Hello, My Name Is Israel

by Keith Gardner

In Genesis 32 we read about Jacob returning home from his twenty-one year hideaway. During his hiding God blessed Jacob almost beyond imagination. This blessing was the promise Abraham received, passed down to his son Isaac and then to Jacob through deceit. Jacob did not have to deceive his father or circumvent his brother. God had already laid out His plan and revealed it at Jacob’s birth (Gen.25:23). Like many of us, Jacob manipulated God’s promise. Why is it that instead of allowing God to fulfill His promises to us we work with such diligence to make sure it happens?

As we return to this story near the beginning; Jacob bought his brother’s birthright for a bowl of beans. The birthright was the eldest son’s three fold privilege. It was the responsibility to carry on the family’s name, to take hold of the family’s possessions, and to fulfill the family’s blessing. Jacob seemed to have won everything, buying his brother’s birthright, and receiving his brother’s blessing, he only had to wait for his father’s passing to take his place at the head of the family. Instead, fearful of his brother’s revenge Jacob runs away to his uncle’s home. Jacob is left destitute. Just like you and me, Jacob now at the end of himself, with no one to manipulate, no one to trick, and no one to deceive, he is finally ready to receive what was promised from the beginning. In Gen. 28:12-15 God reiterates his promise to Jacob. That promise was never far from Jacob, God had never changed is mind. When God gives us his promise He waits until we are ready to receive it. He waits until we are in a position to know the promise is coming from His hand and not through our own efforts and manipulation.

Jacob is almost home; still fearing his brother’s anger, Jacob returns to his old habit of manipulation. He sends his extensive possessions of live stock and servants in waves towards his brother. He sends his family, to protect them, in another direction and he is left alone at the same place God reached out to him twenty-one years earlier. This time in a physical manifestation God and Jacob wrestle. At daybreak God touches Jacob; wrenches his hip, blesses him and changes his name to over-comer (Gen 32:28).

In 1 John 5:5 we read: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”  God in His great love for us has set us free from our own destruction. Like Jacob we have received the Abrahamic blessing. We are delivered from our tricks and manipulations, and set on a path of overcoming all the obstacles designed to keep up from our birthright. As we wrestle with the promises, grabbing a hold of them with a grip that comes through the faith of desperation, God wrenches our strength and blesses our purpose. Now, finally we are positioned for our calling and we arise with a new name. Hello, my name is Israel, I am an over-comer.