"22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone. And A MAN wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
25 When THE MAN saw that HE did not prevail against Jacob, HE touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with HIM.
26 Then HE said, "Let ME go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 And HE said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."
28 Then HE said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with GOD and with men, and have prevailed."
29 Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me YOUR name." But HE said, "Why is it that you ask MY name?" And there HE blessed him.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I HAVE SEEN GOD FACE TO FACE, AND YET MY LIFE HAS BEEN DELIVERED."
31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, LIMPING BECAUSE OF HIS HIP.
32 Therefore "TO THIS DAY" the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh."
To those familiar with the story, there is little doubt that Jacob (later known as Israel) encountered a Divine Being that night near the river called Jabbok. Although scripture doesn't identify the "MAN", most have the opinion that it was GOD THE SON. One commentary says the following:
As we read, the scripture does not say that this wrestling match was with an 'angel' but with a 'man.' Although the man does not give his name, Jacob understood that he had struggled with God and that he "saw God face to face" (Genesis 32:30). Because of this, many believe the person who fought him was actually God the Son - the same One who had appeared to both Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 17:1; 18:1) and Isaac (Genesis 26:1, 24) in the form of a 'man.'
Regardless of WHO it was that Jacob/Israel wrestled that morning, his life was forever changed by the Divine encounter. Israel presumably "limped" the rest of his life because of struggling with GOD. He had visual evidence that his life had been altered by GOD.
When we experience GOD HE leaves HIS impression in our lives. Although some people observe our lives from a worldly view, they CANNOT SEE the impression. In Matthew 13:13-14 JESUS says "This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'seeing' THEY DO NOT SEE, and 'hearing' THEY DO NOT HEAR, nor DO THEY UNDERSTAND. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive". BUT Spiritually, our lives are irreversibly changed for HIS GLORY!
Israel limped because of his encounter with GOD. The people of Israel would not, "TO THIS DAY", eat the muscle (some say tendon) of the thigh because GOD impaired Jacob/Israel's leg.
Can people SEE the impact GOD has made in my life? Has my life been altered so greatly that people notice something different when they see me? My desire is for my life to reflect the Glory of GOD and display HIS mercy for all to plainly SEE "TO THIS DAY"!!!
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