“As a Prince Hast Thou Power”

Genesis 32:28  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.

Jacob, whose name translates to mean “deceiver”, was wrestling with the Lord. Although this was a physical event for Jacob, it could very well represent our own natural inward wrestling within. The wrestling that we naturally feel when it comes to deciding between our will or God’s will.

Ultimately, this was the issue with which Jacob was actually wrestling; his will for his life versus God’s will for his life. This may account for why, as the Bible clarifies, he wrestled “…until the breaking of the day.” (Vs. 24).

It is likely this wrestling match actually started 20 years prior, at the end of Genesis 28, when Jacob made a vow to serve the Lord, and now, in Genesis 32, God was calling upon Jacob to make good on his promise!

Like so many times, it took a life-changing event to finally get Jacob’s attention. In his case, God “…touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.” (Vs. 25).

We read later this one event affected Jacob for the rest of his life. It was after this that Jacob “…halted upon his thigh.” (Vs. 31) and in his old age he “…blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” (Hebrews 11:21).

It was only after this event, that God told Jacob, “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.”

The name Jacob (deceiver) represented who he was, but now the name Israel (Prince) represents who he had become! Jacob had to be dislocated so that the Prince (or Israel) inside could be located!

God knows how to locate that part of us that is deeper and more substantive; that part of us that we may not even know exists yet. It may take dislocation first, but if we say to God, as Jacob did, “…I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.”, then bless us He will!