Rev Gideon Lee
Genesis 32 : 1-32
1 And Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him.
2 And Jacob said when he saw them This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir the field of Edom.
4 And he commanded them saying Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now:
5 and I have oxen and asses `and' flocks and men-servants and maid-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord that I may find favor in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob saying We came to thy brother Esau and moreover he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people that were with him and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two companies
8 and he said If Esau come to the one company and smite it then the company which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac O Jehovah who saidst unto me Return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will do thee good:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two companies.
11 Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau: for I fear him lest he come and smite me the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that night and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother:
14 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats two hundred ewes and twenty rams
15 thirty milch camels and their colts forty cows and ten bulls twenty she-asses and ten foals.
16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants every drove by itself and said unto his servants Pass over before me and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost saying When Esau my brother meeteth thee and asketh thee saying Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 then thou shalt say `They are' thy servant Jacob's it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and behold he also is behind us.
19 And he commanded also the second and the third and all that followed the droves saying On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau when ye find him
20 and ye shall say Moreover behold thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said I will appease him with the present that goeth before me and afterward I will see his face peradventure he will accept me.
21 So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the company.
22 And he rose up that night and took his two wives and his two handmaids and his eleven children and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.
23 And he took them and sent them over the stream and sent over that which he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 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 strained as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said Let me go for the day breaketh. And he said I will not let thee go except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him What is thy name? And he said Jacob.
28 And he said Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men and hast prevailed.
29 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.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for `said he' I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.
31 And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel and he limped upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
I want to start off by saying this. When I share this message please do not think I am making reference to anyone here name Jacob. I am talking about Jacob of the bible.
In scripture, you cannot find a more colourful person than Jacob. Jacob and Esau's mother's name is Rebecca. It starts way off in her womb. The bible says she had two nations in her womb. It was a most difficult birth and Esau was born first, then Jacob. Jacob was holding onto his brother's leg at birth.
He was named Jacob because even as he was born like that, he was called a deceiver and conniver. Names are very important in its meaning. And he lived up to his name. He was competitive even at birth. He grew up cheating his brother of his birthright.
You all know the story right? He appealed to Esau's hunger. How many of you are fasting? You know what's it's like when you're hungry. He made him a soup of beans in exchange for his birthright and Esau agreed. And to seal the deal he went to the father disguised in a skin of a goat. The father's eyes were failing and he touched and said it felt like Esau even though he sounded like Jacob. And the father blessed him with a covenantal blessing.
Once Isaac blessed his children, God kept the promise. After cheating his brother he ran away as the brother after coming to his senses threatened to kill him. He ran with only the clothes on his back. He left in a real hurry.
He used a smooth rock as a pillow and he dreamt of a ladder, a staircase coming down from heaven. He perceived that this was a very good place and he anointed that rock with oil and called that place Bethel. He remembered God blessing him.
Genesis 28 : 16-22
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said Surely Jehovah is in this place. And I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid and said How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el. But the name of the city was Luz at the first.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on
21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace and Jehovah will be my God
22 then this stone which I have set up for a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
At that time God was not yet his God. Not yet the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He went to his uncle'a home Laban. He was as good as his nephew in trickery and Jacob met his match. He fell in love with his daughter Rachel and the condition Laban set was he has to work for him without wages for seven years. After seven years he married the daughter and was shocked on the wedding night it was a different daughter, Leah the elder daughter. And Laban said since the marriage was done he had to work another seven years before he can marry Rachel. When you cheat your way through life, remember there are always bigger sharks.
He later tricked his uncle and ran for a second time for his life. He took everything and ran. The uncle pursued him and finally caught up with him.
Genesis 31 : 48-50
48 And Laban said This heap is witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed:
49 and Mizpah for he said Jehovah watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.
50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters and if thou shalt take wives besides my daughters no man is with us see God is witness betwixt me and thee.
He now comes back to his brother Esau and to test the waters he sent a messenger. The messenger said to Jacob that Esau is coming to meet you with 400 men. So Jacob being Jacob was thinking how to handle this. He divided his family into two groups. So that if one group was killed the other would survive. And he sent gifts in batches so that hopefully Esau's heart would be softened by the time Esau arrive.
Traditionally the bible says he wrestled with God or an angel of God or in the bible a man as a metaphor. But later you see that Jacob actually wrestled with God. To put it bluntly he struggled with God. He had come to a situation where if God was not for him he would be dead. He wrestled with God until he receive his blessing.
Are you in a situation where you are in a place where if God don't bless you, you have no way out? He has used up all his craftiness and the wisdom of men and there was no way out unless God bless him. Are you that desperate that until God bless you, you have no way out? Jacob was in that situation.
Are you desperate enough for God to be the only one to bless you?
We struggle everyday in small things. Waking up was a struggle. Going through the traffic jam was a struggle. But there are also big things we struggle with like sickness or bankruptcy. Things where if God do not come, you will be finished.
