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Jan 12, 2015 / Bible Study / 3 COMMENTS
Today’s Scripture
“There he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:20).
Here are the 12 sons of Jacob.
Twice in the last couple days we have seen Jacob refer to God as the “God of his father.” Today, (the third time) we see Jacob refer to God as “his God.” Remember Jacob’s vow, in which he stated that God would be his God if He returned him safely home? Here Jacob is at the brink of coming home … and for the first time claims the ‘God of his fathers’ to be his own God as well!
Self-sufficiency is incompatible with the work of God. Faith alone overcomes the world.
Thanks again, Shannon! I have a couple of questions today:
1) I learned years ago that the man Jacob was wrestling with was God, but what I hadn’t noticed before is the idea that God touched Jacob’s socket because “…the man saw that he could not overpower him…” Of course, we know that God can overpower anything and anyone. So, do you have any insight into that?
2) This was also the first time I realized Jacob didn’t go to Esau as he said he would, and it looks like they didn’t reconnect during that time. Do you think it was it another trick that Jacob said he would go there, just to get away from Esau, now that he knew he wasn’t going to kill them?
I know God tells Jacob later to go to Bethel, but that was after he had told Esau he would meet him in Seir, but had gone to Succoth and built a place for him and the livestock; then to Shechem, bought land and pitched his tent. Then after the attack on Dinah, God tells Jacob to return to Bethel, and Seir isn’t mentioned. I tried to find a map to see the locations of Succoth, Shechem, and Seir, but couldn’t find Seir.
These questions aren’t critical, so if you don’t know, please don’t worry about them. They’re just details I’d never noticed before and wondered if you had any insight.
Thanks again for your leadership into a deeper study of His word!
Hi Vonda,
Here’s how I understand it:
1) The fight between the “Man” and Jacob was real and physical. It lasted until daybreak, which is significant, because Jacob was living a dark time of fear and uncertainty. It’s possible Jesus undisclosed His identity because had Jacob known Who He was, he never would have fought this fight. This fight was to play a significant role in the nation of Israel. Jacob had encountered many people in his life and was developing a habit of deceiving people, but here is One Person he couldn’t “get one over.” The fact that they had a fight at all (which seems weird at first) may be due to the fact that God was a) changing Jacob’s name, as He does to all of us when we become new in Him; and b) was establishing a new nation, Israel, from the seed of this man, the name of which means “God fights.” So, the symbolism is that Jacob fought with God just like God would fight for the nation, Israel.
Here is an additional thought from Bible Knowledge Commentary:
Jacob’s new name would remind him and others of this fight in which he had overcome. These words were full of hope to the Israelites. If one could contend successfully with God, he could then win the battle with man. Thus the name “God fights” and the explanation that Jacob had “overcome” obtained the significance of a promise for the nation’s forthcoming struggles.
– Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Ge 32:26–29). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
2) Yes, I think Jacob deceived Esau again in saying he would meet up in Seir, and not following through. Here’s a commentary explanation on that:
When Esau suggested that Jacob follow him to his home, Jacob answered that the slow progress of his family would delay his arrival for some while. He suggested that Esau return, and he would later follow him to Seir. Obviously, he had no such intention, which was apparent even to Esau when he refused a token guard to accompany him. As soon as Esau departed, Jacob moved off in the opposite direction. They would not meet again until Isaac’s death (Gen. 37:29).
– Francisco, C. T. (1972). Genesis. In H. F. Paschall & H. H. Hobbs (Eds.), The teacher’s Bible commentary (H. F. Paschall & H. H. Hobbs, Ed.) (40). Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers.
Thank you for the additional insights, they are very helpful in better understanding of Jacob and his transformation.
I appreciate you taking the extra time to help us. We just started a year-long study of Genesis last night at our small group, and I love that I’m currently studying Genesis with you, too! I hope it will help me gain better knowledge and understanding. The more I learn, the more I realize I have so much more to learn! It’s an unending process!