Sunday: Wrestling With God
Gone from Laban, Jacob soon has another experience with God. Knowing that his brother, Esau, is coming, and with “four hundred men” (Genesis 32:6), too. Jacob prays fervently to the Lord, even though he acknowledged that “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant” (Genesis 32:10, NKJV). Jacob, truly, was understanding better what grace was about.
And how did the Lord respond?
Read Genesis 32:22-31 and Hosea 12:3-4. What is the spiritual significance of this amazing story?
Image © Bible Adventure Collection at Goodsalt.com
Jacob is distressed, understandably so, by what was happening and, after doing what he can to protect his family, he camps for the night. He is, then, suddenly attacked by “a Man” (Genesis 32:24, NKJV). This is a term that can have special connotations, evoking the divine presence (see Isaiah 53:3). Daniel used it to refer to the heavenly priest Michael (Daniel 10:5); it was also the word used by Joshua to depict the “Commander of the LORD’s army,” who was the LORD YHWH Himself (Joshua 5:13-15, NKJV).
Indeed, amid the fighting, it must have become obvious to Jacob that he was struggling with God Himself, as his words, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26, NKJV) revealed. Yet, his fervent clinging to God, his refusal to let go, also reveal his passionate desire for forgiveness and to be right with His Lord.
“The error that had led to Jacob’s sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud was now clearly set before him. He had not trusted God’s promises, but had sought by his own efforts to bring about that which God would have accomplished in His own time and way.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, Pages 197, 198.
And the evidence that he had been forgiven was the change of his name, from the reminder of his sin, to one that commemorated his victory. “Your name,” said the Angel, “shall no longer be called Jacob [the supplanter], but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28, NKJV).
| What has been your own experience as far as wrestling with God goes? What does it mean to do that, and why is it at times important that we have this kind of experience? |
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Wrestling with God for us now can mean being fervent in prayer and holding Him at His promises. And just like He blessed Jacob and gave him a new name,He will surely do a new thing in our lives.
"...fervent in prayer and holding Him at His promises"... yes, thank you...
What if we refused to walk out of our bedrooms in the morning until we are holding on to, deep inside our souls, the 100% assurance that God loves us through and through to our most microscopic fiber, completely loved and forgiven? Would our day be different? Jacob's ladder dream already revealed to him that he was chosen, loved and forgiven by God. But it took more time in prayer, wrestling out his faith footing with God, before he was able to let go of the emotional baggage of his past. Family, especially, can name us and hold us to a past that is immobilizing. God gave Jacob the gift of facing old family dynamics and wounds with the assurance that he WAS a new creature in Jesus. And a physical reminder that he was strong in God's strength, limping in human strength.
Luke 11:5-8 is the parable of the hungry friend at night who begs for food and Luke 18:1-8 is the persistent widow who wanted justice against her adversary. Jesus told these stories, concluding with, "When I come back to Earth will I find faith?" These stories tell me that God wants me to wrestle out my need with Him (to be filled unto nourishment and free of inner nightmares) until my walk changes and my instinctive response in conversation is to turn the vision back to what God has given me (Gen 33:5,11)...holding Him at His promise to complete His good work in me (Phil 1:6).
Thank you for the beautiful insights, Esther. Your comments are very inspiring. And true, that it is through wrestling out our faith in God that we are able to release deep pain, disappointment, fear or embarrassment of things in our pasts, whether we've hurt others or been hurt by others. When we feel God's grace, unconditional love and acceptance, hopeless regret of the past and fears for tomorrow diminish, as we realize all we are, we are in Him.
You couldn't have written it more eloquently or powerfully: "And a physical reminder that he was strong in God's strength, limping in human strength."
Thank you also for sharing the Biblical accounts of human needs (for food, for justice) and how God wants us to wrestle our needs out with Him, realizing with gratitude our complete dependence on Him. And His sovereign, everlasting faithfulness.
So profound. Such a blessing. Thank you.
