All members of God's church have inherited a Family name far more valuable than any surname. We have an awesome responsibility to uphold and honor the nobility and dignity of the name of God. The reputation we create for our church, our businesses, or our institutions is the legacy we pass on to our brothers and sisters and our children. Occasionally, we are saddened that people who have accepted our Family name have brought disgrace on all of us. It takes years for a reputation to be built up, but seemingly only a few minutes to destroy it. We have been invited by God to share His Family name. If we appropriate His name and then live in a way to bring dishonor to it, we are worse than the infidels we sometimes ridicule. His name, which is now our name, is worth far more than all the riches of the world. How are we doing in upholding God's Family name? What do people think—how do they react—when they see or hear our names?

A name connects an individual to family origins and expectations, as seen when one bears the designation Ritenbaugh and must reflect the qualities demonstrated by preceding generations within that lineage. Such a designation originated in a German form meaning rich brook yet was altered upon arrival in a new land, binding descendants to a specific geographic area and the speech patterns associated with it. The principle that a name ties its bearer down operates here, requiring the living to uphold the reputation established by those who preceded them and to meet the standards implied by the family identity. This same dynamic appears in the ancient tribal system, where the first element of a person's designation linked each member to an extended family unit and its chieftain, directing loyalty toward that group rather than any larger entity. The act of bestowing or changing a name flows from one in authority to one under authority, carrying aspirations and defining character, as when parents select a name that expresses hopes for their child's future conduct and accomplishments. Scripture reinforces the weight of names by recording them with care and by forbidding any vain use of the divine designation, thereby elevating the responsibility to honor the name one bears. The highest expression of this responsibility occurs when the name of Christ is placed upon believers at baptism, identifying them with His character, authority, and kingdom. Those who overcome receive that name written upon them along with the Father's name and the name of the New Jerusalem, sharing in the power and holiness earned through Christ's humility. In this way the constraint imposed by a family name finds its fulfillment in the greater honor of bearing and upholding the name that stands above every other name.

The Feast of Tabernacles provides a glimpse into God's plan for bringing mankind into His Family, where participants learn to become builders of the Family name and rulers who exercise the princely power of the Almighty. This understanding begins with the Hebrew terms in Leviticus 23, where the word for children denotes a son who builds the family name and the name Israel signifies one who will rule as God with the power of a Prince of the Almighty. The same vision appears in the account of Jacob, who began as a supplanter seeking physical advantage yet later received a clear glimpse of his future role. After wrestling with Christ, his name changed to Israel because he had struggled with God and men and prevailed, committing himself to protect the family and obey the promise that his descendants would be as the sand of the sea. Jacob demonstrated this commitment by dividing his company to shield his household, offering princely gifts in restitution, and refusing to release the One who blessed him. In the same way, the holy days reveal that those called must prioritize the needs of the Family above personal ambitions, willingly sacrificing control and comfort to preserve and protect what God has purposed. This glimpse transforms participants into builders who tenaciously hold to the vision of their future inheritance, knowing that God has placed His name upon them so they may honor it by ruling with Him in His Family.