A LIFE CHANGING WRESTLING MATCH (Gen. 32: 22-33)

 

Rev. Luis S. Notario
Glencairn Baptist Church,
Glencairn, N. York, Canada

 

 

“And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok..

And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

And he said unto him, what is thy name? And he said Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that dost ask after my name? And he blessed
him there.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh

Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew that shrank

IN MY 40 years of studying the Scriptures, no matter how many times I have read thru the verses of each chapter, I discovered that there are fresh truths that the Holy Spirit opens. I am referring to the incidence of the first wrestling match in the Bible - that of Jacob and “a man”

This took place when Jacob was returning to their land after living with his uncle Laban, escaping the wrath of his brother Esau. He was
left alone that night and God initiated the match. It lasted the whole night, until the breaking of day. “And Jacob was left alone; and
wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” (Gen. 32: 24).

Changes of Jacob after the wrestling match:

1. He was literally broken God allowed Jacob to do all the tricks that he knew and he had nothing more to say or do. It changed Jacob from being independent to hanging on. He was spiritually broken.

2. God asked him what his name was, (v. 27). “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said Jacob.” God was reminding Jacob of the sin he committed when he was asked by his dying father, Isaac what his name was in the process of deceiving his brother’s birthright. He has to own
or repent of his sin. He did not let God go without His blessings (v. 26). “And he said, let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not
let thee go, except thou bless me” 3. He was a changed man. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel. Israel which means the Prince of the Living God, while Jacob means deceiver. He

was never the same again after that real and personal encounter with God.
Results:

1. Changed life - from Jacob to Israel
2. New walk - with God
3. New power from God’s Spirit.
He tried to offer gifts to Esau.
Esau was changed even before
the gifts were sent by Jacob.