1.                  According to the words of the angelic messenger to Miriam (Mary) in Luk 1:33, Yahshua was destined to reign over the house of Ya’aqov for ever.  From this we may conclude that it was Yahweh’s design that those who would become followers of the Messiah would also become part of “the house of Ya’aqov”.   

2.                  Ya’aqov is the well known patriarch who received this name because at his birth he took hold of his brother Esau’s heel.  The Hebrew for “heel” is “aqav” and “aqav” is the root from where “Ya’aqov” is derived.  The word “aqav” has the following meanings in Hebrew: “the heel of the foot, to take by the heel, to restrain (as if holding by the heel or holding back), to come to the latter part or to be on the rear or to be last (like a heel is the latter / last / rear part of one’s body ... and like Ya’aqov was the latter of the two brothers being born); to be the result or the reward of something (that is: happening afterwards); to be crooked or deceitful (as someone acting behind one’s back, like Ya’aqov did on several occasions). 

3.                  What is the meaning of all this for us, followers of the Messiah who is the promised seed of Avraham and also of Ya’aqov ?

3.1       By being connected to the name of Ya’aqov we are reminded that the enemy will bruise the heel of Adam (meaning Satan will do damage to the posterity of Adam, the One - and those - coming afterwards or in the latter days, OR ELSE: Satan will always act subtly and deceitfully, working behind one’s back).  We are, however, also reminded of the fact that the Messiah will bruise the head of the enemy - irrespective of the intensity of the enemy’s efforts (see Bereshit / Gen 3:15).

3.2       The name Ya’aqov is also a reminder of the words of Yermeyahu / Jer 9:4-6: “every brother will supplant (or: “undermine’ = “aqav”) his neighbor, and will walk with slanders. And everyone will deceive his neighbor and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me.”  The same idea is repeated in Tehillim / Ps 41:9: “Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who ate bread with me, Has lifted up his heel (“aqav”) against me” and again in Tehillim / Ps 56:6: “They conspire and lurk, Watching my steps (“aqav”), they are eager to take my life.” 

3.3       Being named with the name of Ya’aqov means that we should always remember that “the heart is deceitful (“aqav”) above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt” and therefore we may also ask: “who can know (the heart)?” (Yermeyahu / Jer 17:9).  The only way, according to the Scriptures, in which we may overcome this weakness, is to make the words of Tehillim / Ps 119:112 one’s own: “I have set my heart to perform your statutes forever, even to the end (“aqav”).

3.4       The name of our ancestor Ya’aqob also serves to remind us that there is a reward waiting on us.   Debarim / Deut 7:12: “It shall happen, if (“aqav”) you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Yahweh your Elohim will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers.”  The opposite, however is also true.  Debarim / Deut 8:20: “As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so shall you perish; if (“aqav”) you wouldn't listen to the voice of Yahweh your Elohim.”  The choices that we make right now, will eventually have certain results, that is, they will lead to good things or bad things happening to us afterwards.