Acts 7:58 And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” (Juliet to Romeo in Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet” Act II, scene II.)
Juliet was basically saying she thought a name was an artificial and meaningless rule. I disagree. I looked up “name” in my concordance and came up with the following:
Strong’s 8034 (Hebrew) a mark or memorial of individuality; by impl. honor, authority, character: famous, named, renown, report. (Old Testament)
Strong’s 3686 (Greek) from 1097 name, authority, character, called; ST 1097 to “know” (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications, allow, be aware(of), perceives, be resolved, be sure, understand. (New Testament)
Let’s look at Saul. Saul left a lot of carnage in his wake.
Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
The word havoc means he went ballistic or feral hog on the believers.
His desired effect backfired as believers increased…which included a former sorcerer and an Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Queen Candace of Ethiopia. (Acts 8:4-40)
Saul was breathing threats and murder against the disciples. He was spitting mad and on his way to Damascus when he met the Lord Jesus. (Acts 9:1-6)
Jesus commissioned Saul personally.
Acts 9:6b Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Then the Lord spoke to a disciple, Ananias, in a vision to go lay hands on Saul, but he was afraid because he knew of Saul’s carnage. (Acts 9:10-14)
Listen to what the Lord said to him: “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16)
Ananias obeyed, Saul received his sight back, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and was baptized, fed, and strengthened by the disciples at Damascus. (Acts 9:17-19)
Then, he went out preaching and people were after HIM to kill him and the believer’s were freaked out by him at first because they thought he was tricking them. (Acts 9:20-31)
The Lord is amazing! All this was roughly in a week’s time! Saul started living his name after he met Jesus. Saul was called Paul when he began his mission to the Gentiles.
Read the rest of Acts to follow Paul’s wild adventures in ministry, and especially chapter 26 where Paul gives his testimony.
SAUL (Hebrew)
Meaning: Called of God
Spiritual connotation: God’s Warrior
Scripture: John 15:5 …He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.
PAUL (Greek)
Meaning: Small
Spiritual connotation: Dynamo of Energy and Faith/Dependent on God
Scriptures: 1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God….
Psalm 73:28 “But as for me, drawing near to God is good for me; I have made the Lord my refuge, so that I may announce all Thy works.”
The Lord is the One who names us. He knows our days from start to finish. He knows the plan He has for us. Trust Him. Know Him. As His, we also bear His name because, like Saul, we are chosen of Him to bear His name before the lost.
If you want to know what your name means, you can contact me at: holyonesgentledove@yahoo.com or you can look it up online.
My prayer for you is that you begin to see yourselves as He does and walk in the power and authority that is yours in Him. Amen.
