various names of man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology).

While it is humanly argued that finance, insurance, medicine and technology are not "idols," the Bible teaches otherwise. But, if people don't know the Bible, they simply join the masses in gross idolatry. 

Idols are the way of man without God. Unironically, Jesus addressed the way of man:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

The way of man, with all its named idols, is an affront to the name of the LORD. To insist upon retaining the way of man is to reject Jesus Christ.

The Bible leads us to ask, "What's in a name?"

Father in heaven, help us to review our lives for named idols. Help us then to give them up, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.