How does a name protect us? What is in a name? My name is Reid - it means "Red Haired One" not much there as to who I actually am. But to those who know me, say like my wife, "Reid" means much indeed.

What of the name of God? God's name is to represent to us something of substantial content. If "God" or "Dios" or "Bůh" mean nothing more than their phonetical sounds, then the name of God is not different than any other name. But if a name is a represenation of an actually reality that IS GOD...there is so much in a name. [This is a stong case for why Christians ought to be realists when it comes to language - that the word/sign actually is reference to some being that IS]

So if a name "God" means - the almighty, all wise, all knowing, sovereign, creator, sustainer of the Universe - Oh, how there is great protection and salvation in a name. So what of a protection that leads to our death? For indeed some protection prolongs temporal life, but are we "protected" by God even though we die. If life were only this life, if nothing else lay beyond this present age - protection "in death" makes little or no sense. Jesus' words are insightful in John 11:23-27

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Here we see protection - God bringing his children safely home - even though this life shall perish...2 Corinthians 4:17

17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

So this Psalm shows an eternal truth in which the wise place their trust:

Psalm 20:7,8 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

Yes, trusting in a name - a name that is in fact (really) above all names.

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