Living a Transformed LifeSample

Jacob — From Deceiver to Prince With God

The name “Jacob” means schemer or deceiver, which is how he lived the first part of his life. He was the fraternal twin brother of Esau, and because Jacob was born on the heels of Esau, he wouldn’t receive the blessings of the firstborn. He took advantage of his brother and manipulated him into surrendering his blessing, and then manipulated his father, who was old and blind, into saying the blessing of the firstborn over him instead of Esau. But while working for his Uncle Laban, he reaped a hearty helping of the deception he had dished out. When Jacob met Laban, he met his deceptive match. The night Jacob wrestled with the Lord, he came face to face with who he was. In that divine moment, God transformed him, changing him into Israel — prince with God.

The day finally came when Jacob and his family broke free from Laban’s lair of deception and began to make their way back to his homeland. This meant Jacob would have to face his brother Esau and come to grips with all the mean, deceptive things he’d done to him. The thought of this reunion terrified Jacob.

Someone may read Jacob’s story and think, Well, Esau chose to sell his birthright, and Jacob’s mom was the one who devised a plan to deceive Isaac. It’s not all Jacob’s fault. Although this is true, we need to see what God has to say about someone who exhibits Jacob's negative character traits.

One who lies, devises wicked plans, and operates in pride is an abomination in God’s eyes (see Proverbs 6:16-19). To receive and live under God’s blessing, Jacob had to repent to God of his deceptive ways and allow Him to do a deep, restorative work in his heart. Clearly, the impending encounter with Esau was the circumstance Jacob needed to drive him to his knees and make things right with God.

As Jacob prepared to face his estranged brother, he earnestly prayed, as recorded in Genesis 32:9-12. In this passage, we see that the pressure of the impending meeting with Esau has broken Jacob’s pride, causing him to repent and humble himself before God. At the same time, we see him exercise his faith and remind the Lord of His promises, which he was holding onto tenaciously.

When God saw Jacob and the terrible dilemma he was in, He chose to come down and wrestle with him. Friend, this demonstrates how the love of God will stop at no bounds to reach you, to touch you, and to save you. He will move Heaven and Earth to deliver you and those you love from addictions or any other terrible situation.

Apparently, Jacob had been wrestling with the Lord in the darkness of the night, and the Lord needed to leave before the sun came up and revealed His identity. At that moment, Jacob had to come face to face with who he had been. When he responded to the Lord and told Him his name was “Jacob,” it was as if he was telling the Lord, “I’m a trickster! I’m a deceiver! I’ve been trying to supplant others since my birth.” In that divine encounter with God, Jacob experienced an amazing transformation. No longer would he be called a trickster, swindler, or deceiver (Jacob). God changed his name to Israel, which means prince with God.

Clearly, the Lord won the wrestling match, but Jacob held on and received a blessing just as he requested. That blessing was a brand-new identity. Here again, we see that when the presence of God shows up in a person’s life, that person never leaves the same!

CONFESSION:

As you seek and surrender yourself to the Holy Spirit — who lives in you — He will touch and transform your life with His power like nothing and no one else can. Open your heart and mind to Him and say:

“God, Your presence is here, and I ask You to change me. I acknowledge that I’m powerless to change myself, but as I fix my eyes on You and dig deep into Your Word, You will transform me just as You transformed Jacob. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!”

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. In the early years of his life, Jacob was a schemer and deceiver, manipulating people and things to get what he wanted. Do you have someone like Jacob in your life? Are you yourself like Jacob? What sobering truth does God give us in Galatians 6:7 and 8 that should move us to pray for God’s mercy for anyone in Jacob’s shoes? (Also consider Job 4:8, Proverbs 22:8, and Luke 6:38.)

2. The fact that the Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel is quite remarkable. Can you think of anyone else in Scripture whose name was changed? Consider the people in these passages. What do you think the significance and purpose behind their name changes is?

• Genesis 17:1-8, 15, 16
• Judges 6:28-32
• 2 Samuel 12:24,25
• Matthew 16:17,18

3. What does Jesus Himself say in Revelation 2:17 and 3:12 that He will do in the future for you as you live your life to bring Him glory? How does this encourage you?