Who Names Who?

I didn't choose my name. If I did, it would have been something creative and unique like Cash or Jet.

My dad was Roderick the IV, but he decided to be the last one because of all of the ridicule he received as a child. I'm glad. Roderick wouldn't have fit me very well.

Joshua Louis was the full name given to me. It soon became Josh for short. My grandmother is the only person who still calls me Joshua.

Throughout my life, I've received a few nicknames. Early on in high school it became "rabbit" because of the way I maneuvered my way around the football field. At the age of 18 I was given a nickname that stuck, "Boss Ross." I wasn't bossy; it just rhymed, "Josh da Boss Ross."

I find it interesting that God seems to take great delight in naming (or renaming) people. My buddy Jonathan Storment blogged about this recently.


God changes Jacob's name to Israel.
Jesus changes Simon's name to Peter.
Saul's name becomes Paul.


What's really interesting is when people give God a name. You see this throughout the psalms:
"You are my strong tower."
"You are my refuge."
"God is my salvation."

Jesus does something very interesting in the book of John, he begins to name himself. We know them as the 7 "I Am's."

But this isn't the first time that someone from the Trinity names himself.

Back in Genesis 3, God doesn't name a human being and he doesn't change a name. He names himself. God gives himself a name.


At the time, Moses is concerned that the Israelites are going to ask for God's name and he won't have a sufficient answer. Moses needs a name that will serve as undeniable proof that he has been with God.

God's answer is this, "I AM who I AM. I AM has sent me to you." This name would serve as proof that God had empowered Moses with a message that would lead to their deliverance.


God gives himself a name at a turning point in His people's history. The name "I AM" conjures up feelings of stunning holiness.


In fact, Exodus 3 is only the 2nd time that the word "holy" is used in Scripture. The first time comes in Genesis 2:3, "So God blessed the 7th day and made it holy." God spoke the first 6 days into existence with profound creativity and wonder, but only on the 7th day did God label with the word, "Holy." (Now, that is for another post)

The 2nd time the word "holy" shows up in Scripture is in Exodus 3 at the burning bush. God tells Moses to take his sandals off because the ground is holy. Then, it is on that holy ground that God lays out his plan to perform the greatest act of deliverance in the OT.

The holiness of God is used to set the stage...to lay the foundation...for God's justice and liberation.

When we think "holy," we think about silence, reverence, and meditation. This is all good because there are places in Scripture that affirm this.

But holiness is also used as a sure sign that God is about to do something so big that we might just need to brace ourselves for the impact. Holiness is an invitation to join God in his liberation and deliverance in the world. God reveals himself, and then he leads us out of that place in order to join in actions of kingdom-significance.