I Live by the Faith of the Son of God

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ live th in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

By faith I am crucified with Christ.  

Yes, when He died there on the cross, I died with Him.

 

But how do I work this out into my everyday experience?    Are we just to think that we are crucified?

No, thinking will not get the job done…we must die to our old way of life: our self life.  And we must live to our new way of life:  our Christ life.

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples,  If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

                                   For whosoever will save his life  shall lose it:  and whosoever will lose his life for My sake  shall find it.”

As I deny myself and take up my cross (not some Roman cross) but my cross.  As the cross was the Will of the Father to Christ,  so our “cross” is God’s Will for me.    It is that which cuts across my will, and demands that I, the creature, bow before the Creator, and obey.

Then, I am following Him into His life for me.

(It is always the will, willing it.  It is not emotional following…though our hearts are present in the act.   Nor is it mental following,  though our minds must understand He is asking us.  It is the will…pushing you into it.  Then the will…taking your arm and walking with you into His Will.    For it is a process.)

He asks our willing cooperation:  siding with Him against ourselves is a great joy to Him.

I must bear my cross till I come to the place where I no longer resist the Lord’s Will in anything.

It is there, my rebellion is ended.

(There are many Christians who say that you can not rebel against God after you are  born again.  

But the experiences of all believers from the first to last show differently.  

We still have our old nature.   Our selfish ways are ingrained in us deeply.  And it is a process which requires God’s great patience to mold us into the character of Christ.)

“And the life which I now live in the flesh,   I live by the faith of the Son of God,  Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

The faith of the Son of God is a demanding, sustaining, victorious faith.   It was for Him,  it is in us.

It demands obedience.  It says that we are to move at His direction, under His banner;  leaving behind our old life.

It sustains against trials, sorrows, and change, around us.

It gives a victory within us,  for this faith enlivens us when we are weary;  it orders our thoughts to see Him in all circumstances;  and it never gives up on us.

It gives a victory outside of us,  for this faith guides us through the quicksand of people’s flatteries,  or complaints;  it shows Christ to others, and draws them to Him;  and it holds us up with a power that moves heaven and earth to help us.

And it is ours in Christ Jesus.

Will we have His life?   Then we must lose our self life…..for He has it for us, if we will.

Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah 

Ruth 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land.  And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.”

Background:

In the land of Israel, at the town of Bethlehem, there was a famine.

So a man and his wife, with their two sons, left there home there, and went into the near country of Moab.

They thought they would “sojourn” there till the famine was over.

(They could have sought the Lord, for the cause of the famine;  but instead they left that to others,  and in doing so missed a blessing.)

Their “sojourn” turned into ten years!   During that time Naomi’s husband died. Her sons married two women of Moab,  but soon also died, leaving her alone in a strange land, far from her God, and home.

She longed for her country;  and she had heard that the famine was over in Israel…”the Lord had had visited His people in giving them bread.” (Ruth 1:6)

So she “arose”,  always the first move in returning to God.   Arise from where you are, to come home to Him.

She started to leave Moab to return to Bethlehem.  

Her two daughters-in-law followed her;  and how far they went is not told…but after a while, Naomi realized it would be a hardship for them if they followed her.

They had parents they could return to,  for they would certainly take them back.

They could have new lives:  marry and have children among their own people.

If they followed her to Bethlehem, she did not know what would happen there.

For herself, she could at least die among Israelites, back home with her God; but for them…..she could not say whether there would be even a place to lay there head.

Ruth 1:8-10 “And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law,  Go, return each unto her mother’s house:  the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

                      The Lord grant that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.   Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

                       And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.”

Naomi prays for them here…using the name Jehovah (the Lord) twice.  Seeking for them kindness from the Lord, and in doing so, gives witness that all true good comes from the Lord.

Both had real affection for Naomi.   And both declared that they would continue the journey with her.

An old woman alone, is a sad thing; and they felt her kindness in so speaking to them.

“Surely we will return with thee.”

But again Naomi spoke.  Seeing them as young women, able to live full lives with other husbands, and have families.  She would not have them return with her out of duty, but out of a real determination, having seen the cost to them…and choosing this way into her nation and with the Lord.

She spoke for their benefit, not hers…for she loved them.

Ruth 1:11, 13 “And Naomi said,  Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?   Are there yet anymore sons in my womb,  that they may be your husbands?

