Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
4 sermons cite this verse
… And God says, Jacob, I'm going to give this land that you're lying on right now, I'm going to give it to you and to all your family. So Jacob goes, he builds a family, and he comes back in Genesis 32, verse 28, to this eastern boundary with all his children. And who does he meet again? You guessed it, an angel or manifestation of God himself who wrestles with him and says to him, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but what? Israel. It's a reference to the people of God in the Old Testament. So here's the picture. Here's what Genesis 1 and 2 is showing us. God created. He prepared Eden for his people, for Adam and Eve. They disobeyed him, were driven out. But as God is inspiring Moses to write this account of creation in Genesis 1 and 2, God is telling his people who are wandering in the wilderness, I am bringing you back to me. Israel, I'm bringing you back to Eden. …
… 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? 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 my life was spared. My life was spared. The title of today's message is the blessing is hiding in the struggle. The blessing is hiding in the struggle. Say it with me. Say the blessing is hiding in the struggle. The blessing is hiding in your struggle. Nobody wants to struggle. It's not fun. Nobody wakes up saying, you know, today it's sunny. I got some great coffee. church is good but I'm not struggling enough I wish I could struggle more nobody says that nobody wakes up and is like man I wish I could struggle more but the blessing is in the struggle the blessing is in the struggle why do we talk about blessing the life of Jacob I want to I want to show you this the life of Jacob is about calling and blessing, calling and blessing. Jacob is first called by God and then he is blessed by God. …
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. Let me reread verse 31 on this 31st day of December. …
… And he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob. But Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed. Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me your name, I pray. And he said, Why is it that you ask me about my name? And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of this place, Peniel, for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Just as he crossed over Penuel, the sun rose on him and he limped on his hip. Therefore, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank. as you take your seats. I will be meditating and I pray that you will meditate with me on the topic of facing God. Lord, it is in your will for me to stand here. So I pray, Lord, that you would hide me behind you. …