“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” Philippians 2:9 (ESV)
When my brothers and I were little, our dad picked out a nickname for each one of us. The names didn’t have any reasoning behind them, but they made us feel loved. When my children were born, I loved hearing them call me “Mama” or “Mom”. Now I get a similar thrill when my grandkids address me as “Nana”. Each of these names represent different roles and relationships—daughter, mother, and grandmother.
The Bible is filled with names for Jesus, each one revealing a specific aspect of His character or His role. Old Testament prophecies called Him the Messiah and the Anointed One. A single verse in Isaiah labels Jesus as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). In his account of Jesus’ birth, Matthew repeated Isaiah’s prediction that He will be called “Immanuel, God With Us.” The gospel writers called Jesus “Son of God”, “Only Begotten Son”, and “The Word”.
John’s account shows that Jesus called Himself many names: “The Bread of Life”, “Light of the World”, “The Good Shepherd”, “True Vine”, and “The Resurrection and Life”. When He identified Himself as “I AM”, the Jews tried to stone Him to death because they understood He was claiming to be God. Revelation calls Jesus the “Lamb Who Was Slain” and “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah”.
READ MORE: DRAW CLOSER TO JESUS
In the vision of Jesus riding out to lead the final battle against God’s enemies, He is referred to as “Faithful and True” and “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”. In the Bible’s final chapter, Jesus calls himself “The Beginning and End”, “The First and Last”, and “The Bright and Morning Star”.
Since the Bible gives these and other names for Jesus, how can we doubt that He is all we will ever need?
Faith step: Make a list of the names for Jesus that most speak to you. When you have a need, meditate on the name that pertains to your situation, addressing Him in prayer by that title.
