 | Themes
 | Spiritual Struggle
(Jacob Wrestles with Angel)
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I think the movie The Sting relates to the
Genesis text (ch. 32, August 4) about Jacob wrestling the angel. All his life Jacob has schemed and connived
his way to success only not only to be outwitted by his uncle, and also
by his deceiving wife (who did steal the family idols), but also by Esau
(who has the best of it by far in Jacob's mind when Jacob comes crawling
home), and ultimately by God in personal representation-- who tells him
he has achieved success prevailing against God when the truth is with
his hip out of joint he now stands no chance at all of defending himself
against Esau and MUST rely on God instead of himself at this latest
juncture in his life, into which he must go knowing he deserves Esau's
worst. It is like how in the film The Sting
the way that revenge is gained, as I recall the film, is by convincing
the villain that he will be aiding himself when in actuality he will be
ruining himself. Jacob has tried to aid himself all his life
long toward God's promised destination and each time it has blown up in
his face. And this time God teaches him that God is the blesser, and he
is the recipient, the way he was supposed to live all his life, not
maniacally stealing deceiving plotting and conniving, but living in
simple faith hope and trust. (Steve Allen)
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