The Hidden Meanings Behind Bible Names

In reading the Bible, you may miss the hidden meanings of people's names. Many names have significant meanings that can lead to a deeper understanding of scripture. 

➤ First, let's look at some people whose names were changed by God Himself to reflect a new identity:

Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5)

Abram means "exalted father". God changed it to Abraham which means "the father of a multitude". This was done to reflect Abraham's role as the father of many nations, the father of the faithful, which was God's covenant promise with him.

Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15)

Sarai means "my princess" while Sarah means "princess" in a broader sense. God changed her name to reflect her role as the mother of nations. 

Jacob to Israel (Genesis 32:28)

Jacob means "heel-grabber or deceiver" which reflects how he took his brother Esau's birthright. God changed his name to Israel which means he "struggles with God" which reflects the time he wrestled with God (or an angel) found in Genesis 32:22-31.  Jacob's twelve sons formed the twelve tribes which became the nation of Israel which took on his name. Interestingly, the nation of Israel throughout history struggled with obedience and loyalty to God, reflecting the God-given definition of the name Israel: "struggles with God".

➤ Next is an example of a name changed by Jesus:

Simon to Cephas (Peter)

Jesus spoke in Aramaic, and gave Simon the Aramaic name "Cephas" which means "rock or stone" to signify what his role would be in the church (Matthew 16:18). Later, the Apostle John, in his gospel, written in Greek, would use the Greek translation of Cephas, which is 'Petros" or Peter in English translations. Therefore Cephas and Peter mean the same thing, it's just that one is Aramaic and one is Greek, both meaning "rock or stone". 

Note: Most of the New Testament is written in Greek, the formal language of the day. But for a few verses, the common language of the day,  Aramaic, was retained, probably for intimate effects. For example, in Mark 14:36, Jesus addresses His Father in Heaven as "abba", the Aramaic word for "Daddy". In Romans 8:15 the Apostle Paul uses the Aramaic "abba' to describe our intimate relationship we have with God as His adopted children. 

➤ Some names are different simply because of language or culture:

Saul to Paul

Actually, there is no name change here. Saul is his Jewish Hebrew name while Paul is the Greek Roman version. In some of his New Testament books, the Apostle starts out with "I, Paul" perhaps to better relate to the Gentile world he was evangelizing to.

➤ There is one name that Moses changed that is not only significant, but prophetic:

Hoshea to Joshua (Numbers 13:16)

Moses changed the name of his assistant Hoshea ("salvation" in Hebrew) to Yehoshua (meaning "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves") to indicate that although Joshua would deliver the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, it would be the result of the Lord's power, not Joshua's personal ability. Yehoshua became shortened to Yeshua in Hebrew which eventually became translated into the English word Joshua.

Hoshea → Yehoshua → Yeshua → Joshua

  

Here's what's amazing -- there's something very significant about the name Joshua. It's this...... the name Joshua and the name Jesus are exactly the same name! 

What then is the source of the name Jesus? It came about as the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), then Latin (4th Century Vulgate), then eventually to English.

Yeshua (Hebrew) → Iēsous (Greek) → Iesus (Latin) → Jesus (English)

Joshua = Jesus!!

They both mean exactly the same!:  "Yahweh is salvation" or "the Lord saves". And what's more, Jesus would have been called Yeshua while He was on earth.

➤ This leads us to one of my favorite examples of typology in the Bible, Joshua foreshadowing the role of Jesus. What I mean is this: 

Joshua, as Moses' successor, would be Israel's deliverer. He would lead them into the Promised Land. Jesus, in a much larger and significant way, fulfills the example of Joshua. Jesus, on a much greater scale than Joshua, is our Deliverer, and will lead us into the Promised Land of Heaven. Jesus is the true and only source of salvation. Jesus saves!! Hallelujah!

Jesus = Yahweh is salvation,  the Lord saves!

➤ One more thing. Although only a sampling of names was covered in the above text, there are so many more examples in the Bible, including names of places, as well as people. It just shows you the amazing depths and layers that are contained in the Bible. It's such an amazing book. And no wonder --  it's God's word!!

 

Is Drawing Straws A Biblical Solution?

Were you ever in a situation where, all things being equal, two or more of you couldn't decide a solution, so you drew straws to make a decision? Many methods could be used in such situations including flipping a coin. Or how about "rock, paper, scissors", or cutting a card deck, or rolling dice, or drawing from a hat?

Many times random methods of decision making are used today. For example, when a football game goes into overtime, the referee will flip a coin to see who take possession of the ball. Random number generators will make you a secure password. Lottery numbers can be randomly produced.

