Jacob to Israel

1Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”

2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

6Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel,^a because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.

8Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died and was buried under the oak outside Bethel. So it was named Allon Bakuth.^b

9After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram,^c God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10God said to him, “Your name is Jacob,^d but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.^e ” So he named him Israel.

11And God said to him, “I am God Almighty^f ; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” 13Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him.

14Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel. (Genesis 35)

Thoughts: There were three things that happened here. 
1) God asked Jacob to go back and he did.
2) Jacob recognized God's blessing and remembered his promise to give back 10%
3) Jacob built an altar to worship God. 

God appeared to the one who had dedicated himself to Him.  He appeared to Him, and blessed him.  God changed his name from Jacob (deceiver) to Israel (Prince of God).  The lesson for us is that if we really get real with God and dedicate ourselves to Him, He will bless us.  

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to give myself to you fully.