The Name Of Jesus, The Value Of God’s Name
By Ray Jones
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and are safe.” Prov. 18:10
In the olden days of ancient warfare they did not have modern means of defense nor the modern means of destruction. A tower is spoken of in the Bible in a two-fold way, first as a place where watchers were stationed to keep a sharp lookout over the surrounding country for any signs of the approach of the enemy, and to warn the people and the soldiers of the approach of the enemy.
Let us notice the special stress and emphasis placed upon the Name. The Scripture does not say the Lord is a strong tower. Those in the tower are above the rest of the people, therefore theirs is the greater responsibility. Israel is called in Micah 4:8, “the tower of the flock.” Israel was the people whom God had chosen to reveal Himself and His Name through. Therefore He chose a city, Jerusalem, as the capital of this great nation and chose a place to put his Name and a house or temple was built in this city unto His Name and in this house His Name dwelt. (2 Chron. 7:16) Wherever God dwelt His Name was and wherever God had any property or possessions His Name was always placed upon them. I am sure if people realized the importance of the Name of God in His Word and revelation to mankind, His Name would not be so lightly treated, despised and spoken against in these days.
If it is the Name of the Lord that is the strong tower, then it is imperative that we know what the Name of the Lord is. In Isaiah 9:1, we read “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is give: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” The Scripture does not say or intimate that Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Prince of Peace are the Names of God as some would have us believe, but these are titles of the Child born and the Son given. This Scripture does not reveal the Name of the One referred to in this prophecy at all; but it is necessary to look at the account of the fulfillment of this prophecy for the revelation of Name. In Matt. 1:21-23, we find the Name given to the child by the angel from heaven was “Jesus” shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Prince of Peace and The everlasting Father.
In Matt. 16:13-18, we find that Jesus asked His disciples a question concerning His identity. Peter’s answer was, “Thou are the Christ,” Jesus said this was a revelation to Peter from Heaven and upon the revelation that He was the Christ He would build His church (future tense).
Now let us consider for a few moments this revelation Peter received from heaven and the importance of it. “Thou art the Christ”. Every Bible student will agree that the word, Christ, is the Greek form of Messiah and that it means the “One Anointed” or “Anointed One”. In the older days the high priest, as well as the priests, and the sons of the high priest were anointed with oil, and all those who ministered unto the Lord had to first be anointed with oil. None could minister before the Lord before first being anointed.
This oil was a type of the Holy Ghost and Jesus was the anointed “One”. Peter said at the household of Cornelius, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God and that Spirit is a Holy Spirit or the Spirit of holiness. Romans 1:3-4.
Paul, speaking of the Gospel, says, “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:13.
In John 4:24, Jesus said, “God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” The revelations, therefore, that was given Peter from heaven revealed that Jesus, the christ born of the seed of David, was the Christ or Anointed One. In order to be the Anointed One He had to have the anointing. In other words, He was the revelation of God, for God, the Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient Eternal Spirit dwelt in the flesh or body of Jesus. That made Him the Christ.
When we refer to Jesus the Christ we refer to His absolute deity or God Himself manifests, revealed, made known in the flesh. Therefore, We read concerning Christ that the Rock that followed the children of Israel in the wilderness was Christ. (I Cor. 10:4) The Spirit that spoke through the prophets of the Old Testament was the Spirit of Christ. (I Pet. 1:11) Notice the wording of this text, “The spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” In Heb. 11:26, we read that Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure in Egypt. Now the question arises how did the children of Israel, the prophets and Moses know about the Christ when the Christ was born a few thousand years later, for when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea the angels; annunciation to the shepherds was, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.”
Jesus, the anointed One, was Christ the Lord or Jehoshua, (Jehova, the Savior) and in order to be the Anointed One He had to be God manifested in the flesh or God dwelling in Flesh. In as much as God was the Father and the Father dwelt in the Son and when men saw the Son they saw the Father. (John 5:23) In John 12:44, Jesus said “Except ye believe that I am He ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24 with Isa. 43:10-11; Isa. 45:25, Isa. 44:6; Isa. 45:5, 6:22; Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4 with 2 Cor. 5:19. Therefore the Spirit, God the Father, dwelling in the flesh born of a virgin, the Son, made Jesus both the Father and the Son.
