Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

Abram wasn’t looking for a new name, and when the Lord changed it on him, the name change signified something incredible, unbelievable. The name God gave him represented the promise he had just been given by God.

Of course, at the time of the name change, Abram had no children by Sarai, and his only offspring was a young man named Ishmael. Sarai was barren and as a last resort, Sarai struck a bargain with (nagged?) Abraham to lay with Hagar her maid.  She must have really wanted a child in the worst way!

Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael to Abram, God appeared to Abram to cut a covenant with him. A covenant with the promise of a multitude of nations to come from his loins. He had one child at this time, a child of a servant not of his wife. And his wife, who would provide a child without dispute, was barren. Old and barren. Quite the promise!

God had the audacity to promise that nations would come from Sarai. Why not Ishmael? In Genesis 17:15-16, God made it clear that Sarai (not Hagar) would produce the nations, that kings would come from her. And Abraham, before any children from Sarai would appear on the scene, would go by the name of Abraham – Father of multitudes, Father of nations!

Talk about wearing your faith! Abraham was now to be known as a father of many, but in experience the father of none, at least by Sarai! (Might Abram hear some mockery when the neighbors are told of the name change?)

Jesus also has a new name, one that we do not know yet. He promises that as we overcome, He will make us a pillar in the temple of God. As a pillar, He will write on us His own new name! Too many mysteries are beyond me in this description of the Lord’s doings, but we do see that a new name is provided to those who have greater things promised in the future, as in Abrams case. How that applies to the Lord Jesus is beyond me.

Yet He will have a new name, and we may find out some day, for the name is written on the pillars (overcomers) of the church for all to see!

He does everything for us, even giving us His new name.

Praise Him for His loving mercy!

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