"Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."
-Genesis 32:28
Before I begin, I want to let you know that this week I'm going to write shorter reflections because I am busy working on a message. In Genesis 32-33 Jacob prepares to leave for his hometown. He is very fearful because he thinks Esau is still angry at him, which is very possible. Jacob deceived Esau twice, stealing the birthright and Isaac's blessing. Jacob tries to devise a way to avoid being killed by Esau. Jacob is so scared he prays to God, but even after praying, he still tries to pacify Esau's anger with many gifts.
In the night, Jacob finds himself alone. A man approaches him, who we know is God, and wrestles with Jacob. God wrestles with Jacob for so long the sun starts to come up. Jacob is able to convince God to bless him, by holding on to God tightly during the wrestling match. God blesses Jacob, changing his name to Israel. As Jacob meets Esau, he is surprised to see that Esau welcomes him with open arms. God protected Jacob by not letting Esau do any harm to him.
The most significant thing I learned in this passage is how God met Jacob. Jacob was a deceiver and continually had struggles in his life. When Jacob was backed into a corner, he always tried to find a way out in his own strength. A question that was brought up in the study was "Why did God meet Jacob by wrestling with him?" The answer is that God wanted to reveal Jacob's flawed thinking. By wrestling with Jacob, God revealed Jacob's self-dependence when struggling with people, Jacob's insignificance in comparison to God, and Jacob's inability to surrender to God. Up till now, Jacob always tried to gain blessings by his own hand. By wrestling with Jacob, God showed him that true blessing comes from God, not from man.
God doesn't have a formula when dealing with us. He met Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in different ways. God knows our character, and He knows how to meet us where we are. Let us pray that we can surrender to God's will and receive true blessing from Him.
-Smart
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