Bearing God's Name

by Carmen Joy Imes

  No, the covenant hasn’t changed. It involves the same partners and the same law. The difference is that God will enable every Israelite to internalize it. Yahweh said earlier that “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool . . . on the tablets of their hearts” (Jeremiah 17:1). Their sin occupies the center of their thinking, feeling, and decision making. When the covenant is renewed, their center of gravity will be the Torah instead: It will be written on their hearts. Ezekiel 11:17-20 echoes this idea, too, when it says that God will “remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,” enabling them “to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

  As he’s done before, Yahweh extends forgiveness. This time he offers Israel a new opportunity. Forgiveness has always been available through the sacrificial system (note the constant refrain through Leviticus 4–6, “and they will be forgiven”). However, this time he plans to offer something more permanent and transformative so that they won’t need to keep bringing animal sacrifices.

  It’s a “new” covenant in the same way that the prophet says Yahweh’s mercies are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). Yahweh’s mercies are not radically different each day; they are renewed, made freshly available. This is what Yahweh announces he will do with the covenant. He’s reformatting their hard drive. All the programs are the same as before, but the messes they’ve made of things will be wiped away for a fresh start. That’s good news indeed!

  HOW NEW IS THE NEW COVENANT?

  To understand what Jeremiah means by “new” in his discussion of the new covenant, we can turn to other prophetic passages where the word “new” appears. Ezekiel 11:17-20 announces that Yahweh will put a “new spirit” in his people after their return from exile. He talks about a “new heart” and “new spirit” again in Ezekiel 18:31 and Ezekiel 36:24-28. Both are for the purpose of removing their stubborn rebellion and animating their obedience to Yahweh. We might say that God plans to restore their heart and spirit to his original design, responsive to their Creator.

  Lamentations describes Yahweh’s compassions as “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23). Obviously here “new” cannot mean entirely new or different. Yahweh’s mercies are not radically different each day; they are renewed, made freshly available in spite of Israel’s sin. The verbal form of the word “new” is used in Lamentations 5:21, asking God to “renew our days as of old.” Here the context makes clear that restoration rather than a decisive break is in view.

  Hebrews 8:13 is the biggest challenge to my contention that the new covenant is continuous with the old one.11 Hebrews says explicitly that “by calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” But the author goes on to describe what exactly will disappear: namely, the sacrificial system. Sacrifices brought forgiveness, but they could never cleanse guilty consciences because people kept sinning. The first system of sacrifice, instituted at Sinai, was only temporary. Now that Jesus has given himself once for all, the earthly temple is not necessary. Sacrifices are redundant.

  WAS THE SINAI COVENANT

  CONDITIONAL?

  Some have described the Sinai covenant as “conditional,” saying that because God required Israel’s obedience, their failure brought an end to the covenant. However, to say that the covenant has ended is misleading. How could God punish them for their disobedience to a covenant that has been called off? No, the covenant itself was not conditional. Rather, the enjoyment of covenant blessings was contingent upon loyalty to Yahweh. In order to benefit from the covenant, the Israelites had to keep up their end of the agreement. Unfaithfulness did not spell the end of the covenant; it simply meant that they came under the jurisdiction of its curses rather than its blessings. The covenant itself endured.

  The laws were good laws. They just didn’t have the power to transform hearts. The covenant was a good covenant. The administration of that covenant (temple, priests, and sacrifices) was just temporary.

  Israel’s covenant wasn’t a complete disaster. Despite failing as a nation, a few faithful men and women keep alive the possibility of renewal for the rest of the people who bear Yahweh’s name. They are the people with hearts wide open.

  HEARTS WIDE OPEN: THE FAITHFUL FEW

  There’s always a remnant. Even when everyone else seems to have abandoned the faith, there are always a few who stay the course and remember whose they are.

  Elijah felt lonely. He thought he was the only one left who followed Yahweh, but 7,000 others had refused to bow to Baal. Every generation has its faithful who resist being lured by the world. These men and women are in a unique position to see what Yahweh sees and to call on him to act. They have not been blinded by disobedience or numbed by going along with the crowd.

  They are the ordinary faithful.

  Every generation has its faithful who resist being lured by the world.

  Meet Joanne. She lives away from the public eye, alone in a suburban neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina. She has no cable TV, no internet, and no smartphone. Her husband, Ron, died several years ago. He had suffered a stroke, leaving him unable to drive and in need of extra care. Joanne spent most of her adult life as a missionary in Africa and never learned to drive, so the two of them were house-bound, dependent on others to take them to the grocery store, to medical appointments, or to church. Joanne is not a likely candidate for a book illustration. Hardly anyone sees her. But I did.

