Why It Matters //
Jesus can be found everywhere in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament books. Often we miss some of His most significant appearances in pre-incarnate forms such as "The Angel of The Lord" (often called a Christophany). These encounters help us to understand the nature and attributes of God the Son, pre-existing before time and present throughout the entire biblical narrative. In order to fully understand the divinity of Jesus Christ it’s important that we know how to see Him as a member of a Triune God who humbled Himself to the boundaries of humanity in order to redeem us. This particular encounter Jacob has with Jesus helps us understand that He is pursuing us and giving us the chance to change our name from "deciever" to "prince with God". This encounter is a foreshadowing of repentance and salvation.
What It's Talking About //
Genesis is the first book in the Bible, and it records the beginning of time, life, sin, salvation, the human race, and the Hebrew nation. Most scholars believe that Moses wrote the Torah (the Hebrew scriptures), which are the first five books of the Bible, including Genesis. It narrates the history of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, and in this passage we read about Jacob, son of Isaac, who is on the way to meet his brother Esau when he comes face to face with the Angel of the Lord and wrestles with him. It is here that Jacob’s name is changed to Israel, and he is given a new identity as one who has “overcome.”
Genesis 32:22-32 NIV
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.
32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.