WHO ARE YOU?

As Jacob prepares to meet Esau, his fear forces him to confront both his past and his need for the Lord. Alone that night, he wrestles with the Lord in a theophany—a visible manifestation of God, often understood as the preincarnate Christ—who asks, “What is your name?” and brings Jacob face-to-face with who he has been. The Lord gives him a new name, Israel, marking a new identity rooted in his relationship with Him. Jacob leaves with a blessing and a limp, learning that his strength and future depend on the Lord rather than his own striving.