The angel finally blessed Jacob and said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel” (Genesis 32:28). Israel means “a prince with God.” It also became the name of God’s chosen nation. Jacob left this encounter limping. His physical condition was altered as a reminder that he had struggled with God. And it was also a reminder that God would still fulfill His promise in spite of Jacob’s failures. Jacob would struggle with waiting on God for the rest of his life, but God would still keep His promise to make him into a mighty nation.