In John 2:22,23, we read some very significant words little understood by the majority of people. John says, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the Son.” A careful analysis of this Scripture verse reveals that to deny that Jesus is the Christ is to deny the Father and the Son, or the Father in the Son. As we read verse 23, we find “Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father, (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
We can then clearly see that the spirit of anti-Christ or the spirit that is against Christ will deny that Jesus is the Christ or both the Father and the Son. To declare the deity of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures means to declare nothing more and nothing less than that Jesus the Son is more than the Son, that He is Christ, the anointed; that He is God and that He is both the Father and the Son and His Name, Jesus Christ, is the Name that reveals the Father and the Son, for the Father dwell and still dwells in the Son. Peter said on the day of Pentecost, “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ (or both Jehova and Jehova’s Anointed or both the Father and the Son.) (Acts 2:36) Peter told those, pricked in their hearts with Holy Ghost conviction on that day, to repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and “ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” To be baptized in the Name of God.
Whatever God possessed or wherever God dwelt His Name was there. God dwelt in the Son, Jesus, and His Name was there; therefore Jesus was the Christ. The Name of God for this dispensation and for salvation is Jesus Christ. Peter said in Acts 4:10-12, “Be it known unto all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders which is become the head of the corner” (refer to Matt. 16:18), “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
We want to call attention again to our text. “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe.”
Oh; that people would realize the value of God’s Name is our prayer.
(The original publisher of this material is unknown.)
The Importance Of The Name
By: Rev. N.A. Urshan
In the year 1914, a great revelation of the name of Jesus Christ became a part of the religious heritage of America and of the world. It was in those days that God graciously brought back into the experience of people who believed in the Bible a very beautiful revelation of the meaning of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are conversant with your Bible, you realize that in the first chapter of Matthew there was very strong significance placed on the name of the Lord when it declares, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). As you continue to read the New Testament — the four gospels, the epistles, and the book of revelation you will notice how significant the name of the name of the Lord is.
In 1914, when this great revelation came to a group of men, it became a matter of controversy because its introduction into the experience of the individual brought scism into organizations that were set up for the purpose of preaching the gospel worldwide. Many times we make he sad mistake of letting man-made organizations stand between us and the true revelation of God upon His word and the true call of God upon our lives. By so doing we put ourselves in jeopardy with the great hand of Almighty God.
I want you to notice, dear friend, that even though men turned their backs upon the revelation of the name of the Lord, this did not deter these humble, honorable men who continued to preach the name of Jesus Christ in baptism and interpreted Matt. 28:19 to mean “in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Any man who reads the Bible will recognize that the apostles baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when they baptized converts and that baptism is a significant baptism that ha a relationship to the salvation of the individual (See Acts 2:38; Mark 16:17; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:49; Acts 19:5; Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21).
The apostle Peter, standing before the Sanhedrin, the highest religious court of the day, declared the glory of the saving grace of the name of Jesus Christ. He defines it, he emphasizes it, he pin points it when he says, “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Is the name of Jesus Christ important? Oh yes, my friend! How can you relegate it into a position of inferiority when you can read Acts 4:12 and discover that this is God’s name for the salvation of mankind under heaven.
In Psalm 91:4 we read, “Because he hath sent his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” Here the psalmist is echoing the beliefs of the patriarchs of old time when he declares that the knowledge of the name of the Lord endears the individual to the heart of God and also brings deliverance because of the knowledge of the name of the Lord.
That is exactly why the Lord God said to Moses, “When you go to Pharaoh, you tell those religious leaders, “I AM that I AM hath sent me, and this is my memorial to ever generation.” Interpreting that I the light of Bible revelation makes us to know that it is through the name of the Lord that Moses, great man of older time, declared the mission upon which he was sent by Jehovah God for the deliverance of the children of Israel.
