Whispers of the New Covenant (1)
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me." (Hebrews 2:9-13).
There is a beautiful JOINING TOGETHER-- a special relationship given in
the terms: Captain, and many sons; Sanctifier, and those who are sanctified;
I and My brethren; I and the church; I and the children. It all speaks
of a ONENESS! It speaks of a covenant people brought into an intimate relationship
with Himself.
Psalm 50:5, "Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a
covenant with Me by sacrifice."
The Hebrew word for "covenant" is "briyth" and means: a cutting, a compact.
Because the covenant was made by passing between pieces of flesh, of the
animal that was sacrificed. (I realize that there are other expressions
of covenant making, in lesser degree, such as the cutting of two wrists
and mingling their blood together, or even just partaking of a meal together,
as a form of mutual acceptance of each other in a bond of friendship, but
this was a very special expression). As the covenant was made, two were
JOINED IN COMPACT UNION, bound together by the sacrifice, to be FUNCTIONALLY
AS ONE, to live and breathe as one. It required that the animal sacrifice
would be cut asunder, and the two men entering into the covenant would
take their place together, standing in the midst, between these two pieces,
signifying that it required both halves of the sacrifice to make a whole,
so also their two lives were now becoming ONE, to have the same will, same
desire, same purpose-- A UNION, being brought together by the CUTTING of
the sacrifice that lay on either side of them. The type is so beautiful,
signifying the relationship we are to have with Christ, as we share in
the sacrifice, and the CROSS of Christ.
When God entered into a covenant with Abraham, after the sacrifice was
all laid out according to God's instruction, and Abraham had beat off the
fowls of the air till the going down of the sun, then we read, "And when
the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and lo, an horror
of great darkness fell upon him." Full well God knew that if Abraham had
any input into this covenant at all, it would not work, therefore God took
him completely out of it, and caused him to fall asleep. "And it came to
pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace,
and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces."
A SMOKING FURNACE-- bespeaking the PRESENCE OF GOD, for "Our God is a consuming
fire." (Hebrews 12:29). And a BURNING LAMP-- prefiguring our Lord Jesus
Christ, for "He is the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world." (John 1:9). The Father, and the Son, "To wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19).
The SMOKING FURNACE and the BURNING LAMP moved between those pieces of
sacrifice, and nobody else was there in the midst. GOD WAS THERE, and He
was making the covenant. But Abraham was out of it, for no man would participate
in the responsibility of this covenant. Yet man was there, represented
in the MAN CHRIST JESUS, seen in the Burning Lamp. The Son was there, not
as a substitute for man, but as the GUARANTEE that ultimately every man
would be brought into the full realization of this covenant THROUGH HIM.
"In Christ shall all be made alive." This One, this SON OF GOD, became
THE MAN participator in the covenant-- doing it for us all. And with "God
in Christ," THE Father and the Son joined together in the making
of a covenant. Thus the Divine made the promise both for Himself, and for
us. We know the security of God keeping His own Word. And now we have the
security of our INCLUSION, because He comes to dwell within us, to live
out all the reality of the covenant. The ability is His, which He then
freely shares with us.
Thus we see in this covenant with Abraham the revelation of that NEW COVENANT
which was to come. Abraham saw it afar off, but now we see it nigh IN CHRIST,
and in this day we have the privilege of participating in it through Christ.
For it is in our UNION WITH CHRIST that we come into the realization
of all the benefits of the covenant. No wonder Paul prayed, "That I may
know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Philippians 3:10-11).
It is IN CHRIST that all of "mankind" finds the fulfillment and completeness
of the covenant. HE was there in the making, not only as the MAN Christ
Jesus, representing all of humanity, but also as the GUARANTEE that in
due time WE WOULD BE THERE in that vital relationship-- "I and the children
which God hath given Me," - "I and the church," - "I
and the many sons brought unto glory." - "I in them, and Thou in
Me, that they may be made perfect in one." (John 17:23).
No wonder the Psalmist declared, "The secret of the Lord is with
them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant." (Psalm 25:14).
Shew-- the Hebrew word is "yada" meaning: to cause to know. JESUS CHRIST
is well able to CAUSE US TO KNOW the reality of a covenant relationship--
for He has already experienced this with His Father, and now comes to indwell
us by His Spirit, and work these same realities into us.
The desire for a covenant relationship with man was initiated on God's
part, not humanity's part. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but
that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
(1 John 4:10). And the purpose of His sending His Son was for that Son
to GATHER UP INTO HIMSELF all of wayward creation, and enable them to be
participators in this marvelous relationship with Himself. Thus, "It became
Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings." (Hebrews 2:10).
