According to [Dennis Prager and Jordan Peterson], the ultimate point of Genesis 32 is that all of us are called to wrestle with God. When, for example, we wrestle with the implications of his existence on our lives, and on ultimate issues such as meaning or morality, then like Israel’s famous patriarch, we’ll be forever changed. It goes without question that this way of reading the story interprets Jacob’s wrestling as a good thing, worthy of both commendation and emulation. But is this the best way to understand the story?
…The problem with this approach is that something concrete and real has been spiritualized, which at the end of the day is the only way that it could be transformed into “practical application.” Jacob wasn’t struggling intellectually with the implications of God’s existence or wrestling with question of meaning or morality. In fact, he wasn’t even praying in this part of the narrative. A close study of the passages reveals that he was simply fighting for his life after being physically attacked in the dark. The fact that his name was changed in this scene to “Israel” is an important clue that this story is not about you or me, or how any of us can achieve victory in this life. Read more»

Shane Rosenthal | “Israel: The Story Behind Jacob’s New Name” | November 1, 2025

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Post authored by:

• Shane Rosenthal

  

  Shane Rosenthal is the founder and host of The Humble Skeptic podcast. He was one of the creators of the White Horse Inn, which he also hosted from 2019–2021, and he has written articles for various sites and publications, including Modern Reformation, TableTalk, Core Christianity, and others. Shane received an MA in Historical Theology from Westminster Seminary California, and he lives with his family in the greater St. Louis area. Read more about The Humble Skeptic podcast: shanerose.substack.com

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