God changed Jacob's name to Israel at his salvation to show he was no longer the deceiver but a prince with God.
Les Feldick teaches that Jacob's all-night wrestling with the Lord was the moment of his true salvation. Because Jacob was now a new man in God, God gave him a new name—Israel, meaning 'a prince with God.' This name change also begins a biblical distinction: 'Jacob' points to the natural, unbelieving side of the nation, while 'Israel' points to the spiritual, believing remnant.
Genesis 32:27-28 — This is the exact text where God changes Jacob's name to Israel and gives the reason: he has power with God.
Isaiah 9:8 — Scripture itself uses both names—the word was sent into Jacob but lighted upon Israel—showing the distinction.
In Genesis 32, after wrestling all night, Jacob refuses to let the Lord go until He blesses him. When asked his name, Jacob answers, 'Jacob.' The Lord then tells him, 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed' (Genesis 32:27-28). Isaiah later echoes this distinction: 'The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel' (Isaiah 9:8). Romans 11 also says, 'And so all Israel shall be saved' (Romans 11:26).
Les Feldick teaches that Jacob's wrestling match at Peniel is 'Jacob's true salvation'—the moment Jacob experiences what today we call the new birth (Clip 2, Clip 3). At that point God changes his name from Jacob, the deceiver/supplanter, to Israel, 'the prince with God.' Never again does Scripture record Jacob conniving or cheating; he is a changed man (Clip 1, Clip 4). Les applies his rule that in Scripture we always have first the natural and then the spiritual: Jacob represents the old natural life, while Israel represents the new spiritual identity (Clip 2, Clip 4). Les also teaches that the two names are used for the same nation but are not synonymous. 'Jacob' refers to the nation in its natural, unbelieving condition, while 'Israel' refers to the spiritual element of true believers (Clip 1, Clip 4, Clip 5). This is why Isaiah 9:8 says the Lord sent a word into Jacob—the whole nation—but it lighted upon Israel—the believers who actually heard it (Clip 6, Clip 7). That distinction also explains Romans 11:26. When Paul says 'all Israel shall be saved,' Les says this does not mean every individual Jew without exception; it means every believer in Israel, the believing remnant. As Les points out, Zechariah speaks of only a third being left, and God has always worked with a remnant (Clip 0, Clip 5).
Les says the name Jacob means 'the deceiver' or 'the supplanter,' and it represents the old, natural life of unbelief. Israel means 'the prince with God.' Because Jacob was now a new man in Christ, God gave him a new name reflecting his new spiritual identity (Clip 1, Clip 2, Clip 3, Clip 4).
Isaiah 9:8 says the LORD sent a word into Jacob and it lighted upon Israel. Les explains that the word went to the whole nation, into Jacob, but who heard it? The believers—the spiritual part of Jacob. So 'Jacob' and 'Israel' can be used for the same people nationally, but they are two different aspects of that nation (Clip 1, Clip 6, Clip 7).
Les says many people take Romans 11:26 out of context. He points out that Zechariah says only a third will be left, and all through Israel's history God never got 100%—He always had a remnant. Therefore 'all Israel shall be saved' means all of the believing remnant of Israel, not the whole nation without exception (Clip 0, Clip 5).
All Israel Shall Be Saved
Les shows that 'all Israel shall be saved' does not mean the entire nation because Zechariah says only a third will be left, and God has always preserved a remnant.
From Deceiver to Prince
After Jacob becomes a child of God, God changes his name from the supplanter/deceiver to Israel, 'the prince with God'; the two names describe two aspects of the same nation.
New Birth, New Name
Les identifies the wrestling match as Jacob's true salvation, the new birth, and explains that his new name reflects the new spiritual man.
The Renaming at Peniel
In the wrestling match, Jacob confesses his name—the deceiver—and God tells him he will now be called Israel, 'for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men.'
Jacob vs. Israel
Jacob represents the old life of unbelief and deception, while Israel represents the spiritual side; after his change, Jacob limps but never deceives again.
Israel as the Believing Remnant
Although all descendants are called sons of Jacob, 'Israel' is the spiritual element of true believers, and 'all Israel shall be saved' means every believer in Israel.
The Dividing Line Within the Covenant People
Jacob begins a dividing line among God's covenant people: some remain natural and faithless, while others become spiritual believers—as Isaiah 9:8 shows.
The Word Sent to Jacob Lights on Israel
God sent His word to the whole nation, into Jacob, but it was the believing, spiritual part—Israel—that heard it, demonstrating the same distinction.
Genesis 32:27: And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
Jacob's answer confesses his old identity as the deceiver.
Genesis 32:28: And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
This is the moment of the name change—from Jacob to Israel.
Isaiah 9:8: The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
Scripture uses both names for the same people, showing the word reached the nation but rested on the believing part.
Romans 11:26: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
This verse is often misunderstood; Les uses the Jacob/Israel distinction to explain that 'all Israel' is the believing remnant.
God changed Jacob's name because Jacob was now a new man, saved and transformed. His old name meant 'deceiver' or 'supplanter'; his new name, Israel, meant 'a prince with God' (Clip 1, Clip 2, Clip 3).
No. Les Feldick teaches that the two names are not synonymous even though they refer to the same nation. Jacob points to the natural, unbelieving side, and Israel points to the spiritual, believing side (Clip 1, Clip 4).
God sent His word to the whole nation of Israel, but only the believing spiritual part—called Israel—actually received it (Clip 6, Clip 7).
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