The Strange Encounter At Jabbok

THE STRANGE ENCOUNTER AT JABBOK

"22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. 24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:22-28.

Twin brothers, Jacob and Esau, were not only completely different, but sworn enemies. Their paths had taken off in different directions, but now they were to meet again after twenty years. For twenty years Jacob has lived with the memory of how he cheated his brother. For all those years, he had wondered whether Esau has forgiven him. Jacob is at a crossroads! Some days earlier, he had sent messengers to meet Esau with a message of peace and reconciliation. "When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Genesis 32:6. Jacob was scared to death of what his brother might do so he took his family across the Jabbok River, but he spent the night alone on the opposite side. And there at the bank of Jabbok, a stranger wrestled with him until daybreak.

JABBOK:

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the word “Jabbok” means “pouring forth.” Jabbok also imply "emptied, struggle, or passing over." The Jabbok was a river that flows from the east to the west some 60 miles to empty into the Jordan River. The ford of Jabbok was the place where there was a conflict between two paths.

Figuratively, Jabbok is a place of total surrender. Jacob gave up his manipulative ways at Jabbok. It is a place of divine encounter. To be in Jabbok is to experience divine intervention. Jabbok is the River that borders the land of Canaan. Numbers 21:24. Today, God has a spiritual Canaan for all of His children. Jabbok is a place of new beginnings. At Jabbok Jacob was wounded, renamed, blessed, and made a new person. By the bank of Jabbok, Jacob was reborn. Jabbok is a crossroad; a place of confusion and indecision. Jabbok is a place of struggle and contention. Jabbok is a place of crossing over. Behind Jacob is the deceitful past. Before him is a new way of life. Jabbok is a place of brokenness. It is a place we are emptied of pride and self. Jabbok is a place of stretching and transition. It is to experience a turning point. Jabbok is a place where we are forced to hide. It is a dark and lonely place. Jabbok is a place where we are forced to examine ourselves. It is a place of self pity, doubt and questions. Jabbok is where we wrestle with conflicting voices. It is a transit point. Jabbok is a place of separation and goodbye. It is the end of a chapter and the beginning of another one. Jabbok is the bridge between the pains of yesterday and the hope of tomorrow. So are you ready for a Jabbok experience?

ALONE WITH GOD:

Jacob was all alone! Everyone and everything he had was on the other side of the Jabbok River.

Being alone with God is a time where you get away from all the busyness of life in other to spend time with God. Sometimes you need to unplug from the noise of the world and spend time in God's presence. This time gives you a chance to rest and refresh your body, soul and spirit. Alone time with God allow us to examine and strengthens our relationship with Him. It is a time of refreshment and renewal. Time alone with God always leave us energized. God uses such times to prepare us for the great work He has prepared ahead. A time alone with God gives us the opportunity to review and renew our strategies. Being alone with God allow us to express our deepest concerns. It is at such times that we refocus on what is truly important. But it takes discipline and determination! Spending time alone in God's presence will not come easy, we'll have to create it.