Jacob: a man who won the victory over God and men - Gen 32:28

The original Korean text: http://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025356740

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Jacob was born a younger twin, son of Rebekah, Isaac's wife. His elder twin brother was Esau. Before they were born, God had declared that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). In other words, the real blessing of the firstborn should go to the younger brother Jacob.

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Jacob was second-class from the birth. He strived to go out first from the womb, but he, being pushed by Esau, was born after his brother Esau. He was so angry for he had to live as a younger brother, that he took hold of Esau's heel when he came forth.

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When Esau comes from outside and is hungry, Jacob buys his birthright from him with a bowl of pottage of lentils. Jacob later deceives his blind father and pretends to be his brother Esau, and is blessed by his father in place of Esau. When his brother resented his deed and tried to harm him, Jacob fled to his uncle and lived there for a considerable period. When he got a lot of wealth there, he fled with family and property out of the uncle's house, but he was overtaken and rebuked.

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Such is the second-class life. A second-class man is so cunning that he always cheats and blackmails others, and gains his own benefit by using others' weakness. How do people come to live such a second-class life? People live such a life because they try to succeed in life by their own tricks instead of living according to God's promise and will. Believing that not God but man gives blessing, people deceive and cheat others, and take advantage of others' weakness, so that they are scolded by others. (Jacob deceives his father, believing that his father rather than the God blesses him. Even now, those who believe that government officials bless them still pay bribes.)

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At last, God decided to eradicate this evil nature of Jacob. When Jacob is going to his hometown, his brother Esau comes to Jacob with 400 men. Now Jacob has come to the fork of a road: whether all his family will die or live. Jacob let all his families cross the Jabbok stream, and he remained on this side. And God in human appearance came to Jacob. Not noticing that he was the God, Jacob wrestled with him. Jacob's temper and energy were still alive till dawn, thus God could not overcome him. Although God wanted to stop wrestling, Jacob wouldn't let him go, saying, "You must bless me first, then I'll let you go!" God made Jacob's thigh put out of joint, and Jacob limped. Having made Jacob such a man, God called him Israel, saying, "You have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." (So God has a record of 0 wins and 1 loss in wrestling. It's somewhat a poor record!)

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The reason why God struck Jacob and made him limp is this. Now Jacob was to see Esau, and he had to live not by his own strength but by God's mercy, because he limped. Jacob can survive only when God softens Esau's heart. Otherwise, Jacob can not escape and will die. The legs that have enabled Jacob so far to flee after deceiving others become useless now. Now Jacob is forced to trust in only God's grace.

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But God's prescription was the best one. Esau felt pity on Jacob when he saw Jacob come near in shabby appearance, limping and bowing and shouting, "My elder brother, my elder brother!" 'Oh, no! What a poor brother! I've expected him to return as a great man since he deceived me and father and ran away. If I kill that poor fellow here in front of my men, I'll lose face!' God made Jacob's appearance look humble and melted Esau's hatred. Esau hugged Jacob and cried, "My brother Jacob, how hard it was to live in the foreign land? Mother told me that uncle Laban was a very stingy man. How much trouble have you had? (He blubbered.)"

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At that time, it was a world of lawlessness. So Jacob himself could not keep all the wealth he had earned in his uncle's house until then. But Jacob had a strong supporter. The supporter was Esau who had 400 men under himself. Later, Esau yielded his land to his younger brother and emigrated to other land.

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The blessing Jacob gained by wrestling with God was a blessing that made one's enemy his helper. As a means of achieving that blessing, God made Jacob's legs limp. So Jacob looked forward to only God's help, and anyway, became humble, so that he could change his brother's heart. What would happen if Jacob did not wrestle with God and stood before Esau, with good legs and armed like Goliath? Perhaps Jacob has become a marathoner since that day.

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A second-class man lives by his own strength and tricks, deceiving others, blackmailing others, and being criticized by others; while a first-class man believes in God's blessing and promise, and is led by him and waits for God's time. Jacob met God and became Israel. He changed from second-class to first-class. A first-class life is a greater blessing than a prestigious university.