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But --- the decisive battle was won by Abraham, by Isaac and by Jacob, and ultimately --- by Messiah Yeshua Himself. These three patriarchs are the progenitors of a new race of man, redeemed by Yeshua, who BELIEVE G-D, trust Him, cling to Him and walk by His statutes and ordinances alone. They do not live from bread alone but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of G-d! Such is the posterity of the patriarchs! Their continuation means the defeat of the devil, that ancient enemy of G-d and His people (Ro 8:15; Heb. 12:15).

Let us now consider this wrestling match between Jacob and this "man."

First, it began when Jacob was ALONE - afraid and distressed! He was SEPARATED from loved ones and friends. He was ISOLATED from fellowship, from support. Moreover it was night. The Hebrew for night is “layelâh - .“ In this particular instance, the Hebrew for THAT night is shachar -  - blackness, darkness. In this deep-dark night Jacob was left alone with the nightmare of his fear.
What an exceedingly black night indeed! 

Secondly, Jacob did NOT anticipate THIS assault! He had prepared against an attack from his brother Esau with every means at his disposal, but this sudden assault on his faith, hope and trust was UNFORESEEN! Jacob was caught by surprise, at a moment when the carnal man in him was at its strongest and the spiritual man at its weakest.

The combination of these circumstances: isolation, darkness of night, spiritual weakness --- is the precise TIMING OF ATTACK!

His heart probably missed a few beats as he suddenly found himself in the grip of an unexpected, powerful foe! However --- now Jacob had something tangible to fight! He was no longer shadow boxing fears. This enemy had a body he could combat. Nor was this an adversary with four hundred armed men ---  but one unknown opponent. Jacob suddenly realized: this attack was a tangible matter. He could FIGHT BACK!

All his fears and worries, anxiety and distress mutated into a mighty burst of righteous anger. Holy fury swelled up in him and with it, strength to fight. He clenched his unknown attacker with his powerful arms and legs. The chains of fear broke and faith began to rise up in him. The knowledge of G-d's faithfulness and promises and his faith and trust in this G-d and His Word rushed now to Jacob's aid and increased his physical strength.
Patriarch Jacob became invincible! 

And Jacob's descendants will become invincible!

Jacob pinned his adversary as into an iron stock. The titan of darkness wrestled with the titan of faith and trust in G-d and His Word. They seemed of equal strength, for neither was able to overcome the other.

This wrestling was not a silent struggle, nor was it merely a physical match of strength. The Hebrew makes a pun with the word - ye'avek -  - commonly translated as wrestled, on Jacob’s name -  -  as well as on the word avak -  - (small) dust, powder, which lit. means to bedust, grapple, wrestle. In this titanic struggle of fear against trust, of unbelief against faith, of the darkness of evil against the light of truth and godliness, the angel of Esau not only sought to supplant Jacob as Abraham’s and Isaac’s heir and G-d’s champion by wresting from him the patriarchal blessings and inheritance, but also kicked up dust storms to obscure Jacob’s vision of destiny.

Evil's very existence is based upon the ability to obscure the truth and deceive man into accepting falsehood. Satan is again masterfully accomplishing this through the Palestinian issue. This angel's "dust-storm"9 has spread and risen until it has nearly obscured the Truth, and deceived the nations into believing a lie10. Only G-d's elect (both present and future ones) who keep near to G-d and His truth, will escape the delusion.

My book about the Patriarchs - called GENESIS II - endeavors to make the truth so plain that people may not be deceived by Esau's – and presently also Ishmael’s - “dust-clouds.” Those who refuse to love the truth (i.e. who heard the truth, recognized it to be the truth, but refused to accept that truth,) will fall victim to the dust-storm of this cosmic struggle, and will be condemned11.

The angel challenged Jacob with all his force, ever seeking to obscure the values in which Jacob had placed his faith and trust. He especially attacked Jacob's isolation (from the nations12), his separation as G-d's elect, to cause him to abandon the mission for which Abraham's seed was chosen.
Hence Jacob’s progeny is also called to "separateness": 

"And Israel shall dwell secure apart."13

To the extent that she is apart, Israel will be secure; to the extent that Israel seeks to become united with the nations, it will be in danger. 

The nations can join Israel --- but Israel cannot join them!14

So vital is this isolation to the survival of Israel (and the success of creating a new race of man) that, if Israel fails to abide by its wisdom, G-d will lift His protection from her and allow the nations to persecute her. If Israel won't be separate unto Him, the nations will do it for her. The Nazis are a tragic example of what happens when this is carried too far. But --- G-d will use their destruction for life! Israel was indeed separated (as living sacrifices and lit. burnt offerings) unto temporary death --- that she may not be lost unto eternal death, but live before G-d as His people forever more.

The destroying angel succeeded in wounding Israel --- but not in swallowing him up.

9 There is a tradition among the Jewish people that every generation has an “Amalek” who seeks to destroy the Jewish people. Amalek was the grandson of Esau and apparently had been raised with the milk of hatred, just as it is done today with the Palestiniana children. Amalek fell upon the stragglers of the Israelites on their way to the promised land. Arafat, the PLO and other Palestinian terrorist groups are the “Amalek” of this generation.
10 2 Thessalonians 2:11 11 2 Thessalonians 2:12
12 A phenomenon in every generation: condemning the Jews for keeping separate, for their customs being different from other nation’ customs, mocking the Jews’ “separateness” and forcing upon them an “isolation” such as ghettos in malicious vengeance upon the Jews divinely ordained “isolation.” And every generation of Jacob’s children has seen those who succumbed to this angel’s wresting and dust-storms, seeking to become like all the nations in order to escape isolation and find acceptance. Yet there is never acceptance with this “angel” – only assimilation, supplanting of the inheritance, or death.
13 Deuteronomy 33:28
14 Some of the text on this and the following page is based on the excellent commentary found in the "ArtScroll Tenach Series, Vol. IV, Genesis."

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