Throughout Scripture, names were given to described the character or nature of the individual. Each name selected was carefully chosen. One of the noted examples in Scripture was Jacob whose name means “supplanter” or manipulator:
Genesis 25:24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.
25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.
26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Supplanter often refers to governments and rulers of countries, and it comes from the verb supplant, which evolved from the Latin supplantare, meaning "to trip up or to overthrow"; one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another.
By holding on to Esau’s heel, Jacob was viewed as trying to overtake Esau during birth and coming out of the womb first. The first one out was to receive the birthright of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob attempted to become the inheritor by his own fleshly, carnal action. Esau was named in reference to how he looked (red and hairy), Jacob was named by what he did (supplant).
FATHER had told her before their Rebekah before the twins’ birth:
23 And the LORD said to her:
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”
Jacob dwelt in a tent (booth, Tabernacle) whereas Esau was a skillful hunter in the field, one who could provide for himself. There is much said of how Jacob would manipulate others (such as Esau) and he reaped what he sowed when he met Laban. Laban manipulated Jacob for an extra 14 years when Jacob desired to marry his daughter Rachel. Jacob finally flees from Laban and has an encounter with the Face of FATHER. He wrestled with the angel all night and ultimately Jacob had a character change. Afterward, in Genesis 32:
28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”
And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
In order for your name to be changed, your nature must change. The time of manipulation and lawlessness is at an end. FATHER has chosen those who have given up all to become perfected IN HIM. They are submitting to a full character change which includes stripping off the old man, behold all things are new. As this is happening, a name change is in order:
Isaiah 61:6
But you shall be named the priests of the LORD,
They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast.
A king reigns and a priest serves. In the past, most people wanted to be king without being a priest. They missed the key ingredient of Love which characteristically serves mankind. I have found that men were willing to preach on just about any subject other than Love. Why? It would make them accountable and responsible to walk in Love. Their carnal nature resisted that path to such a great degree because they truly wanted to be exalted in their knowledge by those who followed their ministry. Instead, they should have been moving their followers to a closer relationship with FATHER, functioning to bridge the gap so that those of less maturity could ultimately develop their own relationship with Our Heavenly Father. The function of the priest is to reconcile and restore, not maintain separation. Puffed up knowledge without Love never truly restores for it maintains a loftiness most can never grasp or attain. It belittles others as it exalts itself.
Let our nature be fully changed into HIS nature and let us be worthy of the name change to “priest” as well as king. Then will we walk in the fullness of HIS Divine Intent of Love.