Names have always had very specific & special usage in Biblical times. The book of Genesis (lit. “in [the] head of” or “in [the] beginning of”) lists many names of people - names that portray where the origins of people began, their occupations, their futures, their characters: Adam’s name (derived from 'adamah,' meaning ‘ground’) is rooted in origin, Jabez (lit. ‘pain’) was named on account of his mother saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain’ (Gen. 21:6), Esau was named because of an attribute, i.e. being ‘hairy,’ and Jacob was the one ‘who grasped the heel of’ - a Hebraic idiom for someone who ‘deceives’ and on it goes.

Many prophets of old had the name of God 'El' intertwined in their names, referring to a set-apart calling to prophetic service, like Samuel, Elijah, Daniel, Elisha, Ezekiel etc. So, names have great symbolic importance in Scripture. Sometimes though, there comes a time for re-naming. When God asked Jacob his name, He is certainly not demonstrating ignorance. This question served as a powerful catalyst to get Jacob thinking, to drive him to repentance and essentially, to the crucifixion of self and the stripping of the title.

Some names given in scripture have a negative connotation that needs to be rid of; a name that was given to you by broken people, difficult situations, unfair decisions - names are for that matter, given to us. However, the responsibility remains with us whether we wear them. God wills for us to hand over even what people have labeled and hung over our necks. When Jacob responds, he does not simply say, ‘I am [Jacob,]’ but ‘I am [He Who Deceives.]’ How precious then, is it not, that God responds, ‘You will no longer be [Deceiver,] but ‘[One Who Prevails/Reigns With God],’ not against Him. Jacob knew this confrontation was coming. As Elijah left his slave behind before venturing into the desert, as Jesus wandered deeper into Gethsemane after leaving His disciples to wait & pray, there comes a moment of isolated God-I confrontation, where a decision must be made.

After an evening of intense struggle between these two natures - the fallen name he had received and the new name he wanted to become - Jacob had a profound change in his body and soul. He walked away with a broken-in, crippled nature covered over with a seal of Promise - the [One Who Prevails]!

God has always been in the business of changing people and a change of name is but an outward sign of the inward change. What would you say if God asked you your name? Do you only see fears, worries and weaknesses? God is in the business of changing names and lives. We should learn to see that who we are through the second birth, the re-naming phase, is indeed the most important!

Hartropp, J. 2016. Why Names are so important in the Bible. [Online]. Available at: https:// www.christiantoday.com/article/why-names-are-so-important-in-the-bible-and-so-is-yours/ 101095.htm [2019/10/24]. Wilkerson, D. 1999. The Jabbok - A place of Total Surrender. [Online]. Available at: http:// www.tscpulpitseries.org/english/undated/tsjabbok.html [2019/10/23]