“And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.”
(2nd Samuel 8:13) 

What is said here of David must be said of David’s Lord, Jesus Christ. Today we would say, “David made a name for himself.” That is, because of his valor and his victorious conquests over his enemies, he gained fame and became known for his successes. The same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ in the spiritual realm. Because of His successes, His accomplishments in doing the will of the Father and saving His people from their sins, He has a Name above every name! His renown in accomplishing the work of redemption, in bringing in everlasting righteousness, in His victory over all His enemies and the enemies of God’s elect is His fame and glory! Paul writes in Philippians 2 that He humbled Himself, became obedient unto death (even the death of the cross) and therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name. Just as when David represented Israel before the Philistines, slaying Goliath, so Christ wrought a great victory as the representative Man for all spiritual Israel, triumphing over all that was against us in His cross. The name of Jesus (Saviour) is not only His actual name but also His renown which is that “He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) When we preach His gospel, we spread the fame of the Lord Jesus who, as God in the flesh, lived and died as our Champion. His victory was our victory. When He died, we died with Him and in Him; died to sin, to the law and to every connection with the first Adam. When He rose from the dead, we rose with Him, triumphing over death, hell and the grave and were seated with Him in the heavenlies. Christ Jesus did make a name for Himself as He was made sin for us and as He made us righteous. He suffered and for that entered into His glory. As God, He possessed the essential glory of God; but as the Redeemer and Saviour of our souls He obtained even more glory which He shall enjoy with His redeemed people for all eternity! To Him be the glory, great things He hath done!

G. Shepard