A New Name

Passover is a time to focus on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through His agony, death, and resurrection we are reconciled to God for eternal life. It is a time we renew our vows to a covenant of obedience in agape by partaking of the blood and body of Christ and being cleansed through humility toward God.

But when Jesus died, something else happened that we don’t think about often enough.

“On the next day, John sees Jesus coming to him, and he says, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world’ ” (John 1:29 A Faithful Version). From the beginning, the Passover lamb represented the sacrifice of Christ. Through that sacrifice, Jesus has been given a new name—the Lamb of God, spoken in honor and worship by all the heavenly host: “And I saw and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne, and the voices of the living creatures and the elders, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing’ ” (Rev. 5:11-12).

Jesus’ new name perfectly speaks of His sacrifice by those who have been baptized and forgiven in His name. The lamb portrays His innocence, His silence, and the blood He poured out in suffering and death. It also proves He is alive, because the dead have no need of names. What greater name could God have given the Savior of the world?

Because He lives, our names are now written in heaven and Jesus will profess our names before God: “The one who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Rev. 3:5).

Have you ever considered such a marvel? Your name, my name, and all who have entered into the covenant of sacrifice are written, with perfect lettering, on a scroll located near God’s throne! God knows each of our names! Our names were selected from the foundation of the world (Rom. 8:29-30). It is humbling to think of it. What could be more wonderful?

How about having God’s name written in us? “And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb standing on Mount Sion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev. 14:1). God will write His perfect and righteous name in us when we are resurrected! What a glorious name it will be that proclaims us to be the beloved children of God. Our surname will be the same as God’s!

 Amazingly, more is yet to come. Not only will Jesus write upon us the name of God, but He will give us His name as well: “The one who overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall not go out any more; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from My God; and I will write upon him My new name” (Rev. 3:12).

Being given the name of God and Christ means we belong to them. “The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give the right to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except the one who receives it” (Rev. 2:17).

Finally, each of us will be given a new name. A name that is honorable and blessed; one by which others will know who and what we are to God. Only Abram, Sarai, and Jacob were given new names in this physical life, but everyone will have new names in the kingdom. As God honored Jesus by giving Him the name “the Lamb,” Jesus will honor us by giving us His Father’s name, His name, and each of us a unique, new name!

When a child is born, the parents put their names on the birth certificate along with the name they chose for the child. On the day of our spiritual birth, God and Christ will write their names as parents and give us a name that they have chosen. What a precious gift!

“Behold! What glorious love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God!” (I John 3:1).

Have you ever wondered what your name will be?