Wrestling With God

Genesis 32:23-32 Jacob wrestles with God and prevails. He leaves limping; a reminder of his encounter and total dependence on God. God changes his name from Jacob (deceiver, supplanter, one who seizes), to Israel (one who prevails with God).

 

Backstory of Jacob

  • Grandson of Abraham (“God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”)
  • Inherited the promise of blessing through Abraham
  • A life riddled with difficulty, deception, and despair
  • Conflict with twin brother from the womb
  • Tricks his brother out of his birthright
  • Deceives his father before he dies
  • Runs away from home in fear for his life
  • Marries someone he didn’t intend to marry
  • Constantly on the run
  • Has no place to call “home”

 

How should we respond when we’re facing adversity? (Hosea 12:3-6)

Come back to God

  • Jacob moves to Bethel (Genesis 35)
  • Bethel is the place where he met God for the first time when he ran for his life away because his brother was going to kill him
  • Jacob repented, purified himself, and came full circle back to God

 

Act with love and justice

  • Jacob’s demeanor towards his brother reflected a change of heart
  • As Jacob, he was a supplanter, one who seizes; he was literally born clasping at his brother’s heel and fighting for his blessing
  • Now as Israel, he has prevailed with God
  • After Jacob wrestles with God he meets his brother and makes amends
  • He humbled himself, acted with love and justice towards his brother
  • When we’re struggling there’s a temptation to think of ourselves rather than to serve others but God’s way is through love and servanthood

 

Always depend on God

  • Jacob had always fought for his own blessing
  • In wrestling with God he learned to depend on God; no longer could he be steady on his feet without that reminder
  • Another version says “Wait on God continually”
  • We don’t like to wait, especially when we’re struggling
  • Jacob waited for God before he made a move, he waited on God for a wife, he waited for God to send him back to Bethel, he waited on God’s provision during a worldwide famine, he waited for God to send him to the land of Egypt, he waited for God to reunite him with his son, Joseph
  • Jacob depended on God to fulfill his promise rather than trying to seize it himself; we need to depend on God as well