Does God identify us by our name?

The Bible mentions a character whose name is not given. However, God worked wonders through him, displaying signs of His power. This man was known as the ‘man of God from Judah’. We may wonder if God withheld his name because he failed Him, or if the title God gave him was more significant than his name. Sometimes, we are unaware of God’s plans, and we may fail Him by not understanding His full plan. But we must ensure that we follow the right path, based on all that we know about God.

Jeroboam thought to himself, “The kingdom is now likely to revert to the house of David. If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”  1 Kings 12:26,27

Jeroboam, who was chosen by God to be the king of Israel, rebelled against Rehoboam, the king of Judah. He was insecure and feared that his people would pledge their allegiance to Judah, especially since the temple of the Lord was located there. To prevent this, he created an alternate god and made a golden calf, which he placed in Bethel and Dan. He wanted his people to worship this god in Israel, rather than in Judah, where the true God was worshiped.

It would not be inaccurate to say that Jeroboam was afraid of Judah. He was worried that Judah’s prosperity would entice his people away from him. Jeroboam was also afraid of living without God, which led him to create an alternate god in the form of a golden calf. This is the same calf that Israel had made at Mount Sinai, calling it the god who brought them out of Egypt. It’s interesting to note that Jeroboam, who was afraid and insecure forgot the punishment Israel had to go through when they made that golden calf in the past.

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. He cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” 1 Kings 13:1,2

Here, a man of God from Judah came to Bethel to prophecy against the altar that Jeroboam created. He was commanded by God not to eat or drink or return by the way he came. If Jeroboam refused to let his people go to Judah, God also commanded complete separation of that prophet. God did not want that prophet to eat or drink from that place of Israel. He raised a prophet from Judah just because Jeroboam was afraid of Judah.

Similarly, Jesus commands us to stay from this world, and for His name’s sake, we may have to suffer affliction. The world becomes our enemy because we follow Him, and truth be told, they are afraid of us. However, God gives us His grace and power to defeat these worldly powers. It’s not our name that matters, just as the name of the prophet from Judah was not given. It’s the title that matters, title of that prophet was ‘Man of God from Judah’. God has given us some titles. The salt of this world, the light of this world etc. Hence, we must stay away from the things that this world has to offer, and cry out against all those alternate solutions that the world has embraced.

While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.” 1 Kings 13:20-22

As this man of God was about to return to Judah, an old prophet from Israel deceived him. He lied to him and made him disobey God. It’s true that the man was unaware of why God told him not to eat or drink, But God is a zealous God and won’t give a reason for the enemy to laugh.

We too may be unaware of God’s plan. When God performs mighty miracles in our lives and answer our prayers, we may think that God is very fond of us. But the truth is we are nothing but an instrument or a weapon in the hands of God. We are chosen because we are suited to cut through the lines of the enemy but, if we are slipping away from His hand then some lions may come in our way.

If Jeroboam feared that his people would turn to Judah, God made sure that the destruction of Jeroboam and Israel would come from Judah. It’s not the name that matters, but why God prepared us for all these years. If God called us the salt of this world, it’s because the worlds is losing its saltiness. If God has kindled a light in us, it’s because somewhere, darkness has started to rule. Every arrow has a purpose, and that’s what matters in the QUIVER OF GOD.