A Name Change

 Most of the time today men do not change their name from the one given to them at birth. It does happen when a child or young person is adopted and in other unusual circumstances. However, with Jewish men in the times of the Bible it was fairly common. They changed their name to denote a significant change in their life. There are several cases in the Bible where God changed the names of men. Jacob was one of those. (Genesis 35:10) When God told Jacob to return to Bethel where He had met him as he fled from Esau, He changed his name to Israel. This was a huge change. Jacob means "deceiver." That is what Jacob was known for in his early life. However, he changed when God met him at Bethel. He did not live by lying any more. Therefore, God rewarded Jacob by changing his name to Israel, which means, "prince of God." Now, that is quite a name change to denote a transformed character in Jacob. Since Jacob was changed, God could use him to be the father of a great nation.

When we come to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we experience a great change in our life, too. The Holy Spirit washes us clean of our sins and comes to live in us. Then, we live for the Lord and not for ourselves. That is why God gives all Christians the name saint. Saint means "holy one." All believers are holy because we have been set apart from the world of which we were a part in our past, and we are set apart to belong to God and be adopted into His family. Therefore, the name saint is appropriate. God gives us that name so we will always remember our standing before God, and so we will live up to what He has done for us. We should truly be different from unbelievers, because we no longer have that old sinful nature. Now, we are children of the King. I pray we will all know Jesus and live up to the new name the Lord gives us.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 37-39.