Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from the “Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide”, is titled “Jacob, Israel”.
By nature, Jacob’s name truly reflected who he was. A “supplanter”. That moniker can mean, “to take the place of and serve as a substitute for, especially by reason of superior excellence or power” (Merriam-Webster). This definition does not imply any sinister act or motivation. But our usual definition of “supplanter” does carry the concept of deceitfulness … “to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery” (Merriam-Webster). This definition more accurately describes Jacob. As the Bible says, Jacob “struggled with God and with men” (Genesis 32:28). This “struggling” implies a drive to have your own way.
Now this “struggling” can be a good thing. “Struggling” and “grappling” to understand. “Struggling” to come to grips with the desired path in order to accomplish the goal. “Struggling” with the reality of our faithlessness and “struggling” to believe in God’s faithfulness. But in Jacob’s case, his lifetime of struggling was not in the best sense as evidenced by his life before he literally wrestled with God. Jacob had been a deceiver. Struggling with men (and God) to get his own way (just read Genesis 25-31).
Wrestling with God is something we all have done (or still do from time-to-time). It is important that we understand what this means, though. Else we will be guilty of duplicating the futile, self-promoting, wrestling years of Jacob instead of the fruitful wrestling that made Jacob an “overcomer” of himself, reflected in his new name Israel. Because wrestling with God is in our future.
As Jeremiah 30 tells us, Jacob’s night of wrestling will be the experience of each of God’s faithful-ones at the end of time. Jacob’s night of wrestling with God was a critical event for him. When “Jacob was left alone” (Genesis 32:24), all his past troubles came to mind, all is future troubles came to mind. And all his utter faithlessness came to mind, too. It was then that God came to him … and the wrestling began. And so with us. We know our lives of equivocation and faithlessness. We know how we have failed our Father over and over again. We know our faithlessness on this day, too. And we struggle to understand and to believe in our Father. To look beyond the facts of our faithless lives and see the fact of our Father’s faithful love and grace. This time of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30: 7) is precisely what we need, though, to bring us to total faith in God. Bring us to total rejection of our own way and total reliance on God’s way. To become God’s Israel indeed. Just as it was for Jacob.
The name “Israel” did not confer anything on Jacob, but reflected the change that had already taken place, as it is for all God’s “Israel”. This is important. “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel …but the children of the promise are counted as seed” (Romans 9: 6,8) Remember, “only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). Therefore, you and I today can be God’s Israel. Must be His Israel. God is calling each of us. Calling us to be His people of total reliance and faith in our Father. Calling each of us Gentiles to overcome our sinfulness as Israel overcame. Calling each Gentile until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). Actually, only “Israel” can be saved. Only “overcomers” can be saved. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne…He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Revelation 3:21/ 21:7). Let us be God’s Israel. Let us wrestle to understand. Let us wrestle with our doubts and fears and learn the lesson of ultimate trust and faith in our God of love. Let us not give-up. Let us hold tight to our God and “… not let You go unless You bless me” (Genesis 32:27).
With brotherly love,
Jim