We see two men in some pretty difficult situations.  We see two men very anxious about situations that have confronted them because of their stubbornness and sin of days gone by.  One man (Joab) lays hold of the horns of the altar and will not let go.  The other man (Jacob) also lays hold of something, someone and will not let go.  One man is cursed and will die right where he stands, the other one is blessed and will live a life full of honor and glory to God.  One man will not let go of his tradition, religious forms and trinkets and will perish with them; the other man will not let go of his God and will be blessed and see the almighty sovereign workings of the Triune God in dealing with his past sins, and his future pilgrimage!

    Which man are you?  Will you sit there in the church building and hang on to your religion without Christ but never let go of form, ritual, tradition and legalism?  Or are you that man who has seen the Son and seen your abominations and foolishness and sinful trickery and must have the Son’s blessings, substitution and redemption before you go on in this world?

    May God give us much grace, daily mercy to wrestle with Immanuel and never let Him go, for in Him and by Him and through Him are all blessings whether they be on earth or in the Heavens!