Psa 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
The first question I asked myself this morning as I read across this verse of Scripture is who is it that knows his name and what does that mean? Apparently to know his name means you will have faith in him. So this is not just a simple knowing the name of God as you might know my name or another person's name. Names are something that are given to us, our names come from our parents and they could have some deeper meaning or they may not, perhaps your name is a family name or just some name that your parents liked the sound of, but for God, his names are wrapped up in his very nature. He did not just choose a name for himself in a way that men would, but he has communicated to us who he is in his name.
The first time he reveals his name to mankind is not in Genesis 1, which wasn't written till the days of Moses, but the first time man knows the name of God is in Exodus 3 when he tells Moses "I AM THAT I AM" and in the very next verse for the first time, a man hears the name Jehovah, meaning self-existent one. His name was not just a title they could refer to him by, but it communicated the power that he possessed. That power was communicated in the name "I AM THAT I AM" and Jehovah, but they got to know it firsthand as they saw the all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing hand of God sweep through Egypt and deliver them from Pharoh's grasp. Then on the other side of the Red Sea, they sang a song with this verse "The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." Note Especially the words "The LORD is his name," That Jehovah is his name. In a sense, they are saying he has lived up to his name.
I would remind you that it is God who made his name known to Israel, had it not been for his coming to them and making himself known they would still be without a clue, even if all those same events had taken place and they had been delivered from Pharoh's grip they would have attributed that power to lesser gods, like they did with the golden calf. He made himself known so that they may know him and know more of him. So it is with all of the redeemed of the Lord, He made himself known unto you. Through the preached word, through the written word, somehow you heard and believed but how little did you know when you first believed? Like Israel did not know the full weight of God's name until they stood on the other side of the Red Sea neither do we fully appreciate names like "I am the bread of Life" until we have had our soul's hunger filled to overflowing with the power and presence of Jesus. We have heard "I am the water of life" but it wasn't until my thirsty soul was quenched with his love that that name meant anything to me. I had heard "I am the way, the truth, and the life" but the longer I have followed him the more I am discovering that truly there is no other way, no other truth and no other life to be had outside of the I AM." Jesus used the I AM statement to declare his divinity many times in the New Testament and all that know him as the I AM have come to trust in him as the light of the world, the bread of life, the water of life, the resurrection, and ultimately as the I AM. To know who he is is to trust who he is. The more we know him the deeper our trust grows.
Knowing God has another title, Theology and if a man is going to study God, the Book of Psalms and the Book of Job teach us as much about the nature and person of God as any book in the Bible. Written by men who passed through life experiences that taught them that God's names weren't just names but descriptions, descriptions deeper than our minds can extract. Job knew God to be infinitely wise and therefore trusted him unto his own demise "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." He did not understand his situation but he understood God was too good to be bad, too wise to be foolish, and therefore even if he had to be slain he knew God would be perfectly just and righteous in doing so and therefore he would serve him even if meant being the death of him. That probably sums up the first phase of our psalm as practically as it possibly can be summed up. "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" If you knew how powerful, how perfect, how loving, how just, how merciful, how wise God was you would trust him even unto death, and we have. We who know him, know that he not only said "I am the resurrection" but trust him to be so. Because we know him we are persuaded that there is nothing that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus," not even death.
We can't forget the promise annexed to this statement, "For thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." The LORD Jehovah is such a deep well that all we ever will be are seekers of him, we will never find out all there is to find out about him, and will we never find the end of his love, his grace, his mercy, his justice. All of eternity will not be long enough to search out the riches of Jehovah God. He is infinite and eternal and so are all his attributes. We will forever be seekers and he will never forsake us. That is a promise whose comfort goes beyond any hurt, any trail, beyond death itself, He will never forsake us. "Lo I am with the always even unto the ends of the earth." "Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name there will I be in the midst with them." We have the promise of his presence here on earth. Then in Revelation chapter 5, I saw a multitude of people of all nations, and in the midst of them was a lamb, the lion of the tribe of Judah! Even in eternity, he is in our midst! He is the light of the World and he is the light of the world to come! O the glories that have yet to be known of the great I AM.
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