Big Jake VS Jehovah

“Big Jake VS Jehovah” (By Jeff Rojas)
Genesis 32:22-30
But he rose up that [same] night and took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons and passed over the ford [of the] Jabbok. And he took them and sent them across the brook; also he sent over all that he had. And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak. And when [the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him. Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]!And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed.(Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said why is it that you ask my name? And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, for I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away.
I can hear the announcer at the top of his lungs announcing each to his corner. No audience, no lights, and definitely no referee. Jacob sends everyone from his corner to the other side and calls to God, “I want you!!”
So many times, we read stories from the Old Testament and are just flabbergasted at the behavior of those from long ago. But, in order to fully understand what is going on here, we have to ask –
Why would Jacob wrestle with God?!?
This is a question that has many answers, but I would like to focus on just one today. Jacob was born a trickster. Even in his mother’s womb, he grabbed his twin brother’s ankle to try and be the first one out (in order to receive the firstborn rights.) Later in life, he succeeded in tricking his father to receive the double portion first born rights, thus making his brother (Esau) extremely angry. At his mother’s advice, he fled the country in order to spare his own life. (We all know how older brothers can get.) Through another series of events in his life, he is tricked into marrying the love of his life’s sister. After all is said and done, he receives the love of his life and starts a family.
Jacob comes to a place in his life where his family hates one another and he becomes homesick, scared, and ashamed of all he has done. It is at this point that he cries out to God and has an encounter with God, in which God instructs him to go home to his family. Now, we must remember that his brother hates everything about him, absolutely despises him and wants nothing to do with him except to KILL him. The very thought of facing this, frightens Jacob, but he knows that he heard from God and must follow after Him.


Jeff Rojas 9-27-06