                        Would you tarry for them till they were grown?  Would ye stay for them from having husbands?  Nay, my daughters;  for it greiveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”

Here Naomi confesses that the Lord had dealt with her  this way.  Her family should have stayed in Israel,  the promised land, and sought unto the Lord for removal of the famine and the reason for it.  

(Israel often followed after other gods, to their hurt. And the Lord often had to use circumstances to awaken them to His voice.  Judges 2:14-16)

Naomi told Ruth and Orpah, that she could not give them a life like they had.   

She again suggests that they go back where you can have an easier life for young women.

Now both had said that “Surely they would return with her”;  but now…..

(There comes a time in each life where we choose the thing we love most.)

For Orpah, though she had affection for Naomi, her choice was her nation, her people, her god.

She wept over the situation, but the decision became easy….she would go no further.

A life of relative ease is what her heart loved most…..and so she went back, and left Naomi.

There are many who have an affection for Christ,  because of Who He is and what He has done.

But who do not love Him enough to go on with Him in all of the sufferings and situations which come, by following Him.

Many, therefore, go back to the world.   For that is where their hearts are.

Ruth 1:14-15 “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law;  but Ruth clave unto her.

                        And she said,   Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god’s:  return thou after thy sister-in-law.”

But Ruth hung onto her.  What ever would come, she was staying right beside her….to suffer want, or to get by;  Ruth would not leave her.

She would return with Naomi.   

Here she takes Naomi’s God as hers.

And instantly calls upon the Lord to be her witness, of her decision.

(“The Lord” as a name here is very important.   It is Jehovah, the personal name of God.   Jehovah means the ever-existent, becoming One…the Almighty God becomes what we need.

 She was not just acknowledging a god of Naomi’s nation….but she was placing her whole life into the hands of The Lord, Who was Naomi’s God)

Ruth 1:16-17 “And Ruth said,  Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee:  for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

                         Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

Ruth instantly calls upon the Lord, now her God, to be her witness of her decision.

And the two go on together.

Was there hardship?  Yes, for they only  had food by Ruth gleaning the fields…but by doing so, she met a man who first gave her permission to continue after his reapers all the harvest, insuring food for some time. 

And then a blessing; he called upon the Lord to bless her.

Ruth 2:12 “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”

This man would become her future husband,  putting Ruth into the genealogy of Christ.   (Matthew 1:5)

She was the great-grandmother of David. (Ruth 4:17)

The lesson here is:   Who or what  do we love enough, to leave everything else for?

Affection for Christ Jesus is wonderful….but usually only leads us so far.

The real determined choice of whether we will continue with Him, in all situations, is the crossroads of our lives.

Temptation, in the form of an “easy life, or normal life”, comes.  And we must choose what we love the most.

Will we like Orpah turn back….

Or will we cling to Christ?     

If we choose the Lord; though there are hardships(and there are),  there will be blessings as well…now and for eternity.

The Brazen Laver

It is the maintaining of fellowship with Christ, that we wish to speak of.

And one of the examples of this, is:

Exodus 30:18-20 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass,  and his foot also of brass,  to wash withal:  and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar,  and thou shalt put water therein.

                                 For Aaron and his sons shall wash there hands and there feet thereat:

                                 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation,  they shall wash with water,  that they die not;  or when they come near to the altar to minister,  to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:”

                                

The brazen Laver was made for cleansing.   It was set just outside the door of the Holy Place, in the court of the tabernacle.  This was in the natural sunlight.  Both the priests, and people could be in this court;  but the people could not minister at the altar or the laver; only the priests could.

When Aaron and his sons were given for the service of the priesthood,  they were brought to the laver and given a bath by Moses;  once.

Exodus 29:4, 9 “And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,  and shall wash them with water.

                           And thou shalt gird them with girdles,  Aaron and his sons,  and put the bonnets on them:  and the priest office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute:  and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.”

This pictures our regeneration;  when we are born again.  It was never repeated.

They and their decedents, were priests from then on.

So with us.  When we are born again, we are forever His children.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are chosen generation,  a royal priesthood,  a holy nation,  a peculiar people;  that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

But as priests, they would minister, by sacrifice, at the brazen altar.  There, the sacrifices for sin and peace would be given.

Their hands would be bloody, and their feet would be dirty from walking on the bare ground.

