Genesis 35:21

Genesis 35:21 says, And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.  Jacob is now identified as Israel.  He had been told of the name change twice, but until now, he had still been identified as Jacob.  Even though we become a new person when we become a follower of Christ, even though we don't get a new name, it may take some time for other people to recognize the change in us.  That does not mean that the change should not be immediate, but only that others may not immediately recognize it.  Verse twenty-two states, And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:  Israel stopped moving.  When he did, one of his sons, Reuben, had sexual relations with Bilhah, Israel's concubine, or mistress as we would say today.  Bilhah once again likely had little choice in the matter.  Israel had twelve sons, and we see that they were far from perfect.  Even though we are to lead them to a personal relationship with God, we cannot make our children follow Him.  Verse twenty-three states, The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:  As we know, Leah had six sons, of which Reuben was the oldest, and he was also Jacob's oldest son.  Dinah was not mentioned.  Though Rueben was the first born son, he was not the son preferred by Jacob.  This fact in itself may have led to some problems.  We cannot allow ourselves to show preference between our children.  Verse twenty-four adds, The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:  Though they were not the next in the birth order, Rachel two sons are listed next.  We know that Joseph, Rachel's first born, though the tenth child born, was the favorite of his father.  Verse twenty-five continues, And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:  Bilhah was the person that Rueben slept with, the mother of two of his half-brothers.  Verse twenty-six concludes, And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.  These were the twelve sons of Jacob.  Verse twenty-seven declares, And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.  Jacob now returned to his father, whom when he had last seen him, Jacob had cheated him into blessing him.  I believe that the reason that Jacob is still referred to as Jacob instead of Israel is because Isaac would have still seen him the same way.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.  Isaac had been old when Jacob left, and he died soon after Jacob's return, at the age of one hundred and eighty.  Even though he lived a long life, we are not told of anything that he did for most of his life.  When we reach the end of our lives as followers of Christ hopefully people will be able to speak of the things that we have done for God.  We do not need a stopping point where we do nothing else.  Verse twenty-nine concludes, And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.  As just discussed, Isaac died, being old and full of days.  Esau and Jacob buried him, having now made peace with each other.