God Remembers Our Names

What’s in a name? As parents, we hope it represents our children’s identity, with the character traits we want them to grow into. Pronouncing their names out loud becomes a declaration of our hopes for them. God remembers our names too—the one our parents gave us and the one he hides in his heart.   

That said, a single name may be insufficient to define either our children or ourselves. It was that way for God. In order to reveal his full nature to his people, he introduced himself through a series of ever more illuminating names throughout history. “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty,” He told Moses one day, “but by My name Yahweh I was not known to them” (Exodus 6:3 NKJV). While “God Almighty” [el Shaddai] emphasized his might and all-sufficiency, Yahweh spoke more of God’s eternal existence as himself. “I AM WHO I AM” he said in Exodus 3:16.

Over time, he elaborated on his character through even more names. He was the God who sees (Genesis 16:12), the God who hears (Genesis 16:11), the one who provides (Genesis 22:14), heals (Exodus 15:26), and gives peace (Judges 6:24).

Lest We Be Forgotten

For Old Testament Hebrews, forgetting a person’s name meant leaving them behind, ceasing to think of them, misplacing them, or even losing them entirely. But God promises never to lose track of us. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me” (Isaiah 49:15–16).

God remembers our names even in the garments he required for ministry in his holy tabernacle. The high priest bore two onyx stones on his robe’s shoulders that were etched with the names of Israel’s twelve sons. These names were repeated on the front of a vest-like ephod. Twelve gems rode on his breast, each inscribed with a patriarch’s name. Whenever the high priest entered the holy place, all twelve of Jacob’s sons went in with him. And with those twelve sons went their wives and their children and their children’s children, because the names represented more than individual people. They included all the progeny that would be attributed to their tribe in the future—whether by birth, marriage, adoption, or initiation into citizenship.

God Remembers Our Names Through a New High Priest

The time for human high priests ended soon after Jesus’ death. The earthly holy place disappeared. Through exile and war, genealogical records were destroyed, and with them went all ties to legitimate heirs of Aaron. No more would human priests come in and out of God’s presence. No more would the names of his holy people appear upon the glorious robes of ministry.

Then came a priest from a different order–not that of Aaron, but of Melchizedek. Jesus, the Messiah of God, wears a better garment for a higher calling. He walks in and out of a holy place that is more than a shadow, but the real thing itself. “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24–25 NKJV).

The etched stones of the Old Testament are lost to history. But the true stones they represented ride on the shoulders and breast of our Great High Priest Jesus. They enter into the holy place with him, sparkling and gleaming with those tribal names once more so that the Father always remembers them.

Near or Far, God Remembers Our Names

Here’s something to bear in mind. The original twelve-tribe family eventually broke apart. Soon after David’s reign, they became two separate nations–Israel and Judah. The family rift would last for hundreds of years, but during all that time, God never revised what names appeared on the onyx stones. Nor did have gems pried off the ephod’s breast piece to match the reality of their separation. God continued to remember all twelve no matter how long his people lived apart from each other and from him.

What does that mean for us? God remembers our names by etching them on the palm of his hand. () But just as with the stones on the high priests’ garments, all who belong to us are included in that name. Do we have prodigals? Their names are within ours. Have we split apart like Israel and Judah? God has not removed his stones of rememberance because of that.

For a Thousand Generations

“Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9 NKJV).

“For a thousand generations.” Can you imagine that? I can’t help but hear Kari Jobi sing Cody Carnes’ “The Blessing” right now. That God’s favor may be upon us for a thousand generations and our family and our children, and their children, and their children.

So let’s imagine this when we wonder about family members who haven’t yet drawn near to God. Our Great High Priest Jesus stands in full dress in God’s presence. Our names are written in stone upon his shoulders and his breast with letters that cannot be erased. And inside those letters are the names of all we hold dear. Day and night he stands at the heavenly altar of incense, making his case for us and for them. And the Father, who hopes beyond hope and believes beyond reason, keeps his gaze fixed on those names–remembering them, saying them out loud, calling them by name.

You ask if God knows our names. Oh yes. And our children’s names, and their children’s, and their children’s, to a thousand generations.

(This post adapted from one appearing November 22, 2022.)