2007-03-20 16:32:18 · 19 answers · asked by ♫O Praise Him♫ 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It was an angel of God in the form of a man.
In theory, this could have been God in the flesh, which would have been Jesus. However, Jacob merely assumes this is God and if it is an angel, then he can speak for God, which is presumably why he was sent. Because the passage never says that it was God, and because Hosea claims it was an angel, I assume that it was an angel (see Hosea 12:3-5).
One more point, there is what is known as "THE angel of the Lord", a mysterious angel which acts on God's behalf as if he was God and this might have been him. They call this angel, the theophanic angel. For instance, he appears in the burning bush and claims to be God.
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
then later...
Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Apparently this angel speaks directly for God, and he is seen of men. Of God it is said that no man saw Him at any time, except for Jesus.
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Presumably, this is the angel that appeared to Jacob. Many people believe that this could only be Jesus; others think that this is any angel of God (or perhaps just one, special angel) which was given a special, direct assignment by God; and still others think that this is God's way of appearing to us, not directly, but rather in a form that we can understand (maybe even a combination).
Some claim that any theophanic angel, no matter what the form (pillar of fire, burning bush, the man who appeared to Abraham, the man who wrestled with Jacob, the Word of God that appeared to Samuel, the mysterious person with the appearance of the son of God in the firery furnance, perhaps even Melchizedek and so on) was all the preincarnate Jesus. Since we see the Holy Ghost taking on form of a dove and God taking on various forms, I do not believe that it is necessary for us to assume that it must be only Jesus.
2007-03-20 17:16:46 · answer #1 · answered by Shawn D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jacob packed up his large family and went back to Canaan. On that trip, at night Jacob wrestled with an angel, asking for a blessing. At last the angel blessed him and gave him a new name: Israel ("You have stuggled with God.") Jacob made amends with his brother Esau. Rachel died in childbirth of Jacob's last son, Benjamin.
2007-03-20 16:38:31 · answer #2 · answered by Jo 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You will notice that the refence of this Man or Angel starts with a capital letter. This indicates that this was God or part of the God Head. Most believe this was Jesus in the Old Testament.
2007-03-20 16:36:16 · answer #3 · answered by RedE1 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"Don't let me wrestle with the angel, like Jacob long ago"
-Song from the Pine Hill Haints (fave. band of all time)
2007-03-20 16:36:45 · answer #4 · answered by tahirih.luvs2sew 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God... Remember the NAME CHANGE:
Genesis 32:28 Then the man said, “Your name will not be Jacob anymore. Instead, it will be Israel. You have struggled with God and with men. And you have won.”
29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you want to know my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 So Jacob named the place Peniel. He said, “I saw God face to face. But I’m still alive!”
2007-03-20 16:35:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
He wrestled God in the form of a man. Perhaps it was Jesus Christ.
2007-03-20 16:43:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
sunestauromai has the correct answer and I will add, the man was an angel. His name Peniel means; the Face of God.
2007-03-20 16:42:52 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He wrestled the Angel who gimped him and named him isreal
2007-03-20 16:37:38 · answer #8 · answered by freshbliss 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An Angel, silly. And when Jacob asked his name, he said "Why do you ask my name?" before blessing him.
2007-03-20 16:37:24 · answer #9 · answered by Da Mick 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Chuck Liddell
2007-03-20 16:36:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