Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Tag: The Great I AM

Reappearance, Renaming and Revelation

By

On March 10, 2021

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Jacob came out of Padanaram, in the land of Shechem (Genesis 33:18), and arrived at Bethel, God reappeared to him and blessed him. After blessing him, what God does first is He renames Jacob and tells him that he shall no longer be called Jacob, but he will be called Israel. Note, this is the second time God is renaming Jacob; the first time was when Jacob encountered and wrestled with God (Genesis 32:28). Juxtaposing Jacob’s renaming, God reveals a name by which Jacob is to know him by. God identifies himself as El Shaddai (God Almighty).

Some observations that are noteworthy include:
1. When Jacob wrestled with God, he clung to God and refused to let go, pleading to be blessed (Genesis 32:26). Here without any plea, God takes the initiative to bless Jacob. Jacob’s act of obedience to move out of his house, from a land that he ought not to have remained (Genesis 33:17), to a place that he recognized was the House of God (for he called it Bethel) resulted in blessings (Genesis 35:9). In Hebrew, beth means house, and El is used for God – Elohim.
2. The renaming of Jacob, a second time, I believe is a reminder for Jacob to change his life, his ways. Note, even after God had told him that he would be called Israel (Genesis 32:28), Jacob’s lifestyle had not changed. Jacob was given a name change, but he did not have a heart change. Even after his brother had reconciled with him, Jacob continued to deceive him by lying to him and telling him that he will follow Esau to where Esau was going, but instead, he went to Padanaram in Shechem and made for himself a house and booths (tents which in Hebrew is Succoth) for his cattle (Genesis 33:12-17), deceiving his brother again and disobeying God, putting himself and his family in danger. He continued to live up to his old name, Jacob, which meant deceiver (supplanter), as was evident from his lies to his brother. God had to remind him that he was no longer to be called Jacob but henceforth known as Israel, meaning that he will have to change his ways and live as one who struggles with God (which is what Israel means) and cling on, refusing to let go, to enjoy God’s blessings.
3. When Jacob wrestled with God, Jacob asked for God’s name but did not receive an answer. Instead, he was asked what his name was and Jacob had to confess and admit that he was Jacob, Until then he had to live with his brother’s name that he had used to deceive his earthly father. Here God, the heavenly father (Matthew 18:14), does not ask for Jacob’s name but instead renames him (again). Following that, though unsolicited, God reveals to Jacob that he shall be known to Israel as El Shaddai, meaning God Almighty. Israel was to experience the Almighty (omnipotent) essence of God. Later God would make a mention of this to Moses, when he will reveal to Moses, of his essence of being, not just as being Almighty, but All-all-things as he will reveal his name as the Great I AM (Yahweh) (Exodus 6:2-3).

Points to Ponder:
God reappears to us time and again, through his word, as the Spirit of God illuminates the Scripture unto us and blesses us when we walk according to His commands and ways. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are a new creation and bear (represent) the name of God. We ought not to walk in our old ways, deceiving others and deceiving ourselves (James 1:22). As we walk about in God’s ways, we will get to experience the Omnipotent God – God Almighty – the El Shaddai – in our lives.

Has God appeared to you? In other words, have you encountered Jesus, in whom the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 2:9), and have you believed in Him? If not, do not delay and put your life and the life of your loved ones in danger, for now (today) is the appointed time for you to encounter God (2 Corinthians 6:2). Believe and be blessed as God appears to you in his word and is revealed in Jesus Christ to make you new and give you a new name – as son or daughter of God.

Genesis 35:9-15 (KJV)
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

What is your Name? Who are you?

By

On April 9, 2019

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32:30, 32, Hosea 12:4-5), he clung on to God and would not let go of him unless he was blessed. To this, God responds and asks for his name. God asked “What is thy name?” Jacob answered the question and said that his name was “Jacob” which means supplanter or deceiver. To this God replied and rechristens Jacob saying that “you will no longer be called Jacob, but instead you shall be called Israel, for as a prince you have power with (not over) God and with man and have prevailed”. To this Jacob asks God, what is your name. I pray that you tell me your name. Instead of answering that questions as God did, by saying that he is the “I AM”, when Moses asked the same question, God counter-questions him asking “Why do you ask for my name?” and then proceeds to bless Israel there.

From this account, we can learn a few things.
God wants us to acknowledge who we are. The omniscience of God would not have required him to ask for Jacob’s name, yet he did. Until then, Jacob, the deceiver had fooled his father by telling him that he was Esau, to rob Esau of his blessings. Now, he was in a predicament where he could not lie to God, the Father of all (Ephesians 4:6), and he acknowledges and accepts who he is (a deceiver), that he is Jacob. So the first thing God does is not remind Jacob of who he is, but instead rechristens him and gives him a new name, likening him to be a prince. Other scriptures substantiate the rechristening act of God. Abram was rechristened Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Saul was rechristened as Paul and when Simon recognized that Jesus was indeed the son of God he was rechristened as Peter (“Rock”). Additionally, we learn that right after God rechristened Jacob to be Israel, he blesses him. In other words, blessings succeeds rebirth/rechristening.

Points to ponder:
When we accept our sinful state before God, the Father, and confess of our unworthiness of his mercy as Jacob did (Genesis 32:10), he gives us another name (Isaiah 65:15), a new name (Rev 2:17), one better than that of sons and daughters (of men) that is everlasting (Isaiah 56:5), as children of God (1 John 3:1), one that is designated by God himself (Isaiah 62:2), As children of God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, we are prince and princesses. God’s  name (Rev 3:12). God’s name is I AM (Exodus 3:14) and Jesus said before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:58). Jesus is God and the Lord is his name (Hosea 12:4-5).

Before man had sinned, blessings preceded naming (Genesis 5:1-2). Now in the fallen state of man, because of man’s sin and disobedience, blessings follows rebirth, that happen when one acknowledges their sinful state and accepts the Lord Jesus (),

So the question that demands an answer now is Are you rechristened by God? What is your name? Who are you?

Genesis 32:27-29 (KJV)
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

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