Your thoughtful encouragement means so much to me, dear Sis Sharen! Thank you for shining your light on God’s “everlasting faithfulness”. 🙏
I've wrestled with God all the time... my will to do what I want is very strong... that's why God has broken me all along... now it's time to stop wrestling and let Him do to me whatever is best to accomplish the work that He Himself has started... while this happens inside, it also reflects on the outside... He is coming soon and I want to be "preparing"! I do not know if I'll be at my best when He comes, but I do not want to stop! Although it hasn't been easy, He fills in what's missing, and help me to carry on my burdens! In this struggle within myself I need to be weak, so He can be strong! I'm just learning to do that.
One of the major activities you do when working on a research PhD is to solve problems. Typically they are not easy to solve. Reputable universities do not hand out PhDs easily. After I had done my literature research, I had to define a problem and then solve it. Both the problem and the solution had to be non-trivial (That means a very hard problem and a testable and reproducible solution. Much of my wrestling with my problem and its solution had to be done at night. On more than one occasion, I wrestled all night so that the computer had something to work on all the next day. The relief on finding a solution was palpable.
(I have mentioned before that it was during this time that I found the Sabbath to be a great blessing. ... and a great rejuvenator.)
I can feel Jacob's wrestling with God. He had a problem of his own making and had serious doubts about the solution. It was not just a test of physical strength, but a test of faith and understanding.
Somewhere during the night, Jacob realised his futility and it was then that God could speak to him and offer him the promise.
I have often heard of the time of Jacob's trouble in Adventist's perception of the time of the end. It is often used as a frightened that things will be tough. I looked up the phrase in the Bible. Listen to this:
The wrestling with God, comes with a promise. It is a time for the renewal of our faith. That is part of the big picture!
Although the title of today's lesson is Wrestling with God, this lesson is also about Jacob's experience of wrestling within himself. Jacob had faith in God, but he also had fears that were fighting against his faith. While Jacob had (some) faith in God prior to this, his faith had not yet become sufficiently mature to equip him for the situation he was now facing. However, this night, Jacob fear vs faith wrestle was pushed to its limits - to a point it had never been stretched before this. Essentially, for Jacob, his whole life journey to date had 'come to a head' to the point that this was a 'do or die' moment.
What was the 'breakthrough' that Jacob needed to experience. Jacob, like Adam as soon as he (Adam) fell, resorted to self-reliance to try and 'fix things' - or more accurately, patch things up by trying to hold things together in his own strength, on his own terms, in his own way/s. After all, can we really rely upon God when it 'comes to the crunch'? Our fear is that perhaps we can't because we know full-well have 'messed up'. So we become stuck between the fear that perhaps we can't rely on God and the fear of awareness of our own limitations despite our best efforts. Jacob needed to completely come to the end of himself despite his best efforts - more than he ever had before so that in his absolute powerless, he would reach out and grab hold, in full faith, of the only One who could actually 'make a way' (Proverbs 3:5-6).
It can be really hard to come to the end of ourselves - mentally excruciating. Because of this, our tendency is to recoil away from this. But instead of recoiling, we need to press forward, as painful as it is, into the place of absolute reliance upon God and absolute non-reliance on self. We need to 'grab hold' of God's promises of faithfulness and in full surrender, like Jacob hold on no matter what until the end (eg, 1 John 1:9; John 6:37; Hebrews 13:5; Isaiah 41:10; 50:7; 2 Peter 3:9). We do not do this in our own strength, but we do need to do this.
Phil, it is so hard to trust in the faithfulness of God, but so liberating when we do. It is a revelation that comes in circumstances that are way beyond my control; it is not all on me to take care of myself and all those for whom I am responsible—in fact, that is an impossible burden. I have only to answer God’s call to my heart and follow where he leads me. He has promised never to leave me or forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6.) That is a blessed assurance.
Persistence for spiritual growth/nature that gives glory and honor to God.
2 Peter1:1-12
James 4:1-5 (CSB) 1
What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?
2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.
5 Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The *spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely*?
