From the beginning, Jacob was a thief, a cheat, and a momma’s boy. He grew up to be a man who played favorites with his wives and children. He was always looking out for number one. When Esau, Jacob’s twin brother was born, Jacob was holding onto his older brother’s heel, looking as if, even then, he wanted what was Esau’s.
When Jacob and Esau were young men, Jacob talked his brother into giving up his birthright in exchange for a pot of red stew. A few years later, when their father, Isaac, was about to die, Jacob connived Isaac into giving him the blessing that he had intended to give to Esau.
But this trickery and cheating forced Jacob to leave and move away from home. If he didn’t, Esau was going to kill him because of his duplicity and deception. So, Jacob traveled to live with his uncle.
And so on the night of his escape to avoid Esau’s murderous hand, Jacob slept alone in the wilderness, with a stone for a pillow. God then came to Jacob to confirm that he was the one whom God had chosen to bless. God promised Jacob that He would bless him with protection until he returned to Bethel.
So, Jacob arrived at his uncle’s house. While there, he met the woman of his dreams, the one he wanted to marry. But there was a problem. For Jacob met more than his match in marriage, he also met his match in cheating and trickery. Jacob met the king of cheaters: his future father-in-law, Laban.
Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, the daughter of Laban, who was also the younger daughter in the family. And Laban agreed that Jacob could marry Rachel if he worked for him for seven years. So, Jacob did that. But on the wedding night, Jacob married Leah, Rachel’s older sister, instead. As was the custom back then, she was all covered up, and Laban had pulled a fast one.
Now, Jacob had to work for Laban another seven years to marry Rachel. And he did so. Finally, tired of being swindled and deceived, Jacob sneaked off with his wives, children, and servants. He also left with the vast wealth he had amassed, clearly showing that God had blessed him.
But that was part of the problem. For Jacob was now pondering what God meant by the word “until” when He first blessed him at Bethel. After all, Jacob was now returning to Bethel. And between Jacob and his return to the land of his father was one enormous obstacle: his brother, Esau. That’s the same brother who had vowed to kill him. That’s the same brother who was approaching with 400 men.
A panic was now overtaking Jacob. So, preparing for a potential disaster, even a potential slaughter, Jacob split his large caravan into two groups. He sent them in different directions, hoping that he could save, at least, half of his family and wealth.
And so, that night, Jacob was alone again, just like he was when he was at Bethel the first time. And as at Bethel the first time, God came to Jacob. God came to Jacob as the “the Angel of the Lord.” And yet, we know that messenger, that angel, was God. For Jacob named the place “Penuel,” which means “the face of God.” Jacob said, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”
God also confirmed His identity when He gave Jacob a new name, which would extend His promise of protection to Jacob and his offspring. God gave Jacob the name “Israel,” which means “God struggled.” God said, “Your name won’t be Jacob anymore, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and men and have prevailed.”
All of this helps us understand what happened between Jacob and God that night. God, in the form of a man, wrestled with Jacob until daybreak. When he saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he stuck Jacob’s thigh, putting his hip socket out of joint. And then at daybreak, He said, “Let me go.”
But Jacob said, “I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.” Despite his fatigue, Jacob wouldn’t let go of God. Despite his pain, Jacob wouldn’t let go of God. Even after God commanded Jacob, “Let me go,” Jacob wouldn’t let go of God–not unless God would bless him!
Why was Jacob so pigheaded? It was because he knew that he needed God’s blessing. Earlier, Jacob had seen the result of God’s blessing that he received at Bethel, back when he was traveling to Laban’s house. Even despite Laban’s trickery and swindling, God had still blessed Jacob with faith, love, family, wealth, and protection. But now, Jacob was facing his long-angry, death-promising brother, Esau. And Jacob was unsure of what God meant by “until” when He earlier had blessed him.
When Jacob was traveling to Laban’s house, God told him: “Remember, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you” (Genesis 28:15). But this blessing presents to us the question that kept Jacob wrestling with God the entire night. This unanswered question kept Jacob tightly clenched to God, despite fatigue, pain, and even the command of God: “Is God’s blessing about to end?”
That little word “until” can confuse us. For instance, think about the commission that Jesus first gave to His Apostles, those whom He placed in His Church to baptize and teach. Jesus said, “And remember, I am with always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). When Jesus spoke that promise, did He imply or mean to say anything about what would happen after “the end of the age”? No, He didn’t.
Jesus was silent about His presence after “the end of the age,” that is, after He returns on the Last Day. Yet, wouldn’t it be rash for us to assume that His presence would disappear after that? What Jesus was saying was that He would be with His Church during the trying times before His return on the Last Day. For that would be when we would doubt that He was with us. Until then, we would be tested and tempted, and we could mistakenly assume that He had abandoned us.
And that was how Jacob mistakenly understood the word “until.” He thought that God’s use of “until” meant that His promise was ending, that God’s blessing would last only until Jacob returned to Bethel. After that, he would live without God’s blessing and presence.
But God specifically spoke His blessing to Jacob for the time when he would be away from the land of his fathers. For that would be when Jacob would be tempted to think that God had abandoned him, when unbelievers would be surrounding him. And so God was silent about His blessing after Jacob returned to Bethel on his way back home.
And so with Jacob misunderstanding God’s use of “until,” he began to panic. Why? It’s because Esau was now on his way, the same Esau whom he had swindled, the same Esau who had vowed to kill him. In such a panic and fear, Jacob cried out to God, “I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.”
Jacob was living out his faith in panic. Such a panic-driven faith can overwhelm a believer’s heart when he feels that the object of his faith, God’s blessing, may no longer be true. When that happens, nothing else matters in the entire world. God must give His blessing! God must assure you that His blessing will continue and not go away or disappear. That’s what happens when panic takes control of your faith. And that’s was what was happening to Jacob.
But what does that have to do you? Like Jacob, God has also given you His promise. In the New Covenant, He has chosen you and given to you His blessing. God gave His promise to you in your baptism. For God’s Word says, “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21). After all, that’s the point of baptism. That is baptism’s unending message for you.
But how can that be? It’s true because in your baptism, the Holy Spirit also descended on you. He has united you with Christ in His baptism. And so what God the Father said to Jesus, He also says to you: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:17)
Baptism is a blessing of identity. You are God’s child. You are His chosen one. And this identity does not expire or end. It has no word of “until,” which may confuse you.
When you face times of trouble, temptations will come along, trying to get you to believe that God’s blessings have ended. Like Jacob, you may think that God will abandon His promise to you. Yet, during such temptation, God is wrestling with you. He has his grip on you–and you, you need to keep your grip on Him!
In those times, when panic is driving your faith, God teaches you to rely on His promise. For it remains true! In God’s unwavering baptismal promise, He strengthens you to face whatever this fallen world may throw your way.
And then, standing strong in your baptismal promise, your panic-driven faith will, instead, become filled with God’s peace. And His peace surpasses every thought, which will guard your heart and mind in union with the Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Amen.
