Wrestling with God
Notes
Transcript
Background:
Jacob stole Esau’s birthright & blessing (Gen. 27)
Esau hated Jacob (Gen 27:41)
About to meet Esau for the first time in at least 21 year after being cheated by his uncle Laban and outwitting his uncle
Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O Yahweh, who said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your family, and I will deal well with you.’ I am not worthy of all the loyal love and all the faithfulness that you have shown your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please rescue me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he come and attack me, mother and children alike. Now you yourself said, ‘I will surely deal well with you and make your offspring as the sand of the sea that cannot be counted for abundance.’ ”
This is a prayer of repentant desperation
“I’m not worthy” & “Please rescue me”
Jacob has essentially exiled himself; burned all the bridges he had and now must face his consequence
So he tries to be Jacob again, the supplanter
That night he arose and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. And he took them and sent them across the stream. Then he sent across all his possessions. And Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the dawn. And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he struck his hip socket, so that Jacob’s hip socket was sprained as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Then he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 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.” Then Jacob asked and said, “Please tell me your name.” And he said, “Why do you ask this—for my name?” And he blessed him there. Then Jacob called the name of the place Peniel which means “I have seen God face to face and my life was spared.” Then the sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the sciatic nerve that is upon the socket of the hip unto this day, because he struck the socket of the thigh of Jacob at the sinew of the sciatic nerve.
Things to notice:
Jacob is alone (v. 24)
God initiates the fight (v.24)
Jacob desperately clings to this mysterious figure (v. 26)
Jacob is blessed (v. 30)
Jacob was given 3 blessing:
Answered prayer is FORESHADOWED
v.30: “…, yet my life has been delivered.”
Given a NEW IDENTITY
v. 28: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel”
Left with a REMINDER
v. 31: “…as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.”
We may not physically wrestle with the Lord, but we wrestle with many different things (our past, our future, our emotions, ideas, media we consume, etc)
Jacob tried to keep being Jacob; God said you can’t have the land as Jacob
Jacob was so desperate, all he could do was just hold on
Jacob was willing to be broken if it meant a blessing
Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and prayer. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, this did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. He will have a blessing, and had rather have all his bone put out of joint than go away without one. Those who would have the blessing of Christ, must resolve to take no denial. The fervent prayer is the effectual prayer.
Are you feeling like Jacob?
Are you tired of doing things your way and it never working?
Are desperate for an answer?
Are you willing to be broken?
What do you need to seek the Lord for?
Are we willing to pray like Jacob?
“Lord, I’m not worthy”
“Lord, I need rescue/ help/ guidance”