This Article: (3 Pages)
- 1. A Maimed and Contrite spirit
- 2. Jacob's trouble
- 3. Strength in Infirmity
2) Jacob's trouble
In his life Jacob was in great trouble when he was to go back into the Promised Land. He was escaping his angry brother-in-law Laban, who was hoping to further exploit him, and he was going back to where his brother Esau had last indicated that he would kill him, for taking his blessing. This was a test of faith. Jacob was troubled and makes all forms of detailed preparations to appease Esau, and to reduce his risk if Esau was not appeased. He sent out messengers and he found that Esau was coming with a great force. Jacob feared. He sends his family over, possibly because he thought that Esau was most interested in harming him.
Then, for a reason we are not told, Jacob wrestles with a man. The first point is that the man was sent by God. It is possible he stood in Jacob's way. It seems that Jacob knows the man is an angel, as when the man says, 'let me go', Jacob replies,
I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. (Genesis 32:26)
Jacob had taken hold of his brother's heel at birth, he had bought his brother's birthright and by deception taken his brother's blessing. Yet the writer to the Hebrews points out that Isaac's one and only great work of faith was to give Jacob the blessing above Esau,
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (Hebrews 11:20)
When Jacob wrestled that night, there is no sense of divine disapproval, though Jacob's words indicated that he feared for his life. Instead, the exchange is a remarkable blessing,
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 thou 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. (Genesis 32:27-30)
Though Jacob prevails due to strength and determination, the victory is not without cost,
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. (Gen 32:25)
The cost of the struggle for the blessing affects Jacob's strength.
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. (Gen 32:31-32)
Jacob's limp & the staff of God's support
There is an impression that Jacob had all his life been a strong and able man, like David, very capable of dealing with threats to the flocks he tended. For 20 years he had worked hard, as Jacob proved when he spoke to Laban,
That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. (Gen 31:39-40)
All of the issues of Jacob's life to that time show him working for Laban out in the fields. But from the time he wrestles with the angel, he is shown as being at the camp. It seems the limp was evident for the rest of his life.
That the children of Israel didn't eat the sinew, indicates that it was an ongoing limp. Also there is a comment given to us regarding the importance of Jacob's staff.
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. (Hebrews 11:21)
It is more than weakness. The implication was that for many years Jacob had leant on the staff, and it was a symbol also of his faith. As a strong man he had prevailed, but from that point on he was a limping man who leaned on a staff, which symbolised how he had at that time leaned on God.
The staff would be usual equipment for a shepherd to carry. Jacob had also been spiritually leaning on the 'staff' of the might of the Elohim for many years. But from that time of wrestling Jacob is not shown working in the fields, always he is at home. Joseph is sent out to see how the flocks are. The sons return to report Joseph is lost. In every incident Jacob is about the tent. When Jacob goes into Egypt his sons carry him,
And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. (Gen 46:5).
When Jacob is blessing his sons, to Joseph he speaks of the strength of the 'God of Jacob'. For many years Jacob had leaned on that strength. Joseph is blessed with the God of his father (Jacob) who would help him.
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) (Gen 49:24)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. (Genesis 49:25-26)
A Prince with God
Jacob also makes a comment that he could give to Joseph a great blessing on his head, because he, Jacob, had prevailed, in a way that exceeded even his fathers. Because Jacob had prevailed, he was to be a 'prince' and as a prince, could hand a princely inheritance to his family. There was to be power to the head of Joseph, and to another of the sons, who also prevailed as Joseph had, there would be a crown. It is to the house of another Joseph that that son,Yeshua, who was 'separate from his brethren' was born, who would inherit the promise of the crown.
Of all the blessings given to and by the fathers of Israel, it is Jacob's blessings that first mention royalty.
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10)
Because Jacob had prevailed, he was made a prince with El. But from that point on, Israel limped.
The royal son, David from the house of Judah, drew great strength in his trials in the wilderness, from knowing how his ancestor Jacob had prevailed.
<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.> The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. (Psa 20:1-3)
Again he speaks of strength,
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. (Psa 84:5-8)
It was when Jacob limped and was in affliction that he was a prince with El. According to Psalm 132, it was David's salvation from his afflictions that led him to vow to find a place for the mighty God of Jacob.
A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. (Psa 132:1-5)
The implication is that David felt he had been helped in affliction in the same way Jacob had been. Again the God of Jacob is equated with strength,
<To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.> Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. (Psa 81:1-4)
But there is more. Jacob prevailed to be a prince, or to have power. Yet as soon as he was called Israel he limped and lent on a staff and was carried by his sons. When was Jacob to benefit from prevailing? All could see that it was not to be in the time of his pilgrimage! It was to be in the future.
Show All
It was the team matriarch's 75th Birthday and I thought what can I give? What would be the Greatest Gift to someone we love?
Many Christians might prefer to call the great and mighty God of Israel “Father”, without fully understanding what it means.
This article was born as it was found that the Greek word from which we have philanthropy, philanthropos, only occurs once in the Bible, with the noun form philanthrōpia occurring only twice. Even more intriguing we found that much is said about 'philadelphia' the Greek word for brotherly love.
It was written that,
For I will lay the land most desolate.. and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. (Ezekiel 33:28)
This article is written in thanks to Yahweh for help given in modern medicine, and for a measure of healing. The writer, unknown to herself, had heart failure. It seemed like pneumonia, as one of the symptoms is retention of water in the lungs and elsewhere, and then the feet began weeping the fluid through open sores. We trusted and prayed for help. Medical help was given from of all things, results from a test not done correctly. She has been helped much. We thank Yahweh. Also it is soon Thanksgiving in the USA.
