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Jacob is now free from Laban. Under God’s blessing, Jacob has become rich. It seems that he is at last happy. He has reached his goal and is heading home to Canaan. Yet, Jacob is profoundly worried about his future in Canaan and the threat posed by his brother. It is precisely at this moment that God chooses to approach Jacob. This extraordinary confrontation will radically change the character of Jacob. As a result, Jacob is renamed Israel. Jacob’s encounter with God at Peniel corresponds to his Bethel encounter. The two accounts echo each other in words, structure, and themes. While Bethel begins at sunset, Peniel ends at sunrise, with the prospect of a glorious future. After a night of wrestling, Jacob emerges from his encounter with a blessing and a new name. He has had a personal encounter with the God of love and lived. In turn, Jacob is able to look upon the face of his enemy, his brother, Esau, in humility and love. Then Jacob turns to his family and confronts iniquity—the rape of Dinah, the murders committed by his sons, and, finally, the idolatry that was still prevailing in his household.
Panel: Jeffrey Nicholson, Clive Ferguson, Lorraine McDonald
Bible Texts:
It's Biblical
Hosted by: Lorraine McDonald
Aired: Saturday 4 June 2022 9am-11am
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