What's in a name?

I find it interesting that the sole God of the universe would have to tell Moses who He is – shouldn’t it have been obvious? It’s seems to me that a lot of weight is placed on who God is – both in the Old Testament and in the New. Quite often in the OT we hear of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (or Israel). If there is only one God – shouldn’t “God” suffice? Hardly, due to the number of Gods humans worship – it only makes sense that to worship God in spirit and truth you must define which God is the object of your affections. It can’t help but be determined that identifying the one true God is as important as any other truth contained in the Bible. Look at this passage:

Exodus 3:1-6

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

Just as it was important to identify God in the OT, we see it is equally important in the New:

Acts 3:12-26

12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Notice that it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who glorified His Servant Jesus. This “glorification” of Jesus is an incredibly strong theological point. Here’s the Greek word for “glorified”:

Strong's Number: 1392 Browse Lexicon

Original Word	Word Origin
doxavzw	from (1391)
Transliterated Word	TDNT Entry
Doxazo	2:253,178
Phonetic Spelling	Parts of Speech
dox-ad'-zo	Verb

Definition

1. to think, suppose, be of opinion
2. to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate
3. to honour, do honour to, hold in honour
4. to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour
1. to impart glory to something, render it excellent
2. to make renowned, render illustrious
1. to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged

The Christ, the Son of God – glorified by God. His identity revealed – God, the Word made flesh. The Prince of life, raised from the dead. Luke goes on to give an apologetic for Jesus being the Christ – having fulfilled the suffering that the Christ was to suffer as foretold by the prophets. Immediately after this apology comes a call to repentance. A call for the reader/listener to change his/her mind as to who this Jesus is – the Christ, God – so that by believing in Him your sins may be blotted out – that times of refreshing may come, exampled in the lame man made to walk, from the presence of the Lord. And His name, through faith in His name - He will heal your innermost disease – death – by giving you life. Jesus Christ, one with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jehovah-Ropheka.