February 4

In Genesis Chapter 32, Jacob wrestles with God. Although God is disguised as an unknown man in the text, it is clear that he is divine because he carries a sense of authority about him. He bears the right to change Jacob’s name to Israel, and as we discussed in lecture, the right to name something is a very powerful thing in itself. It signifies a sense of ownership and establishes a relationship between the creator and his creation. Obviously, Jacob knows there is something especially holy about this man because otherwise he would not be stubbornly wrestling with him, in demand of a blessing. The winner of the wrestling match is God, because I assume he put himself there in the first place to test Jacob’s faithfulness and give him a blessing in the first place. But, in another sense, Jacob also wins because he ends the wrestling match with the blessing he was fighting for from the beginning. Maybe God would not have provided Jacob with this blessing in the first place if he had not proven himself and wanted it so badly? This scene is iconic in the Bible because it showcases the stubborn intensity of Jacob’s character and the depth of his faith. He literally wrestled against our all-powerful, all-knowing God, just because he wanted to make sure he could secure a blessing for himself and his family. The common lesson people draw from this is to be selfish in faith and hungry for the benefits of communion with God. In the beginning of his life, Jacob took Isaac’s blessing away from his brother Esau, with a little help from his mother. Later on in his life when he wrestles with God, not much has changed because he is still actively trying to secure the best for himself. The only difference is that this time he tries to take a blessing from God, instead of his father. Jacob’s willingness and devotion is somewhat admirable because, if not for his eager, proactive spirit, he may not have secured a blessing for himself at all.