Genealogy of Christ: Jacob

1. Genealogy of Christ: Jacob Lets Get Ready to Rumble! Genesis 32:22-32

2. What about Isaac? • Isaac is considered to be a transition figure in scripture. His story is as a child to Abraham, or a parent of Jacob. Sorry Isaac, but…. • Isaac as a parallel of Christ • Both named before their births • Both miraculous births (Old age birth and virgin birth) • Both offered as a sacrifice • Only one sacrifice was accepted, the perfect sacrifice Christ.

3. Jacob – Genesis 25-50 • What’s in a name • Jacob is the most debated name in Hebrew Epistemology • His name can be found in the parallel cultures of Mesopotamia and Babylonia, each having a different understanding of the meaning. • Most likely means “Grabs the heel of” or “Deceiver” • Esau confirms that it is in reference to deceit (Genesis 27:36)

4. 4 Stages of Jacobs Life • 1 – Early life in Canaan: Favorite son of mother. Deceived brother out of birthright twice. Received his first vision from God (Bethel) • 2 – Life in Paddan-aram : Story of Rachael and Leah and the deceit of Laban, but the blessings of God • 3 – Return to Canaan – Ran away from Laban and confronted his brother Esau, Josephs story • 4 – Old man who journeyed to Egypt to be saved by his lost son Joseph

5. Lets Get Ready to Rumble! • Context of Genesis 32:22-32 • To this point Jacob has spent his life in treachery • Twice tricked brother out of birth right • Ran away instead of facing brother • Was tricked by Laban • Ran away from Laban in the middle of the night • Chapter 32 starts out with a frantic Jacob, He fervently turns to God in prayer and God meets with him • Sent Gifts ahead of himself to his brother (580 Animals)

6. Genesis 32:22-32 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. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 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. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”  But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 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.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”  But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,and he was limping because of his hip. 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.

7. Who did Jacob Wrestle With? • Hebrew word for man (is) progresses through this account to supernatural man (lohim) • Jacob asked the man for a blessing • The “man” changed Jacobs name to Israel • Jacob named the place Peniel – Face of God • Hosea 12:4 confirms that Jacob wrestled with an angel

8. The Fight Drags On • God/The Angel could have annihilated Jacob at anytime • This wrestling match was designed to change the heart of a stubborn man • Jacob will not let go – and the “man” seeing that he can not win blesses Jacob, than injures him for life • Jacob is both physically and spiritually changed

9. So….What’s the Point? • It is through our struggles that our faith is grown • Paul struggled with his “thorn in the flesh” • Moses struggled with his speech impediment • Job struggled with life • Sometimes its struggles we bring on our selves • Job • Jacob • David

10. Conclusion We all struggle with life, its part of living in a fallen world. The fact of the matter is that when we struggle, it is God that sees us through. He has not, nor will not forsake or abandon us. Jacob wrestled with God and was forever changed, our struggles allow room for faith to grow.