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[Fan 101]

Why is Israel the name of a biblical character? Why is his name given as "Israel" but not his other name? Israel means "contends with God."

[jimwalton]

In the Bible, Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was a self-willed mama's boy who was a manipulative survivor and a deceiver. He brought those traits to his relationships, his business dealings, and his relationship with God. God planned to bless him, but first needed to break him (like a wild horse) so that he was trainable.

After Jacob lied to his father and cheated his brother out of the family blessing, he left home and settled in with Laban, who was also a cheater. The two of them manipulated and cheated each other for a number of years until Jacob was finally asked to leave, which he did (with 2 wives, 2 concubines, and 12 children, along with a fortune's worth of flocks).

God met him on the road and knew this was a good time for a training session. Jacob and God wrestled through the night (Jacob had been "wrestling" with God for years), and Jacob was finally forced to yield to God. As a result, God changed his name to Israel: "God may strive for you; God will rule; Let God rule; May God persevere." The new name showed God's mercy and grace, Jacob's strength, and a new goal for Jacob's life.

Through the rest of life he was known by both names, and in the list of patriarchs he is still called Jacob. But his descendants are called the children of Israel because it shows them as children of the covenant, the descendants of God's contention with them and His blessing.