What does it mean, "perfect through sufferings?" The word "perfect" is
from the Greek "teleioo" meaning: to end, bring to completion, to a
fixed goal. It implies no moral imperfection in Him, but of the
need to consummate the human experience of suffering, even by His death
on the Cross, to come to the GOAL FIXED BY GOD, resulting in our eternal
redemption. To fully represent mankind, it was needful that He would
EXPERIENCE humanity's sorrows. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood; He also Himself likewise took part of the same; - For
in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them
that are tempted." (Hebrews 2:14, 18). He walked out His path, "And being
found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8). Arriving at the
fixed goal-- "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey Him." (Hebrews 5:8).
The sharing of blessings is a precious thing, but there is an intimacy
of fellowship that often is deeper and richer, when you share together
the "fellowship of suffering." Here is a realm wherein we can identify
with each other. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through
His poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9). It is in the IDENTIFICATION
OF HIS POVERTY that we are joined to Him, then to become rich. Man cannot
first identify with God in His riches and glory, in His wisdom, in His
power. For when He is high and lifted up, we are awestruck before Him,
and tremble in His presence. Isaiah experienced this, for when he "saw
also the Lord, high and lifted up," he cried out, "Woe is me! for I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of
a people of unclean lips." (Isaiah 6:1, 5).
How then can He draw His creation unto Himself! The gap is too wide-- He
is so high, we are so low. So He came to us, hiding Himself in the creaturely
form of His own creation, to be found in fashion as a man, to walk through
the winepress of suffering, rejection, death. In His humiliation, He freely
admitted, "I can of mine own self do nothing." (John 5:30). And in this
realm of poverty He draws us to Himself --in His sufferings, in the cuttings,
in the in workings of the cross, and then having come into UNION WITH HIM
on this level, He then lifts us up into the heavenlies. "If so be that
we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:17).
For, "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also
live with Him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him." (2 Timothy
2:11-12).
The covenant relationship, where functionally we are AS ONE, to live
and breathe as one, is a DIVINE UNION with God. "For both He that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified are all of one." (Hebrews 2:11).
"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ." (1 Peter 1:2).
"And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which
shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as Thou,
Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us."
(John 17:19-21).
It is in this ONENESS, cleansed by His blood, sanctified by His Spirit,
full participation in His cross, such ONENESS, we say, brings us to the
point where it can be said, "For which cause He is not ashamed to call
them brethren." How marvelous, that we are in such a state of being that
HE IS NOT ASHAMED OF US!
Genesis 2:25 records a time when Adam and Eve "were not ashamed." They
felt no condemnation, no sense of guilt, no sense of inferiority, and they
were able to walk with God in precious communion. It was a harmonious relationship.
Then sin entered in, disobedience to the command of God, immediately followed
by shame, guilt, and a desperate need of redemption. (Editor's note: I
reference the introduction statement of Spirit of The Word. The author,
A.P. Adams states, "The so called fall of man and redemption as its consequent,
are a part of the original plan of God-- they are steps in carrying out
of that plan; in fact God controls and directs ‘ALL things' to the furtherance
of His own councils." God's love pre-concludes His purpose in His creation.
He purposed and call into being the reconciliation of His children through
His Christ, "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world."
I Peter 1:20).
In Psalm 69:7, David says, "Shame hath covered my face."
There are two Hebrew words translated as "ashamed." The word "bosh" meaning:
to become pale; and the word "kalam" meaning: to blush, be ashamed. Both
reactions can be caused by a deep feeling of shame. Someone is exposed
for something, and they turn pale-- or as the saying goes, white as a sheet.
While another experiences a sudden rush of blood to their face, blushing
furiously because they are most ashamed. (It is a sad commentary on our
times that so many in present generation no longer blush, for they feel
no sense of shame-- so accustomed are they to the filth about them, they
are not embarrassed by it). Nevertheless, whether we fail in hope and expectation,
and therefore are ashamed, or we are troubled in mind, disturbed, confused,
frustrated, and therefore are ashamed, in either case, God is able to so
thoroughly change us, and our state of being, that we are no more ashamed.
It is interesting the Greek word "aischunomai" means: to disgrace (BE OUT
OF GRACE, out of favor), feel shame, put to the blush. Truly, when we are
OUT of His grace, that is when we are ashamed. When we are IN His grace,
He meets our every lack and there is no sense of shame, but only of praise
and rejoicing. How we long to experientially come to a place of NO SHAME--
where
He is not ashamed of us, and in our union with Him, we are no more ashamed
of ourselves.
