God Renames Jacob
Genesis 35
My Thoughts
Jacob encountered God before, when he was fleeing from his brother Esau. At that time, he set up a stone and poured oil on it. Now God was telling Jacob to go back to same place, and to live there. So Jacob gathered up his family and set out to live there at this place that was called Bethel.
When Jacob and hiss family had gotten to Bethel, he built an altar there to God and God appeared to him. He told him that his name would no longer be Jacob, but Israel. God renamed Jacob the same as he renamed Abram and Sarai. Why is it so important that God renamed people?
In the Bible, babies were named after something. You'll see it all the time. Samuel's mother named him so because he was asked of God, which is what his name means. Jacob means he grasps the heel or he deceives and he did exactly that with his brother when they were born. It sounds a little silly doesn't it? Can you imagine this in English?
"He-Grasps-the-Heel, come here and eat your breakfast!"
"Clean your room, Asked-of-God."
In English, it would sound stupid honestly!
So the name Jacob means he deceives and Israel means he struggles with God. This is important for Israel because he wrestled with God and overcame. That is the very reason that God renamed Jacob to Israel.
Renaming doesn't really happen anymore, at least not like this. A person might change their name because they don't like, or for some kind of identity change. Unfortunately, one of those situations could be because someone needs to go into hiding. When I was taking French and Spanish in school, we got to choose a French/Spanish name for the class. That name is what we would be called by in those classes and we couldn't call each other our normal names. That was more of a fun kind of thing though!
Renaming is important when it comes to God, and so is naming the first time! It is important to God because it doesn't just change what you are called, but the meaning of what you are called. All of your identity, not just identity by, but identity by who you are and what you are.
When Jacob and hiss family had gotten to Bethel, he built an altar there to God and God appeared to him. He told him that his name would no longer be Jacob, but Israel. God renamed Jacob the same as he renamed Abram and Sarai. Why is it so important that God renamed people?
In the Bible, babies were named after something. You'll see it all the time. Samuel's mother named him so because he was asked of God, which is what his name means. Jacob means he grasps the heel or he deceives and he did exactly that with his brother when they were born. It sounds a little silly doesn't it? Can you imagine this in English?
"He-Grasps-the-Heel, come here and eat your breakfast!"
"Clean your room, Asked-of-God."
In English, it would sound stupid honestly!
So the name Jacob means he deceives and Israel means he struggles with God. This is important for Israel because he wrestled with God and overcame. That is the very reason that God renamed Jacob to Israel.
Renaming doesn't really happen anymore, at least not like this. A person might change their name because they don't like, or for some kind of identity change. Unfortunately, one of those situations could be because someone needs to go into hiding. When I was taking French and Spanish in school, we got to choose a French/Spanish name for the class. That name is what we would be called by in those classes and we couldn't call each other our normal names. That was more of a fun kind of thing though!
Renaming is important when it comes to God, and so is naming the first time! It is important to God because it doesn't just change what you are called, but the meaning of what you are called. All of your identity, not just identity by, but identity by who you are and what you are.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
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