One of the most salient questions that Jesus ever asks in the Bible is "But what about you? Who do you say that I am?" Simon, who Jesus renamed Peter (translated "rock"), boldly answered that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for, and in turn, Jesus said that upon that rock he would build His church. I don't think that Jesus meant that he was designating Peter the first pope, as some would speculate. What I think lines up with Scripture more accurately is that the faith that Peter showed in Jesus' divineness, was the cornerstone necessary to take the message of Christ to all of the nations. That is the faith fundamental to building Christ's Church. Without it, Christianity ceases to exist.
The significance of names throughout Hebrew culture must be understood not just to put Peter's name change into context, but to understand the character of Christ himself. Names did not just serve the purpose of identification, but they also went deeper and became part of a person's identity itself. Jesus as the Christ. Jesus as the Son of Man. Those were major titles to bestow upon Himself, and that's why the religious people wanted to stone Him for blasphemy. Names were always significant to the Hebrews, because names were always how God chose to reveal Himself and recognize who He was. YHWH, the God of the Old Testament, was the same thousands of years ago in the desert and the Promised Land, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
As I read Matthew 16:15, it got me thinking about all of the Old Testament names of God. There's so many of them, and every one of them was a way that God chose to reveal aspects of His character to us. As mentioned above, God used names to describe Himself, so understanding those names is vitally important to knowing and understanding Him.
As I examined the heart of the question Jesus asked His disciples, I began to wonder who I really say that God is. I know that I say Jesus is the Messiah. There is no question in my heart that I believe that. But, who else do I say that He is?
Do I believe that He is El Shaddai, Lord God Almighty? Do my actions reflect that belief?
Do I believe that He is Adonai, Lord Master? Am I giving Him the authority that title permits Him? Does my life reflect that He is Jehovah Nissi, The Lord My Banner? Do people wonder if I am a follower of Jesus, or is my relationship with Jesus as evident in my life as a banner flowing in the wind?
Do I believe Jesus is My Sheppard, Jehovah Raah? Does He know my name and lead me? Or when I hear His voice do I run because I don't recognize it and trust it (John 10) ?
Do I see Jesus as Jehovah Rapha, The God that heals? Have I turned over my life physically, emotionally, and spiritually and am I trusting Jesus to revive them all?
When I feel alone, empty, and deserted, is Jesus my Jehovah Shammah? He has promised that He will never forsake me. The Lord is There (Hebews 13:5)
Have I allowed God to cleanse me from my sins and transform me out of worldly ways? Have I been set apart for His purposes? If so, He is my Jehovah Meoddishkem, The Lord Who Sanctifies Me.
As I pondered His names, I realized that I don't always have the confidence that I should. I realized that I haven't exercised all of my faith muscles, and some of them have atrophied. I realized that often I have settled for knowing God as the god that I have wanted Him to be, rather than allowing Him to be the God that He is.
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