In the Bible, there are many examples of the use of casting lots. It's unknown what exactly was used to cast lots -- perhaps stones or straws. Whatever the case, casting lots was a method used to discern God's will in decision making. Even though casting lots was a random method, it was trusted that God, in His sovereign power, would control the result. 

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

There are several examples of casting lots in the Bible. Here are a few:

Joshua used the casting of lots to divide the land among the tribes of Israel.

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion. (Joshua 18:10)

The casting of lots was used to determine that it was Zechariah's turn to go into the temple. He was the father of John the Baptist.

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. (Luke 1:8-9)

There's even a case where the outcome of drawing lots definitely provided the correct answer. When Jonah was on the ship that was being pummeled in a severe storm, the crew chose to cast lots to determine who was responsible for causing such a terrible, life-threatening situation.

And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. (Jonah 1:7)

As you can see, casting lots was believed to be a method to invoke God's will in determining a solution to a problem.  

In the New Testament, when the eleven Apostles met to determine a replacement for the apostle Judas, they first identified the requirements (must have been at the baptism of Jesus all the way to His resurrection), then they prayed. After praying,  they proceeded to cast lots, trusting that God would make the choice.

And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:24-26)

So, should we be doing this practice today -- casting lots, or drawing straws? It's interesting that after Pentecost, when the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, and the church began, there is no more mention of casting lots in the Bible.

Could it be that now, in the Christian age, we can rely on prayer, wise discernment, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit in us to make important decisions? It sure seems the consensus according to most theologians. 

I just wonder, if after prayer, wise discernment, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit to guide us, we are still stuck between two choices -- hmmm. 

Where's the straws? 

What Is Worship?

How would you define worship? I've heard many different explanations. Some say that worship is how you live your life. Or worship is serving God. Or worship is obeying God's commands. These are fine, however, I disagree with all of these as definitions of worship. Worship is much more focused. 

PRAISE

Is praise worship? It all depends on who it is addressed to. Praise is simply boasting about God. When I boast about God to someone else, for example, how God is working in my life, I'm praising God, though indirectly. But it's not worship, it's praise. On the contrary, when I address my praise directly to God ("God, You are an awesome Father"), it's worship.

SERVICE

Is service worship? Not in itself. True worshipers will be compelled to serve the Lord and be driven to live their lives for God. One who worships God will naturally serve Him. We need to serve, but it is not the same as true, intimate worship. Even Jesus separates worship and service.

"Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." (Luke 4:8). 

So what is worship then? The best way to come up with a definition is to look at the components of what worship looks like. 

1 - Worship Is Intentional 

We cannot worship God without being aware of it. Worship is deliberate. It can be prompted by many things -- a song, a situation, a beautiful sunset, etc. Worship can happen anywhere.

2 - Worship Is Spiritual

When we worship, it is a spiritual encounter. It's when we spiritually come into God's presence. Jesus said that we must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). 

3 - Worship Is Emotional

True worship is about the heart, it's heart-felt. And in this sense it's emotional. Our worship moments are full of wonder and awe - full of admiration and reverence done with a sincere, humble attitude. Our worship involves an expression of thanksgiving, praise, adoration, and awe. 

To summarize:

Worship is Intentional

Worship is Spiritual

Worship is Emotional

When all three of these components are engaged, we are truly worshiping God. Another way to describe these 3 components of worship: 

1. THE MIND   (Worship is Intentional)

2. THE SOUL   (Worship is Spiritual) 

3. THE HEART  (Worship is Emotional)

When we involve the mind, the soul, and the heart in worship, we are, what I call, "worshiping in the zone." This is the true form of worship. It can happen anywhere, at anytime. It can happen in a brief moment or an extended time period. It can be prompted by a song, or a sunset, or a sermon, or anything that reminds us of God. 

ONE SENTENCE DEFINITION OF WORSHIP

So what is worship? We can come up with a one sentence definition based on the above components:

"Worship is a deliberate moment when we spiritually bow down before the Lord and express our heart-felt praise, awe, thanksgiving or adoration."

In this one-sentence definition, the Mind ("deliberate moment...."), the Soul ("spiritually bow down...."), and the heart ("heart-felt praise,....."), are engaged.

The act of worship is always a one way street – from you to God. It has nothing to do with you. It’s all about Him. It’s never a time when you are asking or praying for something for yourself. It’s a time of complete focus on Him alone. When this special moment of worship occurs, you are in the zone with God, and you know it!