So, they were commanded to come to the Laver to wash both their hands and feet, before they went into the Holy Place to burn incense at the golden altar,  or light the lamp (M’nourah).    

This they were to do every time they went into the Holy Place.

The Holy Place signified fellowship with God:  

the golden altar and the burning incense showed the prayer which ascends to God (the fire to burn came from the brazen altar everyday, tying Christ sacrifice and our prayers together)

the table of shewbread showed forth the sufficiency of God for our needs;  

and the lampstand  showed forth God as the only light for our work.

All showed forth fellowship with God.

But before they could go in and have this fellowship,  they must wash at the brazen laver.

As Christians, we need daily cleansing from the defilements of the way, if we are to maintain fellowship with God.

In our walk, we constantly have dealings with those who are dead in trespasses and sins; and their influence defiles us. (You can not go very many places without hearing cursing, filthy references, or anger.  How much anger is about.)

In honesty, we are also aware of the blemishes of our service (which speak of our hands), and the failures of our walk (our feet).

We obey;   but we often hesitate. (as though we were ashamed of Christ)

Or we don’t do what God wants us to do, as He wants. (We have good reasons, we think.)

These do not interfere with our standing as Christians.  We are still born again.

But it does interfere with our communion with God.  (For every time we step back from God, we are further away from His help)

Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Laver, like everything else in the Tabernacle speaks of Christ’s sufficiency to meet our every need;    for the priests could not enter the Holy Place, without washing there.

The Laver was there, but they had to wash in the water that it provided.

Christ Jesus has made a way for us to come and wash, and cleanse ourselves by His precious blood,  according to His Word.

Do we want that fellowship and communion which enlivens us?    Will we go to the Word of God and judge our ways before Him?

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves,  we should not be judged.”

Water is also to invigorate.  And the Word of God gives us comfort and refreshing. It revives our spirits.  It makes us feel whole, and clean again.  Ready for the next moment, the next day.

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.  And let him that heareth say,  Come.   And let him that is athirst come.   And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

He offers His life “freely”,  to us…..will we come and be cleansed and have that light and fellowship He has for us, today?

Standing before the God Who is there. 

 

Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

If the Lord has ever called you to a ministry or work (we call it work, because so many people feel “ministry” is only for preachers), He has not changed His mind concerning you.

Our whole existence should be:  to will to please our Lord, as His creature and servant.

As creatures, we are responsible for all He has given us.  

Who I am and what I am rests with the God before Whom I stand.

I can not make myself what I am not;  nor can I excuse myself for what I have been.

But I can give myself over to the molding of the Holy Spirit within, and do God’s Will in obedience, now.

He will work within the increase of faith, hope, peace, and joy that I need, as I yield to Him.

It is:  I stand, as His servant, before Him in each situation.

It is not as someone else,  or someone I might be someday,  but who I am, using the faith that God has given me.

Example:

Acts 3:1-2 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer,  being the ninth hour.

                     And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried,  whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,  to ask alms of them which entered into the temple;”

Peter and John,  had been filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

But they were still Peter and John.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, is to be filled to the capacity in your soul at that time, to receive the rule and power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never interferes with you being you, in your personality,  but only guides you away from sin, and into knowledge of God’s Will.

Then He gives grace or the empowerment to do God’s Will. (We still have to use it)

Peter and John were going along to prayer service,  when they see this lame man.

He sat at the gate of the temple to beg alms.

He saw Peter and John, and as usual,  he asked them for some money.  

Acts 3:4 “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John,  said,  Look on us.”

The lame man saw nothing different in them,  for he expected some small change, as others gave him.  

But Peter wanted to direct his eyes away from the coin,  to what he said.   For he knew that the Lord wanted to heal him. (“Fastening” here, means looking with a purpose in mind.)

Acts 3:6-8 “Then Peter said,   Silver and gold have I none;  but such as I have give I thee:   In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

                      And he took him by the right hand,  and lifted him up:  and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

                      And he leaping up stood,  and walked,  and entered with them into the temple,  walking,  and leaping,  and praising God.”

Notice Peter said,  “such as I have give I thee”.  What did he have?

He had the knowledge of Jesus Christ and of the power of His name. 

For Jesus Christ can change men’s lives.

And Peter knew the Lord’s Will, and used what he had to obey.

Notice also,  he took him by the hand.   Peter did not wait for the man to believe, but “lifted him up” in faith, himself.

