Jake The Snake Wrestles God

Jake The Snake Wrestles God

Gen 32:21-32

I grew up watching Pro Wrestling. It was fake way back then, and it’s even more fake now. But I would have never told my daddy that. Me and Daddy used to have a ringside seat beside our black and white t.v. set on Sat’s at 6:00. And chances were that before the matches were over, Daddy would end up down in the floor hollering, and screaming and saying words that I can’t repeat, and threatening to throw our only t.v out the window.

One time my brother in law decided that Daddy, and I should go to a live match in Atlanta. He got us tickets to the matches at the Civic Auditorium in Atlanta. Now Daddy was serious about his wrestling, and he was even more serious about it if he’d been drinking.........Daddy sit pretty calmly in his seat until his favorite wrestler got hit in the head with a chair, and daddy went beserk. He charged toward the ring, and it was all that Johnny, myself, and the security guards could do to keep him off of Nick Bockwinkle !

This morning we’re looking at a wrestling match which takes place in the Bible.

In one corner you have Jacob or better known as "Jake the Snake" who is one dirty wrestler. He hits below the belt.....he’ll steal from his own brother to get what he wants ! And in the other corner.......you have God...........He is the champion. He knows all of Jake’s moves, and has quite a few of his own !

How many of you have ever been to a wrestling match ? Ever did any wrestling ? Well.....can I tell you that we all have.......and in fact.........we’re probably all wrestling with somethings this morning.......and possibly wrestling with God over some issues. In fact, if we look at this main event between "Jake the Snake and God" we can probably visualize ourself in the ring with God !

Now let’s take a blow by blow look at this match between Jake & God........First let’s

I. Notice The Road To Jacob’s Wrestling With God.

a. The wrestling commenced in labor.

Actually it began before birth. Jacob and Esau his twin brother were "duking" it out in their mother’s womb. Later when they were born, Esau came first, but Jacob actually grabbed his brother by the heel as if to pull him back in an effort to be the firstborn which was a position of prominence in the Hebrew family. Jacob was given his name because of this action. His name means "supplanter, schemer, cheater, or one who grabs from behind"

b. The wrestling continued in life.

The boys grew up. Esau became a skilful hunter, while Jacob became a shepherd dwelling in tents. One day Esau had been out hunting. As he returned from the field, he came upon Jacob who was boiling some soup. Esau asked for some of the soup because he was hungry. Now that’s a pretty simple request isn’t it ? I mean.......a brother is hungry........you’ve got soup.........you give him some soup right ? Well......nothing is that easy for Jacob ! He’s looking to do business........to make a deal...........he’s not through with grabbing Esau by the heel.

I tell you what I’ll do Esau. I’ll sell you some soup for your birthright ! Well Esau responds.......what could is a birthright if I starve to death ? You’ve got a deal ! So Jacob wrestled from his brother his birthright !

The birthright gave him the right to be the spiritual leader of the family, a respected position, an honored position. The birthright gave him the right to carry the seed of the Messiah, and it gave him a double portion of the inheritance of his father.

Pretty dirty wrestler this Jake the Snake isn’t he ? But he’s not through, he’s still got some moves, and holds that he hasn’t used yet ! Listen to what he does next......

Isaac the father of Jake, and Esau is old, almost totally blind, and is near death. Isaac loves venison especially the way that Esau prepares it. He calls for Esau, and asks him to go hunting, and then to prepare some savory meat from his kill, and then he will give him his blessing before he dies. So Esau takes his weapons, and heads to the fields hunting. In the meantime, Rebekah, the mother of Esau, and Jake, overhears the conversation between Esau, and his father. Now Rebekah has a favorite.......it’s Jake, and she wants Jake to get Esau’s blessing, so she comes up with this new wrestling move for Jake. She prepares some savory meat.......dressses Jake up in Esau’s garments, and has Jake pretend to be Esau. And so, Jake wrestles away the blessing from Esau. He now has Esau’s birthright, and his blessing !