WRESTLING WITH GOD OR OURSELVES?

Have you ever wrestled with God about anything?  Jacob wrestled a lot.  He wrestled with his brother before they were born and during their birth by grabbing him by the heel.  Genesis 25:22-26: “And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus?  And she went to enquire of the LORD.  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.  And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.”

Jacob’s name actually means heel-catcher or supplanter.  To supplant, according to Merriam-Webster, “implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another’s place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.”  God revealed to Rebecca before their birth that the older would serve the younger.  Throughout Jacob's life, he deceives or outsmarts his brother, father, and father-in-law.  God was aware in advance of Jacob's actions and the person he would ultimately become.

In Genesis 25:29-34, “And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.  And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.”  Esau not only held his birthright in low regard, but Jacob also deceived him to obtain it.

As Isaac grew old and his eyesight faded, he called for his eldest son Esau, asking him to hunt and prepare a meal that he loved, so he could bless him before he passed away.  Rebekah, overhearing this, instructed her younger son Jacob to bring her two goats from the flock so she could cook a dish for Isaac instead.  Jacob expressed concern about being discovered due to his smooth skin compared to Esau's hairiness, fearing it would lead to a curse instead of a blessing.  Rebekah reassured him, taking matters into her own hands by dressing Jacob in Esau's clothes and covering him with goat skins.  She then handed Jacob the prepared meal to take to Isaac.

When Jacob approached his father, Isaac, who was unsure of his identity, asked who he was.  Jacob approached his father, claiming to be Esau, the firstborn, and asked Isaac to eat his venison so he could receive a blessing.  Isaac, puzzled by how quickly Jacob had obtained the game, inquired about it, to which Jacob replied that God had guided him.  Isaac then requested to feel Jacob to confirm his identity.  As Jacob drew near, Isaac noted the difference in voice but was deceived by the hairy hands resembling Esau's.  After blessing Jacob, Isaac asked if he was truly Esau, and Jacob affirmed it.  Isaac then enjoyed the meal Jacob had prepared, and after a kiss, he blessed him again.  Meanwhile, Rebekah, favoring Jacob, had orchestrated this deception, leading to a successful trickery.

When Esau returned and discovered the betrayal, he cried out in anguish, pleading for a blessing, but Isaac revealed that Jacob had cunningly taken it.  Esau lamented that Jacob had outsmarted him twice, first with the birthright and now with the blessing, and he asked if there was any blessing left for him.  Isaac replied to Esau, saying that he had made Jacob his master and given him all his brothers as servants, providing him with grain and wine.  He then asked Esau what he could do for him.  Esau, feeling desperate, pleaded with his father for a blessing, expressing his sorrow with tears.  Isaac responded by saying that Esau would live off the richness of the earth and the dew from above, but he would have to live by the sword and serve his brother.  However, there would come a time when he would break free from Jacob's control.  This caused Esau to harbor hatred towards Jacob for the blessing he received, and he thought to himself that once their father passed away, he would take revenge on Jacob.

Rebekah learned of Esau's intentions and advised Jacob to escape to her brother Laban.  She convinced Isaac that Jacob should not marry from the local women, which led Isaac to send Jacob to Laban for a wife, blessing him with the promise of inheritance from Abraham.  During his journey, Jacob had a dream where God assured him of His presence and the land he rested on would belong to him and his descendants.  As Jacob traveled, he met Rachel at a well and fell in love with her.  Initially, it puzzled me why God would choose a deceiver like Jacob to carry out His promise. The narrative continues with Laban tricking Jacob into marrying Leah, requiring Jacob to work for 14 years to marry Rachel.  When Jacob sought to return home, Laban urged him to stay longer, as Jacob's presence brought blessings to Laban.  Jacob then devised a plan to gain Laban's livestock by requesting the speckled and spotted animals, manipulating their breeding to produce more of the same.  Eventually, Laban's sons grew resentful, claiming Jacob had taken everything, prompting God to instruct Jacob to return to his homeland.  Once again, Jacob outsmarted someone, this time his father-in-law Laban, yet God reassured Jacob of His presence.  I found it puzzling that God would choose a deceiver to carry out His promise to Abraham.  As I listened to this story in the scriptures daily, my confusion grew, especially since I had been mistreated by several men who took advantage of my kind and trusting nature.  Additionally, I recognized that Satan is also a deceiver.  I struggled with these thoughts until I continued to immerse myself in the scriptures.

Jacob sought the Lord's help to save him from Esau, expressing his deep concern for his own life and the safety of his wives and children.  Driven by fear, he arranged substantial gifts from his flocks, sending them ahead in groups to create distance between each.  Finally, Jacob sent his family across a brook while he remained behind to spend the night alone.  Genesis 32: 24-32: “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.  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.  And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh.  And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.  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.  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.  And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.  Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank.”

Jacob's struggle with God for His blessing is truly astonishing, even though I've encountered this story numerous times since childhood.  While Jacob's fear of Esau was a factor, his determination to seek God's favor inspires me.  I aspire to wholeheartedly serve God, yet I often find myself wrestling with Him over various issues.  Am I seeking a blessing or clinging to something I know is wrong?  I've experienced both sides of this struggle.  My goal is to emulate Jacob's commitment in my relationship with God and resist the pull of sin.

I am going to quote something by Donna Jones that I found in my research and study on the topic of wrestling with God: “God’s blessing comes to those who hold on to God with every fiber of their being, even as they wrestle with God over the very fabric of their believing.  In the past few weeks Jacob’s words have become my words: “I will not let you go…”  Even in the wrestling.  Especially in the wrestling.  Are you wrestling with God over some issue, dear friend?  Some question?  Some concern?  Some heartache, or setback, or circumstance?  If so, make up your mind.  No matter how much you wrestle, pronounce Jacob’s resolve over your life and your faith:

I won’t let go. I won’t let go of God’s character. (He is always good)

I won’t let go of God’s Word. (It is always true)

I won’t let go of God’s faithfulness. (He will never leave me or forsake me)

I won’t let go of God.  Period.  No matter how I feel.  Or how things look.  Or what others say.

Like Jacob, I will declare, ‘I won’t let go until you bless me!’”

Despite Jacob's deceit in taking Esau's blessings and outsmarting his father-in-law Laban, God still chose to bless him and use him for His purpose, even changing his name to Israel.  Just like Jacob, we all share in the sinfulness that originated with Adam and Eve's disobedience.  If God can work through a deceiver to bring about His promises, He can certainly do the same for each of us if we allow Him.  I am grateful for God's promises and their fulfillment and for Jesus' sacrifice that covers our many sins.  It’s essential for us to fully surrender to God's will and release our own desires.

Luke 11: 9, 10: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”  Lord, please help me be like Jacob in my efforts to be like Jesus.

Campbell, M. (2019, November 1). 5 Important Lessons from Jacob Wrestling with God. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/important-lessons-from-jacobs-wrestling-match-with-god.html

Jones, D. (2019, November 1). When You Wrestle with God. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://www.crosslinechurch.com/when-you-wrestle-with-god/

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (n.d.). Supplant verb. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved December 14, 2024, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supplant#:~:text=%3A%20to%20take%20the%20place%20of,supplanter

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).