Thank God, "He shall not fail (become weak, dim) nor be discouraged (broken),
till He have set judgment in the earth." Isaiah 42:4). He shall succeed
in all of His correctional (judgment) processings, until every man
is brought into harmony with His righteousness. He is not ashamed to
call us brethren, because HIS WORK IS PERFECT, and we will be complete
in Him. Praise God!
"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous
and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when
He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38).
There are those who still desire the favor of man, more than the favor
of God, and so they are ashamed of Him-- ashamed to CONFESS HIM before
men, and it is obvious they will need more of HIS JUDGMENTS to work
in them, till they are fully purged and one with Him-- then He will no
longer be ashamed of them. If you are more comfortable with "this adulterous
and sinful generation," than you are in being identified AS ONE OF HIS
BRETHREN, then obviously His purgings are not finished in you. Peter knew
that shame, when "he denied with an oath, I do not know the man." (Matthew
26:72). And it took some real repentance and cleansing to remove this being
ashamed of his Lord.
When we are fully brought into UNION with Him, He will never be ashamed
of us-- because He will see His own nature and character in us, see the
flow of His own life through us, and IN HIS LIFE THERE IS NO SHAME, it
is well-pleasing unto God!
How thankful we are to read in Joel's record of the restoration of all
that the locust, cankerworm, caterpillar, and palmerworm hath eaten, that
"Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord
your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never
be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that
I am the Lord your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed."
(Joel 2:26-27). Indeed, "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."
(Romans 9:33). Praise the Lord!
Now, because of this UNION with His cleansed, sanctified ones, with no
cause for shame among them, He says, "I will declare Thy name unto My brethren."
(Hebrews 2:12).
In a covenant relationship, in this union of oneness, there is a co-joining
of names. We illustrate: two men, one is named John, the other is named
Paul. Now they come together into a union, a true covenant relationship,
compact, and from henceforth have a changed name identity. Now you meet
and greet them with a name that bespeaks their compact: for John is now
known as John-Paul, and Paul is known as Paul-John. Both have their own
name combined with the other one of the covenant. They take on the name
of the one to whom they are joined.
God entered into a covenant with Abram, and this immediately brought about
a name change, from Abram, to Abraham. The HA was inserted. Significant
that in pronouncing the name Abraham, the HA is the central sound in that
name, and that sound is God's part, coming from His name Jah. "Extol Him
that rideth upon the heavens by His name JAH, and rejoice before Him."
(Psalm 68:4). God took a part of His name, inserted it into Abram's name,
and this new name signified the union of JAH-Abram, or, AbraHAm.
In fact, both Abram's and Sarai's names were changed. Sarai was changed
to SaraH. This added "H" in both their names is highly significant, coming
from the tetragram of YHWH, and it can be given only in an out-breathing
sound as it is connected with a vowel. He breathes upon us of Himself,
of His SPIRIT, and then it is HIS LIFE which is manifested, breathed out
through us.
When you say, Happy, or Hopeful, etc. notice that the H sound is formed
by an out-breathing. When we are fully joined to Him, it IS HIS LIFE
that IS to be out-breathed through us. Paul saw this when he stated, "The
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God."
(Galatians 2:20). It is His life, it is His faith operating in us-- and
thus it is an out-breathing of Him. Praise God!
It is also to be noted that it is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The Hebrew is HEY, which is also the symbol of the number five. In the
natural the number five brings us to the five senses, but in spiritual
things five is the number of grace.
So when God joined Himself in a covenant relationship to Abram and Sarai,
He was not only giving them part of His name, but it was the GRACE PART.
The natural man strives by his own reasonings and emotions, to do right,
but fails, because his senses often deceive him. But when the Christ breathes
through you, it will be in the right way, for "He shall not judge after
the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but
with righteousness..." (Isaiah 11:3-4). When we live OUT OF HIS SPIRIT,
instead of by our natural senses, we will live well-pleasing to our God.
Furthermore, a name implies quality, nature, character. When God takes
something of His own name, and adds it to the elect, He is signifying that
IN A NEW NAME HE IS GIVING US A NEW CHARACTER! How we long for this in
full reality, but we praise God even for the "earnest" of its working in
us today, since He is working this CHANGE in us "line upon line, and precept
upon precept, " as we are "changed from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord, " (2 Corinthians 3: 18).
Furthermore, since this is GOD'S IN WORKING IN MAN, each generation needs
their own personal confirmation of the covenant, so we come to Jacob. His
name means: supplanter, to trip up one's heels, a heel-catcher. During
his birth, following his brother Esau out of the womb, "his hand took hold
on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob." (Genesis 25:26).
