Genesis 32; Esther 8; Mark 3; Romans 3
Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau. He had already sent all his family across the Jabbok in droves to divide them up thinking if Esau killed one drove that the others might escape. Now, he was alone. Jacob hadn't been alone much for twenty years. Since he took a wife he had had a companion during the night watches. He had left Canaan alone and traveled to Padanaram alone. During one of those times, he had dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven. Now a man came to him while he was alone. Who was this man? The Bible tells us that he wrestled with an angel:
Hosea 12:4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.
Jacob tells us that he saw God face to face:
Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
God came to Jacob as the Angel of the Lord and wrestled with him all night. This struggle was a picture of Jacob's relationship with God for his whole life. He was Jacob, the supplanter, the one who got his way by trickery and deceit. From the womb he had been trying to get ahead of his brother as he grabbed him by the heel. He traded him out of his birth-right and cheated him out of his blessing. He made deals with God. Now as he wrestled with God, the angel touched his hip and crippled him. Yet, Jacob would not let go.
Genesis 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Here is the tenacity of Jacob. He greatly desired God's blessing. God would give it, but he wanted to transform Jacob's character. God wanted to make Jacob into a new man. God renamed him Israel there because he had power with God and with men and prevailed. A new name and a new nature!
God brought Jacob to a point of surrender. He could not win, but he would not let go. Would you have that kind of tenacity? Would you take hold upon God and not let go until he blesses you? Would you allow God to transform your character and so change you that you have a new name?
If you will, you may walk away with a limp like Jacob. The greatest wrestling match we will ever have is when we face God alone and allow him to transform us.
In Christ,
Rody
