24So Jacob was left alone, and a This was God Himself (as Jacob eventually realizes in Gen 32:30; see also v 29 and Hosea 12:4), in the form of an angel. Man [came and] wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the Man saw that He had not prevailed against Jacob, He touched his hip joint; and Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him. 26Then He said, “Let Me go, for day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me.” 27So He asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28And He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but “He who strives with God,” or “God strives.” Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.” But He said, “Why is it that you ask My name?” And He declared a blessing [of the covenant promises] on Jacob there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel (the face of God), saying, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life has not been snatched away.” 31Now the sun rose on him as he passed Penuel (Peniel), and he was limping because of his hip. 32Therefore, to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh by the tendon of the hip. Genesis 32:24-31 AMP
Jacob whom we will soon know as Israel may be one of the most complex, misunderstood, AND interesting people in history. In part 1 we were introduced to a “man on the run” who had just deceived his father, and stolen from his brother. At a crossroads in life he has a encounter with God who very oddly makes an oath/covenant with him that he would bless him, his descendants, and all the people of Earth through him after these events! Jacob does the only thing that a person in his position could do at that time…..he chooses to trust God’s word! Let’s catch you up to what has gone on in Jacobs life between part 1 & 2
- Jacob has met and fallen in love with Rachel who is the daughter of his uncle Laban
- Jacob agrees to work for Laban for 7 years to marry Rachel because he doesn’t have the money or resources to pay her bride price/dowry
- Laban deceives Jacob at the end of the 7 years by giving him Leah in marriage instead of Rachel because their custom won’t allow the youngest daughter to marry before the 1st
- Jacob agrees to work for Laban for an additional 7 years in order to marry Rachel, WHILE still being married to Leah
- Jacob fathers 12 sons and 1 daughter while working for Laban, and is also continually deceived and cheated of fair wages by Laban
- God blesses Jacob with the children, 2 wives, servants, and ALOT of cattle/livestock in spite of his unfavorable working conditions
All of these events (and more) have occurred since we last saw Jacob in Genesis 28, and I’m sure that many of us would not still be standing at the end of these events, yet here Jacob is about to have ANOTHER encounter with God. It’s important to note a common theme between Jacob’s experiences with God and many others that we’ll look at in this series; God is able to visit us anytime, but oftentimes we are best able to recognize, hear, and perceive him when we are alone. Notice I did not say desperate, in trouble, or highly emotional, but typically in a silent or still place. God is not moved by our emotions, only by our faith, and HIS word. Jacob had sent his family, servants, and goods ahead of him as he prepared to see his twin brother Esau again for the 1st time in at least 14 years, or since he had stolen his birthright. He found himself again on the banks of a river (The Jordan River, what a coincidence), alone, and afraid because he did not know what lay ahead of him. It was in this moment of not being able to save himself or come up with a con/plan to outwit the situation, that God decides to intervene.
Christophany: appearances of Jesus in bodily form in the Old Testament, prior to his incarnation
https://www.soundcitybiblechurch.com/blog/2016/3/1/is-melchizedek-jesus
It is disputed whether this interaction with Jacob was God in human form, an actual angel, or Jesus who wrestled with Jacob all night before meeting Esau. Regardless of who it was, the purpose was the same, Jacob needed a faith boost, and reminder that he was not in control of the situation. However, his refusal to quit in the midst of the physical struggle was symbolic of his willingness to persevere with God spiritually in spite of what many would consider a perilous situation. God visited Jacob for the 2nd time while he was at a crossroad on what to do, and it would play a direct impact on God’s covenant with him. God’s vow to protect and prosper Jacob was directly related with his upcoming meeting with Esau because it involved forgiveness; he needed to forgive himself and his family because of what had happened earlier, and the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and finally Jacob was located in the area that he had to abandon earlier for safety. If Jacob had not been willing to return home and face his family then he would essentially have been forfeiting God’s blessing for his life and family….much like his brother Esau had done decades earlier when he traded his birthright for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25:27-34). God wouldn’t force Jacob to do anything because that is against God’s character, but he can provide the motivation, or circumstances that can encourage us to choose a particular outcome. The dislocated hip injury that God strikes Jacob with I believe was to remind him for the rest of his life that his own physical or mental abilities alone were not enough, but that God he needed to rely and lean upon God like he would have to do the cane for support and guidance from that point forth.
Israel: He who strives with God,” or “God strives.
Genesis 32:27 AMP
Striving with God is not always a negative thing, it is dependent upon the heart and motives behind it. Jacob who is now known as Israel was committed to enduring and struggling with God until he experienced a breakthrough. When you know the source of your blessings, protection, and gifts, then you are more willing to endure and bear the pains associated with the commitment to the source. Jacob had shown himself approved/worthy of God’s blessings, and therefore God rewarded him for his faith, and the name-change was representative of that. Jacob’s new name as Israel was also a foreshadow of his descendants relationship with God that involved alot of striving, anger, jealousy, deceit, etc, but ultimately was one founded on love. I think we need to revisit Jacob for a part 3 to break down this some more.
Reflection Time
Can you endure with God? Are you willing to struggle with, mourn with, celebrate with, and sometimes even question God, when he is the reason that you find yourself in a particular situation? Do you have any spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical wounds from a battle(s) with God? Are you missing out on your blessing or purpose because you refuse to follow the commands of God which may involve you returning to a place you left in fear or shame, or going to a place of uncertainty? Go to your prayer corner, and do some soul searching and praying for direction/guidance from God as to what he’s telling you to do.
