To me, this story is one of the most interesting and ambiguous stories in the Bible. It's found in Genesis 32:22-32. It's often spoken of as the wrestling match between God/the Angel of the Lord and Jacob. I find it interesting for several reasons. The first reason is because there is no identification as this strange visitor being either God or an angel. Up until this point in the book of Genesis, if God or an angel appeared to someone in the form of a man, it would say so. It would identify them as some type of messenger from God or as an incarnation of God Himself. In this particular story, the visitor is just referred to as a man, with no further revelation of his identity. A second reason I find this story so intriguing is because of verse 25. "When the man saw that he could not overpower him (Jacob), he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man." It's strange that the man could simply touch Jacob's hip and cause some significant amount of internal damage, but he "could not overpower him." This apparent supernatural strength leads me to assume that he was an angel that for some reason let Jacob overpower him. Finally, I find it peculiar that when Jacob asks the man's name, he doesn't give it to him. He responds with the question "why do you ask my name?" then blesses him and apparently leaves. He identifies himself as neither the Lord (as the Lord often did), or a messenger of the Lord. Not that we'll ever reach a conclusive answer, but what do you guys think? I'm super curious to find out!
I commented on Tori's post.
Jacob has come to the end of himself. He was frazzled from fighting with family. He felt he couldn't go on any longer. With Esau on his way, he could very well be dead and his family killed or captured. He was desperate for God's protection and blessing. Through stabbing pain Jacob demands a blessing from the man. I feel like sometimes our trials cause us to cry out for God's blessing and protection just like Jacob.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really cool element to point out. We take so much of the Bible for granted when we've grown up with church and Sunday school and /everyone/ telling us what story elements are present in Bible tales - then you realize that not everything is quite as cut and dry as you thought. The possibilities are endless, really. Angel, God, supernaturally gifted man sent by God... who knows?
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