Jacob
wrestled (gen. 32)
1) There are some peculiar passages in the Bible.
2) One of these passages is at the end of Gen. 32.
3) Jacob was returning towards his homeland.
4) He was returning home with Leah, Rachel, 2 other female companions, and children.
5) He had servants, flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, cows, and much more.
6) Jacob was a rich man. This rich man was finally alone in his camp, Gen. 32:24a.
7) When Jacob was by himself he experienced a very unusual event.
8) From what was read there was a “man” who wrestled with Jacob.
9) This wrestling contest lasted “until dawn” (24b).
10) When dawn came neither contestant had beaten the other.
11) Jacob’s opponent finally knocked the patriarch’s hip out of its socket.
12) The “man” who injured Jacob’s hip asked that Jacob let him go.
13) Jacob refused. He said that he would not let go until he had been blessed.
14) This should seem to be a bit odd. Jacob received the birthright from Isaac.
15) From what is described in Gen. 32 he was extremely wealthy.
16) What “blessing” could Jacob have desired?
17) The story
continues by saying that Jacob’s name was changed to
18) The “man” left and Jacob began to limp (31b).
19) What
does this strange story mean?
20) Some consider this story to be one of the most complex passages in scripture.
21) My goal is to do two things: (1) offer a general explanation, (2) make some application.
22) One of the first things that needs to be explored is the literalness of this account.
23) Did this really happen or is this some type of figurative illustration?
24) I see no compelling reason to treat this event as figurative.
25) The text says that this wrestling contest occurred and this sermon accepts this as fact.
26) When this wresting contest occur? It was at night, verses 22-24.
27) The fact that this contest was at night seems to be significant.
28) Notice verse 30.
29) Jacob believed that he had “seen God face to face.”
A) This is not the time for a separate study but I will make a few brief points.
B) In the Old Testament there is a character who is called the Angel of Jehovah.
C) There is a lot of evidence which indicates that the “angel of Jehovah” is Jesus.
D) That is, Jesus made some trips to earth prior to the one He made 2,000 years ago.
E) Most are inclined to believe that it was the Angel of Jehovah (Jesus) who met Jacob.
F) This would explain Jacob’s comment – “I have seen God face to face.”
G) This is also consistent with Jn. 1:18.
H) John said that no man has ever seen God.
I) However, many people have seen Jesus. Jesus was seen by many 2,000 years ago.
J) If Jesus is also known as the angel of Jehovah many others saw him too.
K) For our purposes we will say that the “man” Jacob wrestled with,
L) And this “man” who Jacob believed was the face of God, was Jesus.
30) The encounters with the “angel of Jehovah” (Jesus) were sometimes unsettling.
31) One example of this is Judg. 13:3, 6.
32) Perhaps Jacob’s opponent appeared at night to hide his appearance.
33) Whatever the reason for wrestling at night, the wrestling lasted for a long time (24b).
34) Eventually the day broke and neither character had won the match.
35) This is interesting. Jacob had worked with animals for many years.
36) His body must have been in good shape and his muscles must have been strong.
37) Yet, after wrestling all night he could not win this contest.
38) The reason he could not win is indicated in the text.
39) If Jacob were wresting with Jesus (or even an angel), was this truly a contest?
40) Could Jacob out wrestle the Son of God?
41) Could Jacob have even out wrestled an angel? No.
42) Take a moment to look at 32:25.
43) Jacob’s opponent had abilities that far superceded those possessed by him.
44) This contest could have been quickly ended by the “man” but it wasn’t.
45) Jacob was allowed to wrestle until the breaking of day.
46) Perhaps we should view this account as a father wrestling with a son.
47) The father may let his son start to win but then takes the advantage back.
48) According to the text the contest finally ended.
49) The “man” Jacob struggled with touched Jacob’s hip and put it out of joint.
50) However, even after Jacob received this injury he didn’t quit.
51) He may not have had much left to wrestle with but he could still cling to his opponent.
52) Verse 26 says.
53) Jacob wanted a blessing. Jacob believed that his opponent had something to offer.
54) This information gives us a pretty good overview of what happened so we are now ready to tie in some additional material.
A) Remember
where Jacob has just come from (Laban’s household).
B) Laban
is behind Jacob and the relationship between these two men was not too good.
C) What
is ahead of Jacob? Gen. 32:6.
D) Esau
had been cheated out of the birthright by Jacob.
E) Jacob
is now traveling with his family and he hears his brother has 400 men.
