Imagine for a moment, if everyone around you had your name as their own. There is no uniqueness in such a situation and one would have to resort to a numbering scheme to avoid the confusion and identify individuals that bear the same name. In that sense, to name someone is to set an unique identity on that person.
Genesis 21:3-5 records the account of Abraham naming the son whom Sarah bore to him as Isaac and the circumcision of Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded him to. Abraham was a hundred years old at this time.
As you can see, although Abraham set a unique identity of the son borne to him by Sarah as Isaac, he recognizes that his son is not to be set up for his own self, but instead his son is to be set apart for the Lord, which he expresses by fulfilling God commandment of circumcising Isaac.
Points to ponder:
When God who calls us by name (Isaiah 43:1) gives us a new name in Christ (Isaiah 62:2), making us unique as his sons (and daughters), he sets us up not for ourselves but instead sets us apart from this world, for him (Isaiah 43:1) and his glory. Are the allegiances of this world circumcised from our lives? Are you and I uniquely set apart?
Genesis 21:3-5 (KJV)
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
