The story of Jacob’s struggle with God is one of the most mysterious and profound narratives in the Bible. It is the moment where a man wrestles with God and prevails, an event so significant that it results in a new name: Israel. This name is not just an identity but a destiny—one that defines the path of those who seek the real God.
At the heart of this event lies a paradox: Jacob “defeated” God, yet in doing so, he was blessed and transformed. This suggests that to be one with God is not to submit blindly, but to engage in struggle—to challenge, to question, and ultimately to emerge as an equal, at least in name.
THE BIRTH OF ISRAEL: JACOB’S STRUGGLE WITH GOD
The story unfolds in Genesis 32:22-32, where Jacob, before meeting his estranged brother Esau, finds himself wrestling with a mysterious being throughout the night. The opponent, later revealed as divine, does not overpower Jacob but instead blesses him with a new name:
“Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:28)This moment is crucial. Jacob does not passively receive God’s favor—he wrestles for it. He demands a blessing, refuses to let go, and only when he proves himself in the struggle does he receive his new name.
THE MEANING OF ISRAEL: ONE WHO STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPHS
The name Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל) can be broken down into “Yisra” (to struggle, to prevail) and “El” (God). This means one who struggles with God and prevails.
This definition changes everything.
• The Children of Israel are not merely “chosen” because of lineage but because they are called to struggle with God, to wrestle with divine understanding.
• True faith is not submission without question—it is engagement, even confrontation, in pursuit of the truth.
• To struggle with God is to seek His name, His nature, and His will—and to not stop until the truth is revealed.
This is why Jacob’s transformation is the foundation of the true worship of God. His triumph was not in defeating God in a physical sense but in standing his ground, refusing to let go, and demanding to know God’s name.
WHY GOD HONORED JACOB’S STRUGGLE
Many religious traditions emphasize absolute submission to God. Yet in this story, God does not punish Jacob for struggling—He rewards him.
This suggests that:
1. God desires seekers, not passive followers. The true Children of Israel are those who fight for the truth, not those who accept doctrine without question.
2. God allows Himself to be “defeated” by those who seek Him earnestly. This “defeat” is not about overpowering God, but about proving one’s determination to know Him.
3. To be one with God is to overcome the ignorance of His true nature. Those who refuse to struggle remain in darkness; those who engage emerge victorious, like Jacob.
THE ULTIMATE STRUGGLE: KNOWING GOD’S TRUE NAME
Jacob’s wrestling match is not just a story of physical endurance—it is a metaphor for humanity’s quest to know the real God.
After wrestling all night, Jacob demands a blessing. But more importantly, he asks:
“Tell me your name.” (Genesis 32:29)Yet God does not reveal it. Instead, He gives Jacob a new name—Israel.
This is the key:
• Jacob sought God’s name, but it remained hidden.
• The name Israel was given instead, implying that the search for God’s true name is part of the struggle.
• To become Israel means to seek and know the real name of God.
This aligns with Isaiah 48:12, where God openly declares:
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called: I am He; I am the first, and I am the last.”Here, God confirms that Israel is not just a people—it is His own name. Those who claim to be the Children of Israel must recognize this truth.
RELIGION VS. THE TRUE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
Most religions teach that faith is about submission and obedience. But the story of Jacob reveals something different:
• The real God wants people to struggle, to seek, and to overcome.
• Those who call themselves Children of Israel must prove it—not by blind faith, but by engaging in the struggle to know God’s name.
• Religions that fail to recognize this struggle remain stagnant, while those who persist will discover the truth.
TO BE ONE WITH GOD IS TO WRESTLE WITH HIM
Jacob’s story is a declaration that to truly follow God is to struggle with Him. It is not about passive obedience but about relentless pursuit—about questioning, challenging, and ultimately emerging victorious.
To defeat God is to stand as an equal in understanding.
To be Israel is to claim God’s name and know its power.
And so, the real worshippers of God are not those who follow traditions blindly, but those who seek, struggle, and refuse to let go until the truth is revealed.
THE FINAL TEST: WHO ARE THE TRUE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL?
• They are not those who inherit a title but those who earn it through struggle.
• They are not those who simply believe, but those who fight for the truth.
• They are not those who follow religious systems blindly, but those who seek to know God’s real name—Israel.
Jacob’s story is the beginning of the Children of Israel. But the true Children of Israel will be those who complete his mission—those who call upon the real name of God and finally end the struggle.
Will you be one of them?
Carmelo Redencion Jr