When coming back home before meeting with Esau, Jacob wrestled with God and won. What does that mean?
那人說：「你的名不要再叫雅各﹐要叫以色列﹐因為你跟神跟人較力﹐都得了勝【或譯：你同神在一起有了能力﹐你就勝過了人】。」( 創世記 32:28 )
We are used to the fact that winners write the history and that is what we are used to read, without knowing the other side of the story. Therefore, we are used to treating winners favorably and rejoicing in their victory. However, the Bible is God's word in which historical facts are presented in an impartial manner.
This is what the prophet Hosea says about this.
永恆主有案件要與責罪猶大﹐他必照雅各所行的察罰他﹐按他所作的報應他。 在母腹中抓住他哥哥的腳跟【『抓住他哥哥的腳跟』一語希伯來文即係『雅各』】﹐當強壯時他和上帝較力【『他和上帝較力』一語讀音近似『以色列』一詞】 他和天使較力﹐竟得了勝；他哭泣向他懇求。是在伯特利他遇見了上帝﹐是在那裡上帝同他【意難確定；今仿七十子譯之】說話---永恆主萬軍之上帝﹐耶和華是他的名號： 見上節 「所以你﹑你要回歸於你的上帝﹐謹守著忠愛與公平﹐時刻不斷地仰望你的上帝。( 何西阿書 12:2-6 )
Hosea sees nothing good in Jacob's struggle with God. Even before he was born, Jacob grabbed his brother by the heel, then took advantage of the situation and "bought" his birthright from Esau. Then he deceived him and received a blessing from his father. He got hold of Laban's best livestock by cunning, and then fled from him with all his belongings.
雅各說：「你先把你的長子名分賣給我吧。」 以掃說：「我快要死了﹐長子名分於我有甚麼益處？」 雅各說：「先對我起誓吧。」以掃就對他起誓﹐把長子的名分賣給雅各。( 創世記 25:31-33 )
雅各對他父親說：「我就是你的長子以掃；我已經照你所告訴我的作好了；請起來坐著﹐喫我打獵所得的肉﹐好全心全意給我祝福。( 創世記 27:19 )
每逢肥壯的羊配合的時候﹐雅各總把枝子插在槽裡﹐正在羊眼前﹐使牠們在許多枝子中間配合。 當羊瘦弱的時候﹐雅各卻不插著枝子：這樣﹐瘦弱的就歸拉班﹐肥壯的就歸雅各。( 創世記 30:41-42 )
雅各也竊奪了亞蘭人拉班的心機：他沒告訴他就逃走了。 他和他一切所有的都逃走；起身過了大河﹐面向著基列山走去。( 創世記 31:20-21 )
By fighting with God, Jacob fought against the will of God. He fought against walking the path that God intended for him.
我要訓誨你﹑指教你當走的路；我要定睛於你身上而忠告你。 你不可像無知的騾馬﹐須用嚼環轡頭做裝備去勒住牠﹐否則牠不走近你。( 詩篇 32:8-9 )
However, despite fighting with God, Jacob still asked for His blessing for himself, and his request was granted. He became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel and led an entire nation. The nation's path was similar to that of Jacob — continuous rebellion and occasional requests for forgiveness and blessing...
我整天伸開著手招呼倔強悖逆【或譯：他】的人民﹐就是隨自己的意圖行不善的路的； 這人民不斷地當著我面惹了我發怒﹐在園林中宰獻祭物﹐在磚瓦上燻祭﹐ 在墳墓間呆著﹐在祕密處過夜﹐喫著豬肉﹐他們器皿中有『不新鮮』之物作的湯；( 以賽亞書 65:2-4 )
Many years later, a completely different person appeared on earth, a real son of God, who did not fight with God, but followed him in everything. And even on the verge of death, he did not turn away from the cup that was given to him by God.
就稍往前走﹐俯伏在地上禱告說：「我父阿﹐倘若可能﹐就叫這杯離開我吧；然而不要照我所願的﹐只要照你所願的。」( 馬太福音 26:39 )
Yes, this man is Jesus Christ who showed us the true path that leads to eternal life.
Therefore, let's not fight with God, but let him lead us according to his will.
我閉口不認罪時﹐我的骨頭都因終日哀哼而磨損。 因為你的手晝夜重重壓著我；我的精液起了惡變化﹑如在夏天的炎熱中。〈細拉〉 我的罪我讓你知道﹐我的罪孽我沒有掩蓋著；我說：「我要向永恆主承認我的過犯」；那麼你就赦免我罪的孽債。〈細拉〉( 詩篇 32:3-5 )
你要全心仰賴永恆主﹐不可依靠自己的聰明； 在你一切所行的路上﹑你都要認定他﹐他就使你的路徑平直。( 箴言 3:5-6 )