“Knowing and maintaining our new name is an important part of how God’s story continues for the next generation. When we know our new name, it will help us withstand the culture that tries to rename us ‘Fools’. We live out our new name when we listen to God and endure in a culture that tries to blot out the name of the God we serve.”- Esther Fleece Allen
As Esther Fleece Allen continues Chapter 9 of Your New Name, she talks about bearing up under cultural pressure. Specifically, Esther details the plight of Daniel and his three friends – Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Because the attack of changing a person’s name provided a key first step in the social engineering practiced by the Babylonians.
Though the Hebrew names of these four men testified to God’s character and nature, the Babylonians wanted to coerce them into serving another god. Thus, the well-known name changes. Hence, in his book The Daniel Dilemma, Pastor Chris Hodges addresses these name changes. Also, he applies that concept to our current culture. Pastor Hodges writes:
“By comparing the original and Babylonian names of these four men, we get a clear picture of our Enemy’s strategy, the same one he uses today: he labels us with a new name so he can lie to us about a false identity.”
Therefore, Esther adds, just like God provides a new name for us, so does Satan. In addition, when someone attacks our name, they most certainly want to influence our identity. Above all, Esther states, many scholars believe the Babylonian’s strategy surpassed its initial attempt to rename the four men. They think Babylon yearned to wipe the name of the God of Israel from the men’s hearts, minds, and legacies.
In conclusion, Esther adds this summary:
“All four of these name changes were attempts to blot out the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and divert attention to other gods — a goal still being pursued in our culture today. Forsaking our God-given names has so many implications, including causing us to forget the one true God.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures help us in knowing and maintaining our new name? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “When people mess with our new names”
