All Israel Will Be Saved (Part 2 of 3)

DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE NAMES JACOB AND ISRAEL IN THE TANAK
 
Although the names Israel and Jacob are both used in the Hebrew text for the second son of Isaac, a close examination of scripture reveals a distinction in the use of the names. Israel is most frequently used in reference to the believing and spiritual filled condition of the Patriarch, while Jacob is more often used in reference to the original undegenerated man.
 
An example of this contrast comes from the Torah Club. When Jacob’s sons brought news to him that Joseph was still alive, the Patriarch did not initially believe and was referred to as “their father Jacob,” (Gen 45:25). As Jacob came to believe that Joseph was alive, “The spirit of their father Jacob revived. Israel said, ‘It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive,’” (Gen 45:28). Joseph is a type of Christ, the suffering Messiah and Jacob is a picture of the nation of Israel. As long as the Patriarch thought Joseph was dead, he is called “Jacob”. However, as soon as Jacob believes that Joseph is alive, his spirit is revived and he is referred to as “Israel”.
 
This interchange follows a pattern in scripture for the Patriarch. Genesis Chapter 37 begins, “Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. These are the records of the generations of Jacob,” (Gen 37:1-2). The passage then switches to the story of Joseph saying, “Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons,” (Gen 37:3). When speaking of Joseph, a type of Christ, the Patriarch is referred to as “Israel,” as written, “Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them,’” (Gen 37:13).
 
Shortly thereafter, the brothers of Joseph sold him into slavery. To cover the truth, they slaughtered a male goat and dipped Joseph’s tunic in blood to deceive their father into believing that Joseph is dead. We know that the Patriarch immediately believed that Joseph was dead because scripture records, “So Jacob tore his clothes,” (Gen 37:34). In the span of thirty-one verses, the Patriarch has gone from the believing and loving father “Israel”, to the grieving and unbelieving father “Jacob” who accepts Joseph as dead. The name “Israel” does not appear again in scripture until the family re-establishes their relationship with Joseph, “The sons of Israel came to buy grain among those were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also. Now Joseph was the ruler over the land,” (Gen42:5-6).
 
The Patriarch remained as Jacob until he learned that Joseph was alive, (Gen 45:28). The believing Patriarch then set out for Egypt, “Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac,” (Gen 46:1). Although referred to as Israel, the passage reflects some unbelief or concern on the part of the Patriarch by saying he offered sacrifices to “the God of his father Isaac,” but not saying to “the God of Israel”. Outwardly, the Patriarch doubted, whether or not his trip to Egypt was part of God’s plan. His doubting was reinforced by the next verse which contrasts both names, “God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there,” (Gen 46:2-3). Although referred to as “Israel”, God addressed the Patriarch as “Jacob, Jacob”.
 
Calling the Patriarch “Jacob, Jacob” appears to run contrary to an earlier verse is scripture, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob; But Israel shall be your name,” (Gen 33:10). The Sages have various explanations for God calling the Patriarch, “Jacob, Jacob”. The Zohar stated that the repetition of the name was “intended to animate his spirit and spur him on.” Radak offers, “God now called his name twice so that he should truly understand that it was a Prophetic Spirit that was summoning him.” Artscroll summarizes the event this way,
 
“God had given Jacob the name Israel and that name is used three times in this section (verses 46:1, 2, and 5), but, in addressing him now, God calls him Jacob. This implies that during his forthcoming stay in Egypt he would not ‘contend with God and man and triumph’, as the name Israel intimates, rather he would be in a house of bondage until God will bring him back…The family is given a name alluding to their future growth in Egypt ‘children of Israel’, but the father, who would not live to share that happy fate, is called Jacob.”
 
From this point onward in scripture, the nation will be referred to as “the sons of Israel”, but the Patriarch will be referred to as “Jacob”, “the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and the wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him,” (Gen 46:5). One exception to this pattern occurred when the Patriarch came into the presence of Joseph:
 
“Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel” (Gen 46:29), “Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive” (Gen 46:30), “When the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph” (Gen 47:29), “When it was told to Jacob, ‘Behold, your son Joseph has come to you,’ Israel collected his strength and sat up in the bed” (Gen 48:2), “Israel saw Joseph’s sons” (Gen 48:8, 48:10, 48:11, 48:14, 48:21), “Listen to Israel your father” (Gen 49:7), “So the physicians embalmed Israel,” (Gen 50:2).
 
In the presence of Joseph, the savior of Israel and a pattern of the Messiah, the Patriarch is revived and referred to as Israel. Apart from Joseph, the Patriarch remains Jacob. The Patriarch is seen to pass from this world in a state of belief, “So the physicians embalmed Israel.”
 
Scott