  We lived around the corner from Ron and Joanne for almost five years. I watched as her circle of activity grew ever smaller. Her active involvement in church was the first to be curtailed. Then her daily walks. Ron could not be left alone for long. Joanne never complained. She looked to Jesus for her strength. Once I asked if she was able to manage caring for Ron on her own. She paused, trying to find the right words. “Able? I don’t suppose that’s the best word. No, I’m not able. But I’m enabled. God gives us everything we need, doesn’t he?”

  Joanne is a living example of faithfulness. She may seem ordinary, but she’s battling the demons of apathy and self-centeredness, fear and worry, day after day. She simply glows when she talks about how Jesus is her everything. Joanne doesn’t pretend things are easy, but she renews her trust in God daily. From that unshakable confidence in Jesus flows a wellspring of life into those around her. Joanne leads a Bible study in her home and mentors several women. She encourages her children and grandchildren by phone and writes letters that showcase the grace of God in her life. Joanne’s life and heart are wide open.

  The Psalms offer us a glimpse of other hearts open to God—not pretending that all is well, but bringing every hurt to the throne. When we’ve run out of words, we can pray with Old Testament saints, “Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1, emphasis added).

  Listen to the heartfelt words of those distressed by the world’s brokenness and those who recognize their own complicity with evil:

  “For the sake of your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great” (Psalm 25:11, emphasis added).

  “Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” (Psalm 79:9-10, emphasis added).

  “But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me” (Psalm 109:21-22, emphasis added).

  These passages from the Psalms have in common a concern for Yahweh’s reputation, his name. Men and women through the ages have prayed these words. They have committed themselves to bear his name with honor. They have kept the faith when others have thrown in the towel. Wouldn’t you love to know their stories? I sure would.

  We can read the story behind one biblical prayer during the exile. Daniel is among the Israelites who feel the full brunt of negative consequences for covenant unfaithfulness. He and h
is companions are taken to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem. He is a shining example of one who remained steadfast in his devotion to Yahweh even in an environment hostile to his faith. A beautiful prayer is recorded in Daniel 9 that shows us his heart wide open to God, fully aware of Israel’s failed vocation. It’s worth quoting at length, now that we have a firm grasp on the covenant theme of bearing Yahweh’s name. (Better yet, read the entire prayer in verses 4-19!)

  Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. . . . Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. . . . Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.” (Daniel 9:4-6, 11, 17-19, emphasis added)

  Daniel is aware of the sin problem. He knows that Israel has failed to uphold the covenant and that they deserve God’s wrath. But he also knows that Yahweh’s reputation is at stake. He grounds his prayer in Israel’s vocation as God’s representatives, crying out for God to act on behalf of his people.

  Even in the anguish of these prayers, what Yahweh sees is beautiful. Every heartfelt prayer is proof that the covenant lives on among the faithful. Perfection is not necessary. The sacrificial system in Leviticus demonstrates God’s willingness to forgive. All that’s required is that we keep coming back with hearts wide open, committing ourselves to the most important work of all—honoring the one whose name we bear.

  DIGGING DEEPER

  Daniel I. Block. The Book of Ezekiel: Chapters 24–48. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.

  *Walter Brueggemann. The Prophetic Imagination. 2nd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001.

  *Aaron Chalmers. Interpreting the Prophets: Reading, Understanding and Preaching from the Worlds of the Prophets. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2015.

  *J. Clinton McCann Jr. A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993.

  Jeffrey J. Niehaus. God at Sinai: Covenant and Theophany in the Bible and Ancient Near East. SOTBT. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

  *Christopher J. H. Wright. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006.

  Related videos from The Bible Project: “Prophets,” “Holy Spirit,” and “The Way of the Exile.”

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  JUST GIVE ME JESUS

  The Gospel Witness

  SIGN ME UP! JESUS AS NAME BEARER

  Is all this talk about the Sinai covenant and the theme of “bearing Yahweh’s name” just an Old Testament thing? Is it relevant to Christians today? Or is it merely something of historical interest? To answer these questions, we need to look carefully at how the New Testament interacts with these questions. Is it “out with the old, in with the new”? Or is the Sinai covenant still in effect?

  WHERE’S YAHWEH

  IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

  One thing becomes clear right away when we turn the page from Malachi to Matthew. A remarkable shift occurs. The name “Yahweh” disappears completely. Two factors play into this. The first is the change in language from Hebrew and Aramaic to Greek. (“Yahweh” is very hard to say because Greek lacks both “y” and “w.” Come to think of it, there’s not really a letter “h” either.) A second factor that explains the disappearance of Yahweh’s name is Jewish reverence. Jews by the time of Jesus decided that it’s best not to say the divine name at all to avoid the risk of profaning it.1 However, these reasons do not entirely explain the shift.

  Let’s first look at how Jesus interacts with God’s name. During his earthly ministry, Jesus prays for the sanctification of his Father’s name, and he makes that name known. But after his death, the name “Jesus” comes to the forefront of the church’s expression of faith, becoming the only name “by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). In some way, the divine name is transferred to Jesus. Let’s find out how.

