In the book of Genesis, the life of Jacob could very well be summarized as ‘the wrestler.’ From his mother’s womb, literally, he is fighting, scratching, clawing, cheating, wrestling his way to blessing. He grabs a heel hook in the womb, clutching at Esau’s leg. He plays the heel before his father’s death bed, lying his way into receiving the patriarchal pronouncement of blessing. He engages in a match of wits against his uncle Laban for the hand of his youngest daughter Rachel in marriage. And all this is summarized and epitomized in his great wrestling match of Genesis 32.
The wrestler, Jacob, is jumped from behind by a sneak attack in the pitch black of the night. He finds himself fighting for his life, only trying to cling and clutch to the one who was overpowering him. He wouldn’t let go. Until he received blessing. He wanted something he had been searching for, wrestling for, for his whole life – congratulations. He wanted to be praised, to be accepted, to be acknowledged. He wanted to be the one to have his hand raised.
His father wouldn’t congratulate him. He wouldn’t bless him. He had to pretend to be his older brother Esau to get Isaac’s blessing. The words of the man with whom he now wrestled resound: ‘What is your name?’ (32:27). He had been asked this question before. He had answered with a lie: ‘Your first born, Esau.’ But now he comes clean: ‘I am Jacob.’
Jacob was transformed in this encounter. He would walk with a limp the rest of his life. The sun would now shine on him. When he left his homeland for fear of Esau, we are told,
- Genesis 28:11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set.
But things were changing, and now,
- Genesis 32:31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
He was hurt, but he was healed. He had finally admitted who he really was, only to be told that he was now a new person. He had always been the loser, but now his hand was raised in victory:
- Genesis 32:28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
What can change a man’s life in such an astounding way? The true Wrestler, the great Wrestler.
The Hebrew word abaq, which we translate ‘wrestled’ in vv. 24, 25 literally means, ‘to get dusty.’ The implication is that one rolls around on the ground and his body is covered in dirt . This is what it takes for a man to be transformed in such a way – to be reborn, to be blessed, to be crowned with victory – God must become dirty.
Who was it that wrestled with Jacob that day? He tells us in 32:30:
- So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
God, covered in dirt.
This is why the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ happened – so that we all could could prevail through his humanity. He was born in a dusty barn, plied in the dusty trade of carpentry, washed the dusty feet of his disciples, smeared mud on the eyes of the blind, died the death of the unclean upon the cross, so that in his wrestling, our hands might be raised. He is the Wrestler, and his crown is our salvation.
Do not let go of him until he blesses you.
