The Father’s blessing is inherited through life’s struggles.
For you know that 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. Hebrews 12:17
Many years before, Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob for bread and a stew of lentils. Esau had despised his birthright. He forfeited his place to receive the double blessing as the firstborn. Even though Jacob and Esau were twins, Esau came out first with Jacob’s hand clutching his heel, and so was heir to the birthright.
Now, Jacob inherited the blessing, and Esau wept and sought a blessing in deep bitterness. Esau’s comfort was to kill Jacob after his father died. Rebekah heard of this and sent her son to live with her brother Laban, in Haran. What was to be a few days of separation from Jacob’s hot-headed brother Esau, turned into twenty years.
Jacob was returning to his father Isaac when he got news of his brother Esau’s coming to meet Jacob WITH FOUR HUNDRED MEN! Panic ensued. Jacob used every means of his shrewdness to soften his brother’s coming, with gifts, and dividing the family into two groups. He sent everyone across the ford of Jabbok and was left alone.
All night, Jacob wrestled with God.
“I will not let You go unless You bless me,” Jacob said to the Man he has wrestled with all night to the breaking of day.
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.” Genesis 32:27, 28
As a prince, you have power with God and with men and have prevailed. The blessing Jacob inherited is his name changed into his identity given to Him before time began in Messiah and prophesied to His mother almost one hundred years before. He had prevailed.
Our inheritance is sovereign, given to us by the Father’s will in Christ before time began, but our blessing is gained in our struggles with God and men. Our blessing is lost when we despise our inheritance given to us, and in Christ is gained when we return to the struggle.
Until one night we are left alone “and a Man wrestles with us until the breaking of the day.”
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19
Love Feast this Wednesday, Dinner 5:00 pm Service 6:00 pm – Inheriting the blessing – Generational blessings, glory tunnels, and other exercises to apprehend what the Lord God can only give.
