Sat.’s Devo - Our Wrestlings

Read: Genesis 32:13-34:31; Matthew 11:7-30; Psalm 141-7; Proverbs 3:19-20 Jacob was traveling through the country where angels lived. Jacob was about to face Esau and was fearful for his life and the life of his family. He prepared a huge gift of 540 animals to give to Esau as a pact of peace. This tells us how much Jacob had if this was only half. Then Jacob cried out to the Lord and reminded him of his promises to him and his descendants. That night he put his family in a safe place and went over the ford Jabbok and wrestled with a mighty man. The word used here for “wrestled” means “to float away as vapor; to bedust or grapple” We know so little about this man but I am wondering if he wasn’t the principality of the area. Jacob would not give up and this “man” didn’t want to be seen in the light. When he saw that he couldn’t defeat Jacob, he struck him violently in the thigh, making his tendon to shrink. Even then Jacob refused to let him go till he blessed him. (Even sorcerers can give a blessing. Balaam blessed Israel three times and all of those blessings were from God and came true.) He did bless Jacob and changed his name to Israel which means “God fights” because he knew that God had fought with Jacob that night. The man refused to tell Jacob his name but Jacob named that place Peniel beaus he knew that God had fought with him that night also. He had encountered God face to face and they had won. Once Jacob defeated his unseen enemy, his seen enemy was a piece of cake. Who knows if Esau hadn’t started out with his army to defeat Jacob and when Jacob defeated that “man” everything changed in the realm. Esau was so friendly, he humbly received his gift and offered to travel with his people and help them safely arrive in Seir. Jacob must not have trusted Esau because he refused to have Esau help him, insisted that he take his gift and told him he would meet him at Seir. He never intended to do that. Instead, Jacob went to Succoth and built shelters or booths. “Face to Face” is a term the Jews give to the Day of Atonement because that is when the high priest goes into the Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of the nation for the past year and pray for favor for the coming year. That is what Jacob did that night he wrestled with the angel. He was atoning for his sins and fighting for future blessings. Seven days later is the Feast of Tabernacles where they set up booths or succots all over Jerusalem to remember what Jacob did and what Moses did when he left Egypt. They both landed in Succoth and set up temporary tents or booths. This represents the fact that Jesus is coming one day to take us to our eternal dwelling but now we are temporary dwellers living in temporary buildings and temporary bodies. Jacob bought his first piece of land in the promised land. He bought the land called Shalem from Hamor for 100 pieces of silver. Shalem became Jerusalem. There he built an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel which means “God, the God of Israel.” The story of Dinah tells us about their culture. Dinah went out to discern the woman of the land but ended up being defiled by Shechem, Haman’s son. He loved her and wanted to marry her. Dinah’s brothers knew she had been defiled and they were out for revenge. The schemed up a plan to get back. When Haman came to Jacob to make a covenant of peace with them and seal it with marriage, Leah’s brothers told him that they would agree if they would agree to be circumcised. They agreed and the whole town was circumcised. On the third day, when all the men were sore, Simeon and Levi came with their swords and slew all of the men. Then they spoiled the city to bring vengeance to Dinah. When Jacob heard about what they had done, he was upset that they had made his name a stink among the people of the land. In Matthew, Jesus had just addressed John’s disciples. He then rebuked the people because they judged John because he wasn’t what they wanted. He rebuked the towns that he had done so many miracles in and yet they had refused to repent because Jesus wasn’t what they wanted him to be either. But he commended the disciples, the least likely, the poor in spirit because they had received him. He offered this same blessing and gift to anyone who wanted it. Thank you, Father, that you have revealed yourself to us and we have received you. Thank you that you chose us and we are so grateful. May we please you and glorify your kingdom through our lives.