The old name, which means “deceiver,” suited him because of the crooked, hypocritical, devious tricks he pulled on his own family. Jacob is over. From now on, his name will be Israel, the one who wrestles with God. What a beautiful name. The rest of the Old Testament is the history of a nation that never stopped wrestling with God, that never stopped contending with the Lord—and not always in the positive sense that Jacob does here. So the angel of God pronounces the blessing of God on His servant. With that blessing, the angel gives Jacob a new name.

The Bible ascribes many names and titles to God. In Scripture, the name or title of a person often says something important about the person’s character. In our culture today, we don’t name people on the basis of outstanding characteristics or attributes. But in the ancient world, naming a person after a desired attribute was commonplace. In Israel particularly, a name often had tremendous significance and gave deep insight into one’s character.

Sometimes when a person underwent a life-changing trauma, his name would be changed. We remember, for example, how Jesus assigned a new name to Simon at Caesarea Philippi after the great confession when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that [I am]?” They responded, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon gave this magnificent confession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then said to Simon, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!” He called him by name. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [Petros], and on this rock I will build my church.” The rock on which Christ would build His church was the rock of Peter’s confession. The church would be built on the foundation of Christ’s entire life, His whole ministry. Thereafter Simon was called Peter (Matt. 16:13–18).

Perhaps the most dramatic name change in the Old Testament took place when Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Today there’s a nation called Israel; it isn’t called Jacob. It is called Israel because it traces its roots to the twelve tribes that came from Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. What Are the Names of God? Let’s look briefly at that moment in history when Jacob’s name was changed.

He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” (Gen. 32:23–30)

This event at Peniel records a struggle, a conflict, between a human being, Jacob, and a representative from God Himself. The angel of the Lord came down from heaven and met Jacob where he was, and the two engaged in conflict. This was not the best out of fifteen rounds, three minutes a round with a rest of one minute in between. This wrestling match went on all day and all night. In the course of this combat between Jacob and the angel, Jacob pleaded with this representative of God to bless him. The angel permanently injured Jacob’s hip, leaving him with a limp for the rest of his life so that he would never forget this moment. Jacob said, “Bless me.” The angel asked, “What is your name?” Why did the angel ask him his name? Do we think that the angel of God didn’t know the identity of the one with whom he had been locked in mortal combat for the whole night? He knew his name. But he was asking for Jacob to surrender.

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