Luke 18:1-8 (CSB)
1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.
2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people.
3 “And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people,
5 “yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.
7 “Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them?
8 “I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. *Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth*? ”
If God is spirit and Christ Jesus the manifestation of the spirit of the Father, how did Jacob ‘wrestle’ with God? I am asking a sensible question. Did he fight with someone of flesh and blood that could put his hip out of joint? Was he ‘attacked by a man’ in the form of flesh and blood?
Just like us, when we choose to do things after our own mind, Jacob shows that he was well aware of the consequences of his deception. He desperately needed to know if God would forgive him before coming face to face with his brother Esau on his way home; to his great release, God blessed him and forgave him his shortcomings.
Gen.32:24-29 - shares Jacob’s encounter with the one who held the authority to decide if he was worthy of carrying on the covenant God made with his fathers; yes, he was found worthy and his name was changed to Israel and we praise God's faithfulness in forgiving us our shortcomings!
Even in the night of Jacob’s wrestling with the angel the ‘ladder’ that Jacob saw at Bethel can still be seen in the story.
In Patriarchs and Prophets pgs. 183 -193, Jacob remembers Bethel; it was there 20 years earlier that he had seen the ‘ladder’ extending from Heaven to earth and the hosts of angels ascending and descending it. Now as he approached the hills of Canaan he saw two angelic hosts before and behind his group. When Jacob saw this it obviously became clear to him that God indeed was with him. And that is what the ladder symbolized: Immanuel, God with us. The sight of angels at work in his behalf brought him hope and courage on his return. He took comfort also in the promise of God, “Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.”
But even though comforted with the sight of the hosts of angels ‘encapping’ his loved ones, Jacob still struggled with his doubts regarding his ‘original’sin. This gave Satan something to press with. And it was at the time while Jacob wrestled with the Angel that Satan came near the scene.
“Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin; he had moved upon Esau to march against him; and during the patriarch's long night of wrestling, Satan endeavored to force upon him a sense of his guilt, in order to discourage him, and break his hold upon God. Jacob was driven almost to despair; but he knew that without help from Heaven he must perish. He had sincerely repented of his great sin, and he appealed to the mercy of God. He would not be turned from his purpose, but held fast the Angel, and urged his petition with earnest, agonizing cries, until he prevailed.” (GC 88 Page 618)
In the story of Jacob wrestling all night with the angel, we see the Spirit of Prophecy at work: angels with spiritual authority entered dreams and wrought in behalf of Jacob. These ‘dream’ passages in the story represent the ‘ladder’ Jacob saw at Bethel. They show us (but were hidden from Jacob at the time) that God was at work for Jacob many miles away. Through these subtle nuances of the story, we can see that this ‘ladder’ is synonymous with the phrase ‘the spirit of prophecy’; and that hidden within and behind the scenes, the beauty of this famous ‘ladder’ was in full power all during this exodus. No one directly involved with this momentous night was not affected by these events— even God.
An angel from the ‘ladder’ is sent to Laban as he slept…he did not use force on Jacob.
An angel from the ‘ladder’ is also sent into the dreams of Esau…his weapons of death ‘fell as harmless as straw.’
The angel of the Lord (The Angel of the Ladder) was sent at night for face to face comfort to Jacob: oh, how the Angel’s love must have been warmed by Jacob’s sincere desire….
At the end of this night of turmoil, Satan was vanquished. We see also that Jacob’s two adversaries were availed of the salvific purpose of this ‘ladder’. We may hope that Laban was reacquainted with Abraham’s God of Heaven, and turned from the Gods which Rachel had stolen. We have, however, the sad record of the unchanged account of Esau’s heart toward the ‘gospel’.
Today, angels are ascending and descending this ‘ladder’, and this power of God will continue into the future through the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. God will ‘endcap’ them in his love and protect them with his Spirit of Prophecy: the ‘ladder of his love’ will still be on display in our exodus to the throne.
Powerful and inspired comments
Question: Was Jacob wrestling with God or was he wrestling with 'self', with the help of the Almighty God?
