Faithbase

Remember in Genesis 12 when God first appeared to Abraham, God promised that Abraham's descendants would one day come to live in the promised land of Canaan. There he would bless them and use them as his light to surrounding nations. Abraham then becomes the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Esau and Jacob. Although Esau, the older twin, was the one to inherit, the younger brother, Jacob, manipulates the situation, stealing the blessing of the promised land and all it entails from Esau. Then, in Genesis 28, while running away from Esau, Jacob stops to rest at a place that will become known as Bethel in the land of Canaan. Here God reveals himself to Jacob in a dream saying, one day you will return to this land and I will bless your offspring as you live for me as a light among nations. Now, four wives and twelve sons later, it is time for Jacob and his family to move from Haran to the promised land of Canaan. This journey requires Jacob to come head-to-head with his brother Esau for the first time. Jacob is scared for his life and in his intense fear, God appears to him once again in the form of an angel. Jacob wrestles with the angel all night. When the angel finally gets Jacob to see he is no longer the manipulator he used to be. Before arriving in Canaan, God needs Jacob to see if he would only trust in God. He no longer needs to figure things out for himself. God would provide all.