The all night wrestling match with God reveals much of the meaning of Jacob’s life. The verses I just read report the events of only a few hours, but in those hours we see the meaning of his whole life.

Jacob’s entire life had been a struggle. From the very beginning, he struggled with his twin brother, Esau. Jacob was his mother’s favorite. But he knew that Esau, his brother, was his father Isaac’s favorite. It was a classic sibling rivalry which resulted in tragic consequences. You remember the story: with the encouragement of his mother, Jacob conspired to steal Esau’s birthright and blessing. In fear of his life, he ran away from home. He went to a far away land and fell in love. He agreed to work for seven years in return for Rachel’s hand in marriage. But, his future father-in-law, …