Owned

Nothing compares to God. He is Omnipresent, (always everywhere). Omniscient (all knowing). Omnipotent (all powerful). He is transcendent (he is beyond and above us and our understanding of this world)

But as strange as it may seem, God’s Win-Loss record seems not clean.

Because there’s a man by the name of Jacob who claimed to have seen God face to face, was in a wrestling match with God, and even defeated God.

Jacob the manipulator, cheater, deceiver, OWNED (defeated) God in a wrestling match.

This famous and enigmatic story of being locked in a wrestling match with God, has provoked much critique and discussion.

----------------------- TEXT BACKGROUND -----------------------------

• Jacob suffered from inferiority and was always looking for validation as a man. (If he lives today, he must be active in social media craving for compliments, trying to be controversial to gain reaction, exaggerating things to gain compliments or sympathy)

o He was grabbing his twin brother Esau’s knee when they were born. As if he was trying to pull Esau back into the womb so that he would be the firstborn.

o When they were older, Jacob stole Esau’s birth right using a bowl of lentil soup and became the second in command in the family.

o Together with his mother Rebekah, Jacob executed a clever plot to deceive the old and turning blind Isaac to bless him instead of Esau.

• Since then, Esau has always hated Jacob and has always wanted to kill him.

• Jacob fled to his uncle Laban, Rebekah’s brother in Harran

• Eventually he went to Paddan Aram as instructed by Isaac.

• After many years of being a sojourner (migrant), Jacob prepares to go back to Canaan, the land of his father and relatives, as instructed by the Lord.

• Jacob prepares to meet Esau,

o To pacify his brother’s anger, Jacob sent his messengers ahead of him to give animals and servants to Esau.

o The messenger returned saying Esau is coming to meet Jacob together with 400 hundred men.

o Jacob sees this as a plot to kill him and wipe his descendants off on Earth.

• As a result, Jacob in his acceptance of a probable defeat, he divided his entourage into two so that if Esau comes and attacks one of the groups, the other group can escape.

----------------------- REFLECTION -----------------------------

Who are you in the story?

• Are you one of the characters witnessing the cheating and deceiving takes place?

o Have you seen a brother, or a sister being mistreated lately?

• Are you Esau, who have been cheated, robbed, wronged with?

o Can you relate how they felt? Were you reminded of someone who taken advantage of you and you care now is to get even?

• Are you Jacob, who is a manipulator, deceiver, cheater, ruthless?

o You are haunted by your past mistake. You have not been true to others around you. You have not been true to yourself. You seek validation.

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Stay in the story and continue to use all your senses. What can you see, what can you feel? Because this part of the story is quite fascinating and powerful.

It all happened at night until daybreak

- In great distress, Jacob got up at night

- Jacob took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River.

- Jacob was shortly left alone, separated from the rest. (Perhaps he was ensuring that no one was left behind).

----------------------- MAIN VERSE -----------------------------

Genesis 32:24-30 NIV

24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

25 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.

26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.

28 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.”

29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Before I continue, let me clear a few questions that might be running in your mind now.

<Who is the Man?>

Genesis 32:25 NIV 25 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.