Who Wrestled with God? I Know a Guy

Who wrestled with God? I know a guy

Unless you are a Biblical scholar or theologian, chances are you’ve asked Google or ChatGPT a question like, “Who wrestled with God?” You may have been talking with a friend when the question surfaced, but in that moment, you forgot about good ole brother Jacob. But a simple search leads you to Genesis 32:22-32. 

Here we find the first literal and metaphorical example of someone who wrestled with God and lived to tell about it. Scripture tells us that Jacob was alone after sending his family over a brook. That night, until the next morning, Jacob wrestled with “a Man” who we discover was either God or His representative. We aren’t told the name of the grappler, but he gives Jacob a new name, “Israel,” because he “struggled with God and with men, and prevailed.” What we also learn from this account is that if we wrestle with God, and even if we prevail, the struggle will leave a mark. In Jacob’s case, a dislocated hip left him with a permanent limp. 

But Jacob/Israel isn’t the only one to wrestle with God. Let’s consider one more well-known Biblical hero who did as well. Remember Moses wrestling with God at the burning bush? I’ll bet that was a sight and worth the price of admission to watch the show. Seeing Moses argue his position for why he couldn’t lead God’s people out of Egypt must have been entertaining. But in Moses’ case, God’s sovereign will prevailed despite Moses offering his best excuses. (see Exodus Chapters 3 and 4). You’ll discover others, but let’s look a bit closer to home. 

Who Wrestled with God? I know a Guy

Who wrestled with God? I know a guy! Chances are, you know someone in your own family. Perhaps it’s the guy (gender neutral) who looks back at you every morning in the mirror. That’s who it is for me. I seem to wrestle with God continually. Anytime I have a discernment question that involves a tug-of-war between God and my flesh, I’m the first to explain and complain. 

But I’m not alone. I have friends who say, “I know this guy who always questions God’s sovereignty.” It’s like clients who would say, “Doc, I have a friend with these symptoms. How can I help them?” We always know who the guy is in nearly every story. 

Since God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, wouldn’t it show more wisdom not to wrestle with Him? While it’s possible to prevail against God, getting Him to see your side of the story, it’s more likely that you’ll lose the battle and come away with a limp or maybe a body cast. 

I nearly discovered this myself when I started high-speed longboarding at 59 years of age. The Holy Spirit was unmistakable…”Don’t do it, dummy.” But I was too busy arguing with God about how I was going to live MY life in early retirement. 

After the long board disaster at 20+MPH, disintegrating my left elbow, reconstructive surgery, and physical therapy at the “House of Pain,” I awakened and thought, humm, maybe the Holy Spirit was right. Professor Obvious was never so obvious. Therefore, while we serve a loving God, we must know who is in command of the universe. Spoiler alert: It’s not us. And, while we may forget Jacob’s name in a trivia game that asks “Who wrestled with God?”, we need to always remember Proverbs 9:10. Go look that one up if you need to, because it is worth committing to long-term, working memory.

So, now that you’ll never forget that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, how will you use it if you ever find yourself wrestling with God? If you say, “I’ll do it my way,” let me know where to buy tickets to the event. It will be entertaining. But I pray that you’ll use every iron sharpens iron opportunity to avert hearing the Holy Spirit saying, “Don’t do it, dummy!”

About the Author

Dr. Trace Pirtle is a retired counselor education professor and a fellow pilgrim on the narrow path. He is the author of the forthcoming book Narrow Path Pilgrim: Finding Jesus Christ Beyond the Church Walls, sharing insights for remnant believers and spiritual seekers following The Way of the first-century church.