JABBOK – THE STRUGGLE FOR IDENTITY GENESIS 32: 22 - 32

THEN GOD SAID, “LET US MAKE MANKIND IN OUR IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS, SO THAT THEY MAY RULE OVER THE FISH IN THE SEA AND THE BIRDS IN THE SKY, OVER THE LIVESTOCK AND ALL THE WILD ANIMALS, AND OVER ALL THE CREATURES THAT MOVE ALONG THE GROUND.” SO GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS OWN IMAGE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CRATED THEM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. GOD BLESSED THEM AND SAID TO THEM, “BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER; FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. RULE OVER THE FISH IN THE SEA AND THE BIRDS IN THE SKY AND OVER EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES ON THE GROUND.” GENESIS 1: 26 - 28

Jacob, Jabbok and Identity Purpose Genesis 32: 22 – 32 Jacob, Jabbok and Identity The Narrative

Jabbok - “to be empty” “to make the last household” “work of the house behind” Notice - the story’s sequence: At night - an odd time for defensive moves, Jacob removes himself from all of his family and possessions and from the days with Laban his father-in-law. He returns back to the other side of the Jabbok - Why? Why go back to where he now had nothing left? Jacob leaves himself completely vulnerable, exposed to the impending army of Esau.

Jabbok is a small stream - so putting his family on the other side doesn’t keep them out of danger He was left alone (by himself) on the other side - “to remain over, to leave” So he left abundance, advantage, profit, family. What remains after everything else is gone. What is that? What is left when everything else is removed? Himself

We have a 1,000 voices telling us who we are, and yet we haven’t been alone with him to ask him who we are! Perhaps Jacob was compelled to go back because something was unfinished He wrestles with a man and ultimately he believes it is God but Jacob has to put the past behind him so he can move forward. Jacob wrestles with identity, and in the process, he is given a new identity, summarized in a new name.

Jacob had lived up to his false identity all of his life, but now the Lord was giving him an opportunity to walk in his true identity Jacob says, I will not let you go until you bless me - The man asked, “What is your name? Isn’t that interesting Jacob says, “I won’t let you go until you bless me” and the man asks an odd question, “What is your name?” We believe blessings are associated with things - but what I believe what the Lord is trying to show us is that blessings are knowing who you are and walking in that.

Even when we know our identity, it is still easy to fall back on our false identity. Jacob asks, Please tell me your name. He still wants to control, manipulate this meeting. And the angel touches the hip and he walks with a limp - When we know our identity we walk differently