Names That Mean Something

Names always meant something in the nation of Israel. Names of individuals and names of places carried a meaning of an event or a vision.

As I was reading the Word this week it occurred to me that it was not insignificant that God chose Zebulun and Naphtali as the beginning point for the earthly ministry of Jesus. As I checked the underlying name meanings of Zebulun and Naphtali I discovered something interesting.

Zebulun (dwelling) and Naphtali (wrestling) were an area of Israel that was unremarkable except for is distance from Jerusalem, the political capital of the region. With recent events regarding John the Baptist's arrest, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to this region to launch His three year ministry.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

"THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,
BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES—
“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT,
AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH,
UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:12-17

Today we still live in a land of wrestling, wrestling with problems, with financial issues, with people issues, with decisions of every type and substance, but we have in recent years put the great light "under a bushel basket". As our world and our society spin wildly out of control heading toward the abyss the churches remain unconcerned and oblivious to their part in the morass.

Jesus said, " “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ Matthew 11:16-17

"Children who call out to other children" is a statement about "this generation" regarding their maturity and purpose. The message is of a young child who tries many things to achieve acceptance with little in the way of permanent results. Such defines today's churches as week after week they pattern their approaches toward acceptability.

The very same description could be applied to each of us individual Christians. Do we live radical lives of faith or have we been molded into an acceptable image of a dying world?

The message that Jesus brings to each of us today is a simple one: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Remaining where you are is easy. It is a giant step to accept the invitation into the Kingdom! The difference is remarkable but the world may not appreciate the new you! But then you would be in good company!