Genesis 11:29, Iscah. According to rabbinical commentary, Iscah is another name for Sarah, Abraham’s wife. It was not uncommon in ancient and Hebraic culture to have more than one name. We find this to be the case in the Scriptures in many instances.

For example, Jethro (Yitro, Exod 3:1), the father-in-law of Moses, was known by two other names: Hobab (Num 10:29; Judg 4:11) and Reuel (Exod 2:18). Sometimes a person’s name would reflect exploits or achievements accomplished in that person’s life, one’s character traits or one’s destiny. Often when one was given a new mission or calling in life a new name was given to that person to reflect their new destiny. Examples of this would be Abram (“exalted father”) becoming Abraham (“father of a multitude”), Sarai (princess) becoming Sarah (“noblewoman, queen”), Jacob (“prevailer, heelcatcher”) becoming Israel (“El prevails, prince of El”), or Hoshea (“savior, deliverer”) becoming Joshua/Yehoshua (“Yah saves/delivers”). It is not uncommon for redeemed believers returning to the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith to take a new name to reflect their new spiritual journey, mission, destiny or identity. Some may think this a strange thing to do, but in Hebraic culture this was a very acceptable practice. Often Elohim did the renaming as in all the examples given above.

Interestingly, YHVH promises a new name as part of their spiritual inheritance to those saints who overcome the world, the flesh and the devil (Rev 2:17; 3:12). Do you have your new name yet?