The knowledge of the name of God in Moses life, the authority of the name of God in the life of Moses, and the resulting influence that it brought to Egypt through Moses declares to us the power and the glory of that name.
Look at Revelation 22:3,4: “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it: and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face: and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Again we are made acquainted with the importance of the name of the Lord in relationship to a future experience in the heavens. It brings to us a company that stands before the throne of God, and they are the people who will serve the Almighty God. They are definitely defined and identified by the fact that His name shall be in their foreheads.
Now read it well! Do not be dishonest when you read it. Consider the revelation of the word of God. From the very beginning of the Bible to the end of the truth of God, the name of God is vital, significant, authoritative, and a knowledge of that name by patriarchs of old brought deliverance, it brought a love of God upon their lives, and it brought communion with God.
The name of the Lord in these days brings the same glorious results and there is no reason why people should brand this as a new issue doctrine and say that it is not part of the Scriptures. There is every vital reason why we with an honest heart should look at the picture of the importance of the name of God that is presented in the Bible, and use the glorious strength that comes out of that name for the privilege of magnifying the Lord and bringing the results of that name into our lives.
What will be the results of that name? Will you look at Acts 5:14017 and notice that the prophetic utterance of Simeon declares that “God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name.” He is separating a Gentile Bride unto himself so that his name may be glorified in them. Notice again, “all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called sayeth the Lord who doeth all of these things.” The real manifestation of searching and seeking after God is dependent upon our knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ and the glory of his name. In Mal. 3:16, 17, we read, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.”
Only by baptism are we identified with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection and Rom. 6:3-5 makes this plain. As the bride ceases to live an independent life and becomes identified with her husband, so also does the church of Jesus Christ, his bride, take his name, gladly rejoicing to be counted worthy to bear that name and suffer for that name. She dies to the past life and begins a new one. Baptism in the name of Jesus christ is the separating line. Burying the past and rising to walk in newness of life — daring and living only for the name of Jesus — my friend, this is the touchstone of the faith. This divides the true church, the bride of Christ, from all other churches. Only the true church takes his name in baptism and bears his name gladly and the reproach connected with this glorious name.
I have a question that is so pertinent to this moment. Have you been baptized in Jesus’ Name? This is the sure Christian baptism by which you become dead to the old life, having buried the sins of the past and rising to walk in newness of life.
(The above material was a radio Message delivered on Harvestime.)
Reverance For The Name
By Roy J. Gerald
The word reverence is defined as a feeling or attitude of deep respect, love and awe. If there is anything that all of us ought to respect and stand before with love and awe it is before the name of Jesus. This is the name which the apostle Paul said, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” The psalmist in the 89th Psalm said. “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” Again, in the 11th Psalm he said, “He sent redemption unto his people: He hath commanded His covenant forever: Holy and reverend is His name.”
When we talk about the name of Jesus we are talking about a name that actually demands reverence and respect from us. But this is an age of reverence and disrespect like we have never known in the past history of man. There is no respect for home and parents, no respect for schools and authorities and governments, young people and even some of the old ones have lost respect for themselves. Along with all of this they have lost respect for God and His wonderful name.
Someone was talking to a young man about his soul and the young mansaid, “No, I’m not interested, J.C. and I don’t see eye to eye.” “Christianity Today” magazine on Sept. 24, 1971 called Jesus Christ Superstar the “New Paganism.” That is the age in which we are living, the age of the “New Paganism,” when the name of Jesus is not just trampled underfoot the name of Jesus Christ.
Today’s disrespect has its roots in the fact that men want to bring the name of Jesus Christ down to the level of a mortal man. You cannot think about this name the way you think of Buddha or the name of Confucious or the name of mohammed. All of these religious leaders and others have all died and been buried, but Jesus Christ is the only one today that can say, “Behold, I am alive forever more!” We cannot talk about Jesus like other men talk about their church leaders. He is not just a church leader. He is the founder of all Christianity and of all godliness and of all holiness. He is the Chief Corner Stone and this is the name which is above every name.
There are scores of reasons that could be given as to why we should have reverence for the name of Jesus. One writer put it in these words: “God’s eternal purpose consummated…Love’s eternal dream dramatized… Pity’s tears in bloody crystals…Justice married to Mercy…Righteousness and Peace in fond embrace…The Creator wedded to His creation…Eternal Beauty adorning appalling deformity…The fine
sinews woven and interlaced with mortal wounds.” We are talking about that name. We are standing in the presence of Almighty God whose name is Jesus.
There is something wonderful fascinating about the language that people have and use. Linguists make studies of the earth’s language. They can use these words and paint word picture by the vocabularies that they have developed. But all of the words of man’s language that are written or spoken or sung can do nothing at all to even hint at the great and mighty glory of Jesus Christ and the wonderful name of Jesus. He is the high and lofty one whom the Bible says inhabits eternity yet He is pleased to dwell in him of a humble and contrite heart.
Thank God for that wonderful name. When we speak it we ought to speak it with reverence and respect because it is name. When we speak it we ought to speak it with reverence and respect because it is a name that cannot be named of a mortal man. He was more than just a creature born into this world. He was God manifest in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16). I am so happy that when I say that name I can say it knowing that I have found a refuge for my soul. I have found something that is able to clean up a man and make him a new creature through that wonderful name of Jesus. You could say Buddha until your tongue hangs out and your eyes bug, but you’ll never be anything different. But you say the name of Jesus a few times with respect and reverence and it will change you.
We have to have reverence for this name for it is an exalted name. Men have tried to bring it down to the level of this old world, tried to eliminate the name of Jesus from the songs they sing. My boy came to me not long ago and wanted to know what was wrong with singing. “Put your hand in the hand of the one who stills the waters.” I said, “Kevin, it’s not so much the words of the song. It’s the fact that somebody who authored this song eliminated that name that’s above every name.” They sing the songs about the “Man upstairs.” When I listen to those songs it makes me think that someone tried to eliminate the name of Jesus.
Men everywhere recognize the importance of honoring those who have distinguished themselves in some human endeavor Everywhere you go you find memorials that are erected to the memory of men who have made great accomplishments. Historical writers of our time have let us know some of the achievements of the past. Names of men have been made to live on year after year in the classrooms. They talk about the ones who made the first airplane ride. They will be talking a lot more in the future about the ones who made the first space ride. The names of men in history have been cherished for the thing that they have done.
For every man who has ever had a monument erected to his memory, there has been someone who has come along who was equally as great or even greater. For every Washington there is a Lincoln. For every Churchhill there is a Roosevelt. For every Spurgeon there has been a Moody. For every John Wesley there is a John Calvin. Alexander the great was a great conqueror but so was Hitler, Napoleon and many others. These men have all come and gone. There is no name of mortal man so great in the history of all mankind that can stand and never be equalled by any other like the name of Jesus Christ. It stands, not only unique, but it stands supreme!
One man said that if all the illustrious men of history were gathered together and Shakespeare was to walk into their midst, as he would enter, they would all stand and give him honor. But he said, if Jesus
Christ would come, then we would all bow and worship him. It doesn’t matter what their accomplishments might have been. Whether they were great writers of English history or great poets of the past or great song writers or great scientists in their field there has never been one to equal Jesus Christ. That is why we need to honor and revere this beautiful name.
This name is a conquering name. When you say Jesus with faith in you heart and in sincerity of mind and though you are speaking a name that has authority. It has power to move nay obstacle that might stand in your way. Paul said in Ephesians that this name is far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Jesus Christ is a Conqueror that has never led his armies to defeat. He has never given orders to retreat, nor has he ever said surrender to the powers of hell and the devil. When you speak that name of Jesus you speak with an authority that the devils are subject to and they will flee at the name of Jesus Christ. Daniel said, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” You are in something that is not going to wither away and die. You are in something that will not diminish tomorrow. It is something that will grow until the trumpet of the Lord sounds. Brother, the church is moving on because of the name of our great leader and founder, Jesus Christ!
