Given Identity

Genesis 32:28 MEV

Then the man said, “Your name will no more be called Jacob, but Israel. For you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Identity

We have been talking about identity. What is an identity?

What do you think of when I say “identity”?

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines identity as

 the distinguishing character or personality of an individual : individuality

the relation established by psychological identification

the condition of being the same with something described or asserted

What’s In a Name?

Is your name part of your identity? Names have meaning, after all.

In the book, Anne of Green Gables, the young girl Anne is making sure someone knows to spell her name with an E. They get into a discussion about the importance of names, and Anne says, “I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”

Names were very important in the Bible. They would tell the story of how the name was chosen.

“Adam” literally means “man”.

Cain, the first child born, was named so because Eve proclaimed that she had received this possession from God. Cain means acquired possession.

How did Moses get his name? “Drawn from the water”

Jacob and Esau? Esau: “red”, which he was named for his red hair and ruddy complexion; Jacob: “One that takes by the heel, one that seeks to replace another”. This was given because he came out holding the heel of his older twin, Esau.

A Stolen Identity

Jacob lived up to his name. Since Esau was the older brother, he was set to inherit everything. But while Esau was skilled as a hunter, Jacob was skilled at playing his brother.

Genesis 25:29–34 MEV

Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field and he was famished. So Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. Then Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; of what use is the birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me this day.” So he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

The birthright was the inheritance. It was part of Esau’s identity, and Jacob just bargained it away from Esau for a bowl of soup.

But Jacob didn’t stop there. Genesis 27 tells about how Isaac, who was old and blind, realized he was near death.

Isaac calls in Esau with a task to go hunting and prepare a special meal of wild game for his dad. When Esau did this, Isaac would bless Esau in God’s presence and proclaim him the head of the family. While Esau is out hunting, Jacob and his mother kill some goats and prepare a meal for dad. Then Jacob went to his father, disguised as Esau, feeds his dad, and gets the blessing. He barely gets out of the room before Esau shows up with his meal.

So Jacob, who by tradition was supposed to be second place, serving his older brother, ended up the head of the house and owner of everything. He really did live up to his name.

Of course, anyone who knows this story knows that Jacob’s pattern of manipulation and deceit came back to haunt him. He had to leave home to escape Esau’s revenge. He lived with his mother’s brother for over 14 years, where he experienced the same games he had played on others. He was engaged to one girl and tricked into marrying her ugly sister; in order to have the one he loved, he had to promise to stay married to both girls. So he is stuck in a house with two jealous sisters.

A New Name

Many years later, on the way back home to face the consequences of his actions, Jacob is separated from his family for a night.

Genesis 32:24–30 MEV

Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him there until daybreak. When the man saw that He did not prevail against Jacob, He touched the socket of his thigh, so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated, as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go, unless You bless me.” So He said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “Your name will no more be called Jacob, but Israel. For you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked Him, “Tell me, I pray You, Your name.” But He said, “Why do you ask Me My name?” Then He blessed him there. Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and my life has been preserved.”

“Israel” means “God perseveres.” In that moment, the guy who was known for deceiving and taking what belonged to other people became a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness.

In spite of the way Jacob had lived his life, God was faithful to the promise he had made to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham and to his father Isaac. Jacob’s identity was changed from second born, second best, to the heir of his father’s estate, master of the family, and also inheritor of God’s promise. His new name, Israel, became the name of a nation.

From Listener to Proclaimer

The name “Simon” means “He has heard”. It was a name given to one of Jacob’s sons by his wife Leah, because Leah proclaimed that God had heard her prayers for a son.

About 1500 years later, a man named Simon was asked to follow Jesus. He was one of the first disciples, hearing everything Jesus said and seeing every miracle Jesus performed.

There are many instances in the gospels where Simon and his fellow disciples face the question of who Jesus is. Who is this man who speaks with such authority? Who is this man who calms the storm? Who is this man who casts out demons? Who raises the dead? Each time, in spite of all the evidence Simon has encountered, he refused to make a definite statement.

But, in Matthew 16, that all changes.

Matthew 16:13–18 MEV

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They said, “Some say that You are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

That day, this man went from being Simon, someone listening on the sidelines, to Peter, which means “rock”, the first to boldly proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, laying the foundation for the establishment of the church. From that moment on, everything Peter did was out of deep conviction that Jesus is the Son of God. Even when Jesus was arrested, and Peter cowardly denied knowing Jesus, he didn’t deny who Jesus was.

But on the day of Pentecost, empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter stood in front of thousands and boldly proclaimed the gospel, rock-solid in his faith.

So, what do we take away from this?

All your life, you have been told who you are. You have been told who you need to be. You’re the survivor, who does whatever it takes, no matter who gets hurt, to get ahead. Or you’re the victim, whose lot in life is always someone else’s fault. Or you’re the loser, who always makes the wrong choice. Maybe you’re the loner, who can’t trust anyone else but yourself to get things done right. Or maybe you’re the fraud, who seems to be successful and popular and to have everything figured out, but you live in fear that people will find out just how weak and messed up you really are.

It doesn’t matter what names others have given you. It doesn’t matter what names you have given yourself. What matters is the name that your creator has for you.

Revelation 2:17 MEV

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it.