Genesis 35:9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.
We know that names are important. They reveal heritage, relationship, character. Often we find the people of God changed the names of places in response to an experience they had with God at that place, like Jacob did here. But then again, he was no longer Jacob; he was now Israel. Those kinds of name changing were far less prevalent, and even more significant. The account of the Incarnation involves a lot of name changes: Christ becomes Jesus the Christ; Mary becomes father; those who trust and worship Christ become children of God, His disciples, Christians. Christ is the great name changer. May we allow Him to call us whatever He wants to, and to whatever He wishes.
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