What's My Name?

Generally, the first thing you learn about a person when you meet is his/her name no matter the setting or circumstances of the introduction. On some occasions the name might be preceded by a designated relationship as: my mother, my brother, my boss, my neighbor, etc. but shortly following with the person’s given name, or nickname (the precedent merely aiding to further distinguish us from the crowd). Our names are the ultimate identifiers of our claim to existence – our position within a society.

I have long been fascinated by names and harboring thoughts like …”that’s an unusual name… or… wow! That name fits her to a tee”. It’s interesting how some names are the perfect mate to the people that bare them!

More than a decade ago my grandchildren attended a private Christian school and I was part of the “car pool” squad. Now you can either remember those days yourself or certainly imagine a car full of excited (and loud) nine year olds. To quiet them and engage them on the way to school each morning I would play a “name game” with them about the people in the Bible. I’d give them a clue about a certain person and they would have to guess “What’s My Name?” Sometimes the person named would be a very familiar one to them and they would answer right away. Sometimes they would have to get more clues. Each question (correctly answered) earned them points and the goal was to see who amassed the most points before we arrived at school. My "little charges" loved the exercises and encouraged me to make it into a game so other kids could play. And thus began my journey of exploring the names in the Bible culminating not only in this offering: “What’s My Name?-Vignettes of Seventy Incredible Bible Characters” but also in a series of board and card games marketed under: What’s My Name?

So, who are these people in the Bible – the people that I call Incredible Bible Characters? They represent such an infinitesimal percentage of the people who lived in their own world among their contemporaries or at any time past or present yet their stories are recorded for all of history to review. They are congregated in families and tribes, nations and customs, doctrines and beliefs all to give us a glimpse of ourselves – a glimpse of our God and share with us just what He has in store for us all. Their stories share what has been, what is, and what will be. I am fascinated by it all.

Some of these Incredible Bible Characters are famous and well known – others are quite infamous – known only by their deeds of wrongdoing and included in this representative group of humanity. Some are known only because they briefly crossed paths with better known and more important characters perhaps for no other reason than as a pin in history to anchor an event. While whole chapters are devoted to some, others get but a single mention (no beginning – no ending) in a narrative that continues without them.

You may know that there are over three thousand people mentioned in the Bible. In the grand scheme of things that number represents less than five percent of today’s population of tiny Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, our Savior. These characters named in the Bible are immortalized in the most read work in history. Their encounters have impacted the lives of billions around the world of all ages and walks of life. During their lives could they have imagined their impact on humanity and their significance to the rest of the world – for all time! I could believe that a limited few could dare to dream of such a legacy. Whatever their thoughts they have surely connected the dots in the greatest narrative ever told.

Through the vignettes in this first volume I introduce Seventy Incredible Bible Characters by just a snapshot of an impacting, (sometimes pivotal) scene, a slice of their life, a connecting “dot” in the powerful story that unfolds for us in the Bible.

I invite you to read a little about the incidents in these lives in “What’s My Name?–Vignettes of Seventy Incredible Bible Characters”.

Here is an excerpt from one of the entries.

A Claim In Common!

(Genesis 16, 21, 25)

ISHMAEL and ISAAC were half-brothers. They were both fathered by Abraham to whom God had promised to make exceeding fruitful and establish a covenant with his seed, ... and to give all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. "… My covenant will I establish with Isaac." Isaac not Ishmael!

Ishmael was born of the union of Abraham and Hagar. Abraham was eighty-six years old at the time and Hagar was the Egyptian maid of his wife Sarah. The Bible records the story of Sarah, seeking to have a child gave Hagar to her husband but when Hagar conceived trouble grew between her and Sarah. This conflict prompts Hagar to run away but following an encounter with an angel in the wilderness she obeys and returns and submits to her mistress.

Fast forwarding the story fourteen plus years when Abraham was now one hundred years old Isaac, the child of promise was born to Sarah (who had been barren). She was now ninety years old and by a miracle had given birth to a son and understandably wanted to protect his inheritance. (I imagine that the strained relationship between her and Hagar had not changed) so she urged Abraham to banish Hagar and her son Ishmael.

The Bible records only one incident between Ishmael and Isaac, the one at the feast given in celebration when Isaac was weaned. Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac and told Abraham demanding that the son of the bondwoman (Hagar) shall “not be heir with my son”. Therefore Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. In the wilderness Hagar is assured by God that …...

Find out how the story ends.

Sincerely,

Karen Hodge