“Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come–all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NKJV)
Jacob came out of the womb as a supplanter or usurper. He went out of the womb, holding firmly onto his brother’s heel, Esau. From birth, Jacob had his eyes on his brother’s birthright. Although he wrestled for it in the womb and could not get it, he would not give up.
Eventually, Jacob wrestled the firstborn’s blessing out of Esau’s hand, for Esau despised his birthright and sold it to satisfy the craving of his flesh. But afterward, “when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” (Heb. 12:17 NKJV).
Esau lost a generational blessing for a fleeting pleasure!
What a great lesson for us today!
After Jacob had received the firstborn’s blessing deceitfully, he had to flee to his uncle Laban in Padan Aram from the face of Esau, who had sworn to kill him. In Laban’s house, Jacob also had to wrestle for everything.
First, Jacob wrestled for his wife, Rachel. He lost the first round, for Laban deceived him into marrying Leah, Rachel’s sister. However, as his manner was, Jacob would not give up; he wrestled again for another seven years and won Rachel, whom he dearly loved (Gen. 29:21-29).
But Jacob’s wrestling was far from over in Laban’s house; he still had to wrestle with Laban over his livestock and leave Laban’s house with his family and great possessions. Jacob never knew true peace, for there was always one wrestling after another in his life and home.
On Jacob’s way back to his father’s house, he was terrified and distressed when the messengers informed him that his brother Esau was on his way to meet him with four hundred men.
Jacob remembered vividly how he had defrauded and deprived his brother of his blessing as the firstborn. He knew well that the time had come for him to receive the wages of his sin, which was death, for Esau hated him and had sworn to kill him any day he set his eyes on him.
Having sent over the brook all he had, Jacob was left alone for his final wrestling. Only this time around, the wrestling was not with any man, but with God Himself, and in this wrestling, Jacob can neither cheat nor lie; he must be his authentic self.
Jacob’s wrestling with God offers him a divine opportunity for repentance and transformation. Jacob was wise enough to seize the opportunity tenaciously. While wrestling with God for the first time, Jacob humbly admitted that he was a fraudster, a supplanter, and a deceiver.
Moreover, Jacob firmly held onto God and passionately sought God’s blessing, saying, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Gen. 32:26-28 NKJV).
That night marked the death of Jacob (a supplanter) and the birth of Israel (a righteous prince).
God is still in the business of transforming lives today!
Having been transformed by God, Israel (formerly Jacob) confidently met his brother, Esau. Esau could not kill the new man, Israel (the righteous prince), for the old man’s sin, Jacob (the supplanter).
As a result of his divine transformation, Jacob escaped the wages of his sins (death) and received a generational blessing from God. Hallelujah!
Unlike Jacob, the New Testament believers don’t need to wrestle or struggle with God today to earn, gain, or deserve His love, acceptance, favor, blessing, or experience any divine transformation or salvation. Why?
Because Christ, by His death, had abolished the enmity between the holy God and sinful man once and for all (Rom. 5:8-11, Col. 1:19-22).
As a believer in Christ, you are unconditionally, wholeheartedly, eternally loved, accepted, saved, favored, and blessed by God (Eph. 1:3-6). Therefore, you don’t need to wrestle for miracles or blessings from your loving heavenly Father’s hands; all things are now yours in Christ.
Paul amply states this truth in his epistles.
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 – NKJV
21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come–all are yours.
23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
All that it takes today for any sinner, deceiver, fraudster, or supplanter (Jacob) to become a righteous prince and heir of God’s blessing (Israel) is to believe in and confess Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior (Rom. 10:8-10, Acts 16:30-31).
No matter who you have been or what you have done in life, the instant you put your faith in the person of Jesus and His finished work of redemption and confess the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will be transformed into a new creation by the operation of the Holy Spirit and thus become a joint heir with Christ.
Paul clearly states this truth, “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 RSV).
As a new creation, just like Israel, you have been ultimately redeemed from the wages of your sins (past, present, and future). Just like Esau had no right or power to punish, hurt, kill, or destroy Israel for the sins of Jacob, the devil has no right or authority to punish, hurt, kill, or destroy the new creation for the sins of the old man. Why?
Because Christ has borne your sins in His own body on the cross (Isa. 53:1-6, 1 Pet. 2:21-24, 2 Cor. 5:18-21)!
Beloved, as a new creation (Israel), you are not supposed to expect, receive, embrace, or experience any form of the wages of the sins of the old man (Jacob)—condemnation, guilt, sorrow, sickness, infirmity, poverty, failure, or a curse.
The old man is dead; it is now the new man living in you. This new man is not a slave but a king and priest unto God (Rev. 5:10). Therefore, arise today with righteous confidence to walk in God’s favor and blessing every day of your life as a righteous prince with God, an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
Prayer:
My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making me a new creation, a righteous prince, and an heir of God’s blessing in Christ Jesus, not by my wrestling or struggling with You, but by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work, in Jesus’ name. Amen.