In all of our battles, in all of our struggles we don’t ever need to fear being defeated or pushed back. Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Some trust in their intellect. Some trust in their philosophy. But we will trust in the name of the Lord.
This name which we revere so much today was the rallying cry of the apostles. When opposition came against them they were men who did not have any social prestige. They were men that did not have any political pull. They were men that did not have the riches of the world. All they had was the name of Jesus.
The name of Jesus is our battle cry today. We can do what the song writer declared: “Take the name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe. It will joy and comfort give you. Take it then where ever you go.” It doesn’t matter where you journey through life you have the name of Jesus Christ. In the night season when trouble oppresses and the devil says you may as well quit, just whisper that beautiful name with reverence, and godly fear and you will find out that the devil will have to flee.
This is a name that someday everything will bow before, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth. (Phil. 2:10).Jesus Christ is the Lord of all men. He is Lord of angels. He is even Lord of the devils. We are living in a day of spiritual oppression. The devil is trying his best to tear down the love of God in your heart which is shed abroad in you by the Holy Ghost. But when you understand and have the reverence for this beautiful name that you ought to have even the devils will be subject unto you through the name of Jesus Christ.
Whenever we come into the presence of earthly rulers and people who have authority in this world there are certain rule of courtesy which you must observe. If we would have respect for earthly rulers and show them the common courtesies that were due them, how much more should we show reverence and respect for the King of kings and Lord of lords. If you have respect for the name of Jesus it will cause you to stand in awe lest you do something that would bring shame and dishonor to that lovely name.
(The original publisher of this material is unknown.)
The Power Of The Name!
Article 4
When it appeared that there was a discrepancy between Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:38 baptism there were many attempts made to bridge the “gulf”. Some of these attempts could be described as ingenious and others contained little merit. Some, who were perhaps guilty of acting before they thought it out, suggested that on the Day of Pentecost Peter had made a mistake, and that the discrepancy was between Jesus and Peter. Therefore the choice was clear, we must follow Jesus and not Peter. However, the Master had stamped His seal of approval on the apostles and their ministry. And if we were to go against the teaching of Peter at Pentecost, we would have to go against all the apostles, including Paul, for they all subscribed to baptism in the Name of Jesus. Paul considered baptism in the Name of Jesus so important that he commanded those who had already been baptized unto John’s baptism at Ephesus to be baptized again in the proper manner, the Name of Jesus. The Evangelist Philip’s theme was the same as the apostles, “the kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ”.
As a result of attempts at compromise to bring the two factions back together, there were numerous formulas brought forward to satisfy both. Such formulas proposed were: “To the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I baptize you in the Name of Jesus Christ.” Or, “On the authority of Jesus I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Or, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost – the Lord Jesus Christ.” All of these formulas utterly failed to bring the factions together, and two of them came from preachers who later publicly confessed that they were wrong, and re-baptized their converts in the Name of Jesus.
When Missionary Evangelist Andrew D. Urshan returned from Persia he was disheartened to see the disunity of the Pentecostal movement. For months he worked hard trying to use his influence to bring the two factions together. His efforts were fruitless. He openly confessed his belief in the message of baptism in the Name of Jesus. Throughout his years he stood unequivocally for the absolute deity of Jesus and baptism in His Name. God also used L. C. Hall to spread the Apostolic gospel. This evangelist had a natural genius recognized by all who knew him. His great singing soul poured itself out in some of the most spiritual songs we have. When sung, his songs, in the Spirit, would never fail to woo the Holy Ghost down on the meeting.
