These verses are from my The American Bible: "In the course of that night, however, Jacob arose, took his two wives, with the two maidservants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had taken them across the stream and brought over all his possessions, Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob's hip at the socket, so that the hip socket wrenched as they wrestled. The man then said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go until you bless me.' 'What is your name?' the man asked. He answered, 'Jacob.' Then the man said, 'You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed.' Jacob then asked him, 'Do tell me your name, please.' He answered, 'Why should you want to know my name?' With that he bade him farewell. Jacob named the place Peniel, 'Because I have seen God face to face,' he said, 'yet my life has been spared.'"
What a strange story. Here, this weak man, unscrupulous deceiver, sinner, and swindler, ends up as God's anointed Father of the state of Israel. Jacob wrestles all night with an angel, a messenger from God, prevails in fighting the angel and God. His rewards seem to be that he is willful and strong, despite his devious ways, so he earns again God's trust by trial, and is awarded a new name.
Note that Jacob was alone when he wrestled with the angel, and this is symbolic, reminding us when we seek to right ourselves or to resist righting ourselves, we are wrestling with our guardian demon or guardian angels, both stand-ins for the deity they represent. This battle is done by the individual alone, and here is another early, biblical sign of the growing, struggling human being so developing as a sovereign individual. God has sent the angel to wrestle with Jacob so that he could grow through the experience, passing God's test that he had won some crucial battle in his nature, and was worthy of promotion to God's prince.
Eric Hoffer tells how giving people a new name and a new identity can work remarkable, miraculous transformations in them as they get their lives in order, and do well after a fresh start.Jacob now reformed, recovered, righteous and blessed, required a new name to accompany his new identity as God's chosen representative on earth, who has cast off his old sinful ways.
Here are those same verses from the Holy Bible (KJV): "And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 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 out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince thou has power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 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. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penu-el the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh."
Jacob is very special: blessed and cursed as of such importance that God's sends an angel to straighten him out face to face and nod him back to the proper destination. Who less great-souled than Jacob was, that could see God face to face, without dying of fright. Most of us would not survive such a meeting with Yahweh.
Note that divine messenger gives Jacob his blessing and new name but refuses to give his own name to Jacob. For one's name is sacred, and one has to be careful who deserves to know it--look at Aragorn as Strider in disguise in Lord Of The Rings.
No comments:
Post a Comment