Jacob was at a point of desperation. He wrestled with God to win. He was that desperate. Maybe it's a failed relationship. Or disobedient children moving away from God. My prayer for you is that you will be desperate enough to wrestle with God.
The bulldog is famous not for his looks but his bite. He bite and will not let go. He is tenacious. It is persistence. Don't let go.
Jacob wrestled till daybreak. That is the hardest time to stay awake. How would you like to come for an all day and night prayer and fasting where you wrestle with God through the night? He persisted till daybreak. So much so the angel of the Lord told him to let go. He said no until God blesses him.
The angel had to touch his hip until it dislocated his hip socket. But he hung on in pain. You need to have total dependence on God. The angel touched his hip to remind Jacob he was to depend on God. After that, he walked with a limp on crutches and every time he walked with the crutches he is reminded he needed to depend on God.
This morning, are you dependent on God? In a situation where our money will fail us, our health will fail us and even our friends will fail us, we need to hang on to God. It is only God who blesses us.
And while Jacob was in pain with his dislocated joint, God asked him what is your name?
He had to come face to face with the real him, the deceiver. Now he is given a new name, Israel, the prince of God. A transformation must happen to us before we can have the blessings of God. The old must pass away before we become who we are in the Lord. When we understand how God sees us. That is why he sent his only begotten son to die for us. So that a transformation can happen in our life.
What are you struggling with this morning? What are you wrestling with? Don't give up until daybreak.
How many of you know about the caterpillar? He goes through different stages. Starts with being in a cocoon during the larvae stage and a transformation takes place before it breaks free and change into a beautiful butterfly. You will see how hard it was for it to struggle and to get out of the cocoon.
Sometimes you would want to help the butterfly out of the cacoon when you see it struggle. When it emerge the wings would be shriveled up before it dries up and it can fly. If you helped it out of the cocoon the wings will not dry up and open up. It is designed for it to struggle out of the cocoon which causes its heart to pump blood into the wings and cause it to open up. That struggle is meant to make you stronger too.
Whatever your struggle is, be persistent before the Lord. Use every way to wrestle with God. With total dependence on Him. And have that transformation from being a Jacob to Israel.
By the way, the story of Jacob and Esau ended on a good note. Instead of killing him he kissed him. Instead of hating him he gave Jacob a hug. That is what happens when we depend on God.
Genesis 32 : 1-32
1 And Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him.
2 And Jacob said when he saw them This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir the field of Edom.
4 And he commanded them saying Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now:
5 and I have oxen and asses `and' flocks and men-servants and maid-servants: and I have sent to tell my lord that I may find favor in thy sight.
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob saying We came to thy brother Esau and moreover he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed: and he divided the people that were with him and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two companies
8 and he said If Esau come to the one company and smite it then the company which is left shall escape.
9 And Jacob said O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac O Jehovah who saidst unto me Return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will do thee good:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two companies.
11 Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau: for I fear him lest he come and smite me the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered for multitude.
13 And he lodged there that night and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his brother:
14 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats two hundred ewes and twenty rams
15 thirty milch camels and their colts forty cows and ten bulls twenty she-asses and ten foals.
16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants every drove by itself and said unto his servants Pass over before me and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
17 And he commanded the foremost saying When Esau my brother meeteth thee and asketh thee saying Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
18 then thou shalt say `They are' thy servant Jacob's it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and behold he also is behind us.
19 And he commanded also the second and the third and all that followed the droves saying On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau when ye find him
20 and ye shall say Moreover behold thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said I will appease him with the present that goeth before me and afterward I will see his face peradventure he will accept me.
21 So the present passed over before him: and he himself lodged that night in the company.
22 And he rose up that night and took his two wives and his two handmaids and his eleven children and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.
23 And he took them and sent them over the stream and sent over that which he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 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 strained as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said Let me go for the day breaketh. And he said I will not let thee go except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him What is thy name? And he said Jacob.
28 And he said Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men and hast prevailed.
29 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.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for `said he' I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.
31 And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel and he limped upon his thigh.
32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.
I want to start off by saying this. When I share this message please do not think I am making reference to anyone here name Jacob. I am talking about Jacob of the bible.
In scripture, you cannot find a more colourful person than Jacob. Jacob and Esau's mother's name is Rebecca. It starts way off in her womb. The bible says she had two nations in her womb. It was a most difficult birth and Esau was born first, then Jacob. Jacob was holding onto his brother's leg at birth.
He was named Jacob because even as he was born like that, he was called a deceiver and conniver. Names are very important in its meaning. And he lived up to his name. He was competitive even at birth. He grew up cheating his brother of his birthright.
You all know the story right? He appealed to Esau's hunger. How many of you are fasting? You know what's it's like when you're hungry. He made him a soup of beans in exchange for his birthright and Esau agreed. And to seal the deal he went to the father disguised in a skin of a goat. The father's eyes were failing and he touched and said it felt like Esau even though he sounded like Jacob. And the father blessed him with a covenantal blessing.
