Moment of Sheer Reality (Genesis 32:22-32)

For Jacob, this is the moment of sheer bankruptcy before God. He couldn’t put even one step further to cross the Jabbok River. All else including his wives, children, servants, and livestock passed the river. But he himself remained the other side alone. This is the moment Jacob was afraid the most in his life because he had to face his brother Esau whom he deceived twice, stealing the birthright. He was a man of wit and scheme as his name indicates. After all those years of difficulties and struggles with his brother and uncle Laban, he was much blessed and protected by the Lord God although he didn’t know. But now his time came to encounter his brother face to face. He wanted to avoid it if he could thousand times but he couldn’t because that’s the way it was designed and made by none other than God before the time began. Likewise, everyone will face or has already faced the moment of truth before God that they may truly accept their sheer bankruptcy and nakedness and thus they have nothing to present to God. This is the moment of true discovery of man himself. This is the moment into which God wants everyone to bring to face honestly the truth of life.

“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.” (Genesis 32:22-32)

The whole humanity is under the lie and deception of the devil since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. We can’t help at all to get out of the fall no matter what. Human civilization has been trying to achieve to peace among the nations, race, class, but there is no progress but complete failure. Notwithstanding the technological and scientific advancements, human morality remains exactly the same throughout the history of mankind. Murder, immorality, rape, slavery, drugs, prostitutions are everywhere rampant. Injustice, unrighteousness, lawlessness are deeply smeared into the humanity and nothing can stop it.

Jacob was one of humanity who was lost and desperately in search of the fulfillment of life but didn’t know how. Even though there were some revelations and visions given to him to show there was a way out in God, he couldn’t get to the point. When he was heading to the father’s land, the angels of God met him and he said, “This is the camp of God.” (Genesis 32:1-2) He was so obsessed with his wit and scheme that he would find a way out some day if he continued to pursue. That’s exactly the picture of race. Jacob didn’t get any help out of the presence of God in his life, so are we either. But Prophet Hosea tells that God is persistently and relentlessly after the fallen race until he finds them.

When Jacob was left utterly alone, he wasn’t alone but with a man who wrestled with him. This man is none other than Jesus himself. Right at the very moment a desperate human needed the help, the right person was helping out Jacob, wrestling together with him. Our God promised that he never leaves us alone ever (Hebrews 13:5). When the angel, Gabriel delivered the good tidings of the birth of the Messiah, he told that people would call him Immanuel which means “God with us!” (Matthew 1:23) In fact, God wants everyone to reach to the point like Jacob faced that they may see clearly what they are in the light of Creator God. He is pleased to reveal the truth that there is a God who made all things and is running the course of universe according to his love forever. He is pleased to give eternal life through Jesus Christ to those who have reached to the point of total bankruptcy that they can do nothing to fulfill life. That’s the deepest cry of Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 7, saying “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:24). This cry is ours too in Christ Jesus. Antoinette Wilson beautifully captured it in poetic language.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Christian, with troubled brow'
Are you thinking of what is before you, And all you are bearing now'
Does all the world seem against you, And you in the battle alone'
Remember at Wits End Corner Is where God’s power is shown.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Blinded with wearying pain
Feeling you cannot endure it, You cannot bear the strain.
Bruised through the constant suffering Dizzy and dazed, and numb
Remember at Wits End Corner, Is where Jesus loves to come.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Your work before you spread.
Or lying begun, unfinished And pressing on heart and head.
Longing for strength to do it. Stretching out trembling hands
Remember at “Wits End Corner” The burden bearer stand.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Yearning for those you love,
Longing and praying and watching, Pleading their cause above,
Trying to lead them to Jesus Wondering if you’ve been true'
He whispers at “Wits End Corner” “I’ll win them as I won you.”

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Then you’re just in the very spot.
To learn the wondrous resources Of Him who faileth not!
No doubt to a brighter pathway Your footsteps will soon be moved
But only at Wits End Corner Is the God who is able, “proved.”

Jacob didn’t begin wrestling with God but the other way around. God initiated wrestling with him out of love. It’s always true just as God made the visitation to Adam who ate the forbidden fruit and hid in the bushes. Jesus says that no one comes him unless the Father who sent him draws them (John 6:44). The fallen race has been bounded and locked in darkness and confusion. Unless God draws, no one can come out of the darkness of sin and death. That’s what our God has been doing from the beginning to rescue his children from the devil’s dungeon. Apostle Paul has revealed the mystery of the work of the Holy Spirit for the children of God in the Epistle of Romans Chapter 8.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)

Jacob couldn’t let the man go until he was blessed by him. He was still struggling with his wit and strength. So, God touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with him. Then, God changed his name to Israel which means ‘God strives.’ What Jacob learned was that there was a God who had personally known him all the days of struggle and difficulty in over ninety years of rough life. He also deeply recognized and realized the touch of the hand of God face to face. What a beautiful language in telling a man who is filled with the unfailing love of God! In the heart of Jacob, the God of Peniel has been implanted when he truly reached to his wit’s end corner.

“The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.” (Genesis 32:31)

Prayer: Thank you Father for your relentless drawings of the fallen race to show a way out in the Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for Immanuel God who has been with us all the days of our struggles and difficulties and wrestling together with us until we come to the wits end corner. Thank you Father once again for your loving touch and kindness in Jesus Christ. In Christ’s name. Amen.  

February 2, 2016 

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