Answering Questions 37

“ Answering Questions 37” Genesis 32:22-32 Grace Church of Lockeford 7/19/15 Did you learn anything new academically or spiritually? God instigating the wrestling was something I had never caught before. Helps the story to make a little bit more sense.

If you were going to apply one thing from the message what would it be? To allow the struggles and hardships of life to drive me to my knees and to the Word.

1. Wrestling On God’s Terms And Timing vv. 22-24 a. Wrestling begins in solitude vv. 22-24a The Lord deals with us most powerfully when we are alone with Him. What are some ways we can get alone with God in the midst of our busy lives? Get up earlier (this normally requires earlier bedtime as well). Don’t listen to the radio or music in the car or while running. Schedule time to just be alone with the Lord.

To be alone with Christ is the only way to arrive at a knowledge of ourselves and our ways. Jacob was a wrestled-with man, and until the seat of his own strength was touched, he did not reach the place of blessing.1 Important emphasis. When we are alone with God we learn about ourselves too.

b. Wrestling is instigated by God v. 24b The Lord instigates wrestling with Him because we need to learn to depend more fully on Him. What cultural ideas make it easier to be self-reliant and difficult to depend on the Lord? The Lord helps those who help themselves. Self made man. Religion is a crutch.

The conflict brought to a head the battling and groping of a lifetime, and Jacob’s desperate embrace vividly expressed his ambivalent attitude to God, of love and enmity, defiance and dependence. It was against him, not Esau or Laban, that he had been pitting his strength, as he now discovered; yet the initiative had been God’s, as it was this night, to chasten his pride and challenge his tenacity.2 It is God Jacob has battled all along.

2. Wrestling With Purpose And Endurance vv. 25-29 a. The purpose of dependence and maturity vv. 25, 27-28 Trials are about growth. If we are never tested than we will never know growth. What truths can remind me of God’s goal when I am in the midst of wrestling? James 1:2-4. 2Corinthians 12:9-10 (that the power of Christ may rest upon me) Romans 5:3-5.

It is significant that in response to Jacob’s request for a blessing the Man asked … What is your name? When one remembers that in the Old Testament one’s name is linked to his nature, the point becomes clear: Jacob’s pattern of life had to be radically changed! In saying his name, Jacob had to reveal his whole nature. Here the “heel-catcher” was caught, and had to confess his true nature before he could be blessed.3

During that “dark night of the soul,” Jacob discovered that he’d spent his life fighting God and resisting His will, and that the only way to victory was through surrender. As A.W. Tozer said, “The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him.” God conquered Jacob by weakening him.4 Be concquered!

1 Brooks, K. (2009). Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the Old Testament (p. 11). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software. 2 Kidner, D. (1967). Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 180). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 3 Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 81). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 4 Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (p. 58). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub. 1 But before we can begin to be like the Lord, we have to face ourselves and admit what we are in ourselves. That’s why the Lord asked him, “What is your name?” As far as the Genesis record is concerned, the last time Jacob was asked that question, he told a lie! His father asked, “Who are you, my son?” and Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn” (27:18–19, NKJV).5 Honest w/ selves and Lord b/f can be changed.

Hearing the name yiśrāʾēl, one would recall the incident in which Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed. Dillmann says that ever after the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man [Genesis, vol. 2, p. 279). The name “God fights” and the popular explanation “you fought and prevailed” thus obtained a significance for future struggles.6 God, through Jacob’s new name, is assuring the future generations of His protection and care.

b. The purpose of blessing vv. 26, 29 Why do we give up so easily? How can we build Godly persistence and endurance? Society teaches us to give up. To let someone else do it. Let the professionals handle it. We never feel like “professionals”. We build Godly persistence & endurance one step at a time. When we start looking too far ahead we get overwhelmed. Merely focusing on the next step keeps us moving forward.

In talking about Jacob’s refusal to release the Lord without a blessing “…nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.7” Cling to Him. It’s what He desires of you!

The Lord must on occasion “cripple” self-sufficient believers in order to bless them (22–25).8 We need to limp.

There indeed is such a thing as prevailing prayer, when the request conforms to the will and the word of God; and Jacob’s experience symbolizes all such prayers.9 Qualification: When it conforms to will & Word.

3. Wrestling That Brings Growth And Faith vv. 30-32 a. Growth in understanding v. 30 We hear often that to grow in our walk with the Lord we need to be in His Word and we need to spend time in prayer. What are some practical steps we can take to make these disciplines a reality? Set a timer. Have a list. Set a goal for reader whether a time or amount. Be sure there is a definite end.

His prayer for deliverance (Gen. 32:10–13) was answered. Meeting God face to face meant that he could now look Esau directly in the eye.10 God would fight for him!

b. Faith without options vv. 31-32 God wants us to trust Him, so sometimes he removes the things that compete for that trust. Are we sometimes guilty of holding onto a “fallback” if God fails us? How can we avoid that? Yes. As described in James and Romans, it is a process. The more we trust the better we will trust.

After this crippling touch, Jacob’s struggle took a new direction. Now crippled in his natural strength he became bold in faith.11 Sometimes physical difficulty is best for our spiritual well being.

5 Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (p. 59). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub. 6 Ross, A. P. (1998). Creation and blessing: a guide to the study and exposition of Genesis (pp. 555–556). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 7 Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 35). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 8 Ross, A. P. (1998). Creation and blessing: a guide to the study and exposition of Genesis (p. 552). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 9 Morris, H. M. (1976). The Genesis record: a scientific and devotional commentary on the book of beginnings (p. 501). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 10 Ross, A. P. (1998). Creation and blessing: a guide to the study and exposition of Genesis (p. 556). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 11 Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 81). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 2 The point of the story for the new nation of Israel that would come from Egypt into the land of promise is clear: Israel’s ultimate victory would come not by the usual ways by which nations gain power, but through the power of the divine blessing. Self-sufficiency is incompatible with the work of God in any age. Faith alone overcomes the world.12 Not by might nor by power but by my spirit.

God had left his permanent mark on him. All Jacob’s descendants were to remember this—thus the traditional avoidance of eating the sinew around the hip socket of an animal13 What mark has God left on me?

In refraining from this sinew, Israelites were reminded of Jacob’s name change and God’s blessing on Israel.14 They would be reminded that God strives. He strives with Israel when they are disobedient and for Israel when the walk in obedience.

For Personal Reflection: Am I courageous enough to be alone with the God so He can reveal my weakness? What practical steps will I take toward growth this week?

He had a new name; he had a new walk (he was limping); and he had a new relationship with God that would help him face and solve any problem, if only he would exercise faith. The great test was about to come, for Esau had arrived on the scene.15

Jacob’s life is the story of relentless grace—tenacious grace, contending grace, intrusive grace, renovating grace. Tenacious in that it would not let him go. Contending as it was always battling for his soul. Intrusive because it would not be shut out. Renovating because it gave him a new limp and a new name. This is the God who has redeemed us. He wrestled Satan on the cross and won. He has given us new life. And now that we are his, he will not let us go. We must submit to him.16

12 Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 81–82). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 13 Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 402). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 14 Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 32:32). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software. 15 Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (p. 60). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub. 16 Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 402). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. 3