Gifts of appeasement and a fight with God

7/4/2018

So Jacob was off to his home land where he would face Esau (the brother he had tricked out of his inheritance). Fearing Esau's revenge Jacob sent part of his cattle and riches with messengers to tell Esau that they were Jacob's and they were a gift to Esau.  While this was going on, Jacob sent his wives and entourage across the river where he fought with a man till dawn and would not give in till the man blessed him. Seeing that he couldn't win, the man struck Jacob's hip, knocking it out of it's socket . The man asked him his name. 'Jacob' he answered and the man said 'you will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel(one who has power with God)and he blessed him there and then. Jacob named the place Peniel 'the face of God' for he said 'I have seen God face to face and yet my life is spared. To this day Jews won't eat the Sciatic joint because of this battle. the man wouldn't tell Jacob his name, so we don't know for sure, but take it as read that Jacob did in deed see God face to face and wrestle with him as a man.  This leaves me pondering the whole episode.  Why the fight? Did God make himself a man to fight? Why the hip joint? we are kind of led to believe that no-one can see God and live, but Jacob or 'Israel' seems to have.  I don't know what to think of that.  What do you think? Yet another thing to ponder (meditate) on.

Bye for now