“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:28 ESV
At this point in the biblical narrative, Jacob is on the move from Paddan-aram where he has lived and worked for thirty years. He is headed back to the land God gave to his father Isaac. Partway through the journey, Jacob wrestles with God. In the midst of the struggle, Jacob demands a blessing. God not only blesses him, but he bestows upon Jacob a new identity. No longer will he be called Jacob (cheater). Rather, he will be called Israel (One who strives with God). “This is more than a name; it is a foreshadowing of the huge role Jacob will have in the plan of God” (Paul Tripp, Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life).
The second transformative incident during his voyage was the moment Jacob – now Israel – reunites with his brother Esau. Though he fully expected a hostile, antagonistic sibling, Jacob is greeted with affection and a warm embrace. He has been forgiven. Peace between the twins has been established. So Jacob erects an altar and names it El-Elohe-Israel, meaning God, the God of Israel. In the course of his journey, Jacob has transitioned from ‘the God of my fathers’ to ‘the God of Israel (his new name).’ God is no longer some deity who touched the lives of his ancestors. Once he met God face to face (32:30), Jacob-Israel was no longer the same. He was transformed inside and out. The God was now his God.
I have a question for you today: have you appropriated God as your God? Have you met Him face to face or is He some distant deity without any relevance to your life? Is He the God of your parents? The God of such and such church? The Creator God who bears no real significance in your daily life? Or can you honestly say, God is The God of ________ (insert your name)?
If you have never encountered God in a personal way and if you would like Him to become your God, won’t you pray the following prayer with me:
Prayer: Jesus, I believe you died upon the cross and rose again to save the lost. Forgive me now of all my sin. Come be my Lord and Savior. Transform my life and help me live for you from this day forward. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, then welcome to the family of God! If you would like to know more about Him, please drop me a note in the comments.
Thought: “The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature.”— Ellen G. White