  When Jesus is born, Matthew emphasizes the significance of the event by highlighting his name. The infant is called the Messiah, or anointed one (Matthew 1:16), but he is named Jesus, which means “Yahweh saves” (Matthew 1:21, 25). Messiah is his title. Jesus is his name. This name will mean more to us if we recall a bit of history. At Sinai, Moses had a right-hand man named Hoshea, which means (rather ambiguously) “he saves” (see Numbers 13:8). Who saves? The name doesn’t specify, though the man himself is never given credit for saving Israel. Hoshea was a military hero and one of the twelve spies that Moses sent to scope out the land of Canaan. We encountered the story already: ten of the spies come back terrified, claiming that the residents are too strong to confront. Hoshea is one of the two who insist that Yahweh is able to conquer the land of Canaan. He and Caleb put their confidence in God’s strength. It is then that Moses changes Hoshea’s name to Yeshua, in English Joshua, a name which means “Yahweh saves” (Numbers 14:6).2 There can no longer be any doubt about the source of salvation.

  The Greek name Jesus (Iesou) is a translation of the Hebrew Yeshua—Yahweh saves.3 Just like Joshua, Jesus’ own name announces that Yahweh has come to save his people. Unlike Joshua, Jesus’ name says something about its bearer. His birth signifies the return of Yahweh to his people, recalling the name prophesied by Isaiah: “Immanuel,” God with us (Matthew 1:23). Through the incarnation, Yahweh has come to be with his people and save them. The name “Immanuel” implies not only that God’s presence is evident in the events surrounding Jesus’ birth, but that Jesus is Yahweh himself, come to be with his people.4

  That’s what makes it all the more striking that Jesus does not focus on his own name. Instead, he magnifies the name of his Father. When he teaches his disciples to pray, approaching God with hearts wide open, he prays that the Father’s name would be sanctified, reversing centuries of its desecration through Israel’s unfaithfulness to the covenant (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2). Jesus’ prayer, “hallowed be your name,” is not just wishful thinking, as though Jesus is hoping that Yahweh is doing well up there. His prayer implies a personal commitment to honoring that name through a life of faithful obedience. He fulfills Israel’s vocation to bear Yahweh’s name with honor.

  Jesus’ prayer, “hallowed be your name,” is not just wishful thinking, as though Jesus is hoping that Yahweh is doing well up there. His prayer implies a personal commitment to honoring that name through a life of faithful obedience.

  For Jesus, calling on God’s name is not enough, nor is prophecy, exorcism, or miracles done in his name. The key disposition of one who truly belongs to God is a commitment to action—to doing his will rather than one’s own (Matthew 7:21-22; cf. Luke 6:46). The name of God is not a charm to be used at will. It is not a magic amulet to guarantee protection. Those who fail to carry out God’s will bear his name in vain. Jesus has no patience for those whose verbal proclamations do not match their agenda. He condemns the Pharisees and scribes for having lips and hearts that contradict each other, saying that they “worship [God] in vain” (Mark 7:5-7). They walk around wearing official religious titles, but their hearts are haughty and self-reliant.

  Jesus takes his vocation as Yahweh’s representative so seriously that others can see Yahweh by looking at him. John repeatedly highlights this, noting that Jesus had been sent by the Father to carry out his work in the world. “The works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has
sent me” (John 5:36). He goes on, “I have come in my Father’s name” (5:43). Jesus is the segullah, the treasured one appointed to represent Yahweh. He even tells his disciples, “The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me” (John 12:45). This is not just because he is God incarnate. It’s also because his behavior and his character reflect God’s the way every covenant member’s character should. He wants his disciples to imitate him. He explains, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).5

  By bearing God’s name, Jesus lives out Israel’s vocation, showing us how it ought to be done.

  Jesus can tell his disciples, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well” (John 14:7). He even claims to have been “marked . . . with [the Father’s] seal” (John 6:27). I have already described the ancient practice of using engraved gemstones, or seals, to stamp documents as a signature or to make an impression on a lump of clay over a jar opening in order to authorize its contents. I also mentioned the discovery of divine seals, bearing the name of a god, used to authorize temple documents or lay claim to temple property. Jesus’ awareness of having been marked by his Father’s seal fits this concept well. While not all stamp seals were inscribed with a name, most Israelite seals were. Jesus’ claim to have been marked with a divine seal indicates that he sees himself as wearing an invisible tattoo with Yahweh’s name on his person. His highest goal is to bring that name glory (John 12:28).

  By bearing God’s name, Jesus lives out Israel’s vocation, showing us how it ought to be done. We’ll look next at how Matthew portrays him as a human who embodies all that Israel was supposed to be and do, while at the same time showing us he is greater than Moses because he is the lawgiver himself.