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Wednesday 2 November 2016

Calling on the Name of the LORD

The most ancient artefacts of history show a concept of nomes or nomos or names going back to most ancient times. A pole might be carried like the Roman soldiers carried a sign with SPQR on it (still used in Rome today) and these 'signs' were depicted in pictures of ancient times and called noms. The concept seems to be the same in modern times among people from Islamic countries having a strong cultural concept of Nomos. The nomos is a family name which ties in to a family set of laws and customs and ties in with family honour. I suggest there has always been this concept and it originates from God giving the preincarnate Word (Logos) His own nomos or name which combines His honour with rules, laws and customs. In the case of this Name above every name it includes authority over all that together God and The Word created. Invoking or calling on this name means more than using a word but includes calling on the honour of this name with acceptance of the duty of obedience to the commands that are given in this name and customs of God and of Christ Jesus whose name it is. This is seen vividly in the example of the 'Lord's prayer' in the gospels. Jesus Himself is held up by God as God's badge of honour or logo (the Logos) when God said of Him anouncing actually from heaven or the sky at Jesus' baptism and later transfiguration 'This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him" and on another occassion when Jesus prayed to God "Father glorify your name" God replied with a voice from the sky, from heaven, "I have glorified it and I will glorify it again". And God glorified it again when Jesus was raised up to die on a cross to take away the sins of the world. "Behold the Lamb of God".