WRESTLING WITH GOD: JACOB
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Wrestling with God
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;”
a) There are times in life when we are faced with situations that seem dark; Situations that cause us to question our faith in the promises that we have received from God’s Word. Sometimes we struggle with circumstances in the world that cause us to be distracted away from God as we try to battle and win by our own efforts. Even struggles with our own flesh can become a battle that causes us to focus more on our internal war than on God. But our struggle should not be with these things for the battle is the Lord’s. Our struggle should be focused on holding on to God and His Word no matter how dark, and no matter how hopeless, the situation seems. Clinging to God with all perseverance is a part of loving Him.
2. Jacob
a) The Bible tells us about an experience that Jacob had when he faced a situation that caused him great fear. Years before this Jacob had tricked his older brother, Esau, out of his birthright. Esau became very angry and plotted to murder Jacob. Jacob then fled from Esau to another land and stayed with his uncle Laban. While there Jacob married wives, and had children. He also had become wealthy with livestock because God had blessed him. Now Jacob was returning to his father’s land with all that God had given to him. He was about to come face to face with his brother Esau for the first time since he had deceived and fled from him. Jacob sent messengers ahead to greet Esau and to see if Esau still wanted to murder him.
Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed…(Genesis 32:6-7)
b) Esau coming to meet Jacob with four hundred men caused Jacob to have great fear. The situation did not look good for him and his family. But Jacob prayed to God and he reminded God of His promises to him.
Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'” (Genesis 32:9-12)
c) Then Jacob sent his wives, children, and servants out of the camp. This was probably to hide them in case they were attacked. So Jacob was left alone in the camp that night. Then a man came and wrestled with Jacob.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:24-31)
d) At first Jacob may have thought that he was being attacked by one of Esau’s men. How often in the darkness of a challenge do we fail to recognize God at work in our lives? We blame the devil, we blame other people, we blame fate; ignoring the fact that God is in control even when bad things happen. But as the light of dawn began to reveal the truth Jacob realized that he was wrestling with God. (Many Bible scholars believe that Jacob was actually wrestling with Jesus.)
e) God saw that Jacob was determined with his whole heart and all of his strength to hold on to God. Then God injured him. Why? So that He could bless him. God humbled Jacob into total dependence upon God. Why, because God gives His grace to the humble. Humility is the revelation of our own weaknesses and our desperate need for God. It is when we are humble that God can trust us with His strength, and with His blessing.
f) With a hip out of socket Jacob was easy prey without God’s help. Now Jacob was ready to receive the blessing, now Jacob was ready to fully trust in God to fight his battles. God gave Jacob favor with Esau and their meeting went well.
g) But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. (Genesis 33:4)
h) When facing problems, temptations, and sufferings it is far better to focus our strength on clinging to God rather than trying to overcome by our own strength. In order for us to fail and give in to problems, temptations, and sufferings we must first loosen our grip on God and even turn away from Him. In order for us to have success God’s way we must cling to Him with all of our strength and perseverance until He commands His blessing upon us.
i) Trials in life try to distract our attention away from God. When our attention is turned away from God we are then also pulled away from God. But the real purpose for the trials that we go through are to perfect perseverance in us, which is the ability to cling to God in every circumstance without letting go.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)
j) Patience means cheerful endurance.
The End ...
1. Wrestling with God Deuteronomy 30:19-20
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;”
a) There are times in life when we are faced with situations that seem dark; Situations that cause us to question our faith in the promises that we have received from God’s Word. Sometimes we struggle with circumstances in the world that cause us to be distracted away from God as we try to battle and win by our own efforts. Even struggles with our own flesh can become a battle that causes us to focus more on our internal war than on God. But our struggle should not be with these things for the battle is the Lord’s. Our struggle should be focused on holding on to God and His Word no matter how dark, and no matter how hopeless, the situation seems. Clinging to God with all perseverance is a part of loving Him.
2. Jacob
a) The Bible tells us about an experience that Jacob had when he faced a situation that caused him great fear. Years before this Jacob had tricked his older brother, Esau, out of his birthright. Esau became very angry and plotted to murder Jacob. Jacob then fled from Esau to another land and stayed with his uncle Laban. While there Jacob married wives, and had children. He also had become wealthy with livestock because God had blessed him. Now Jacob was returning to his father’s land with all that God had given to him. He was about to come face to face with his brother Esau for the first time since he had deceived and fled from him. Jacob sent messengers ahead to greet Esau and to see if Esau still wanted to murder him.
Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed…(Genesis 32:6-7)
b) Esau coming to meet Jacob with four hundred men caused Jacob to have great fear. The situation did not look good for him and his family. But Jacob prayed to God and he reminded God of His promises to him.
Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'” (Genesis 32:9-12)
c) Then Jacob sent his wives, children, and servants out of the camp. This was probably to hide them in case they were attacked. So Jacob was left alone in the camp that night. Then a man came and wrestled with Jacob.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. (Genesis 32:24-31)
d) At first Jacob may have thought that he was being attacked by one of Esau’s men. How often in the darkness of a challenge do we fail to recognize God at work in our lives? We blame the devil, we blame other people, we blame fate; ignoring the fact that God is in control even when bad things happen. But as the light of dawn began to reveal the truth Jacob realized that he was wrestling with God. (Many Bible scholars believe that Jacob was actually wrestling with Jesus.)
e) God saw that Jacob was determined with his whole heart and all of his strength to hold on to God. Then God injured him. Why? So that He could bless him. God humbled Jacob into total dependence upon God. Why, because God gives His grace to the humble. Humility is the revelation of our own weaknesses and our desperate need for God. It is when we are humble that God can trust us with His strength, and with His blessing.
f) With a hip out of socket Jacob was easy prey without God’s help. Now Jacob was ready to receive the blessing, now Jacob was ready to fully trust in God to fight his battles. God gave Jacob favor with Esau and their meeting went well.
g) But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. (Genesis 33:4)
h) When facing problems, temptations, and sufferings it is far better to focus our strength on clinging to God rather than trying to overcome by our own strength. In order for us to fail and give in to problems, temptations, and sufferings we must first loosen our grip on God and even turn away from Him. In order for us to have success God’s way we must cling to Him with all of our strength and perseverance until He commands His blessing upon us.
i) Trials in life try to distract our attention away from God. When our attention is turned away from God we are then also pulled away from God. But the real purpose for the trials that we go through are to perfect perseverance in us, which is the ability to cling to God in every circumstance without letting go.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)
j) Patience means cheerful endurance.
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