When a classroom test is plopped onto one’s desk and the student must respond, or if in Jacob’s case a ‘prime directive to return home’ turns into something like a consuming ‘fire’, the one tested agonizes most deeply within themselves: especially if, in the case of the student looking at the test before them, the student has no good answers for the important questions thereon. The agony within them becomes at once the agony of defeat. The realization of their neediness brings on a turmoil of soul.
On top of the struggle with sin that Jacob knew was in him, Satan was there accusing and harassing with vindictive intent. The testing response becomes even more intense if the ‘Tester’, the teacher, is someone one knows and that one has received many graces. The weight of it all is most trying. The clear consequences of not having answers to please the tester (especially to Esau when he gets there), or to take pleasure in the tester, or to want what the tester wants (high scores), is as a destruction. The sin was with and within Jacob and likewise within him was the wages, the war, and the fires of fear.
That’s an interesting question, brother Michael. Was this a silent wrestling match (Gen. 32:24) - If Jacob had cried out “God help me!” as soon as he felt a touch, would the struggle have happened?
The texts Eph. 6:12 and 2 Cor. 10:4-5 come to mind. Maybe all wrestling and resistance goes on in our minds before it appears externally in a physical way? So all inner wrestling is spiritual warfare that often becomes evident externally, and that’s why Jesus also healed people’s observable illnesses by saying “your sins are forgiven.”
Some people don’t believe in a right and wrong and an invisible spiritual battle because it is so uncomfortable to live life in conflict inside. Their motto might be: “Just follow cultural influences and what feels right.” And yet, Jesus says we all live in a cosmic battlefield (John 16:33; John 17:15-17). We are either flowing along with God’s plan through constant prayer and surrender and resisting Satan’s promptings to exalt and protect self, …. or we are allowing things to unfold as “the self” sees fit apart from submissive prayer (Satan is unrecognized and given footholds in our minds and hearts) and then we are resisting God’s mighty Presence striving to free us from sin’s grasp.
So my answer to your question is I think both. Jacob was wrestling to protect himself until he realized that a self-protective struggle is actually against God. At which point he stopped wrestling against God and asked for divine help in his wrestle against his fears and the consequences of his earlier choices/actions. God changed his name from Jacob (deceiver, reactor, solving things my way) to Israel (prayer warrior, clinging firmly to God to overcome sin and live a covenant life). I love the symbolism of how Jacob started life clinging competitively to his brother’s heel and when he was born again he’s clinging humbly to God.
"I love the symbolism of how Jacob started life clinging competitively to his brother’s heel and when he was born again he’s clinging humbly to God..."
Yes, I concur. Your words here are such a precious a little thought. In my past when I worked Delivery Unit, it was a small pastime of mine to watch the newborns clinching, grasping, and regrasping again something in their very small hands. Often, and through the intervening years with my own children, I would open those clinched fists while they slept: nothing there. Still I always imagined that what they were clinging to was that invisible 'something of life'. (while prenatal they cling as babes to 'they know not what', but later when they get to 'see' God, they are humbled and begin to hug in close intimacy that precious 'creator of life'. Yes, lots of symbolism here. Again, I say...precious words you have shared here.)
Thank you so much for sharing, Samuel! You must have witnessed many amazing events in the Delivery Unit. I remember watching my niece’s birth, she was just head and shoulders out when she reached up and grasped the nurse’s thin gold dangling necklace with the tightest fist. We instinctively need to hold on in this rock-and-roll world. Praising God we have found the only sure anchor! (Heb. 13:8)
Wow, what a precious sight and a precious 'touching' moment to have seen and then live for the rest of one's life. Your 'moment' in time, just beholding that seems to have become an endearing sight and has stayed with you and become encouragement all this time. Even I am 'drawing life' from your share of it. ('man shall not live {draw life} by bread alone, but by every word that procedeth out of the mouth of God.) Thank you.
I do agree with your response Esther. Much appreciated.