Jacob struggled almost every time he did something. In his mother’s womb, he and his twin brother Esau jostled each other. . . . (Gen. 25:22) Their enmity didn’t stop in the womb, either. Although Jacob grew up knowing about God, he both tricked and deceived his brother when they were young men. He finally had to flee for his life from Esau.
But deception caught up with Jacob as an adult. In the land where he acquired wives and children, he also acquired a new set of problems. He eventually had to flee again, and now he was ready to go home. Even if it meant facing his brother Esau.
Jacob was afraid. He divided his large family—thinking if one group was lost, another group might be safe. That night, before setting out, a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him [Jacob], he [the unseen stranger] touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched. . . . (Gen. 32:24,25)
The mysterious man, Jacob’s adversary, was God Himself and Jacob knew it. Yet he continued to strive.
Although other Old Testament characters encountered God without fighting, Jacob was a fighter, and God met him at that level. He returned to Bethel where he once again built an altar and once again, God met him and blessed him.
But this time God changed Jacob. He limped the rest of his life. From that point on, he also depended on God.
But deception caught up with Jacob as an adult. In the land where he acquired wives and children, he also acquired a new set of problems. He eventually had to flee again, and now he was ready to go home. Even if it meant facing his brother Esau.
Jacob was afraid. He divided his large family—thinking if one group was lost, another group might be safe. That night, before setting out, a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him [Jacob], he [the unseen stranger] touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched. . . . (Gen. 32:24,25)
The mysterious man, Jacob’s adversary, was God Himself and Jacob knew it. Yet he continued to strive.
Although other Old Testament characters encountered God without fighting, Jacob was a fighter, and God met him at that level. He returned to Bethel where he once again built an altar and once again, God met him and blessed him.
But this time God changed Jacob. He limped the rest of his life. From that point on, he also depended on God.
Originally published April 26, 1985.
Picture: Commercial display, Greater Twin City area, 2009. Photo by Solveig.
