One of God’s great acts of grace is to reveal His Name. The gods of the nations often had secret names, known only to priests and used only for occult spells. The gods hid to shield themselves from the demands of needy humans.
Yahweh doesn’t hide His Name, doesn’t reserve it to a tiny elite, doesn’t leave us to figure it out for ourselves. He tells us His Name, and in doing that allows us to claim His attention. When He discloses His Name, the Creator makes Himself accessible and vulnerable to creatures.
This is why the name of God is connected with worship. Worship is “calling on the Name of the Lord,” the sanctuaries of Israel are places where Yahweh chose to set His name, and in Jesus the Name becomes flesh. Yahweh took an earthly address because He wants us to draw near to pester Him.
A name is also a reputation, and so Yahweh reveals His Name in His works of power. Yahweh’s reputation as the God of Abraham, the God of the Exodus, the God of David assures us that He will deliver us from sin and death. And because we are called by the same Name, He will listen and act when we cry to Him: “Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”
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