The Great Wrestling Match

We see Jacob waiting to cross the river, waiting to encounter his brother Esau.

While waiting for Esau he encounters a man, he ends up wrestling this “man” until daybreak.

With information we get as the story progresses we can guess that this is probably “the angel of the Lord” or Jesus before the incarnation. The 2nd member of the trinity.

Wrestling

It doesn’t appear from the text that Jacob knows who he is wrestling at first.

At the end we are left with the image that this is probably either an angel or the the angel of the Lord, which is the Son, or Jesus himself.

He engages in one of the most exhausting exercises till daybreak.

This makes you realize the sheer tenacious nature of Jacob.

It also makes me think of how often we as believers are called to be tenacious, to wrestle with things in this life.

Luke 13:23-24

Luke 13:23–24 ESV

And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Strive to enter the narrow door.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

We are to train ourselves for this “wrestling match.”

There are three things which we are told that we wrestle with in this life. The world, the flesh, and the devil.

The world

We stand for the truth.

A baby is a life, there are only 2 genders, you were created with love, not evolved.

What are we trying to build?

Are we doing a good job reaching out to our neighbors with the hope that we have?

This means getting together with them for coffee, and having God in the conversation.

Are we raising the kids in this church to follow God?

Are we showing hospitality to those who are in our community?

Are we starting businesses, building things here for the future, making sure that when we leave this world, there is a little more light of Christ becasue of what we worked for.

The Flesh

Do we recognize that we are to be battling the desires within us, and taking them dominion for the glory of God.

Do you have envy, pride. Do you gossip. Do you lie. Do you look at women, or men in lust.

Do you see people living in sin and excuse their sin?

If you do, your deserving of hell just as much as they are it says in Romans 1:32.

The worldly philosophy is you need to have more self love. But it’s a lie! We need to have more love for the law of God, hate our sin, and then love God even more becasue he paid the price for that sin.

But we must wrestle against the flesh.

The Devil

I feel like many times after the world and the flesh, the devil doesn’t have a very difficult time.

Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We recognize that the spiritual world is very present, and we must strive, but only with the armor of God.

The devil tries to tempt us. Tries to get you to believe that sin isn’t a big deal.

To often though, we don’t want to wrestle, we want to be comfortable.

Jacob had lots of short comings. But a redeeming quality that Jacob had was that he was willing to struggle, willing to fight, willing to wrestle.

Jacob while wrestling demands a blessing.

Given a New Name

v.27-28

How is this a blessing?

Jacob’s name means supplanter, heel holder.

Jacob lived up to his name

He was striving with man by cheating his way into his birthright.

In obtaining his wives

In leaving Laban.

So his name is changed to Israel

Isreal because he had striven with God and man, and prevailed.

When God says that he struggled with God and man. God is revealing that all along, Jacob hadn’t just been contending with people, but with God almighty.

By God’s marvelous grace, He preserved Jacob. But Jacob had been trying to do things in his own strength and might.

Some of you try this as well

God calls us to contend, but we end up contending against God.

1. This happens when we move forward without prayer.

We decide we are going a direction, and forget to ask the one who holds all things in His hands to direct our steps.

Without realizing it, I’ve seen numerous people move forward on their own will, then ask God to bless it later.

2. This happens when we move forward against scripture.

See Christians playing the lottery. Or trying to get rich at the poker tables. Or trying to get in on the next get rich quick scheme.

Proverbs 13:11

Proverbs 13:11 ESV

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Or I’ve seen this bumper sticker, “we’re spending our kids inheritance.”

That is a way of saying have fun here, the future doesn’t matter.

Proverbs 13:22

Proverbs 13:22 ESV

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

I’m not saying that if your kids don’t have an inheritance you’re a horrible person. We all have different jobs, and some don’t have allot extra.

But if you have enough to leave an inheritance, and your thought is, “I would set up future generations, but I don’t care about the future.” Then that, is wicked.

These are examples of striving against God.

We must remember that within that name, was that he prevailed.

Not in his own strength, but by the mercy of God.

Changing Jacob’s name is showing the sanctifying power of God. Taking what is sinful, and changing it to glorify Him.

One of the greater blessings Jacob recieved is in v.25.

Put Out of Joint

v.25

The Jews saw this as a weakness. I believe that is why they won’t eat that sinew, which is the sciatic nerve.

Jacob had wrestled all night, he was dependent on his strength to win.

But here, God weakens Jacob. To where he won’t be able to rely on sheer strength again. By becoming weak in the flesh, he can now become strong in the spirit.

For it will now be in God’s strength that Jacob will have to rely.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Paul has a physical condition. He pleaded with God to take it, but God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

Some of you have physical issues, and can relate to Jacob & Paul.

We always want healing, we would much rather have healing.

If God has allowed you to have these physical issues. His strength is being made complete through your weakness.

I’m not saying don’t ask for healing, by all means pray for God to restore you.

Don’t resent your weakness. Let it help your faith and confidence in God grow.

When your struggling, let it bring you to prayer, and may God use that time to make your Spirit more alive than ever before.