“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” Genesis 32:24
Dear Ones:
The life of Jacob is a most intriguing one to study. It is one of those stories that begins in the womb of his mother, but not just because of the physical birth that was to come. God had told Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, that in her womb were two nations, and that the older of the two sons would serve the younger. It is at the birth of the sons that the physical testimony of the coming accomplishment of God’s declaration will begin to reveal itself. Jacob will be the “supplanter,” that one who will steal Esau’s birthright by lies and deception. He will go on to steal his brother’s blessing from his father. However, soon after, Jacob will be obligated to leave home, travel to Haran, and there seek a wife from his mother’s family. It will be en route to Haran that God will begin to specifically reveal himself to Jacob. The reaction of Jacob to this revelation of God reveals to us something of his character, and need: “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, ‘IF God will be with me, and will keep me in the way…and will give me bread…so that I come again to my father’s house, THEN shall the Lord be MY God.'” (Gen. 28:20,21) Jacob refuses to commit himself to God, surrendering all to God, even after the God of Abraham and Isaac, had promised him “the land,” and the accompanying blessing of God…one that would bless “…all the families of the earth.” (v.14)
Jacob would marry, have children, and acquire wealth. But the day would come, after God had spoken to him to return to his homeland, that Jacob would be faced with the possibility of losing all his possessions, family, and even his own life. Up until this point, he still referred to God as the “God of his father,” but NOT his own God. The nature of Jacob as a manipulator and deceiver, to get out of difficult situations, and to make the best of others, reveals itself so very clearly. It will only be when he is finally alone with absolutely NO answers or solutions to his dilemma of how to escape his brother, that the Lord meets him. The Bible tells us that “….there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day.” (32:24) Jacob is a man who is fighting against God, refusing to surrender himself wholly, and only to God. Christ is that One who is working to break down that resolve of resistance, until Jacob simply cannot resist any more. It is at this point that Jacob sees and understands that He has but one hope. He says to the Lord, with singular resolve and purpose: “I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me.” It is then, when all of his hope is in the God of Abraham, that the Lord changes his name from Jacob to Israel. The supplanter, deceiver, robber and liar, has been saved from himself, as his fight with God has ceased. He has surrendered himself, and all that he has, to Him. As a result, the whole world will be blessed in his seed.
Dear Father, give us grace to not fight with Thee, but to yield to Thy Son as our only hope, and sufficiency for all things. May we be those who live to respond to Thee, having surrendered all to Thee. Strengthen our hearts to believe Thee this day to truly bless us, so that others may truly be blessed. We thank Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad