In Genesis 32, Jacob leaves his father in law's homestead terrified that his brother Esau would kill him for taking his birthright. Jacob tries to apease him and wishes to find favor in his brother's sight. See Genesis 32:3-5. When Esau comes close, Jacob is terrified, to a point of seeking divine assistance.
However 32:7-21, he takes matters into his own hands by setting aside a significant portion of his riches to send them ahead as a gift to appease Esau. Here we see him not really depending totally on God, but his action.
Genesis 33:22-31 here he does not know if his servants are even still alive for he has not heard from them. He even does not know if Esau has accepted his gift or not. And yet he sends his wives and children into the path of Esau and his riders.
Up to this point the danger is across the water from him. He is safe, for a while; so he thinks or it so seems.
While in fear of his brother and at this time of the night, Aperson he does not know wrestles him to the ground. Deuteronomy 28:24; Is 5:24, etc.). Jacob gave as good as he got. He wrestles with a stranger. The wrestling continues till day break. The person whom we can assume is an angel of God or God Himself did something to Jacob's hip and put it out of joint. This was at daybreak after the angel realises that he is not winning. It is clear hear that Jacob would cling on anything for a blessing that he hopes will save him from his brother's wrath.
Something important to note here is that Jacob knows he wrestles with one whose blessing matters. The stranger wrestler reveals a concern before sunrise. He is concerned about what the sunlight will reveal, and demands that Ja cob let him go - Genesis 32:26. Although Jacob is fearful of his brother Esau, the reason to why he is fleeing, he is so tenacious when it comes to wanting a divine intervention.
Jacob demands a blessing. He has decided that he will not let go of the wrestler whose power he knows is more than his own and, the wrestler who wounds with a touch has neither destroyed nor rejected him vv26 & 27
Jacob got his blessings becaude he held on long enough. The wrestler asks Jacob's name and the wrestler grants him with a new name: "God-wrestler -- Israel."
The author, like Jacob, seeks to unfold the mystery of the wrestler, his indenty and personality. Our text does not tell us who the person is see v 24 which refers to a "person." However looking at v 30 the author like Jacob comes to the conclusion that the wrestler is God. Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed.
Having said that, then it is good juncture to make an application. Jacob so fearful of his brother, wanted blessings from God. This is a sign of remorsefulness for what he had done. Lying to his brother by taking his birthright.
While we may live an imperfect life, there is always opportunity for us to seek blessings from God. We may not need to wrestle as Jacob did, but we need to know that we can make our imperfect living perfect.
Finally Jacob limps away from the wrestling site transformed. He will never be the same again. Each step he takes is marked by the divine touch. When we seek God's intervention in our life, we will never be the same. We may wrestler the whole night till day break, or longer, but if we prevail, we will be never the same.
Work Cited
The Holy Bible- New King James Version
Jacob the Wrestler- White and Bruno Authors
Authors Thesis notes -2006
Work Cited
The Holy Bible- New King James Version
Jacob the Wrestler- White and Bruno Authors
Authors Thesis notes -2006