Month: September 2010

A New Name

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.” Genesis 32:28

Jacob was a deceiver by name and nature. He purchased his brother Esau’s birthright at a time of Esau’s weakness and, with his mother’s help, stole the blessing Isaac wanted to give Esau. He himself was deceived by his uncle Laban into marrying Leah before marrying Rachael.

The Lord had met with Jacob at Bethel when he left the land promised in the Lord’s covenant with Abraham and again in Haran to send him back. At the ford of Jabbok the Lord came to Jacob again. Jacob was so self-­sufficient that he resisted the Lord until the Lord made him lame. Some of us are so stubborn in our own self-­realisation that this is the only way we will fully depend on the Lord. Only then was Jacob ready to re-enter the land of promise. Now that he was wholly surrendered to the Lord the Lord gave him a new name – Israel.

As his grandfather Abraham had done, Jacob purchased a parcel of land and built an altar to worship the Lord. He called the place, “God, the God of Israel.” This was the first occasion that the land of promise was called Israel and it stuck. Soon after this his sons referred to the place as Israel (Genesis 34:7).

It was only after the Lord had gotten His way with Jacob that Jacob received a new name. When the Lord has his way with us we are also known by a new name. We are told that we will be given a new personal name (Revelation 2:17) and also have our Lord’s name written on us (Revelation 3:12; 22:4).

The new name Jacob received meant Prince with God and was descriptive of his life after this meeting. Our new names may also be descriptive of our life since yielding to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

Fervent Prayer

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

The apostle Paul writes, “you are restricted by your own affections” (2 Corinthians 6:12). Determining what our “own affections” are must therefore be a useful exercise. Where our thoughts go when not otherwise occupied is one means of insight in this regard. Another is to reflect on our prayers.

There are many possibilities but as an example and thought starter let us consider just three; health, weather and government. This should give us a means of evaluating all affections.

Concerning health we note that there are a number of people in the Bible who prayed concerning health issues. However, none of those people are alive today so presumably they all died from some other cause and therefore their healing was only of a temporary nature.

If we consider the prayers of the Apostles we will notice that their prayers had to do with spiritual health. They prayed for the salvation of people, their spiritual growth and their maturity in Jesus Christ.

Concerning the weather we note that there are few prayers in the Bible. Elijah did pray for rain but we should take into account that he also prayed that it would not rain for 3½ years.

We are commanded to pray for our daily food (Matthew 6:11) yet it often pleased God not to provide for the ungodly. The prayers of the Apostles are that men would receive the Bread of Life which is for their eternal souls.

Concerning government we are asked to pray for those in government. In a country where we have democratically elected government we get the government we collectively ask for. If we want godly men in leadership they must be elected by the people. If we want godly government we need more godly voters and that means more effective evangelism.

James knew the human heart when he wrote, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). We should look at our motivation for the things we pray. Is it for things eternal (spiritual health, spiritual food and Christ’s leadership) or for things earthly and temporal? It isn’t wrong to pray for the temporal things and there is plenty of precedent and command in the Bible that affirms we should but we should not neglect the weightier matters that are eternal.

Let us be fervent in prayer for the spiritual health and maturity of believers; that they would be nourished by spiritual food (the Word of God) and that God would enable us to lead men and women, boys and girls to Jesus Christ.

Lasting Peace

“When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

The “they” and “them” in this verse is Israel but it also has application to the unbelieving world. The apostle Paul is writing concerning “The Day of the Lord.” It is a day that will most certainly come. It is the time culminating in Jesus returning in all His glory. Paul looked forward to this day with great anticipation and joy.

Who of us can remember an American president who did not try to bring peace in the Middle East? Ever since Israel declared nationhood in 1948 there has been no lasting peace. At best there has been a cessation of hostilities for brief periods. The current attempts to bring peace in the Middle East will not bring lasting peace. We who are “sons of light and sons of day” (v 5) know that there will come a day when peace will be declared between Israel and the surrounding nations. However, it will not last.

Daniel prophecies, “Then he [the Antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week [of years; i.e. 7 years]; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (Daniel 9:27). In Revelation six John records Jesus’ prophecies concerning this same period. In verse two the Antichrist conquers by the threat of war (bow, no arrows) but later (verse 4) he conquers with violence.

Will the current talks bring peace to Israel? At best we can expect a reduction or lull in hostilities. Will these talks lead to the commencement of “the Day of the Lord?” Only hindsight will reveal that.

The Bible says that Israel will have a peace declared by world leaders but that it will be broken after a short while. Only when the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, appears will there be lasting peace in Israel and the world. We do not look for presidents to bring peace on earth because they are unable to change the hearts of men. Only Jesus can bring peace to a person’s heart and only then to nations.

There is a time coming, perhaps very soon, when in the false belief that it is safe and secure Israel will neglect its defences and then sudden destruction will come. But it will not be complete because Jesus Christ will not permit that. He will come again.