Once Isaac blessed his children, God kept the promise. After cheating his brother he ran away as the brother after coming to his senses threatened to kill him. He ran with only the clothes on his back. He left in a real hurry.
He used a smooth rock as a pillow and he dreamt of a ladder, a staircase coming down from heaven. He perceived that this was a very good place and he anointed that rock with oil and called that place Bethel. He remembered God blessing him.
Genesis 28 : 16-22
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said Surely Jehovah is in this place. And I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid and said How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that place Beth-el. But the name of the city was Luz at the first.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on
21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace and Jehovah will be my God
22 then this stone which I have set up for a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
At that time God was not yet his God. Not yet the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He went to his uncle'a home Laban. He was as good as his nephew in trickery and Jacob met his match. He fell in love with his daughter Rachel and the condition Laban set was he has to work for him without wages for seven years. After seven years he married the daughter and was shocked on the wedding night it was a different daughter, Leah the elder daughter. And Laban said since the marriage was done he had to work another seven years before he can marry Rachel. When you cheat your way through life, remember there are always bigger sharks.
He later tricked his uncle and ran for a second time for his life. He took everything and ran. The uncle pursued him and finally caught up with him.
Genesis 31 : 48-50
48 And Laban said This heap is witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed:
49 and Mizpah for he said Jehovah watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.
50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters and if thou shalt take wives besides my daughters no man is with us see God is witness betwixt me and thee.
He now comes back to his brother Esau and to test the waters he sent a messenger. The messenger said to Jacob that Esau is coming to meet you with 400 men. So Jacob being Jacob was thinking how to handle this. He divided his family into two groups. So that if one group was killed the other would survive. And he sent gifts in batches so that hopefully Esau's heart would be softened by the time Esau arrive.
Traditionally the bible says he wrestled with God or an angel of God or in the bible a man as a metaphor. But later you see that Jacob actually wrestled with God. To put it bluntly he struggled with God. He had come to a situation where if God was not for him he would be dead. He wrestled with God until he receive his blessing.
Are you in a situation where you are in a place where if God don't bless you, you have no way out? He has used up all his craftiness and the wisdom of men and there was no way out unless God bless him. Are you that desperate that until God bless you, you have no way out? Jacob was in that situation.
Are you desperate enough for God to be the only one to bless you?
We struggle everyday in small things. Waking up was a struggle. Going through the traffic jam was a struggle. But there are also big things we struggle with like sickness or bankruptcy. Things where if God do not come, you will be finished.
Jacob was at a point of desperation. He wrestled with God to win. He was that desperate. Maybe it's a failed relationship. Or disobedient children moving away from God. My prayer for you is that you will be desperate enough to wrestle with God.
The bulldog is famous not for his looks but his bite. He bite and will not let go. He is tenacious. It is persistence. Don't let go.
Jacob wrestled till daybreak. That is the hardest time to stay awake. How would you like to come for an all day and night prayer and fasting where you wrestle with God through the night? He persisted till daybreak. So much so the angel of the Lord told him to let go. He said no until God blesses him.
The angel had to touch his hip until it dislocated his hip socket. But he hung on in pain. You need to have total dependence on God. The angel touched his hip to remind Jacob he was to depend on God. After that, he walked with a limp on crutches and every time he walked with the crutches he is reminded he needed to depend on God.
This morning, are you dependent on God? In a situation where our money will fail us, our health will fail us and even our friends will fail us, we need to hang on to God. It is only God who blesses us.
And while Jacob was in pain with his dislocated joint, God asked him what is your name?
He had to come face to face with the real him, the deceiver. Now he is given a new name, Israel, the prince of God. A transformation must happen to us before we can have the blessings of God. The old must pass away before we become who we are in the Lord. When we understand how God sees us. That is why he sent his only begotten son to die for us. So that a transformation can happen in our life.
What are you struggling with this morning? What are you wrestling with? Don't give up until daybreak.
How many of you know about the caterpillar? He goes through different stages. Starts with being in a cocoon during the larvae stage and a transformation takes place before it breaks free and change into a beautiful butterfly. You will see how hard it was for it to struggle and to get out of the cocoon.
Sometimes you would want to help the butterfly out of the cacoon when you see it struggle. When it emerge the wings would be shriveled up before it dries up and it can fly. If you helped it out of the cocoon the wings will not dry up and open up. It is designed for it to struggle out of the cocoon which causes its heart to pump blood into the wings and cause it to open up. That struggle is meant to make you stronger too.
Whatever your struggle is, be persistent before the Lord. Use every way to wrestle with God. With total dependence on Him. And have that transformation from being a Jacob to Israel.
By the way, the story of Jacob and Esau ended on a good note. Instead of killing him he kissed him. Instead of hating him he gave Jacob a hug. That is what happens when we depend on God.
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