And God did the rest:  “his feet and ankle bones received strength” to walk and leap.

Then faith in the man caught up and he did not run home;     but went into the temple to praise God.

If you read further,  you will see how God used this to enable Peter to preach about Christ to others.  Many believed.  (Acts 4:4)

(Yes, they were put in “hold” for a night, but even that gave them the opportunity to preach in Jesus Name to the rulers, elders, and scribes.

They were threatened,  but told the council,  “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.    For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”)

After such an experience,  Peter and John  went back to the company of believers and told what had happened.

All the gathered believers prayed for boldness to “speak Thy word”.  

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed,  the place was shaken where they were assembled together;  and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,  and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Here they were filled to the greater capacity in their souls.   They had a larger capacity because of what they had done, and they needed more of His help.  

And He gave it.

Standing before the God Who is there is simply being His obedient servant; and receiving and using the faith and help He gives.  And going on in this way, is more grace and help.

Mercy

Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

How often the Lord has said this.

It is always a matter of our heart’s attitude to God, and His Word to us.

Mercy here in the Hebrew is “hesed”.   It is a word that speaks of brotherly affection and loyalty, for those who belong to the family of God.

We love our brothers and sisters in Christ, because we love God.

Matthew 12:7 “But if ye had known what this meaneth,   I would have mercy,  and not sacrifice,  you would not have condemned the guiltless.”

His disciples were going through a grain field, and plucking off ears to eat, since they were hungry.

They were not harvesting the crop, or picking and putting it in their pockets;  but just eating, for hunger.

But the Pharisees, seizing upon something,  accused Jesus’ disciples;  thereby bringing rebuke upon Him.

They had not “profaned the Sabbath”, by working;  but a false accusation was the only way they had of trying to slander Jesus.

Mercy is the goodness of God to His sinful creatures.

There is temporal mercy:

He makes the sun to shine upon the good and the wicked.

He sends rain to nourish the crops of both.  (Matthew 5:44-45)

But spiritual mercy has to do with Christ, and all we have in Him; even though we are sinners.    Saved sinners.

He sends us forgiveness and the cleansing of the conscience.

He sends us grace (the unmerited favor of power) for our lives.   Not just special days,  but grace for everyday.

Titus 3:4-6 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

                       Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,  by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

                        Which He she’d on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;”

The sacrifices of the Old Testament times,  were to show a picture of part of Christ’s sacrifice (which in Christ, completely takes away the penalty, and power of sin in His people).

But the outward sacrifice,  without the inward repentance,  or love to God;  was worthless.  How often God told them of this!

He said:

Jeremiah 7:21-23 “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts,  the God of Israel;  put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices,  and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers,  nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt,  concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

But this thing commanded I them,   Obey my voice,  and I will be your God,  and ye shall be my people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,  that it may be well unto you.”

He said,  “You might as well take your sacrifices home and eat them there.   They are not doing you any good,  though they cost you a pretty penny.

      I am not seeing them.    I am not accepting them.   I am not accepting you.”

What He wanted, was for them to act like they should:  Love God,  Obey Him, and do good to their  fellowman as they could.

Jeremiah 7:2-3,5-7 “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house,  and proclaim there this word,  and say,  Hear the word of the Lord,  O ye of Judah,  that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts,   The God of Israel,  Amend your ways and your doings,  and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

                                   For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings,  if ye throughly execute judgement between a man and his neighbor; (not take bribes, or side with the rich)

If ye oppress not the stranger,  the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place,  neither walk after other gods to your hurt;

                                   Then will I cause you to dwell in this place,  in the land that I gave to your fathers,  forever and ever.”

                               

Jesus Christ wants us to show mercy to others, as He has shown mercy to us:

As wide as our sins, has been His forgiveness, and love.

So we are to manifest His mercy through us,  for His sake.

Trials of Faith

1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

                            But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings;  that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

There are trials of faith which we just have to go through.  They are sent to help us to grow stronger in faith;  to learn joy in trouble;  to realize the power of peace—His peace in it all.

Thank goodness,  we do not go through any trial alone.  For Christ Jesus is with us,  guiding, strengthening, and encouraging us;  as we walk through them with Him.

There are also trials which come upon us which we have brought on ourselves.

Let’s face it,  we often “stick our foot in our mouths” and say things which are wrong.  

