What's in a Name?

Contrary to the Shakespearian context in which this question was born, when it comes to the name of Jesus everything is in a name. On the surface, and as we as 21st century "superficialists" tend to think, a name is only a label, a trinket to be worn, testifying to the faddish era into which we were born. However, to God a name is everything. It actually tells the story of a person's life yet to be lived. The name describes generally the characteristics of the person and in many ways the vocation of the same person.

When it comes to the name of Jesus, there is even much more to a name. In the Hebrew language, "yeshua" means salvation. According to Strong's Lexicon, the facets of the word salvation include the following: freedom, wholeness(forgiveness, righteousness), rescue, deliverance, victory, healing, health, prosperity, provision, protection, aid, and eternal life. The people of Biblical times heard in the name of Yeshua, or Jesus, the answer to every need that they could possibly have. It is no wonder that people with needs for healing, deliverance, provision, and forgiveness would swarm to the walking and talking Provider of salvation. That was His name: Jesus, Yeshua, Salvation.

Two millenia later, the needs of mankind have not changed. We still are in need of healing, of daily needs for food and shelter, of deliverance from the demons that haunt the worldly marketplaces of cable television and the Internet. The good news is that the One who provides salvation from all of these areas of lack has not changed either. He calls to each of us, "Come unto me, all who are weary and weighed-down, I will give you rest!" (Matthew 11:28). To obtain whatever facet of salvation that you need today, whether it is forgiveness, healing, aid, guidance, protection, or eternal life, simply call on the name that is above every name--Jesus! What's in a name? Everything a human being could possibly need--past, present and future. Acts 4:12 says, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."