The Companion Bible gives the meaning of the name Jacob as "CONTENDER,"
and basically the same truths are expressed with this definition. It was
a struggle that began in the womb. "And the children struggled together
within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus ? And she went to
inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy
womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and
the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall
serve the younger." (Genesis 25:22-23).
So, from early in the womb, onward, Jacob was a contender, a supplanter--
reaching out to grasp, lay hold of that which belonged to another. He contended
for the birthright, and succeeded. He contended for the blessing of his
father Isaac, and succeeded. He contended with Laban (his father-in-law),
and he succeeded. But one day he contended with God, and FAILED.
"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the
breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him,
he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was
out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the
day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said Jacob. And he said,
Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:" (Genesis 32:24-28).
No more would he be called a contender or a heel-catcher, for God had prevailed
over this carnal nature, and apprehended him for anew realm and relationship
with Himself. No more dare he trust in his own efforts to beguile, his
own ingenuity to scheme and plan. God brought an end to the success of
his flesh, and now GOD would rule, so He changed Jacob's name to IsraEL.
The EL is God's part. God is the EL-- literally, THE STRONG ONE. The full
name "Israel" literally means: GOD COMMANDS, or God rules. Self had ruled,
self had connived, self had deceived, and yes, self had succeeded for a
time. Then GOD came on the scene, and though it was an all-night struggle,
for self did not easily give up, nevertheless the Lord was patient and
long-suffering until it was TIME FOR A NEW DAY, as the dawn was breaking,
God touched him, and he was never more the same. For, "The kingdoms of
this world (must) become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and
He shall reign..." (Revelation 11:15).
God contended with Jacob, God prevailed, and from that time on he was to
bear a name which bore witness to the fact that GOD RULES. GOD COMMANDS.
God is in control! What's your name? No more is it, Jacob's scheming and
succeeding, but now it is-- God is ruling me, God is commanding me! God
is in control, and HIS WILL is being done!
Out of some forty Hebrew names compounded with EL, or with JAH, GOD is
always the DOER of what the verb means. A good example of this is the name
DaniEL, meaning: God judges. Never that we judge God, but that GOD JUDGES
us. We are to be His worshiper, never His judge.
In this new covenant GOD IS THE DOER-- He made promise both for Himself
and for us, saying, "I WILL, and ye shall..." We are to live out what HE
BECOMES in us.
In the listing of the twelve spies sent in to search out the land of Canaan,
we have, Numbers 13:8,16, "Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
- And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua (elsewhere, Joshua)."
The name literally means: JAH saves, or, JAH is salvation. It is very significant
that this one who bore the name JAH SAVES is the one ( along with Caleb
) who brought back a positive report of the land, "And they spake unto
all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed
through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in
us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us." (Numbers 14:7-8).
The fact is GOD SAVES, and GOD will give us the victory, and Joshua's very
name witnessed to this.
Now we would give a most personal illustration: My full name is "Raymond"
which means: wise, or faithful protector. When I come to the task as a
father of watching over my family, protecting them, faithfully guarding
them-- watching over their souls before God, it is a task that reveals
the weakness of our humanity, as we fret and worry, pray, commit to the
Lord, and all that parents do as they desire God's best for their families.
But then He quickens this truth of COVENANT RELATIONSHIP, with the promise
He will join His name to mine, making it to be EL-raymond, meaning: GOD
protects, GOD supports, GOD undergirds, GOD watches over and supplies.
Thus in my union with Him HE BECOMES THE DOER to watch over all
of my household and tribe.
Now apply that to your name. If your name is Hope, what an added dimension
this becomes in your union with EL. And your name becomes EL-hope, God,
the Strong One, is my hope. We try to live out whatever our name implies,
and we struggle in our flesh to be bold, courageous, upright, faithful,
loving, kind, etc. and yet we "come short of the glory of God," and all
that we wish we could be. Then He calls you to Himself, into a covenant
relationship where He gives to you of His name, joining it with yours,
and GOD BECOMES THE DOER of whatever your name implies. When you
are linked together with Him, by His grace, into a union where you live
and breathe as one, He immediately takes the responsibility of fulfilling
all that your name, nature, character is supposed to be. And all to His
glory and praise!
James once reminded his brethren, "God at the first did visit the Gentiles,
to take out of them a people for His name. And to this agree the words
of the prophets;..." (Acts 15:14-15).
A people for His name! For-- the Greek word is "epi" meaning: UPON. God
searched out among the nations for a people whom He could JOIN TO HIS NAME!
They are to bear His name-- His name is to be upon them-- He shall be identified
in a people, and they shall be identified in Him.
