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Holy Smackdown
The first wrestling match was even better than WWF.
by Jarrett Stevens
I used to be a big fan of Professional Wrestling back in the days of Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper, when it was way less sleazy and way more cheesy. Maybe it has something to do with the outrageous characters and ridiculous costumes. Maybe it's because of the moves. (The figure four leg lock is my personal favorite.) Or maybe it's just because they actually use the word "professional" in the title.
Even though people have been watching wrestlers throw body slams since the early 1940s, that's actually not when wrestling began. In fact, wrestling finds its roots in the Bible of all places, in Genesis 32. The story revolves around Jacob, who had definitely seen better days. Jacob's name literally meant deceiver— and that's exactly what he'd done earlier in his life when he stole his brother Esau's blessing (Genesis 27).
Jacob had spent the better part of his life running and hiding not only from people he'd deceived (another story for another time), but ultimately from God. But now he was at the end of the line. Word came that Jacob's brother Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. This was it. Jacob assumed the worst. But as Jacob waited for what he thought was his demise, the strangest thing happened. Genesis 32:24 says that Jacob was, "… all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn" (NLT).
Many Bible scholars believe that the "man" was not a man at all (or a "professional" wrestler) but actually an appearance of a pre-incarnated Jesus before he was born in Bethlehem. So this was no ordinary wrestling match. Jacob was literally wrestling with God! And apparently Jacob was a tough opponent, because it says they wrestled all through the night, until dawn. (Apparently they hadn't invented tag teams yet.)
Jacob continued to wrestle until God gave him something—a blessing. Genesis 32:25 (NLT) says, "When the man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket." With one touch of his finger (this was God's secret finishing move), the match ended.
The truth is, God had the upper hand all along, but he stayed with Jacob and struggled with him in order to deepen and mature Jacob's faith. When the match was over, the "man" asked Jacob what his name was. (Maybe Jacob was wearing a mask, but probably not.) Jacob gave him his name, and in verse 28 the man replied, "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the Man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won" (NLT). It is this very name that the nation of Israel is still known by today, a people who have seen their fair share of struggle with God and man.
In the end we see Jacob isn't awarded an oversized gold Title Belt, but rather a new name, a new purpose, and a new identity. But it came with a catch—at the end of verse 31 it says Jacob walked away from the match with a limp. A limp induced by the fingertip of God. A limp he would struggle with for the rest of his life. A limp that would serve as a daily reminder of a God who allows us to wrestle with him, but is always ultimately in control.
Can you imagine wrestling with God? Seriously. Imagine putting God in a "reverse full nelson" and not letting go. It's kinda hard to imagine, isn't it? Images of sweating dudes in tights don't help, but I think it's something deeper than that. I wonder if it's because we have such a hard time actually struggling with God.
Maybe you think all God wants you to do is shut up and fall in line. Maybe you were told you should never question God. Maybe that's kept you at a distance from God. But real faith is never formed in the safety of the stands. Faith is formed on the mat. Faith is formed in the blood, sweat, and tears of struggling with God and not letting go. God didn't punish Jacob for wrestling with him, but honored him by giving him a new name and a new identity (Israel).
When was the last time you honestly struggled with God? When was the last time you asked God some really tough questions? When was the last time you prayed some really bold prayers? When was the last time you refused to let go? This is where real faith is formed. This is where we experience God, like Jacob, in a new way—a God who allows us to wrestle with him, but is always ultimately in control.
Jarrett Stevens is the teaching pastor of the Next Gen Ministries of Willow Creek Community Church. When not teaching at church, Jarrett can be found wrestling professionally as the "Pastor of Disaster."
The first wrestling match was even better than WWF.
by Jarrett Stevens
I used to be a big fan of Professional Wrestling back in the days of Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper, when it was way less sleazy and way more cheesy. Maybe it has something to do with the outrageous characters and ridiculous costumes. Maybe it's because of the moves. (The figure four leg lock is my personal favorite.) Or maybe it's just because they actually use the word "professional" in the title.
Even though people have been watching wrestlers throw body slams since the early 1940s, that's actually not when wrestling began. In fact, wrestling finds its roots in the Bible of all places, in Genesis 32. The story revolves around Jacob, who had definitely seen better days. Jacob's name literally meant deceiver— and that's exactly what he'd done earlier in his life when he stole his brother Esau's blessing (Genesis 27).
Jacob had spent the better part of his life running and hiding not only from people he'd deceived (another story for another time), but ultimately from God. But now he was at the end of the line. Word came that Jacob's brother Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. This was it. Jacob assumed the worst. But as Jacob waited for what he thought was his demise, the strangest thing happened. Genesis 32:24 says that Jacob was, "… all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn" (NLT).
Many Bible scholars believe that the "man" was not a man at all (or a "professional" wrestler) but actually an appearance of a pre-incarnated Jesus before he was born in Bethlehem. So this was no ordinary wrestling match. Jacob was literally wrestling with God! And apparently Jacob was a tough opponent, because it says they wrestled all through the night, until dawn. (Apparently they hadn't invented tag teams yet.)
Jacob continued to wrestle until God gave him something—a blessing. Genesis 32:25 (NLT) says, "When the man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket." With one touch of his finger (this was God's secret finishing move), the match ended.
The truth is, God had the upper hand all along, but he stayed with Jacob and struggled with him in order to deepen and mature Jacob's faith. When the match was over, the "man" asked Jacob what his name was. (Maybe Jacob was wearing a mask, but probably not.) Jacob gave him his name, and in verse 28 the man replied, "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the Man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won" (NLT). It is this very name that the nation of Israel is still known by today, a people who have seen their fair share of struggle with God and man.
In the end we see Jacob isn't awarded an oversized gold Title Belt, but rather a new name, a new purpose, and a new identity. But it came with a catch—at the end of verse 31 it says Jacob walked away from the match with a limp. A limp induced by the fingertip of God. A limp he would struggle with for the rest of his life. A limp that would serve as a daily reminder of a God who allows us to wrestle with him, but is always ultimately in control.
Can you imagine wrestling with God? Seriously. Imagine putting God in a "reverse full nelson" and not letting go. It's kinda hard to imagine, isn't it? Images of sweating dudes in tights don't help, but I think it's something deeper than that. I wonder if it's because we have such a hard time actually struggling with God.
Maybe you think all God wants you to do is shut up and fall in line. Maybe you were told you should never question God. Maybe that's kept you at a distance from God. But real faith is never formed in the safety of the stands. Faith is formed on the mat. Faith is formed in the blood, sweat, and tears of struggling with God and not letting go. God didn't punish Jacob for wrestling with him, but honored him by giving him a new name and a new identity (Israel).
When was the last time you honestly struggled with God? When was the last time you asked God some really tough questions? When was the last time you prayed some really bold prayers? When was the last time you refused to let go? This is where real faith is formed. This is where we experience God, like Jacob, in a new way—a God who allows us to wrestle with him, but is always ultimately in control.
Jarrett Stevens is the teaching pastor of the Next Gen Ministries of Willow Creek Community Church. When not teaching at church, Jarrett can be found wrestling professionally as the "Pastor of Disaster."
