Genesis 35:9-15 (NKJV)

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.” Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.

This feels like an epilogue for the Odyssey Jacob has been on for the last few decades (though the drama in his life is just getting going). Recall the promise Jacob made at the beginning.

And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” – Genesis 28:19-22 (NKJV)

It’s time for Jacob to keep his promise. But instead, God trumps everything when He declares that Jacob gets the land reserved for Abraham and Isaac. He also reiterates Jacob’s new name, Israel, and this time it becomes a name he uses. Israel shall be your name.

His identity change is complete. From here on, Israel is his name. The rest of the Old Testament will follow Israel and his descendants.^*

^*This excludes the book of Job, which was written earlier.

God isn’t interested in incremental changes and small bits of growth. He wants radical change. Jacob’s new name is an example of that. Our rebirth in Christ is another.

We memorize this without learning it. We pray for simple favors like, “Heal my knee,” or, “Help me solve my problem,” but we don’t want Him to make waves. We don’t want our lives completely changed.

This is nothing more or less than a lack of courage and commitment. We aren’t willing to let go of what we have and what we know to launch into the unknown of full service to Christ. (Note: “we” includes me too.) We do commendable things in His service, but it’s all safely fenced in.

The key isn’t to throw everything away and head off to some foreign country. The key is to pray boldly about God’s leading. He may tell you become a foreign missionary, or He may not.

We should be bored by a typical modern prayer.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies