Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them.”

There is irony in mankind requiring a “heart of flesh” from a spiritual God. And it speaks to the masks that are in Sacha Baron Cohen’s characters and
Thomas Merton’s “false selves”.
We hide our true self behind a “heart of stone”; a heart that feels no…

• pain, shame, compassion, love, empathy, sympathy, & mercy

But, it rather feels far too much…

• self-pride, self-righteousness, sanctimony, arrogance, hatred, rage, contempt, derision,

Do you remember that Old Testament story of Jacob receiving his “new name”?

Genesis 32:24-30 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn. When the man saw that he couldn’t win the match, he struck Jacob’s hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is dawn.” But Jacob panted, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “It is now Israel (he, who struggles with God), because you have struggled with both God and men and have won.” “What is your name?” Jacob asked him. “Why do you ask?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel—“face of God”—for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

I know, that you know what it means to struggle with God. I think also that you have been knocked “out-of-joint” as well.
This passage is, again, another nuance and paradox.
Why is this story in the bible?
Why does it say that Jacob struggled with God?
Why does it say that God couldn’t win the match against Jacob?
Why does God bless Jacob, as a reward for the wrestling match?

These are profound questions to a confusing paradox.
I will admit that for many years I have hated this passage, with painful contempt. It flies in the face of everything in my carnal being. It is simply not logical.
Jacob should not wrestle with God!
God should not wrestle with a man!
God should punish Jacob for impudence and audacity!
God should flip him over and pin his shoulders to the ground with a mere wink!
Jacob should fall flat on his stomach and worship God and beg for pardon!

Israel? Your name will be “Israel,” because “you have struggled with both God and men and have won.” Maybe he won against “man”, but there’s no way he could win against God.

Right?
How, God?

How am I supposed to cope with this story in the bible?

Please, tell me that there was a transcription error, something is wrong. Right?

Well, I have come to a point in my life, where I am beginning to accept more of the paradoxes of God. I am not a shill for a fraudulent snake oil salesman. I am simply beginning to understand that God’s grace is far greater than my jaded experience (a.k.a carnal nature) will allow.
This is what I see from the event with Jacob and God.

• 1. God does not punish us for struggling with Him
  2. God expects the struggle.
  3. God cherishes the struggle.
  4. God respects our struggle.
  5. God understands our struggle.
  6. God freely grants us the opportunity to struggle.
  7. God’s only requirement is that we not “give-up” our struggle.

I know that God can pin my ears back. But, God doesn’t want to do that. The same is true with Jacob.

This exact event occurs in my house every week. My son and daughter love to “get me down.” And we wrestle around in the floor until I am out of breath or until it’s time for a bath. (Which tends to coincide with regularity.) I struggle with my kids and enjoy the struggle, because I love them.
Yes, I am sometimes hurt by our struggles and sometimes they are hurt by our struggles.
But, so long as they are willing to come back and not give-up, our wrestling will build strength, character, love and trust.

• What happens if I pin my son or daughter on the ground with no effort and no struggle?
• Will they trust me more?
• Will they respect me more?
• Will they love me more?
• What happens if God pins Jacob to the ground?
• What happens if God pins me to the ground?
• What happens if God pins you to the ground?

I don’t think that I am taking this too far. God could beat us if that were his purpose.
But, we know what his purpose is now. Don’t we?
Through Jesus Christ, the Father’s purpose is to “seek and save” John 3:17 “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

Jesus could have pinned our ears back. But, the goal was more in line with a 41 year-old dad wrestling with his 3 and 7 year-old on the living room floor.

Finally, the issue of the mask and the name, Jacob was the name that he was given at birth. He moved around behind it, and operated with it as a defense to protect him from the world. But, it was replaced with God’s name.
I know the purpose of the name in this context.
When one “knows” our name, it will allow them to control us. This was an important point to the people of Jacob’s day. And it even continues in the modern day as well.
It is not thought of in these terms anymore. But, less than two generations ago, children were taught that it was disrespectful to use an elder’s “Christian name.” We should instead use the proper title with their surname. Remember?

This “name issue” gives control to a person.
When Jacob told God his carnal name, he granted authority to God. God subsequently changes his name, to “Israel.”

Revelation 2:17
“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it. (Emphasis added)

The new name was “a blessing” to Jacob, it is a blessing to all who give God authority. Israel was blessed to not have to hide behind the mask of Jacob. Jacob treated people with contempt, just as “Borat” does.

God bless,

DSM

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