Jacob’s Terrible Night of Wrestling
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The Future “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”
Jacob’s experience during that night of wrestling and anguish rep-
resents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before
Christ’s second coming. “We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear,
and not of peace... . Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it:
it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”
Jeremiah 30:5-7
.
When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man’s behalf,
this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul will have
been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin.
The solemn announcement is made, “He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still.”
Revelation 22:11
. As Jacob was threatened with death by his
angry brother, so the people of God will be in peril from the wicked.
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The righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance.
Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claiming the
right to destroy him because of his sin; he endeavored to force upon
him a sense of his guilt in order to discourage him and break his
hold on God. When Jacob made supplication with tears, the heavenly
Messenger, in order to try his faith, also reminded him of his sin, and
endeavored to escape from him. But Jacob had learned that God is
merciful. As he reviewed his life, he was driven almost to despair,
but he held fast the Angel, and with earnest, agonizing cries urged his
petition until he prevailed.
The Final Struggle
Such will be the experience of God’s people in their final struggle
with the powers of evil. God will test their faith, their perseverance,
their confidence in His power. Satan will endeavor to terrify them with
the thought that their sins have been too great to receive pardon. As
they review their lives, their hopes will sink. But remembering God’s
mercy and their own sincere repentance, they will plead His promises.
Their faith will not fail because their prayers are not immediately
answered. The language of their souls will be, “I will not let Thee go,
except Thou bless me.”