Pastor Jesus Ramos Jr Supporter Prophet, Pastor and Missionay

It's my personal opinion that the man didn't need an edge to gain an advantage over Jacob. I believe that he was more than able to defeat Jacob, but his goal was not to defeat Jacob, but to bless him. Although there was a physical struggle, we can all relate to something that we struggle with in the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. We wrestle against the desires of the flesh, against sin and the influences of the world so that this passage of scripture is something that we can all relate to.

The greater issue with Jacob was the fact that he had to confront his brother and he feared greatly, so much so that he placed himself at the rear or the caravan in case there were any altercations. Jacob had every intention to flee. Dislocating his hip would prevent him from escaping what was inevitable; he had to confront his past in order to overcome it.

Years of separation from his brother could never erase what had been done in the past. Living in guilt and shame is not really living at all; it's merely existing. There was no turning back. Jacob's blessing was beyond his greatest obstacle; Jacob's future was beyond his past. 

What are we wrestling with today? We also have to confront our past in order to overcome it. Our blessing is just beyond what we fear the most. That can be your Goliath, taunting and mocking you. If you don't get past him you won't be going anywhere. You will overcome, you will succeed, stop wrestling and let God bless you! You're not fighting God, you are fighting yourself!

June 11 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

James Kraft Supporter 74 year old retired pipeline worker

Jacob was in one of those situations that God puts us in for His own purpose. We wrestle with God over it until we know there is no other way out than to trust His grace. God knocked Jacobs Hip out of joint so that He had to trust God for the outcome of meeting his brother.

God puts us in different situations to grow our faith. More than anything else he wants us to know that we are still sinners but can trust in His grace.

First John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
First John 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar.

God wants us to know we are sinners, and could only be saved by His grace. He wants to bring us to a higher place than living under the law. He wants us to trust in His grace. He wants us to know that He loves us and only wants the best for us.

He has to make us weak in the flesh so that we will trust in His grace. Until we confess that we can do nothing without Him, we trust in ourselves. Paul said I have no confidence in the flesh.

God said He will provide for us in all situations of life if we will trust Him. The only way we can learn is to get to those places that we have no hope in ourselves and can only trust His grace. Until we give up, and quit trying to live the Christian life in the flesh, He can not use us the way He wants to.

When we give up, He begins to do the work in us that He wants to do. The Christian life can not be lived by self effort. Only by His grace.

January 06 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter

God may have been seeking to subdue Jacob and to show him that even though he was valiant, he could not truly match the angel of God. He had to learn to fully submit to God and allow the will of God to prevail in his life. 

Beyond this assumption, I find no other teaching of Scripture that could explain the basis of the action. 

There is however further evidence in other sections of the Bible that the duel may have been spiritual rather than physical and that an angel of God was involved and not a man. Some say the angel was the incarnate Christ but this is difficult to establish from Scripture. 

Hosea 12:2-4 reveals that Jacob had power over the Angel and prevailed. He wept and sought favor from him: he found him in Bethel. Jacob received the blessing from God and this is the reason he prevailed over his brother. 

However, even with the special favor of God, Hosea reveals that God will punish the house Jacob (Judah) for their disobedience.

January 06 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report