|
I recently heard someone say they did not believe names were important. I suppose I would have said the same thing before I understood we have two natures. There were things that happened in my oun life that were so obvious, I began to look at names. I lost custody of my son, and the earth law took it's course, of seed, time, and harvest. I had testified in a custody court hearing, and the child had been taken from his mother. I was told it was my testimony that sealed the matter. Fourteen years later my son was taken from me in the same kind of hearing. My son's name means dark settlement. The word talks about names, and God even changes names, such as Saul to Paul, Abram to Abraham, and Jacob to Israel. The story of Jacob is a good example of this because Jacob means he who supplants. Supplants means to take someone's place, to oust someone, or to replace. We know the story of the twins, Jacob and Easu, and that Jacob was a trickster. He was unethical, and dishonest in his actions. He was the "heelcatcher," from birth, and in his Jacob name, or nature he devised, and schemed. In his story we see him harvest what he planted when he gets tricked, and ends up marrying the wrong woman. He has to work another seven years for Rachael. This is a long story and there is so much to gleam from it, but my point today is he came to crisis in his life, when he had to face his brother Esau. The word says he was afraid and distressed.(Gen.32) His Jacob nature would have relied upon his cleverness, but I believe he had to see he had become his name, and he noted what he had planted had come back to him. This crisis brought him to a place where he began to seek God.(Gen.32:24) Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.26-"And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said I will not let thee go except you bless me." This was for sure a Divine encounter that striped Jacob of his flesh nature, which is that Adam nature we all began with. He entered into his Christ nature (Col.3:4) When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. We too struggle in our Adam nature, to come into this glory. Flesh, law, and old testament, the glory of this law, which is a fading glory. To come into the glory of the new covenant, which is the grace covenant, the kingdom. (Gen.32:27-28)And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and has prevailed. (Verse 25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him he touched him in the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. Jacob could no longer walk in his own strength but now he walked in the Divine nature. His name Jacob or supplant, is now Israel, Prince with God. A prince is the son of a King. The point is we are born in Adam's nature, and we are named by our parents. Of course we walk out the Adam nature until we know who we are in Christ. However I see many times how we walk out the nature of our flesh name in the process. I hope this is understandable, because we can look at this information and have some insight and tolerance for why some take longer walks. Love In Christ, Gayle
|
