Tuesday | 14 January 2025

Jacob obtained faith

The Lord touched Jacob’s hip, joining him to the weakness of the cross, when He saw that Jacob was not letting go of his carnal endeavours to enter the land. By touching Jacob’s hip, the Lord broke the strength of his fleshly image and expression. Jacob’s struggle to obtain the blessing of life through his own endeavours failed, and he drew near to hold on to Christ. In this face-to-face interaction, Jacob confessed that he was ‘Jacob’, the deceiver, or projector. The Lord then proclaimed to Jacob his name as a son of God, saying, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel [meaning, ‘prince with God’]; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ Gen 32:28.

When the Lord said to Jacob, ‘You have struggled and prevailed with God and with men’, He was acknowledging that Jacob had obtained faith. We know this because the apostle John said, ‘For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.’ 1Jn 5:4. Jacob received the capacity of faith as he wrestled with the Lord through the night of his trial of faith. He received the substance of his hope. The apostle Peter wrote, ‘In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love’. 1Pe 1:6‑8.

We note that, through this fiery trial, Jacob’s faith was being built up as he continued to meet Christ face to face; he did not draw back in unbelief. Mercifully, the Lord continued to wrestle with him through the trial. By dawn, Christ brought Jacob all the way through to the full trial that belongs to salvation, by having him limp for the rest of his life.