In Canada, evangelist Frank Small of Winnipeg, was used to put the message across in a remarkable way. Bro. Small pastored the Oneness work in Winnipeg and for years crowds would flock to the meetings. So large were the crowds that they were forced to move from one building to another in search of a building large enough to hold them. It is said that people could be seen running from their cars several hours before the service was scheduled to insure themselves of a seat.
Numerous startling and almost unbelievable miracles were done by faithand the laying on of hands in the Name of Jesus. A continual old-time Apostolic revival swept the city of Winnipeg. Pastor Small would go ahead and baptize them in the Name of Jesus and attempt to avoid any argument over the proper method.
Bro. Ewart being a pioneer in the movement toward biblical baptism in Jesus Name was forced to separate from many of the men that had embraced the infilling of the Holy Ghost, but had not seen the truth of baptism in the Name of Jesus. As time went on he was privileged to see some of them receive the revelation of the Name. He wrote concerning one:
“I will never forget the heavenly thrill that swept through my being, when after service one night, Bro. George B. Studd came to me and asked that I baptize him in Jesus Name. I had always, had a deep reverence for this great man of God. I shall always remember how I bowed my head reverently, and said, ‘Brother Studd, I feel greatly honored.’ Brother Studd then related that during the song service that night when we were singing the song ‘Trust and obey’, the Lord had said to him, ‘If obedience and humility are in your heart, you will be baptized in My Name tonight.'”
In 1919 Bro. Ewart had returned to Los Angeles, there building and dedicating a building to the Lord. His experience was so like others of that time. When they placed the order for the first load of lumber there was $200.00, and an agreement was made that he would raise the rest of the money. At the first meeting enough money was raised to completely clear the church of debt. Bro. Studd accepted the position of assistant pastor and cared for the Missionary service. Each month the first Sunday was given to missions. Bro. Studd would read letters from the field, and then made a strong appeal for assistance. Bro. Ewart would follow with his endorsement, and the people would respond with generosity. Sometimes special needs would arise over and above the regular missions giving, and it was not uncommon for these special appeals to bring in several hundred dollars. For eight years no other offerings were taken, unless there was a special need. The ministry was supported by tithes put in an iron box placed be the entrance to the
church.
When there were not special meetings going on, there was church three times on Sunday, and twice during the week. At each service, the large auditorium would be filled. Some came from as far away as 40 miles. The baptismal font was patronized every week. As many as fifty people would be baptized in one service. For a time there was a record kept of those that were baptized. When the record was discontinued there were more than 2,000 names. It was very common to have a majority of the baptismal candidates to receive the Holy Ghost in the water. God was continually confirming the power of baptism in the Name of Jesus.
Miracles were continually taking place with a constant visitation from God. One Spanish woman, 105 years old and blind for sever years, came. She said that the Lord had shown her that he was coming soon, and that to he ready, she must be baptized in Jesus Name.
It was amazing, hundreds were miraculously healed in the water. People refused to take off their best clothes and put on baptismal garments because the power of conviction was on them so strongly. Many would enter forgetting to take off watches in their anxiety to obey God. Men had to unstrap or unscrew artificial legs and with assistance enter the baptismal font to be baptized in that precious Name. One man who lay on a stretcher in a dying condition, insisted on baptism, stating that god had revealed to him that his time was short, and that he was not ready to go until he had been baptized in Jesus Name. He was buried exactly one week after the baptismal. Once again God had shown us not only the importance in His Name, but that He was a God of infinite mercy and concern.
A Remarkable Discovery Indeed!
In 1929 a book was published by the American Tract Society which was as startling as its name signified: ‘A remarkable Biblical Discovery or “The Name” of God. The author was William Phillips Hall, a layman. The book commanded nation-wide recognition immediately. It was reviewed favorably in Literary Digest and recommended in the Sunday School Times. Mr. Hall’s ‘remarkable Biblical discovery’ was that the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost was JESUS, or Lord Jesus Christ. In the preface he stated that the book was written largely at the urgent suggestion of his friend, Dr. A. C. Gaebelein. Mr. Hall wrote to Bro. Ewart later that Dr. Gaebelein had said to him, “Hall, if there is one theme on which the church is woefully ignorant, it is the Name of Cod.”
