Jacob and his new name, Israel
It was at Peniel that Jacob was given a new name, Israel, 'for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.' Israel can mean 'he who strives with God' or 'God strives'. In some versions of the Bible, Israel means 'prince with God'.
We find that God appears to Jacob at El-Bethel and again reiterates the new name, Israel. Yet we find that Jacob is referred to as Jacob most times, and only in a few places the Spirit of God refers to him as Israel.
In Gen 35.20, we find that Jacob sets up a pillar over the grave of Rachel, but in the next verse it says, 'Israel journeyed on'. The pillar of Jacob seems to point towards heavenly things, and it is clear that at Bethlehem Jacob has a heavenly vision for, though Rachel sorrows in earthly fashion, by a bold and clear faith in God he names his last son, Benjamin, 'the son of the right hand'. The right hand of God, the place reserved for God's first-born. But in verse 22, we observe the failure of Reuben, Jacob's first born, an embodiment of the flesh, even as his father, Israel, is being slowly transformed into a man of the Spirit.
We come to chapter 37, where we observe the relationship of father and son, patterned no doubt on the heavenly relationship between Father and Son. So we find that 'Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons', 37.3; and once again, Israel telling Joseph, 'Come and I will send you to your brothers', and Joseph replying, 'I will go.' The Lord Jesus was fully aware that when he would come to His own, His own would reject Him.
In chapter 43 we find Israel shining when he says, 'Take, take, take.' [Gen 43.11,12,13]. He is prepared to give up his beloved son, Benjamin, 43.13. So the heavenly Father was prepared to give up His beloved Son for our sakes.
In Gen 45.26 Israel declares, after his spirit revives on seeing the wagons that Joseph had sent to him, 'It is enough; my son Jospeh is still alive; I will go and see him before I die.' But now Israel is under the discipline of God, and he will not rush into Egypt. He waits at Beersheba, and only when God speaks will he go down to Egypt. He is not the old Jacob, but one who moves in the presence of God.
In the relationship between Israel and Joseph we find a hint of the heavenly bond between the Father and the Son. So Joseph meets his father Israel and falls on his neck and weeps a long time; and Israel says, 'Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.' For Israel, seeing Joseph is like resurrection!
In Gen 47.29, it is time for Israel to die, but he does not want to be buried in Egypt. He wants to be buried in the cave of Macpelah with his fathers. Nothing shall remain in Egypt. We are not of this world. We belong to heaven.
In chapter 48, we see Israel blessing Joseph's two sons, crossing his hands, 48.14. Though his eyes are so dim that he cannot see, he is not like his father Isaac. Guided by the Spirit of God, he puts Ephraim before Manasseh. First the spiritual, then the natural. The Cross which has worked so deeply in Jacob's life has transformed him into a spiritual and heavenly man, truly a Prince with God. He says, 'I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.' Such is the faith of the patriach, whose eyes are open to the heavenly realities.
In chapter 48 he blesses his sons, each with the blessing appropriate to him, 49.28. That is heavenly wisdom. What a contrast with Isaac!
We find that Jacob dies. He drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, 48.33. And yet, it is stated, in 50.2 that the physicians embalmed Israel. He is a Prince with God.
In his old age, ever since his experience at Peniel he shines as a father who cares for his sons. There is a new nature here, that is spiritual, heavenly and divine. Here is a man of God, not the old, carnal, grasping Jacob. He is ready to die, he is not afraid of death, because he knows that he will straightaway go into the arms of God.
There is much to be learnt about the transformation of Jacob into Israel. May the Lord continue to speak to us from the life of this great patriarch, from whose loins the children of Israel were born.
We find that God appears to Jacob at El-Bethel and again reiterates the new name, Israel. Yet we find that Jacob is referred to as Jacob most times, and only in a few places the Spirit of God refers to him as Israel.
In Gen 35.20, we find that Jacob sets up a pillar over the grave of Rachel, but in the next verse it says, 'Israel journeyed on'. The pillar of Jacob seems to point towards heavenly things, and it is clear that at Bethlehem Jacob has a heavenly vision for, though Rachel sorrows in earthly fashion, by a bold and clear faith in God he names his last son, Benjamin, 'the son of the right hand'. The right hand of God, the place reserved for God's first-born. But in verse 22, we observe the failure of Reuben, Jacob's first born, an embodiment of the flesh, even as his father, Israel, is being slowly transformed into a man of the Spirit.
We come to chapter 37, where we observe the relationship of father and son, patterned no doubt on the heavenly relationship between Father and Son. So we find that 'Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons', 37.3; and once again, Israel telling Joseph, 'Come and I will send you to your brothers', and Joseph replying, 'I will go.' The Lord Jesus was fully aware that when he would come to His own, His own would reject Him.
In chapter 43 we find Israel shining when he says, 'Take, take, take.' [Gen 43.11,12,13]. He is prepared to give up his beloved son, Benjamin, 43.13. So the heavenly Father was prepared to give up His beloved Son for our sakes.
In Gen 45.26 Israel declares, after his spirit revives on seeing the wagons that Joseph had sent to him, 'It is enough; my son Jospeh is still alive; I will go and see him before I die.' But now Israel is under the discipline of God, and he will not rush into Egypt. He waits at Beersheba, and only when God speaks will he go down to Egypt. He is not the old Jacob, but one who moves in the presence of God.
In the relationship between Israel and Joseph we find a hint of the heavenly bond between the Father and the Son. So Joseph meets his father Israel and falls on his neck and weeps a long time; and Israel says, 'Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.' For Israel, seeing Joseph is like resurrection!
In Gen 47.29, it is time for Israel to die, but he does not want to be buried in Egypt. He wants to be buried in the cave of Macpelah with his fathers. Nothing shall remain in Egypt. We are not of this world. We belong to heaven.
In chapter 48, we see Israel blessing Joseph's two sons, crossing his hands, 48.14. Though his eyes are so dim that he cannot see, he is not like his father Isaac. Guided by the Spirit of God, he puts Ephraim before Manasseh. First the spiritual, then the natural. The Cross which has worked so deeply in Jacob's life has transformed him into a spiritual and heavenly man, truly a Prince with God. He says, 'I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you back to the land of your fathers.' Such is the faith of the patriach, whose eyes are open to the heavenly realities.
In chapter 48 he blesses his sons, each with the blessing appropriate to him, 49.28. That is heavenly wisdom. What a contrast with Isaac!
We find that Jacob dies. He drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, 48.33. And yet, it is stated, in 50.2 that the physicians embalmed Israel. He is a Prince with God.
In his old age, ever since his experience at Peniel he shines as a father who cares for his sons. There is a new nature here, that is spiritual, heavenly and divine. Here is a man of God, not the old, carnal, grasping Jacob. He is ready to die, he is not afraid of death, because he knows that he will straightaway go into the arms of God.
There is much to be learnt about the transformation of Jacob into Israel. May the Lord continue to speak to us from the life of this great patriarch, from whose loins the children of Israel were born.
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