The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Daniel 1:6-7, “Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego.”

It was Shakespeare who wrote,

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Everyone –well, almost everyone has a name. You have a family (last) name, and you have a Christian (first) name. Does it really matter what your name is? It certainly does!

Your name is the basic identification of who you are. Over the past decade or two, many young people have wanted to be known only by their Christian or “first” name. They said that gave them personal identification. (It may have been that their parents wanted it that way, and the youths pretended it was their idea.) In any event, names are important.

Names have historical meanings, too; that is, a name made famous by an historical personality. For example, the name Lincoln may be an historical link to Abraham Lincoln, the 16TH President of the United States. If that were your family name, I’m sure it would be of great value to you.

When Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem for the third time (587 B.C.), he carried away Daniel and his three friends: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Being Jews, each of them possessed Jewish names, and their names had meaning. Daniel means “God is my Judge”; Hananiah means “Beloved of the LORD”; Mishael means “Who is as God”; and Azariah means “the LORD is my help.” Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t have Jewish lads living in Babylon with meanings like that, so he changed their names.

Daniel became Belteshazzar, which means “Bel’s Prince,” identifying him with one of Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. Hananiah was named Shadrach, Rak being the name of the sungod, and meaning “Illumined by the sungod.” Mishael was renamed Meshach, meaning “who is like Venus,” still another pagan goddess. And Azariah was re-named Abednego, meaning “the servant of Nego, a false god.

There is no indication in the entire book of Daniel, that Daniel or his friends ever resisted their new names. However, they never lived according to them. They lived as honest, Jewish lads, standing always for the LORD and resisting affiliation with the evils of their captors.

When we yield our lives to Jesus Christ, we take on the name “Christian.” We vow to live according to His Word and His ways. When we relax from being Christians, we take on the look and life of the unsaved. We dishonor our LORD Jesus Christ and all for which He stands. The world then views us as with them instead of with Him. Be faithful in carrying the Name of Christ, even more faithful than carrying the Flag of your beloved country. What’s in a name? Everything! Be careful how you wear it.

I love each of you and pray for you every day!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”