Day 14

Jesus, The Name Above All

Jesus was God spelling himself out in language humanity could understand.
— S.D. Gordon

Audio readingJesus, The Name Above AllAudio in preparation

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Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman's breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother's arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter's despised son.

Charles Spurgeon

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 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 2:9-11, NKJV

We have spent 6 days reviewing different names of God revealed in the Old Testament but today we will crown the series with a special name. In several instances in the Old Testament, some who encountered God were not given access to a certain name of God. When Jacob asked in Genesis 32:29, "

Why is it that you ask My name?" and instead he received a blessing. When Manoah, Samson's father, asked, he was told "

Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?

(Judges 13:18). Many prophesied about a certain revelation waiting to be uncovered at a certain appointed time. While patriarchs, judges, prophets and kings yearned to know, we are privileged in this dispensation to have access to it.

This name we address today has become a household name and is sadly a swear word in some cultures. It evokes different responses in different people: reverence, anger, awe, scorn, admiration, derision, comfort and so on. While the responses have varied, the potency and significance of this name have lasted through centuries and ages, and it will remain relevant forever more. As we dive into this short study on the name Jesus, I believe we'll be extracting the full import of this week's journey and your life will be transformed.

Jesus [in Hebrew Yeshua or Yehoshua]

literally means Jehovah is Salvation, The LORD Saves or Saviour. It is first mentioned in the first Gospel.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.

Matthew 1:21-23, NKJV

In this first account on Christ's birth, the author links the declaration of this name to a previous prophecy, underscoring the supernatural significance of this Son that was born. Isaiah prophetically seeing His day declared: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ( Isaiah 9:6).

How amazing that the Child is a Mighty God and that the Son is the Everlasting Father! Certainly, this boy child must have been God with humanity indeed.

In the earthly ministry of Jesus, He exhibited qualities that proved the attributes foretold in these Scriptures. Moreover, He revealed that all identities of God revealed in previous Old Testaments were truly fulfilled in Him and an account of Him. No wonder the writer of Hebrews declared that Jesus is God's supreme and ultimate revelation to mankind.

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

Hebrews 1:1-3, NLT

When Jesus rebuked the storms and walked on water, demonstrating His power over nature, His witnesses wondered what manner of man He was. He had been beaten openly and confirmed dead on the cross, yet in three days He rose from the dead, proving that sin and the grave had no power over Him. He himself declared that all power in heaven and earth had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). He is indeed the mighty God Isaiah prophesied about and Shaddai , the Almighty. As the Good Shepherd who leads the flock of God and lays His life down for the sheep, He reveals that He is Rohi

(John 10).

As the Bread of Life who gives eternal satisfaction to mankind (John 6:35), Jesus proves that He is God's ultimate provision for the needs of mankind. In every miracle of provision - when He fed the five thousand and the seven thousand, or when He directed the disciples to a coin in a fish's mouth - He revealed that He is truly Jireh (Provider). Everywhere He went, He healed the sick - cleansing lepers, opening blind eyes, raising cripples, breaking demonic powers behind infirmities and raising the dead - and proved beyond all doubts that He is Rophe (Healer).

To the turbulent winds and waves, Jesus commanded "Peace, be still". His comforting touch to the outcast of Israel (the lepers, the woman with the issue of blood, the woman whose son had died) brought peace to souls that had been bound in torments of rejection. Before His birth, the angels announced that He had brought peace to the earth. Before His death, He announced that He'll bequeath a gift of peace unknown in this world to His followers. And when He rose from the dead, He confirmed this with His greeting of peace to His disciples. Having appeased the wrath of God against sin, Jesus brought peace between God and man forever and as Prince of Peace He will forever be our Shalom .

When Jesus gave His life on the cross and entered Hades, He won the battle against sin, death and the grave for us. He has secured victory over the enemy of the souls. As the Living Word, He is the Sword of the Spirit, by which we attack the wiles of the enemy. And as He revealed to Joshua, in what's widely believed by Bible Scholar's to be a theophanic encounter, He is the Captain of the Lord's armies (Joshua 5:13-15). As the true David who leads the armies of God in heaven and on earth in battle, He was and is and will forever be our Tsaba, our Warrior.

Time did not permit us to tackle other characters of God revealed in the Old Testament. For instance, El- Roi , the God who sees me or El- Elyon, the Most High. But we find in Jesus one who doesn't merely see us but One who is with us as Immanuel (God with us). He chose to be fashioned in human form, to share our fleshly experience, so that He can truly understand and empathize with us (Hebrews 4:14-16). And when He humbled himself to this lowest depth, God elevated Him to the highest position in heaven, on earth and under the earth. There is no identity or character of God previously revealed in the Old Testament that cannot be traced to Jesus. So in the name of Jesus we find a culmination of all the other names of God.

All the promises and identities of God are fulfilled in Jesus.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges [he emptied himself]; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11, NLT

One remarkable insight we can draw is that while all the revelations of God in the Old Testament were situated in physical conditions or predicaments, the manifestation of God in Jesus deal with the spiritual maladies that these OT encounters were alluding to. The mandate attached to the name Jesus was, "he will save his people from their sins". Sin is the root cause of all humanity's problem and the downward spiral of the earth into chaos and destruction. But thank God that through Jesus we are saved, healed and restored. It is only in His name and on account of His finished work that we find salvation and every other blessing of God. He saves to the uttermost - to the deepest core and depth - all who call on Him.

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12, NKJV

Beloved, there is unimaginable power in the name Jesus. We have been blessed to have His name upon us. Our Lord Himself has permitted and authorized us to confront the issues of life with this precious name. As we see in Philippians 2, the authority and power in Jesus' name came at a very dear cost. We cause ourselves and God's Kingdom a great loss if we do not use or apply its authority to experience the victories He has already secured for us. You are privileged to believe in Jesus, be saved, and have a personal relationship with Him. Now, unleash the power of His name over your life and territories.

17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Mark 16:17-18, NKJV