Christ in Genesis Lesson 16: Jacob’s Surrender {Christ, Conflict, and Clinging}

This lesson is about Jacob's wrestling match with the preincarnate Christ at the Jabbok River. From the womb, Jacob had wrestled with those around him. He grabbed Esau's heel as they were emerging from their mother's womb; he grabbed both the firstborn birthright and firstborn blessing (though he was the second-born), even deceiving his father to gain the blessing. After a two-decade struggle with his conniving Uncle Laban, Jacob still tended to rely more on "self" than on the Lord. What he had really been doing, all along, was wrestling his own sin nature! However, he met his match when Jesus became his wrestling Opponent. The match was initiated by the Lord. Why? To bring Jacob to the end of his self-reliance (something we all struggle with). Jacob needed to surrender! When he did, his walk with God and others was never the same again (he limped), as he went from being Jacob the deceiver to Israel, the prince of God!