The Shield of the Name by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 19, 1912

The Shield of the Name

By C. M. S.

In the wonderful name of Jesus there is power that the “children of earth” are unable to comprehend. The Pharisees could not understand the power of his influence over the common people of Judea. While they sought in every way to hinder his work, and laid snares by which they hoped to accomplish his death, still the common people “heard him gladly.”

And when his enemies had accomplished his death, had closed his tomb, and had seen to it that the seal of the Roman empire was upon it and a guard of Roman soldiers around it, lest his

prophecy concerning himself should be fulfilled, they slept in apparent confidence that the One who had troubled their consciences was safe under the power of death. But they had not reckoned with the power in that name—the power which resided there because of the inherent righteousness of the One who bore it. As the rays of the morning sun unbind the bonds of mist that hold some mountain valley in darkness, so did the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings to burst the bonds of that dismal cloud which threw the black shadow of death over the whole human race. That was the true dawn of day for this world doomed to the blackness of the night of death. The power in that name had burst the shackles from every soul upon the earth. The great emancipation proclamation had been signed in the blood of the Son of God. The race of slaves to sin and to sin’s instigator could now walk out from under the upraised lash of the taskmaster to find eternal liberty as children of the great Emancipator. The proclamation is signed and sealed, and liberty is ours if only we are willing to accept it.

It was a matter of astonishment to the crucifiers of the Messiah that there was still power in the name to wield a mighty influence over a large number of Christ’s followers, even after they had seen him hanging dead upon a Roman cross, and lying dead within the tomb sealed with the seal of that universal empire. But his faithful ones had heard again his gracious words, and the power of that name was winning believers to the truth. The enemies of that cause would stamp it out by sword and prison, so they scattered it; but they scattered it as the wind scatters the seeds of the maple, and every scattered seed was a new center of power and conversion; and then one of its bitterest enemies, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,” came himself in touch with the power of Him who bore the name, was overcome by that power, yielded to it, and became the great apostle to the Gentiles.

John, in commending “Gaius the beloved,” for his faithfulness, commended to his care those who went forth among the Gentiles “for the sake of the name.” And they did go forth in the power and for the sake of the name, hundreds of them at first, and thousands of them later, publishing to the world how great things Christ had done for the families of earth; and the power of the name witnessed with them and wrought mightily in their work.

Then there began the dark period in the church’s history, and with their blood these faithful ones witnessed for the name. Hunted like wild beasts, hidden in dens and caves of the earth, and yielding up their lives rather than to deny the name, the martyrs of Jesus have written their testimony in their life-blood.

There is still power in the name,—power to keep, and power to enable the faithful to endure. When in the last days of this earth’s history all the world is wondering after the great worship-hungry beast, and is kneeling in homage to that power, the power of the name is found still keeping a little band whose names are inscribed upon the pages of the Lamb’s book of life. As an evidence of the power that is in that name, the angel of God calls the prophet’s attention to that remnant people who have not worshiped that world-dominating power, and says: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” In the shield of that keeping power they have stood the test; in the power of that name they have conquered the enemy, and there is no power that can stand between them and eternal life.

But that is not the last manifestation of the power of the name. The children of God have confessed the name of Christ, and he in turn has confessed their names before his Father and before the angels; but the time is coming when those also who have rejected him will confess his name, not to praise him, not to give him glory, but in fear and in trembling. “Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him.” Rev. 1:7. “And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?” Rev. 6:15-17. There is in that a confession of their own unrighteous course, their own unworthiness, and the power of him whose name they have spurned, and whose offers of pardon they have flung aside. It is then too late, and the awful sense of guilt, of judgment at hand, and of the loss of all that eternity had in store for them, comes upon them with crushing weight.

But to those who have been faithful to God, who have honored his name and his law, that time is a time of the most profound joy. The trials and discouragements of old earth are all done; the victory over all that opposed the power and love of God is complete; the gift of immortality is given; the name is glorified, and they are glorified with it. Beyond the reach of sorrow, of temptation, of sin; an eternity of blessed association with Jesus, the Father, and holy angels, before them, the tried ones of earth will hail their King in the victorious song of Moses and the Lamb. Eternal life! Who would forfeit it for any transient pleasure that this earth can give? For the sake of the name, and in the power of the name, let us enlist, gird on the armor of God, and stand with him in that day. That name, and the power there is in that name, will be a shield and a defense to every true child of God.

C. M. S.