All of us struggle and no one is exempt. Bad things happen. We can learn from Jacob’s challenges and struggles with people and God.
STRUGGLING WITH PEOPLE AND CIRCUMSTANCES
As the result of deceiving and stealing his brother Esau’s birthright Jacob learned from his mom that Esau was going to kill him Jacob fled for his life to his uncle Laban’s home. Jacob struggled with his shrewd father- in-law Laban who tricked him into serving him for fourteen years for Rachel and Leah and then another six years more to build his flocks.
All those years Jacob bore significant losses and his wages changed ten times. After twenty long years Jacob finally left Laban’s manipulation. But, that was not the end of Jacob’s issues; he not only had trouble with Laban and his sons, but had to endure constant conflict and competition among his wives Leah, Rachel and their handmaidens Bilhah and Zilpah. Add to this the care of their eleven sons their home was no Disneyland.
How did Jacob patiently endure? Jacob told Laban, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me…But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” Genesis 31:42
When people are difficult and abrasive and circumstances unbearable turn it all over to the Lord and trust Him to mature you. The wear and tear of mean people and miserable circumstances can either mature us or destroy us and we must make the choice. Those twenty years of silence and surrender were the making of Jacob.
God was using difficult people and circumstances to grow up Jacob and to prepare him to build and sustain the nation of Israel. It has been said that what life does to us depends on what life finds in us and in Jacob, life found faith and patience.
STRUGGLING WITH GOD
Jacob was at war with others and with himself because he was at war with God and that battle needed to be settled before he could face his brother again. While anticipating his fearful first encounter with Esau in over twenty years he had an unplanned meeting with a mysterious stranger that same night. Jacob wrestled with him until daybreak (Gen.32:22-32) and as the night wore on Jacob discovered that he could never defeat his adversary which most commentators agree this was a pre-incarnate visit of Jesus Christ.
The Lord could have defeated Jacob in an instant, but it was important that through suffering Jacob would discover that it was time to stop fighting God and start yielding. As A.W. Tozer said, “The lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him.” As a result of the struggle Jacob was permanently crippled for the rest of his life reminding him of his personal inward struggle. As G. Campbell Morgan said, “the crippling that crowns.”
OVERCOMING THROUGH DEFEAT
When we are conquered by the Lord then we can overcome our personal struggles and our circumstances. Jacob was at war with himself and the people in his life because he was at war with God. When he finally stopped fighting and began surrendering he turned his defeat into victory.
Afterwards God changed his name to Israel which means ‘governed by God.’ As the apostle Paul said, “When we are weak in ourselves we are strong in the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 12:10
Jacob had a dark night of the soul, but it made him a new man. Jacob had to limp back to his family and tell them that he had seen the face of God and how his heart had been changed. For him it was the beginning of a new day and so may it be with us. May it be said of us as with Jacob,
“You have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Genesis32:28
One day Jacob leaned on his staff one last time and all his struggles ended. He entered into his ultimate healing and home. May we look forward to that day.
