Today's Scripture Reading (May 14, 2022): 1 Chronicles 8
Nicknames are funny things. Often, they are
descriptive of who we are, and rarely are they complimentary. And we seldom get to choose our nicknames; they are selected for us. Growing up, I had a few nicknames, but none of them were names that I had chosen or wanted. The name that I wanted was "kid,"
but no one called me that. One of my nicknames was based on my last name, Mullen. It was fairly obvious
and unimaginative; Water-Mullen. Some seemed to like it, but I never did. Other nicknames were based on my size. Some of my friends called me "The Brick Wall," which was okay, but I definitely did not like some of my other nicknames. One was "The Incredible Bulk;" you can probably guess the origin of that name, and it wasn't my green skin. In my short football career, I was "Monster Mash." One other nickname I suffered
through was "Garibaldi," maybe a sly reference at the time to both my
name and my long, unkempt hair. All were nicknames that others felt somehow described
me.
The author of Chronicles gives us the genealogy of
Saul the Benjamite, the first King of Israel. And as we get to the direct
lineage of King Saul, he tells us that Ner was the father of Kish and the
grandfather of Saul. What is easy to miss in the reading of the account in Chronicles is that "Ner" is actually a nickname. Ner's real name was Abiel. Samuel tells us that "There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose
name was Kish son of Abiel" (1 Samuel 9:1).
But Ner was a name that was descriptive of Abiel. Ner meant "a
lamp" or "a torch." People saw Abiel, and he shone where God had
placed him. Specifically, Ner had led a life that was exemplified by holiness.
He had been set apart for God in his generation. The Nickname "Ner"
was not a criticism of Abiel but a grateful recognition of Abiel's character to
all who knew him.
And "Ner" is a name that should reflect the
character of all Christians. Jesus told his followers that;
"You are the light of the
world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put
it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your
light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and
glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).
Abiel's holiness was reflected in his nickname. It was
something that Samuel and all of Israel hoped that Saul would be able to live
up to, but Abiel's grandson was never willing to exemplify the light of
holiness that his grandfather had been. The King should have been a lamp for
his nation, but instead, he often cut corners, took the easy path, and went
against the holy desires of the God who placed him on the throne. And because
of that, Saul and his family line had to be completely removed from the throne
of Israel.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 9
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