So, What's in a Name?

"And the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah." (Ezra 10:26 KJV)

This verse is buried twenty-six lines deep in the midst of a long list of hard-to-pronounce names. Very few people would bother reading it. You can see that seven names are listed; a father and his six sons. However, nothing is said about them - who they were, what they did, how their lives mattered. Nothing, just their names. But names are important. Your name defines you, and "a good name is to be desired above great riches." (Proverbs 22:1)

So lets examine this verse of Scripture more closely. Here are the meanings of each of these names according to Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, the Easton Bibles Dictionary, and the Hitchcock Bible Names Dictionary, I think that the meaning of each of these names is worthy of our consideration.

Elam - a secret hidden by distance in the highlands
Mattaniah - the gift of hope from the Lord; the hope laid up in heaven
Zechariah - The renowned Lord has remembered
Jehiel - God's life will be seen in me
Abdi - serviceable, servant of the Lord
Jeremoth - elevations; uplifted beyond the fear of death
Eliah - The Mighty God, the Lord who works in wonder and power

Putting the meaning of these several names together in one continuous thought produces the following treasure:

"There was a secret hidden in the heavens, far away from the sight of man. It was a gift of hope, laid up in heaven for us by the Lord. At the perfect moment, in the fullness of time, the Lord remembered the gift and brought it forth for us to have and to behold. Because of this His name is now renowned throughout the whole earth. His life has now been made manifest in and through us, making us useful unto every good word and work, and lifting us far above the power of sin and death, He is the mighty God, who works wonders of love by His great power."

So, the next time your whizzing through your devotions and speed reading the Bible on your way to a place called "I've Got To Finish My Devotions So I Can Hurry Up and Get There", take a break. Spend some "Selah" time. Slow down and read God's Word with an inquisitive mind, a curious mind, a curious soul and an investigative hunger. You might just stumble upon a buried treasure or two.

(Adapted from a devotion by James Ryle)