Jacob is Named Israel
9After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be called Jacob, but your name will be Israel. ” So God named him Israel.
11And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. 12The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”
13Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.
14So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where God had spoken to him—a stone marker—and he poured out a drink offering on it and anointed it with oil. 15Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
The reminder of the new name is important, Jacob came to Paddan-aram and God met Jacob and made him into a new man. God does the same thing with us, when we come to Him and accept Christ He makes us into a new man, (or woman) and slowly changes our heart into a heart of Christ.
“Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be called Jacob, but your name will be Israel. ”So God named him Israel.”
Israel is born!
“The next thing that came of it was a confirmation to Jacob of his title of prince, which conferred a dignity on the whole family. For a father to be a prince ennobles all the clan. God now puts upon them another dignity and nobility which they had not known before, for a holy people are a noble people” (Spurgeon).
Jacob had gotten rid of the idols in his family, finally followed Gods instruction of returning to the land of his fathers so God met him there.
What idols do you have?
Blessings, David
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