What does being "called by the name of the LORD" mean in Deuteronomy 28:10? Text and Immediate Context “Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you.” (Deuteronomy 28:10) Verse 10 sits in the blessing section (vv. 1-14) of the covenant sanctions. Verses 9-10 form one sentence in Hebrew, linking consecration (“The LORD will establish you as His holy people”) with public recognition (“all the peoples will see”). Covenant Identity Being “called by the Name” signals covenant adoption (Exodus 6:7). The surrounding nations would recognize: 1. Ownership—Israel belongs exclusively to Yahweh (Exodus 19:5). 2. Protection—His Name acts as a legal banner (Numbers 6:27). 3. Authority—Israel carries divine commissioning (Deuteronomy 26:18-19). Holiness and Visibility Verse 9 roots the blessing in obedience: “keep the commandments… walk in His ways.” The visible moral difference validates the invisible covenant. Archaeological corroboration: 7th-century Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls bear the priestly blessing “YHWH bless you… put My Name on the Israelites” (Numbers 6:24-27), illustrating concrete practice of name-bearing centuries before Christ. Theology of “the Name” “The Name” (ha-Šēm) in Tanakh equals God’s manifested presence and character (Deuteronomy 12:5, 1 Kings 8:29). To bear the Name is to mirror His character (Leviticus 19:2) and to stand under His reputation among nations (Psalm 79:9). Failure profanes the Name (Ezekiel 36:20-23). Temple Analogy Just as the Temple is the place where Yahweh “causes His Name to dwell” (Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 9:3), the nation itself is a living temple (Exodus 19:6). Later Second-Temple writers echoed this: Ben Sira 17:10 speaks of Israel as a people “bearing His seal.” Missional Purpose The blessing is missional: nations “will fear” (yārēʾ) Yahweh through Israel’s visible prosperity and holiness. Compare Solomon’s prayer, 1 Kings 8:41-43, and Rahab’s confession, Joshua 2:9-11—foreigners drawn by what the LORD does for His people. New-Covenant Echoes Acts 15:17 (quoting Amos 9:12 LXX) speaks of Gentiles “called by My Name”—fulfilled in the church (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). Believers are sealed “with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13) and bear “the Name of His Son” (Revelation 14:1). The covenant logic remains: identity → obedience → witness. Practical-Rhetorical Impact Deuteronomy ties ethical obedience, societal flourishing, and global testimony into a single fabric. Modern behavioral studies of group distinctiveness confirm that clear identity markers enhance internal cohesion and external recognition—precisely what covenant stipulations create. Systematic Summary 1. Being “called by the Name of the LORD” = marked as Yahweh’s exclusive possession. 2. It confers protection, blessing, and missional visibility. 3. It demands holiness; disobedience reverses the witness (vv. 15-68). 4. The motif culminates in Christ’s followers, who bear His Name before all nations (Acts 9:15). Key Cross-References • Numbers 6:27 – “So they shall put My Name on the Israelites.” • Isaiah 63:19 – “We have become like those over whom You have never ruled, like those not called by Your Name.” • Jeremiah 14:9 – “Yet You, O LORD, are among us, and we are called by Your Name.” • 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “My people who are called by My Name…” • Acts 11:26 – “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (bearing Christ’s Name). To be “called by the name of the LORD” therefore denotes covenantal branding that unites status, ethics, and mission—an identity ultimately perfected in Christ, in whom the fullness of the divine Name dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). |
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