Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Wednesday nite devotional: Jacob is called Israel

If you are able to join us tonight for prayer meeting we'll be taking a brief look at Genesis 32:22-32. Its an intriguing story as we see Jacob, alone on one side of the river, meeting a man in the night and wrestling until dawn. God had met with Jacob at Bethel as he left the land, and He promised to be with the patriarch (Gen 28). God called him to leave Laban and to return to the promised land (Gen 31), and He sent angels to meet him and encourage him on the way (32:1). What was the purpose of this "wrestling match" in the night? Was God trying to teach Jacob something? Did he learn the lesson? Join us tonight if you are able at 6:30 PM in the classroom adjacent to the office! If you can't make it, your comments on the passage are still appreciated!
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3 comments:

  1. Jason SchlosserFebruary 8, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    I'm curious. What was the purpose of the wrestling match and what was the consensus tonight? Any wrestling going on... :-)

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  2. Steven NashFebruary 9, 2012 at 6:43 AM

    Hi Jason, a good question, and yes we did wrestle with it! We came to the conclusion that this was a pivotal moment in Jacob's life. He was the recipient of the promises of God but until now had always tried to help God along with his crafty and sometimes deceptive ways (especially in lying to his father and "stealing" the blessing with his mother's help). Now, after 20 years, he was returning home to the land of promise and to a "reunion" with his brother Esau after 20 years. As Jacob wrestles with the Lord he is forced to confess his past by stating his name (Jacob, "Heal grabber, supplanter")and given a reminder of his weakness (a touch to the hip) and holds relentlessly on, finally, it seems, realizing that the Lord, the Lord alone, is the source of his blessing. His new name is a reminder of this moment of decision and transition, "Israel," a prince with God. A great story reminding us of our human weakness and our need of complete dependence on our sovereign God.

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  3. Jason SchlosserFebruary 18, 2012 at 10:50 AM

    Amen! Thanks for sharing that.

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