No wonder Paul wrote, "And let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity." (2 Timothy 2: 19).
HOLY is His name! And it must ever remain so! Therefore, "Behold, I have
refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of
affliction. For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it: for
how should My name be polluted? and I will not give My glory unto another."
(Isaiah 48:10-11).
What purgings are necessary in us before He can fully perfect this UNION,
where we are totally sanctified unto Him, He s no more ashamed of us, but
can now freely declare His name unto us, place it upon us. Truly, before
we can be co-joined to His name, He must needs lead us down through "the
fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death," that
there be nought in us that will pollute His name. Far too long we have
tried to take His name to ourselves, and under the cloak of His name, by
calling ourselves "Christian," saying in effect, we belong to Christ, and
then more things have gone on in the name of religion, and being called
"Christian" which are an absolute reproach to His name. People have highly
polluted His name! How shall He clean this all up? "In the furnace of affliction,"
until we are totally surrendered to Him, one in His righteousness.
"One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the
name of Jacob," and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the
Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel." (Isaiah 44:5).
What a tremendous name-changing to take place. When we come into a relationship
with God, and are able to say, "I am the Lord's." And then surname themselves
by the name of Israel. To forever declare, I AM THE LORD'S, AND
IN ME GOD RULES. Yea, let my name declare it, God is in control. amen!
The word "surname" from the Hebrew "kanah" means: to address by an additional
name, hence, to eulogize. The Greek word "epikaleomai" means: to invoke
(for aid, etc. ) to appeal unto. How fitting this all becomes, for we APPEAL
UNTO GOD to become our life-support system. We are surnamed-- we
receive an additional name, which speaks well for us, as we are in union
with the One who is all-sufficient. His name promises the fulfillment of
all of the covenant into which we are called. What tremendous love He bestows
upon us, that we should be called by His name!
"For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel Mine elect, I have even called
thee by thy name, I HAVE SURNAMED THEE, though thou hast not known Me."
(Isaiah 45:4).
Long before you ever thought to seek after God, HE knew where you were,
He called you by your name, and in tremendous love and purpose, HE SURNAMED
YOU-- placed His name upon you, and then began to draw you into Himself
to make this an experiential reality. "No man can come to Me, except the
Father which hath sent Me draw him." (John 6:44). "For when we were yet
without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. " (Romans 5:6).
And HE who stood in the midst of the sacrifice as the BURNING LAMP, the
MAN who represented all of humanity-- in that hour He makes promise for
us, that ultimately we are to be SURNAMED, we are to receive an additional
name-- HIS, and then HE will become the DOER of our life, living out through
us all of His righteousness.
"I am sought of them that asked not for Me; I am found of them that sought
Me not: I said, Behold Me, behold Me, unto a nation that was not called
by My name." (Isaiah 65:1). THAT IS LOVE! When long before we knew Him,
He manifests His love toward us, surnames us, places HIS NAME upon us,
and then begins the marvelous process of CHANGING US until we are conformed
to His image, a partaker of His divine nature, and we become expressions
of His character. Once we were not called by His name, and we muddled
about in our own feeble efforts to do what was right, and we failed, for
"all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." But HE HAS A PLAN,
He places His name upon us, and then begins the IN WORKING process of salvation,
until we are made WHOLE in Him, a worthy expression of His name.
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and
he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God,
and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh
down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name."
(Revelation 3:12).
There is a depth of truth here which we cannot begin to comprehend at this
time-- as He writes upon us of His name. The name of My God, the name of
the city of My God, and MY NEW NAME! Surely, somewhere in that NEW NAME
He has incorporated your name-- for in a covenant relationship there is
a co-joining of names. And the fullness of His new name cannot be revealed
and realized until He has brought His creation into this vital union with
Himself.
The words of the chorus speak it so beautifully:
"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Never have l heard a name that thrills my heart like Thine,
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Oh, what wondrous grace that links that lovely name with
mine."
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
____ ____
To bear His name!
Oh, what a thought,
What purgings in
me must be wrought,
Yet He has called
us for His own,
That we might share
His glory-throne.
A new name He has
given me,
It is redemption's
mystery,
That He would join
His name with mine,
Transform the earthy
to divine.
He is the Doer of
my way,
It is His life lived
through this day,
Duality slain by
His cross,
Yet for my gain,
it is not loss.
His life and mine
becoming one,
Just as the Father
and the Son,
A union that words
fail to tell,
He made a heaven
out of hell.
To bear Thy name!
Lord, I bow low,
To worship Thee
for loving so--
That You would shew
such grace to me,
New covenant reality.