And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:21, NKJV).
Dear God please let us allow You to name us; and may our name be representative of You. We thank you for being willing to call us by Your name. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
We are getting close to the day the world celebrates as the birthday of the Savior. As Christians we often argue about the date. Of course the date does not fit very well with the account of shepherds living out in the field keeping watch over their flock. But the important thing is not when the Savior was born, but that He was born!
Today we find two important events mentioned in our Scripture: the circumcision and the naming of the child. Under the old covenant circumcision was the outward sign (Genesis 17:9-12). Under the new covenant there were no outward signs. God began to prepare them for this by encouraging them to “circumcise the foreskin of [their] hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4).
Under the new covenant the law would be written in their hearts by God. Notice the shift from outward to inward. From doing to being. And yet, the being was always God’s plan for His people. The people were the ones who thought they had to do. ” Then he [Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7. Emphasis provided.). Christ fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17, 18) and has put His perfect obedience of the law to our account (justification). Through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit He lives out the obedience to the law through us (sanctification).
Because Christ came into the world “born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4, 5. Emphasis provided.), according to the law, “on the eighth day” His parents circumcised Him.
His name is Jesus, Savior. For Jews names are of utmost importance. They denote character. They also indicate one’s mission in the world. When Christ came into the world, He came to” save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). He also came “to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons [daughters]. And because you are sons [daughters], God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out,’ “Abba, Father!” ‘ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son [a daughter], and if a son [a daughter], then an heir of God through Christ” ‘ ” (Galatians 4:6, 7).
May this promise be fulfilled in your life during this holiday season!