Jacob’s life was a constant struggle for blessing. His father favored Esau and Jacob acted deceptively in order to gain Isaac’s blessing. Jacob wrestles with his father-in-law Laban for years, first for Rachel’s hand and then for the majority share of their herds. But at each turn, Jacob fails to act heroically. He is driven to seek blessing at any cost.

Along the banks of the Jabbok River, in the middle of the night, Jacob wrestles with God. The struggle concludes with Jacob receiving the blessing he has always desired – the blessing of the Lord. Jacob’s life illustrates the worthlessness of all “counterfeit gods.”