Paul Samuel

A brother whom I met about six years ago in Shillong and who has since then became so dear to me as a brother in Christ, who loves the Lord very much and the ministry of the word, gave me a surprise call on the 25th of this month, May 2019. The call was related to the Lord's special and miraculous gift of a baby boy on the same day morning. With much joy he said I was the first person he called to share the good news and requested me to name the baby boy. My innate reply was, "Praise the Lord!" And to his request for naming the baby boy, I told him it is his baby and he can name him what he feels best. But he requested that I pray about it and give him a name.

For five days I have been considering and praying regarding a brother's request. The Lord convicted me that if a brother has such a request, it must be from the Lord and it is an honor to honor the request of a dear brother. The more I prayed and considered, a light dawn on me concerning the need of the age and to give a name with this background.

In this church age in the midst of degradation, there is an urgent need for the New Testament ministry of building up the Body of Christ revealed through the apostle Paul. Therefore, Paul is a good choice of name with the present burden. The mystery of God, Christ, and the mystery of Christ, the church, was unveiled through brother Paul. And we need such ministry today to hasten the Lord's return to marry His bride, the built up church.

Beside, there is also a need for an absolute consecration to turn the age. As Hannah prayed for a son and lent it to God, a beloved son born to a brother also need such consecration. Therefore, the name Samuel is also a good name.

Though I have these names in mind, I did not call him nor texted him. My feeling was that if this be truly of the Lord, let it be confirmed. Till then, I will wait. Today, the same brother called me again asking if I have settled on any name for his son. It was then that I explained to him the meaning and spiritual significances of these two names and asked him to consider. But his immediate reply was, "Amen!" and requested me to send these names to him.

Later, I complied a collection of Bible verses and footnotes and sent it to him.

Paul Samuel: A Wonderful Name for a Beloved Son

Paul
Titus 1:1Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionIt was according to the command of God and of Christ that Paul became an apostle. In his earlier Epistles he told us that he was an apostle through the will of God (1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:1). The command of God is a definite expression, a further direction, of the will of God.

Titus 1:1-3Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness, In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages, But in its own times He manifested it as His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the command of our Savior God;

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionPaul was an apostle according to four things:(1) the command of God (1 Tim. 1:1),(2) the promise of life (2 Tim. 1:1),(3) the faith of God’s chosen ones, and(4) the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness.
The command, on God’s side, speaks for Him and requires something of us for Him. Faith, on our side, responds to God’s requirements and receives His life. Faith is a proclamation that we are unable to fulfill God’s requirements but that God has done everything for us and that we receive what He has done. The life promised by God is what we have received of Him for the carrying out of His demand. It was in this way that Paul was an apostle to administrate God’s New Testament economy.

Titus 1:2In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionPaul was an apostle not only according to the faith and the knowledge of the truth but also in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised in eternity. This corresponds with according to the promise of life in 2 Tim. 1:1. In the hope of eternal life means on the basis of, on the condition of, relying on the hope of, eternal life. Eternal life, the uncreated life of God, is not only for us to partake of and enjoy today but also for us to inherit (Matt. 19:29) in its full extent for eternity. Today’s experience of eternal life qualifies us to inherit it in the future. The enjoyment of eternal life today is a foretaste; the inheritance of eternal life in the coming age and in eternity will be the full taste. This inheritance is the hope of eternal life (see note 73 in ch. 3).

Samuel
1 Samuel 1:20And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, For, she said, I asked for him of Jehovah.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version
Samuel: Meaning heard of God, or asked for of God.

1 Samuel 2:11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered to Jehovah before Eli the priest.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionSamuel was of the tribe of Levi (1 Chron. 6:33-38) but was not of the house of Aaron, the family of the priests ordained by God. Samuel ministered to the Lord as one who was a priest not by birth but by the Nazarite Vow. At the time of Samuel the priesthood of the house of Aaron was utterly fallen. God, however, foresaw the situation. Besides His ordaining the house of Aaron to be the priests, He made a supplement—the Nazarite vow in Num. 6—in case there should be an inadequacy in the ordained priests. When the house of Aaron fell, this supplement was put into practical use. Samuel became a priest by being consecrated, separated, and lent to God (1:11, 28). See note 21 in Num. 6.