By: Obed Pineda
Sacred Scripture advocates “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3). This verse from the Psalm demonstrates how greatly having a family was valued by the ancient world. They understood well that children are essential to constructing a community, and for this reason those who were able to conceive viewed it as a favor (i.e. reward) from heaven. The inspired Hebrew poet’s reference to one’s offspring as “a heritage from the Lord,” uncovers their understanding that children belong to God, and not the parents. This vital piece of information makes an emphasis on the paramount importance of Jehovah God’s presence in the home before, during, and after it is built (cf. Psalm 127:1-3, Hebrews 13:4). They were fully aware that to become a parent was to be entrusted with the care of one of God’s precious possessions. Hence the reason the following stanza states, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,so are the children of one’s youth” (Psalm 127:4). It must be kept in mind that in the days when the Psalm was scribes warriors would make their own arrows from the sticks and stones of the earth. The concept presented by the Psalmist is that even though the warrior did not create the stick or stone he requires to make his arrow, he did mold that stick and stone into an arrow by fabricating it with his trained hands. Thus, the inspired amanuensis is poetically illustrating that it is the parents’ responsibility to train and mold a child in the “admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4b, cf. Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25). These facts presented by the Psalmist further validates that they viewed being able to procreate a progeny as a tremendous blessing from God because it established that they had been deemed adequate by Him to be trusted with the responsibility of upbringing a future warrior of righteousness. Being a father and a mother was regarded as the highest honor God could bestow upon a husband and his wife. This beautiful approach to parenthood also sheds light on why being sterile or barren in the ancient world was considered a great shame (cf. 1st Samuel 1:5-7). Biblical historians explain that to be childless was viewed by the Jewish Rabbis as a punishment from heaven, and so radical was this view that childlessness was even allowed as a permissible reason for a man to put away his wife through divorce. Correctly did our Master describe this cruelty as a product of “the hardness of your hearts” when responding to the Pharisees’ question concerning Moses’ authorization of divorce (cf. Matthew 19:1-9). Nevertheless, the seriousness with which the Israelites accepted fatherhood is further displayed by their careful selection of the child’s name as well. It was a strongly believed that a person’s name had great power because it was a description of an individual. Take for example the words of Esau to his father after he had lost the blessing tied to the firstborn’s birthright: “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing” (Genesis 27:36)! The same is true for Esau himself since Holy Writ professes that he was named so because when he was born, “He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau” (Genesis 25:25). In some cases, a person’s name was a declaration being made either personally or by the parents. When Naomi returned home from the country of Moab a widow and with no offspring, “she said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me’” (Ruth 1:20). At a time when the people of Israel had inclined their hearts to worship Baal and Ashtoreth as their gods, a man and his wife, named their son Elijah whose name means “my God is Jehovah” (Thayer, H452, cf. 1st Kings 17:1). There is no doubt that a great amount of consideration went into naming the child because in those days the profound importance that a name had in shaping the child’s personality was understood. The name of a person in Biblical times spoke volumes about a man’s character and mission in life, especially if that name had been assigned from heaven. This is corroborated by Gabriel’s revelation to Zacharias “your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:13). The Bible tells of the Jewish custom of naming the male child on the eighth day after his birth, when he was to be circumcised in accordance to the covenant between Jehovah God and Abraham (cf. Genesis 17:10-12). Furthermore, Luke continues to explain that it was also a common practice among the Jews to name the boy after his father or some other relative (cf. Luke 1:59-61). Biblical scholars suggests that the reason for this practice was very likely to honor their ancestors by keeping their memory alive through a namesake. Thus, it illumines why when Zacharias (who had been mute the entire pregnancy, cf. Luke 1:18-22) having “asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, ‘His name is John.’” the people present were “all marveled” (Luke 1:63). Before the people had an opportunity to criticize Zacharias’ and Elizabeth’s name selection, God immediately manifested that the child’s name had been given by Him for “immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, ‘What kind of child will this be?’ And the hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:64-66). Their inquiry had unequivocally already been answered by the name God had given the child, since Iōannēs (i.e. “John”) means “Jehovah is a gracious giver” (Thayer, G2491). Indeed, John at once gave honor to his name from the moment his mother conceived him, because she had previously been barren (cf. Luke 1:7, 24-25). The fact that a male child had been provided to Zacharias, too, verified the gracious gift from God since it meant that his bloodline would continue to live on after him. Yet, the greatest proof of John’s name declaring to the world what God was about to do is found in his purpose for arriving into the world. Zacharias himself joyfully proclaimed, “you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77). It is inarguable that a name is a powerful instrument that is so much more productive than just identifying the person who carries it. Zacharias’ and Elizabeth’s obedience to giving their son the name that God had provided, universally announced that His grace had begun to fully unfold. It is wise to recall that like John, Jesus’ name was assigned by heaven for the same purpose (cf. Luke 1:30-33, Matthew 1:20-25). Thus, this Divine lesson firmly establishes that a name does matter, chiefly when God has provided it because many times, His marvelous message to the world is all in the name (cf. Acts 4:5-12).