Well, it's official.
Rocco Henry Warfield Van Voorst is the name of the baby boy due Oct. 31, 2015.
Here's a little background on the name selection:
Rocco
Simon Bar Jonas was the disciple Jesus Christ renamed Peter or
"Rock."
I love Peter, his rawness, his boldness, his repentance after failure, his
persistence, his passion, his faith, his works, his life, his death.
Rocco may derive from the Germanic element hrok meaning "rest, repose." In Christ, there is rest. In Him, striving ceases and that final Sabbath Rest awaits
us at His return and the culmination of Kingdom.
It may also have its origins in the Old High German rohōn meaning "to roar" especially referring to a battle cry. This overlaps well with the Hebrew war cry "Rak Chazak Amats" and while not a direct
derivative, Rocco does sound like the beginning of that ancient call to
manliness that commands one to play the man and to be strong and courageous. This rally cry is a call to be a man -- fighting for things worth fighting for and dying for things worth living for.
These two elements combined speak of a peacemaker. Peace is the product of defeating evil. Peace is made through being prepared and prevailing in war.
One who wore the name well was St, Rocco, a 14th century French saint born with the mark of
a cross on his person, who led a life of serving Jesus, the poor, the sick, the
needy and humbly accepting and persevering under false accusations and
imprisonments. He traveled to Italy during a plague and tended to the sick. Legend has it that, when he contracted the plague himself, he retreated to the woods where God sent dogs bring him food until he recovered in similar fashion to how God sent ravens to nurse Elijah back to health after his encounter with the prophets of Baal and the subsequent death threats of Queen Jezebel.
Henry
Easy, it's my middle name.
But more than that it literally means "head of the household" from
"haim" which means 'home' and "rik" which means 'ruler.' So
it is a charge and encouragement to be the head of the household as a federal
husband, like Jesus, taking responsibility for those under his care and leveraging
all his God-given and mandated strength to serve, provide and protect those for
whom he bares responsibility.
It is a call to patriarchy and the roles of men and women as designed
and commanded by God and godliness.
Warfield
B.B. Warfield is a dead, white, reformed theologian which in my book is a great
start to an eternal friendship. I read
a book last year summarizing essays, sermons and books written by
Warfield on the Christian Life.
I also have a feeling that within my childrens' respective lifetimes the
spiritual battle and war in both the physical world and the world of ideas and
doctrine will be waged fiercely.
2 Corinthians 10:5-6
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion
raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey
Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your
obedience is complete.
I am praying for sons that fight courageously the good fight
and agonize over the good agony, spending themselves for that which will endure
them and outshine them for their benefit forever and ever, that is the glory of
God revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, our Lord! I
am praying my sons help DESTROY wolves and false teachings to the protection of
the flocks over which they are given influence.
I am very excited to meet my newest son and tell him about his name and the God
who will one day rename all of those found eternally in His Son. (REV 2:17)
AMEN.
