Genesis: A lot of interesting tidbits in my study Bible notes. Jacob addresses Esau with “lord” but Esau addressed Jacob with “brother”. Jacob’s name contends with man, Israel’s name struggles with God. God allowed the struggle, though he could have disabled him at any point (in this case, in his hip). That’s the way I look at free will. The struggle is allowed, because without that choice, the choice of love is impossible. But it is “allowed”–without God’s sustaining, no choice would be possible.
Job: This Job character sure reminds me of King Solomon’s voice in Ecclesiastes. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity–whether good or evil, we all return to the dust. “How then will you vainly comfort me?”
Also, Jacob contends with Esau, then Labban, but ultimately it is God with whom he must wrestle. And, the gift/blessing he attempts to give to Esau (now recognizing the blessing comes from God, 32:26) is in place of the one he stole….but God has blessed Esau so much that Esau no longer cares about that stolen blessing.
Ichthus77 