In the Old Testament Scriptures as well as in the New Testament writings, we see God calling people by name. In many of these cases the people who are called, respond with the Hebrew word “Hineni” which means “Here I am”. Not only are many of these people called by name, God calls them in a very peculiar manner where their name is uttered twice in succession many a time.
Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.Gen 46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Exo 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
1Sa 3:4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
1Sa 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Luk 22:31-33 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Act 9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
In all of these cases, by saying “Hineni” the person called out responds to God “Here I am”. “I am Absolutely focused on you”. “I am ready”. “I am here, and there is no place where I would rather be”. This is the sentiment expressed.
It is no small feat that the Creator of the universe calls a speck of dust like us by name. But He has promised in His Word, to call His People by Name. This was confirmed once more by Yeshua, when He spoke of the Shepherd and His Sheep. Calling us by our name shows the relationship He has with us. It shows us that He really knows us. That we are not specks of dust, but important vessels in His eyes.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Joh 10:3-5To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
So the relationship of calling us by name can only have one appropriate response. One of readiness. When we say “Hineni” – Here I am, we are expressively saying “I am ready! I am willing! Tell me what to do… where to go. But what if God was to tell us “Hineni”. How great is a God that says “I am here for you” when we call Him? This is exactly what we see in His word.
Isa 58:9a Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
God promises in the above verse that He will be there for us, ready and fully focused. The remainder of Isaiah 58 lets us know how we are to receive such a response from God. What should we do to come to a relationship with God, so that He says “Hineni”. How we should live and fashion our life to receive undevoted attention from YHVH God. Traditionally read on Yom Kippur, Isaiah 58 shows us the true fast, the true piety, the true holiness God requires from us.
Isa 58:6-9a Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.
Isa 58:9b-14 If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
God Highlights these characteristics:
1. Removing iniquity from our lives
2. Undo burdens we have laid on others
3. To release any we have oppressed
4. Being charitable to the less fortunate
5. To help your own brother who is in need
6. Not Despising or disrespecting others
7. Not speaking or plotting evil
8. Keeping the Sabbath day holy
The above are what God requires from us. The true fast in His eyes. The true obedience and worship He looks for. The true piety and holiness we can show Him. He goes further on just in the next verse, to show why we are not being heard by Him. Our Iniquities separate us from Him.
Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Let us put away the things that He abhors from our lives so that the lines of communication maybe reopened between us and our Creator. Let us be ready and willing to say “Hineni – Here I am” when He calls us, and do what He says so that He may say to us “Hineni – Here I AM”.
Bible things in Bible ways 