Do you know this man? His name is Thomas Jonathan Jackson. In 1851 he resigned from the army to teach at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. In the ensuing years tension arose between the Union states and the Southern states over slavery.
In November 1859, Jackson was one of the VMI officers who accompanied a contingent of VMI cadets to Harper’s Ferry, where they stood guard at the execution of abolitionist John Brown.
The War Between the States began in 1861. In July of that year Jackson was promoted to Brigadier General. In the Battle of 1st Manassas someone said of him, "Look, there stands Jackson like a stone wall." He thus acquired the legendary nickname “Stonewall” Jackson.
He illustrates, as we noted in this first of this series of sermons last Sunday, that names are used to indicate character.
Jacob - crook, cheater. Renamed Israel – prince of God.
Simon - shifting sand. Renamed Peter – Rocky.
Stonewall Jackson – resolute, determined.
Names also indicate what people do. E.g., John Smith (a worker in metals), Will Farmer, Joe Taylor.
Stonewall Jackson – He stood there like a stone wall.