F) Is he
afraid? Gen. 32:7.
G) There
are problems in Jacob’s past and there appears to be problems in the future.
H) What
is this man going to do?
I) Up to
this point how has Jacob solved his problems?
a) He has
often used trickery, deceit, and lies.
b) He
struggled with his brother while in the womb (Gen. 25:22).
c) Jacob
left the womb grasping at his brother’s heel (Gen. 25:26).
d) Jacob
took advantage of his brother’s hunger to get the birthright.
e) This
culture had a rule – if a man is hungry feed him.
f) Jacob’s
rule was, “If he is hungry, make him pay for it with his inheritance.”
g) Jacob
even waited till his brother was out of the house to trick his father.
h) He
lied to his father about his identify.
i) God
had intended to bless Jacob all along (
j) However,
Jacob didn’t have a lot of trust in God.
k) Listen
very carefully to Gen.
28:20-21.
l) Jacob
was epitome of a conniving dealmaker.
m) He
even applied the word “if” in presenting a deal to God.
n) Jacob
also allowed himself to be with more than Rachel to produce children.
o) This
further suggests a lack of faith in God’s promises.
p) Jacob’s
lack of trust is also seen from these verses:
Gen. 32:1-2, 7-8.
q) Instead
of trusting God to protect him from Esau, Jacob relied upon himself.
r) He devised
a plan to outsmart his brother and keep what he had safe.
55) Jacob
had two big problems to overcome:
A) He
often put more faith and trust in himself than God,
B) And he
was too sneaky and underhanded.
56) How does all of this relate to the story in
genesis 32?
57) The
“man” Jacob wrestled with asked Jacob to identify himself (verse 27).
58) If
Jacob’s opponent were an angel or Jesus, why was this request made?
59) The
request for Jacob to say his name caused Jacob to acknowledge who he was.
60) The
name Jacob meant, “heel-catcher/deceiver.”
61) Jacob
had to acknowledge that he lived by deceit and trickery.
62) He had
to admit that he had not always been honest and straight in his dealings.
63) This
was an admission that Jacob was a huckster and maker of fast deals.
64) Jacob’s
true character was exposed.
65) In
addition to having his character exposed something else was done.
66) This
other detail comes from Hosea 12:4.
67) When
Jacob “wrestled with the man” he pleaded and wept.
68) Jacob
faced an opponent that he couldn’t overcome.
69) Here
was a situation that, using his own resources, he couldn’t meet.
70) Jacob’s
inability to deal with this matter is further stressed in 32:25.
71) Jacob
was disabled. He now needed someone
else’s help.
72) A man
who saw himself as self sufficient was finally made to see his need for God.
73) God
had waited a long time for Jacob to acknowledge his need for Jehovah.
74) The
“wrestling” in Gen. 32 was done to teach Jacob some spiritual lessons.
75) One of
these lessons is found in his request for the blessing.
A) Please
take one more look at 26b
of Gen. 32.
B) Jacob
had already received the blessing. He
was rich.
C) What
did he want when he asked to be blessed?
D) His
first blessing came in a way that was consistent with his name (deceiver).
E) He
used sneaky means and outright lies to obtain the blessing.
F) Now he
wants a blessing which is free from all these things.
G) He
wants a blessing that isn’t related to lying, cheating, and scheming
76) God
granted this request. The “man” said
that Jacob’s name would be changed.
77) What
will the new name be? Israel. What does this mean?
78) Israel
means, “God
fights.”
A) Jacob had previously fought with men. He had now fought with God.
B) From this man would come a great nation.
a) The name “Israel” would signify that God would fight for this people.
C) The name Israel (which is what the Hebrews were called) would do something else.
D) The Hebrew people would always be reminded that if one of their predecessors…
E) (Jacob) struggled with God and was successful, they could succeed against any man.
79) Conclusion:
80) This is a great story.
81) It shows us that ill gotten gain usually loses its luster with the passage of time.
82) It shows us that man needs God.
83) Though some consider themselves to be self sufficient and okay without God, that’s untrue.
84) Gen. 32 shows us that God can either bless or crush mankind.
85) When we come into contact with God we must acknowledge our true nature.
86) This chapter shows us that God allows His people to struggle so they can grow.
87) This chapter also shows that God is involved in the lives of his people.
88) If we need to learn one of the lessons Jacob learned – we must trust in God & not ourselves,
89) We hope that tonight you will make the decision to put your trust in God.