How Great Is the Name of the Lord?

“For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)

Today’s big question: how great is the name of the Lord?

Many prophecies in the Old Testament center on the coming of Jesus Christ and His blood-atoning work on the Cross. Now that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is finished, we can marvel at the fulfilled prophecies. As we read these passages, we must remember that the Israelites did not have the New Testament. The Old Testament, particularly Genesis 1–11, is the foundation for the rest of Scripture, but the New Testament helps us understand the Old when it comes to prophecies.

Today’s passage of Scripture was written before the revelation of the mystery regarding the Gentiles being “fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). However, God knows all, and He gives a promise to the Israelites of what is to come. This promise hints at the mystery of the Gentiles. After all, God’s name will be great to the Gentiles for a reason, and that reason is Jesus Christ.

Obviously, the Lord is already great (Psalm 135:5) and does not need the Gentiles to make Him so. The Lord’s name, however, was not known for being great among the Gentiles; in particular, the Gentiles had yet to call the Lord their Savior. The Lord’s name will become great through the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, and the gospel can be preached to the Gentiles because the mystery has now been revealed, which epistles like Ephesians explain.

Scripture even gives the reaction of the Gentiles when the mystery was revealed and the gospel preached to them. Acts 13:48 states, “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

As Christians, we should also glorify the Lord. Paul concludes it best when he stated, “And again: ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!’” (Romans 15:11). Paul was quoting from Psalm 117:1—yet another prophecy explained and fulfilled. Let us praise God for the fulfillment we have in Christ.

Today’s big idea: as a result of the mystery being revealed, the Lord’s name is great among all the nations.

What to pray: thank God for His many fulfilled promises.