Either in anger (and have you ever noticed how much anger is around any more?),  or we blurt our our opinion,  when discretion  would have kept us silent.

Sometimes the Lord uses these trials to remind us of these things, so they can be confessed, and taken care of.

These, of course, are to be confessed to Christ,  and if any one was injured, to the person involved;  as you can. (How many blessings come from letting people know you, too, are human, and make mistakes?)

And then there are “fiery trials” which come upon us because we are Christians—we belong to Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:14, 16 “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ,  happy are ye;  for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you;    on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

                           Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;  but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

Fiery trials?   Partakers of Christ’s sufferings?  

We do not like to think of such things. 

We like to think about what He has done for me.   Tell us about His Eternal Love for me,  His suffering in the garden of Gethsemane or on the Cross for me, or His agony of prayer for me.

All the things He did,  but I do not want to hear about what I am to do.

Doesn’t that make it a works salvation?

No,  we can never do anything for Christ to get our Salvation;  but we can work for Christ because we are saved.

And that is what He says:  Stand with me,  and go through these trials,  with Me at your side,  to show to the world that you trust Me.

That will glorify Me.

Do you remember when Jesus asked His disciples in the garden to watch with Him?  (Mark 14:33-34, 37-38)

And instead they fell asleep.

He came and asked, “Could you not stay with me one hour?”

He asks us the same thing:  Stand with me in a world that does not believe in Me,  and if that brings ridicule, or persecution;  still stand with Me, and I will stand with you, in peace, strength, and guidance.  

Stand ye in the Ways

Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the Lord,  Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.  But they said,   We will not walk therein.”

Jeremiah was called to a time,  like ours,  where much religion was going on;  but very little obedience to God.   They had all the outward trappings, but none of the devotion to God and His commandments.

Under King Josiah, who was a godly king; Jeremiah was given the job of going about Judah and instructing the people in the laws of God.

Many did not want to hear, for they had been influenced by the idolatrous nations round about them;  and refused subjection to the Lord, although they went along with the outward ceremony.

Jeremiah 2:13

“For my people have committed two evils;  they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed them our cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Then he was told to go to Jerusalem and preach there…telling the people what God would do, if they would repent and turn back in obedience to Him.

He would forgive and help them:

Jeremiah 7:5-7″For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor;

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow,  and shed not innocent blood in this place,  neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.”

For what God wanted of His people was that they obey His commands.

“Stand ye in the ways”. In the Hebrew it means “Get up and do it”

Start actively seeking My ways.    If you just do this seeking, you are serving your God and honoring Him.   This I will count, and will honor you in return.

And ask for the old paths:   The path which leads you to straighten out your life, and the path of obedience to His Word.

God has made a way to return to Him…..take it.

How was it with those who came before us?  Who martyred their lives for God and his gospel?  From the apostles to our forefathers?

How did they attain to what they had?

Through the Word of God to them.

We must seek out the truth of the Scriptures for ourselves:   What does it say to us?

For now?  For our calling and ministry?

As Jeremiah said to Judah:

Jeremiah 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying,  Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Obey My voice….and I will be your God….and ye shall be My people.

Jesus said the same thing when  He was talking to His disciples, before He went to the cross.

John 15:10″ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

His disciples did, and they stirred the whole world.

If we get out life in order before Him, and honor Him in this; and He will honor our obedience, in our everyday life.

God speaks through His Word:  Hear Him,  and return to the ways of peace, knowing His presence with you, and for you everyday.

Jacob’s Wrestling with the Lord 

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

Jacob was coming home to Canaan.  He had been told of God:

Genesis 31:13 “I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointest the pillar, and where thou vowest a vow unto Me:  now, arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.”

So he was coming home, with his wives, sons and substance.   But also with a guilty conscience.   He had tricked his father into giving him,  the younger son, the blessing. 

God had wanted him to have it,  but Jacob and his mother schemed to get it;  instead of waiting for God’s way.

Now he was coming back into the land,  and Esau, his brother, would surely hear of it,  and seek to kill him, as he had often promised he would. (Genesis 27:41)

What could he do?   When he first set foot into the land again,  angels met him.

Most believe these “hosts of angels”, were positioned one in the back of his family, and one before.

Genesis 32:1-2 “And Jacob went on his way,  and the angels of God met him.

