A few years ago I had the priviledge of being at the bedside of someone a few days before he died.

I had met him once a few years before and was aware of his reputation.

Amongst those present at the bedside were his grandsons.

The scene was reminiscent of the account in Genesis 48 and 49 of Jacob blessing his sons / grandsons.
I wonder how long that bedside scene went on for - days, weeks?
At one point we read that his son (Joseph) was displeased with his father (Genesis 48:17).
I wonder if Joseph was thinking "oh dear Dad's mind is going again - how long can this go on"!

At that bedside the old man's mind was confused and I wondered "how long can this go on".
From time to time he would rally, bless his grandsons and smile when he mentioned the name Jesus.
There is no earthly record of those blessings.
Does not matter, they are recorded in the court of protection in Heaven.

Which brings me onto the matter of names for the similarity of that old man with Jacob does not end with him blessing his grandsons from his deathbed.

The name Jacob means "trickster, supplanter, heel grabber' which describes Jacob's early life and ironically how he obtained the blessing which should have gone to his older (twin) brother. Earlier I mentioned I was aware of this man's reputation - like Jacob it was not very good!

After an encounter with God God changed Jacob's name to 'Israel' meaning "he who wrestles with God".
Afterwards the names of Jacob and Israel appear almost at random - but this could be a reflection that at times the old ways tried to reassert themselves like Paul describes in Romans 7 ending with the plea "Oh wretched man that I am, who will rescue me...".

That dying man in the bed also had had an encounter with God and the death bed scene of blessing was more than his offspring / grandsons could dream or imagine.

Are you a Jacob or an Israel?
What legacy do you want to leave your descendants?
That old man left nothing in this world - except the blessings he gave from his death bed.