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.
----------------------- TEXT BACKGROUND -----------------------------
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.
Just one touch!
This reveals the man’s extreme power, since a dislocation of a hip joint normally occurs during high-energy impacts.
This also gives Jacob the hint, that this is no ordinary man – but it is God in his manifestation as the Angel of God.
The prophet Hosea confirms it in
Hosea 12:3-4 NIV 3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled with God. 4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there—
Perhaps your question is, how is it possible that God could not prevail in a wrestling match with Jacob? The answer is that – God is assuming human form, and therefore, imposing upon himself the physical limits of a man.
<Why Daybreak?>
If he is God, assuming human form, why is then he demanded that Jacob release his hold, since it is daybreak.
Why is it necessary for Jacob to let loose? Because he is God.
When light comes, and Jacob see God’s face, he will not survive.
Exodus 33:20 NIV But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
<God’s grace>
So think about all these, isn’t this a revelation of God’s grace for us?
God can easily wipe us off on this world. But by his grace, he sent Jesus (the man) to show how “Jacob-like” mankind has been. He allowed Jesus (who assumed human form) to be beaten by “Jacobs” (until He died on the cross). So that our wrenched self if we are blessed we will emerge victorious (in life), and when daybreak comes (the time God will return for judgement), in God’s grace we will be saved.
God answers the mess of life with one word: “Grace” - Max Lucado
----------------------- STAY IN THE GAME -----------------------------
<Stay in the game>
Genesis 32:26 NIV 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.”
Jacob’s hip is already wrenched, yet he stayed in the game.
<Great players>
I remember watching basketball games. Seeing great players who had a broken finger, bruised shoulder, cut near their eyes. No matter how hard the coach convinces them to sit out, they just won’t sit on the side-line and miss the game.
In contrast, oftentimes in life when we are a little hurt, frustrated, disappointed, offended, we just quit.
<The Wall>
“Crisis” that turns our world upside down. We are stuck facing a wall which is made up of events piling up one after the other. And the only way to move forward is to get through it.
The wall possibly appears through
• Infidelities in a seemingly great marriage
• Betrayal of loved ones or someone you consider best friend
• Sudden death of loved ones
• Disappointing church experience
• Dryness in our relationship with God
Instead of quitting, read this,
2 Thessalonians 3:13 NIV 13And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
Don’t turn your back to God because God is the only one who can move us through the Wall. Never get tired of doing good.
Like Jacob, you need to get alone with God, and get rid of all the distraction and noises. Encounter Him. Hear from God. Wrestle with him through your prayer and devotion.
Do not hide from ministry. If your marriage is on the rocks and pretend that nothing is happening and push everything to God.
<Insert Testimony here>
<The story of the bleeding woman>
As Jesus is on his way to a dying girl, the crowds almost crushed him.
Luke 8:43-44 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
The woman is probably desperate as no one can heal her for 12 years. But she pressed on. She braved the crowd, did not stop, until she touched Jesus’ cloak.
Oftentimes it doesn’t make a logical sense. Nevertheless, don’t give up your faith on Jesus.
----------------------- REPENTANCE -----------------------------
<Repentance>
Genesis 32:27-29 NIV 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.
Before proceeding to the blessing, the man inquired about Jacob’s name.
The point is not that the man doesn’t know Jacob, but that Jacob had to know himself. To admit who he was, and what he had done to Esau. To repent. The Original Greek word of repentance means a change of mind, thought, or thinking so powerful that it changes one's very way of life.
If God is asking you now – who are you? What is your answer?
<Transformation - From Jacob to Israel>
God wants Jacob to repent, in order for him to transform him.
Without repentance, the Holy Spirit can’t work through us.
The renaming of Jacob to Israel symbolizes what Jesus can do to us, not just in our situation, but in our whole being.
• Jacob represents one’s old life that is wicked destined to go to eternal death
• Israel represents a person that is cleansed, transformed, and given the promise of eternal life.
Who do you want to be?
• From wanderer to a believer
• From a manipulator to mentor
• From a cheater to leader
• From a deceiver to a disciple
God can change you;
----------------------- BLESSING -----------------------------
<Blessing = realization that God owns you>
In reality, we can’t really last until daybreak without God’s blessing.
We can’t really win in life if we don’t have God’s blessing. And Jacob realized that.
Genesis 32:26 NIV 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.”
Jacob demanded a blessing. But this is not the blessing that you might be thinking of right now. Jacob “demanded a blessing” as a sign of acknowledging that his opponent is superior. Realize that God is superior.
Jacob realized that he is not defeating God, he can’t defeat God,
God is owning him.
The biggest takeaway that you should remember – is that God owns you.
• It is not because you are good, but it is because God owns you
• It is not because you are religious, but it because God owns you
• It is not because you have sacrificed, but it is because God owns you
There’s a time in history that was very difficult for Christians. Christian situation, everything was shaky. The Roman emperor Nero loves to persecute Christians.
Here’s Peter’s encouragement and reminder to the Christians,
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
--------------- THAT’S MY CHILD! ----------------------------
We are God’s special possession. And if we acknowledge, believe, and live out this grand idea that he owns us – we have nothing to worry about.
He will keep you in the game and enable you to live a purposeful life until daybreak.
How would you feel, if are standing in front of many people, and someone from the audience will shout “that’s my son!”, “that’s my daughter!”
You will probably feel embarrassed initially, but when you realized the deepest meaning of this statement, you will have the sense of affirmation.
How much more if it is our Heavenly father shouting – “that’s my son!”, “that’s my daughter”
In reality, God has been shouting that.
If you look at the cross, where Jesus struggled and died, that image is God saying, “that’s my child”, I died on the cross for him, I died on the cross for her.”
This is what God is telling us now.
We are owned by God; our existence depends on God.
--------------- GOD IS WITH US THROUGH JESUS ----------------------------
After daybreak, Jacob, who became Israel, was ready to meet Esau.
When Esau saw him, he ran, he embraced, he hugged, he kissed, they wept.
This is an incredibly clear picture of how intense God’s desire is to be with us.
He wants to run to us, to embrace us, hug us, and kiss us. Perhaps to cry tears of joy.
That is why he sent Jesus for us. So that in our life, be it in triumph or in failure, He will be with us—guiding, comforting and protecting us.