And when Jacob saw them,  he said,   This is God’s hosts:  and he called the name of the place Mahanaim.”

Jacob took this as a sign that God would protect him,  and so sent word to Esau that he was back in the land.

“…thy servant Jacob…I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.”  (Genesis 32:4-5)

Perhaps time had softened his hate.

But then he got word that Esau was coming to meet him—that wasn’t bad—but with four hundred men! (Genesis 32:6)

That sounded like an army;  and Jacob was fearful…very fearful.

(I use the term fearful,  because fear strikes at the heart of a person.  You may be scared in a moment…jump in panic;  but fear is often an attack against the Word of God,  as it was here.)

Jacob became so fearful, he began to rely upon his schemes again.

First, he divided the people into two bands.  If Esau would destroy the first,  maybe he will spare the next.

Then, he prayed.  (Genesis 32:9-12)

This should have been first…but Jacob schemes before he trusts,  yet God is merciful.   The Lord told him to come back to the land,  would He desert him?

Jacob prays to God on the basis of the covenant God made with Abraham, and his seed.

(So, too, we pray on the basis of the covenant God made with Christ, for us)

Jacob reminds God of what He said to do, of His own Word, which is what we should do.  Jacob tells Him he has obeyed.  

He tells God, he is not worthy of the least of His mercies and of the goodness God has already shown him.

Then he prays for deliverance, reminding the Lord of His promise where his children are concerned.

This was a wonderful prayer,  but it seems as though Jacob’s fears were not removed, for….

he started to think….hmmm….I can send a present to Esau.  Maybe that will appease him.

So off he goes, scheming.   He starts picking out this and that;  sending it on to Esau with shepherds, with the words:   “A present….Jacob is behind us,  but here is a present for my lord Esau”.   (Very flattering;  at least Jacob hopes so)

Then he sends his family over the brook;  so that there would be that between Esau and them.

He was alone then, on this side of the brook.

And then…..

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

We are not shown how this “man” came,  or what they said to each other for most of the night.

Those are things between the Lord and Jacob;  for this “man” was a theophanic manifestation of the Son of God.

Genesis 32:25-26 “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.”

    

But why did the Lord wrestle with Jacob all night?  Why didn’t He just touch him right away?

Because He wanted to bring Jacob to a point of  recognized weakness.  To a place where Jacob’s strength and schemes were seen as the Lord sees them:  useless.

And this takes time.

And Jacob kept wrestling, and kept wrestling, to gain the victory.

(But, thankfully, he was not the one who gained the victory.)

When it was almost sunrise,  the Lord touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh;  and he fell!   But Jacob kept clinging to the Lord…he did not let Him go.

Yet he still did not say anything,  till the Lord said,  “Let me go…”.    

Here was the real test:

At the end of a battle,  we might be willing for it to be over;  but Jacob knew Who the “man” was.

By now Jacob knew if he was to get what he needed for himself and for the future,  he must get the Lord’s blessing.

(And do we know this for ourselves?  “It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” [Zechariah 4:6].   It is often not until we know our own powerlessness, that we seek to hang on to the Lord, for His blessing.)

Jacob, still clinging, says,  “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.”

Genesis 32:27-28 “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 Isra-el:  for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men,  and hast prevailed.”

Jacob (supplanter, contender) who had schemed and planned;  was to become Isra-el (God commands or prevails).

Jacob was to be a prince or a delegated authority of God’s Name,  but only in his recognized weakness.

(Paul wrote of the same thing:  2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Isra-el was to be his new name. (When the first part of a name is combined with “El” or God, then the doer in the name is always God.  [Daniel…God judgeth;  Gabriel…God is my strength,  etc.])

So now Jacob was to stop scheming; and let God command or prevail in him and for him.

This did not always happen:  read Jacob/Israel’s life and you will see from now on, the two names still apply.  

But God had brought him into a new way of life, and God would prevail.

It is natural for us to work out, for ourselves, the plans of our lives. We often feel very capable to do so:  God gave us a brain…right?

But God, in patience and longsuffering, deals with us (wrestles?) to bring us to the place where we are clinging to Him, alone.

Esau came (with the four hundred men) but when he saw Jacob, he ran and hugged and kissed him!  (Genesis 33:4)

When God prevails in us;  He will prevail for us.  His Word is ever true…we need to claim it.

His power is never limited.

His blessings are only waiting for us to cling to Him.