Names, and the origin of the twelve tribes of Israel

The rivalry that the Bible predicts,  when a  man marries two sisters (Leviticus 18:18),  is captured well in the names of Jacob's sons. Leah bore Reuben (who sees the son) because ”The LORD has surely looked on my affliction;” Simeon (heard) “because the LORD has heard I'm unloved;” Levi (associated with him) because “now my husband will become attached to me;”  Judah (the praise of the Lord) because “now I will praise the LORD.“ Then she stopped bearing.

Rachel was barren and envied Leah. So she gave Jacob her maid Bilhah.  She bore him  Dan (judgment) because  “God has judged my case,” and  Naphtali  (that struggles) because “with great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and  prevailed.”  Not to be outdone Leah gave Jacob her maid Zilpah.  She  bore  Gad (a troop) because “a troop comes;” and Asher (happiness) because  “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.”  God then listened to Leah, and she bore Issachar (reward)  “because I have given my maid to my husband;” and Zebulon (dwelling) because “now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” Then God remembered Rachel,  listened to her and opened her womb.  And she bore Joseph (increase) because “God has taken away my reproach” (Genesis 29:31-30:24). Much later Rachel would bear Benjamin (35:18). And of course, the twelve tribes of Israel are named after these twelve son of Jacob.  

So what's in a name?  In Hebrew,  names represent identity not just a way to distinguish one from another, they are said in some sense to be prophetic,  even if we don't recognize that.  Jacob lived up to his name as supplanter.   Nabal means fool,  senseless and we read  “For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him” (1 Samuel 25:25)! The saying “sticks and stone may break my bones but words (names) can never hurt me” is a lie. They don't have to hurt us, but the default is that they do. The Scripture tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:1).  A word of encouragement can keep us moving forward, condemnation can trip us up.  If this is true of ordinary words,  how much more do names which are repeated over and over.

Over and over in the Bible we see that the heroes are given new names at significant turning points in their lives. Abram  becomes Abraham the father of many nations when he finally embraced faith (17:5), Jacob would become Israel meaning “who prevails with God” because “you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” (32:18).  In Revelation 2:17 we read “To him who overcomes I will give .... a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” God calls believers saints (holy ones i.e. Romans 1:7), and “Christian” means little Christ.  If negative names are not to hurt us, we need to believe more what God calls us thank what others call us!

Lord Jesus, most of us recoil at being called saints, but You see the end from the beginning, and You see us as the best possible version of ourselves that we can be, and then You call us to live up to it. It is a high calling, and we cannot do it without You, but with You, by Your Grace, all things are possible. Help us Lord to believe what You say about us in Your precious Name Amen