A New Name

 In Bible times people often gave their children names to reflect who they desired for them to become. Sometimes, they named them after a relative whom they admired, as we do today. Jacob had an unusual birth, since he was born the second of twins, but he had ahold of Esau's heel, which showed he would supplant him. Jacob means "supplanter or deceiver" He did both. He took Esau's birthright when he gave him the stew, and he deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau's blessing. His father could not see, so when he asked Jacob his name, he told him that his name was Esau, while being dressed in his brother's clothes and with fake hair to resemble his rough complexion. After that deceit, Jacob was sent to get a  wife from his father's family, and he met God on the way there at Bethel. It was then, his life changed. He worked for Laban 20 years for 2 wives and wages. He always did the right thing, and God blessed him. God sent him back home at that time, and he was afraid Esau would kill him. The night before he met Esau, Jacob wrestled with God all night. It was Jesus in a pre-incarnation visit. Right before dawn, Jesus asked Jacob, "What is your name?"(Genesis 32:27,28)  This time he was truthful, and Jesus blessed him with a new name. His new name was Israel, which means, "Prince of God." God saw the change and was going to make a great nation out of him and bless the whole world through him. I wonder how many of us have had a similar experience? 

When we come to know Christ, like Jacob did at Bethel, we become a new creation. Old things pass away, and all things become new. Whoever we were before that is dead, and we are ready to become all we can be for Christ by the power of the Spirit in us. We are not without sin, but it is our desire to become like Jesus one step at a time, growing stronger and stronger as Jacob did with Laban. Then, the Bible tells us that we will have a new name given to us in heaven. (Revelation 2:17) I wonder what name we will have? I believe it will be based on how we lived, how our life changed after salvation, and how much we became like Jesus. I pray we will all be like Jacob, who wrestled with God and with man and prevailed, because we are trusting the Lord to deliver us from our sins, and to give us the power and direction to live for Him no matter what happens.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 35-37.