How could Jacob wrestle with God — was that symbolic or literal?
The Devotional Answer
The devotional answer is that the wrestling match was a literal, physical struggle that carried a radical spiritual meaning. God used this physical confrontation to address the decades of emotional and spiritual wrestling that had defined Jacob’s life.
Jacob was a man known for trying to take blessings through manipulation and cunning (Question 7). This night, God pinned him down and forced him to rely on nothing but persistence and desperate faith.
The encounter confirms that God is willing to engage with us even in our stubborn, struggling moments. He doesn't just want our obedience; He wants our unwavering commitment, and sometimes, He uses intense, difficult experiences to force us to surrender our self-reliance and rely completely on Him.
The Simple Answer
The biblical text strongly indicates the wrestling was literal and physical, while simultaneously being a profound Theophany (an appearance of God to man).
Physical Evidence: The text says Jacob wrestled "until daybreak," the figure touched Jacob's hip and dislocated it, and Jacob walked with a permanent limp as a physical reminder (Genesis 32:24-31). This confirms the physicality of the event.
Divine Identity: Jacob himself declared, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared" (Genesis 32:30). The figure also changed Jacob’s name to Israel ("He struggles with God"), affirming His divine authority.
Most conservative scholars believe the figure was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ (an appearance of the Son of God before He became human).
The Deeper Dive
The event, which took place at a place Jacob named Peniel ("Face of God"), was a critical turning point in the patriarch's life, fulfilling three main purposes:
1. The Confrontation of Self-Reliance
For decades, Jacob had been a "heel-grabber"—a cunning schemer who relied on his own wits to secure his future. The wrestling match occurred just before Jacob had to face his estranged brother Esau, whom he had cheated (Genesis 27). God met Jacob when he was most afraid and most alone. By dislocating Jacob's hip, God symbolically crippled Jacob's self-reliance, forcing him to abandon his self-dependent strength.
2. The Power of Persistence
Despite being wounded, Jacob refused to let go of the divine figure, crying out, "I will not let you go unless you bless me" (Genesis 32:26). This act of stubborn, painful persistence transformed his wrestling match into a moment of genuine, tenacious faith. God granted him the new name, Israel, blessing his tenacious faith even in the midst of his struggle.
3. The Transition to a New Identity
The experience fundamentally changed Jacob:
Past Identity (Jacob): The Supplanter (The one who schemes and trips others).
New Identity (Israel): He Struggles with God (The one who perseveres in faith and relies on divine strength).
The physical limp served as a permanent, humiliating reminder that his strength had been broken, and his reliance must be on God alone.
God's Assurance
God assures you that He is not afraid of your struggles or even your wrestling with tough questions or difficult circumstances. He is willing to meet you right where you are to transform you.
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." — 1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)
You are assured that your struggle with God will ultimately lead to a profound blessing and a stronger, confirmed identity in Him.
Your Takeaway Thought
Do not fear your difficult moments or times of doubt. If you find yourself "wrestling" with God's will, a confusing text (Question 85), or a painful circumstance, remember Jacob.
The struggle itself is often the way God chooses to bless you. Cling to Him in persistence, refuse to let go until you receive His blessing, and allow Him to change your nature from a self-reliant schemer into an overcomer of faith.
