Genesis
Genesis 17:15-25
What Is in A Name?
Speaking to Abraham: God says, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on, her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” [2]
You may remember the title of this excerpt from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Juliet and I seem to be thinking along the same lines when it comes to asking deep questions on what seems to be a simple subject. When I read the passage in Genesis regarding Sarah’s name change, I ask myself the same question. What’s in a name? Why was the name change significant? Does the name change mean anything? After all, she still is Abraham’s wife. Her past does not miraculously disappear. She still is known throughout her village as Sarai—the wife of Abraham, barren, and the one who devised and provoked the plan to have her husband impregnate her maidservant so that his lineage would continue.
So, what was in this name? The answers to my questions were buried in scripture—deep enough to cause me to be intentional with my efforts, yet shallow enough that the answers were within plain sight. Sarah’s name change was significant, and it did mean something. Let’s look deeper into the names:
• ‘Sarai’ signifies my lady, or my princess. Singular in meaning.
• ‘Sarah’ signifies a lady or princess, simply and without restriction. Plural in meaning. In other words, Sarah meant the princess of a multitude. [3]
The subtle difference between the two names marks the difference between the blessing of ‘a generation’ versus the blessing of not only that generation but ‘generations’ to come. I would say that is significant. God spoke a blessing over Sarah’s new identity. She would no longer be known as a Mother to one by “surrogacy”, but The Mother to many. Many that would derive from her very own womb. Many that would be multiplied from generation to generation. Oh, and we are not talking just any generations here. From this generational lineage, God’s covenant would be established. That covenant would include His greatest promise, His son Jesus.
We have been gifted with the miracle of seeing God’s greatest promise within this story-Jesus. We, too, see the illumination of the attributes of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus’ return. Every jot and tittle points to Him within this story and in scripture. In this particular instance of what many would deem just a simple name change, we see God foreshadowing Jesus and our relationship with Him. Jesus would not only become the Savior of the Jews, but “…of the Gentiles too.” [4] Scripture says that if we are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, then we have a covenant with Him. We are also promised in Revelation 2:17 that we, too, shall have a new name. One that no one else will understand. Can you even imagine what a name given by God, in its purest form, would even sound like? One could sit and ponder a thousand days and would never be able to comprehend such a name.
“…but Abraham laughed to himself in disbelief….” And God responded, “…Your wife Sarah will give birth to a son, his name will be called Issac…” [5]
Lastly, we also see where God has settled His plan. Sarah (and Abraham) had fallen prey to writing their own plan on how they thought things should go. However, God’s plan will supersede all our plans collaboratively. His will and ways are perfect. Ours…not so much. We may mean well with our plans, but we must remember that even our ‘well-thought-out plans’ are skewed by sin and carnality. It is up to us to seek the Father for His will for us. Just as Abraham, we may chuckle within ourselves at what we hear, but nevertheless, it will be so. We have evidence all throughout scripture of man taking matters into their own hands and the byproduct of what came from it. Furthermore, one does not have to look further than the tip of our nose to find out that our plans are... well…not His. Thus, causing immense struggle and oftentimes confusion. As seen in the story of Abraham and Sarah.
We are left encouraged through this passage that God redeems. God is faithful in His promises. God has plans for us that oftentimes supersede our expectations. God meets us when we seek Him. God creates a new identity within His covenant. God understands when we do not understand, and He has the wisdom to reiterate the instructions that need to be clarified. And my favorite, God calls us by a name that we do not understand—yet, but one day we will. Oh, what a day that will be.
By Sherry Ginn, Bethel Women’s Ministry
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