Month: March 2008

A New Name

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New Names

“And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” Genesis 17:2-5 (KJV)

“And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” Genesis 17:15-16 (KJV)

These verses belong together due to the name changes and the life changes of both Abraham and Sarah. We have been told that one day all who are in Christ will receive a new name (Revelation 2:17; 3:12).

Worship was not something that was unfamiliar with Abraham. Most of the places he settled in for any length of time had the altars he had built. The first one we have record of was when he first entered the land of Canaan. It was a place God came to him with promise (12:6-7). He built another altar between Bethel on the West and Hai (Ai of Joshua 7) on the East. Bethel is the “house of God”, and Ai is the flesh. The Spirit verses the flesh. We are, as Christians, constantly at battle against the flesh. We find ourselves in this world fighting, struggling, and sometimes feeling defeated, yet we are victors through our Lord Jesus Christ. When one comes to faith in God through His Son a new name is given. The worship of God for the believer is not unfamiliar. It is, in fact, an everyday occurance.

This is God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah that they are going to be the proud parents of a bustling baby boy. He will indeed be one to make them laugh. He is the son of promise. “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12; Romans 9:7). Thus, God has renewed the covenant He made with Abraham from the beginning. God has made all things new through His Son Jesus Christ.

When an individual comes to Jesus Christ, trusting Him and Him alone as their personal Lord and Savior, they are given a new name.  It is written down in heaven, and no one knows it at the present but the Lord.  It will be given to those who believe when we see Him face to face.  A New name that gives the glory to the Lord Almighty.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

-by Tim A. Blankenship

The Prophecy of Noah

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Noah, and the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ

The covenant God made with Noah was also for the earth, and all of creation. At the end of the covenant God says, “This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” It was in fact a promise of redemption for all the earth.

We also have this passage of Scripture in the New Testament letter, written by Paul, named Romans. In the eighth chapter, Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ writes,

“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that he whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (vv.20-23)

Since the sin – the fall – of Adam and Eve the earth, and all creation has experienced death pangs. What so called scientists are using to measure the age of the earth, are mostly signs of an earth that has been under judgment for six to ten thousand years. Volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, high straight winds, the crumbling of the ice packs are all signs of an earth that is groaning in its death pangs. It is all due to the sin of mankind, and it will one day be redeemed by the coming of the Lord Jesus back to earth.

Before we continue with this let’s back up and look at the beginning of the historic life and journey of Noah. In Genesis five we find Noah in a genealogical line from Adam, and ends with Noah. Of Noah we find these words, “And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham and Japheth.” Noah’s name means rest. It was in the days of Noah that the Lord would pour out His wrath on a sinful and disobedient world. It was revealed to Enoch who is mentioned in verse 24, and his son Methuselah’s birth was most likely the means by which God got Enoch’s attention and devotion.

Since this is about God’s covenant with Noah we need to get back to the issue of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Is the Millennial reign of Christ mentioned in the covenant? Not in the clearest way, but maybe in type, and by the promise. It is not specifically named as a “Millennial reign” or “one thousand years” or “a thousand years”, but by example.

In the first place why would God choose to save humanity, and mankind? It was due to His promise to Adam and Eve, and according to His eternal plan to deliver mankind from death, and evil. This would take the birth of a man who would live solely for God, fulfill His Word and will for His life; and then, even obey God to the extent of providing a substitutionary death for the redemption of mankind and all of creation. God created all that is for His own glory, and the man was His crowning achievement.

In the beginning when God was creating; He began with the planets and stars. He made a space for man to dwell, before He made the man. Some might think, “God sure wasted a lot of space”. I cannot see it that way at all. God waste nothing. The open space is there for us to see, to enjoy and to stand in awe of the Creator who is Himself so vast and huge, that we could possibly know someone so amazing, and worthy of worship. When God placed all the planets in place, giving them the correct and desired order of orbit, rotations, and revolutions. Placing the earth within just the right distance from the sun to warm the earth for the life which would be created here. Plants were created after their kind. Animals were created after their kind, and last of all one made in the image and likeness of God was made from the dust of the earth. And God made him a living soul. An eternal being who was not meant to die, but live forever. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). It was intended that man was to have dominion over the earth. The millennial reign of Jesus Christ will be the fulfillment of all of the promises.

Jesus said, ” But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV). The Lord will not allow this earth to continue in wickedness, and rejection of Him. Right now sin is its own judgment. Jeremiah the prophet speaks of one’s personal wickedness correcting them; “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee…” (Jeremiah 2:19). Jesus will come again when evil has reached its peak, its heyday, its worst, and chaos has ruled the day. Deliverance will come by Jesus Christ in His glorious appearing, with His saints, evil will be crushed, and His kingdom on earth will be established; with His reign from Jerusalem.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come soon.

–by Tim A. Blankenship