Contend for the faith In-between

Jacob, caught in the In-between

Running from his uncle in Haran, back to Canaan

1. The first thing Jacob did was to gravitate toward his nature as a trickster

Genesis 32:3-8 “And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.”

2. The next thing Jacob did was Pray, and remind God that he was doing the will of God

Genesis 32:9-12 “And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.”

3. The last thing Jacob did was to empty himself of everyone, and everything in his possession, then...lodge there

Genesis 32:13 “And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;”

God’s response

1. Leave Jacob alone, and then wrestle with him

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

2. Try Jacob to reveal who Jacob was to Jacob, and who He was to Jacob

Genesis 32: 25 “And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.”

3. Bless him and gave him a new identity and a new walk, there in the in-between

Genesis 32:27-29 “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.”

Walking by faith (In Between)

Hebrews 11:21 “By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”

In-between

In-between - is defined as situated somewhere between tow extremes or recognized categories

Quote:

Faith’s way of walking is to cast all care upon the Lord, and then to anticipate good results from the worst calamities.

Charles Spurgeon