Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. (Genesis:32:26-29)
We would have heard a lot of explanations on how the Lord asks for Jacob's name when he requested Him to bless him. It's true that the Lord wanted to know if he had turned back from his scheming and cunning ways. Jacob did. We know that because he didn't lie to GOD like he did to his father Isaac a few years earlier. Besides this reason why would the Lord ask for his name before blessing Jacob? The Lord wanted to deal with the guilty conscience that Jacob would have been carrying all these years. Every time a blessing came along his way, Jacob would have thought to himself, "Am I enjoying the blessing that's supposed to be my brother's? Because I tricked my father Isaac and robbed my brother's blessing. Do I have any right to enjoy these blessings?" By answering to GOD that his name is Jacob and then receiving the blessing, he walked out from that place free of guilt. What a loving GOD we serve! He gets down to our level and makes sure we don't live a life condemning ourselves for the mistakes of our past that keeps us from enjoying the present day blessings.
For Jacob the restoration was complete when he realized his mistake and surrendered to GOD. For us, it all happens in our mind unlike Jacob's. What Jesus accomplished for us on the cross on our behalf, we need to realize it and have our minds renewed to the following truth mentioned in Romans:8:1&2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." Jesus bore all our sin and shame on the cross that we need not carry it around anymore. When GOD Himself isn't condemning us, why should our conscience be! Let go of your guilt and shame. Pursue the blessings that the Lord purchased for you on the cross instead.
Blessings!
We would have heard a lot of explanations on how the Lord asks for Jacob's name when he requested Him to bless him. It's true that the Lord wanted to know if he had turned back from his scheming and cunning ways. Jacob did. We know that because he didn't lie to GOD like he did to his father Isaac a few years earlier. Besides this reason why would the Lord ask for his name before blessing Jacob? The Lord wanted to deal with the guilty conscience that Jacob would have been carrying all these years. Every time a blessing came along his way, Jacob would have thought to himself, "Am I enjoying the blessing that's supposed to be my brother's? Because I tricked my father Isaac and robbed my brother's blessing. Do I have any right to enjoy these blessings?" By answering to GOD that his name is Jacob and then receiving the blessing, he walked out from that place free of guilt. What a loving GOD we serve! He gets down to our level and makes sure we don't live a life condemning ourselves for the mistakes of our past that keeps us from enjoying the present day blessings.
For Jacob the restoration was complete when he realized his mistake and surrendered to GOD. For us, it all happens in our mind unlike Jacob's. What Jesus accomplished for us on the cross on our behalf, we need to realize it and have our minds renewed to the following truth mentioned in Romans:8:1&2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." Jesus bore all our sin and shame on the cross that we need not carry it around anymore. When GOD Himself isn't condemning us, why should our conscience be! Let go of your guilt and shame. Pursue the blessings that the Lord purchased for you on the cross instead.
Blessings!
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