Though a layman and not professionally trained in theology, he had been a student and expositor of the English Bible for some thirty years. At the beginning of the study of the Name of God, he discovered that a working knowledge of both Greek and Hebrew would be necessary for success. Once again taking the advice of Dr. Gaebelein. Mr. Hall resigned his many official positions, chief of which was President of the American Tract Society. He had not proceeded very far into his studies when he realized that he was bringing to light a number of facts that were of a deeply interesting and extremely startling nature. As research progressed he would bring these findings before the attention of some of the most eminent men in the theological world, and they would verify their Biblical validity. The corroborative testimony on the part of these Bible scholars was of special interest and significance in view of the fact that Mr. Hall’s findings were in direct contradiction with the teachings that had become the basic tenets of Christendom.
Then after years of careful research, the manuscript was presented to a number of authorities in the field of biblical research. After carefully scrutinizing it, they gave it their final approval and the book was published. It received immediate approval from many of the leading Bible scholars. The fact that was found in the meat of the book was that these remarkable findings were not just the ideas of Mr. Hall, but were confirmed by a great majority of modern biblical scholars, devout church men, many of which were in positions of
authority within their own denominations. One Hebrew scholar stated after reading the book “You have done the work in genuine Semitic style. Any Rabbi would appreciate the Old Testament portion of your work. It is correctly done with good style. The argument is convincing and unanswerable”. At a later time the same authority wrote: ‘Regarding the underlying central theme of your book, which is the primary apostolic interpretation of the term, The Name of God. I would say that after eighteen hundred years of obscurity and incomplete understanding, this thing is much deeper than the translators realized.
In fact, they failed to grasp it at all. It cannot be made too plain.” Another prominent scholar wrote: “I am conscious of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ being suddenly and finally lifted above the level of theological dispute. It is no longer a debatable question. If there is any God at all who has revealed Himself unto men who men may worship,He is Jesus.” How deep were the words of Thomas “MY LORD AND MY GOD”.
Another distinguished and universally recognized scholar in the Christian world wrote, “I have been in a state of mental and spiritual rapture since reading your book and discovering for myself the unity of God with Christ. The full revelation of your discovery reached me on the way home from church this morning. It has created a great hunger in my soul to know more about this great truth. It has also raised a question in my mind: How can I help to spread this great message to the rest of mankind? I want to do all I can to assist you in proclaiming this great truth on a worldwide basis, so that we might hasten the dominion of Cod in Christ throughout the world.”
After reading the book Bro. Ewart wrote giving the experiences he had received concerning this same message and sending him excerpts from Meat in Due Season. He writes, “He wrote me a very gracious letter, asking permission to keep the excerpts so that he might show them to some of his scholarly friends. He stated that it was indeed a miracle that I should receive this hidden truth by revelation, while it took him twenty years of research to discover it.” There was a correspondence between Mr. Hall and Bro. Ewart and Bro. Ewart found him kindly disposed towards the baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in
tongues. The book caused inroads into established and orthodox theology. One reader, the minister of the First Christian Church in New York, was re-baptized into the Name of Jesus and started baptizing his converts in this, the apostolic way. Mr. Hall knew of this incident and was asked if his message to the world would have that effect, why did not he and all those who had confirmed his findings obey the message? The power of tradition was never more fully displayed. All the great men who said that the discovery, that the words of Matthew 28:19, were never used in Christian baptism in the apostolic church age, continued doing a thing that they acknowledged the apostles never did!
In the famous word ‘What the Bible Teaches’ Dr. R.Z. Torrey said. “If we had the normal faith and experience on the earth, we world baptize repentant believers in the Name of Jesus Christ, then lay hands on them, and they would receive the Holy Spirit baptism.” Bro. Ewart told him he was right, and that there was that normal faith in the Pentecostal Phenomenon.
(The original publisher of this material is unknown.)
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