THE WAY TO BLESSING

" . . . And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." (Genesis 32:26)

JACOB WAS ON HIS WAY to meet Esau. It had been a long time since he had seen his brother, and when they had parted, they were not on good terms. He brought some presents for Esau, and told his servants how to speak to him, smoothing the road before him. He had two wives, two women servants, and eleven children with him. Concerned about their welfare, he sent them "over the brook." Now, he was left alone. That night, however, would not be spent alone. It is written, "there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day." The mysterious man did not prevail against Jacob. Confirming he was no ordinary person, he "touched the hollow" of Jacob's thigh, throwing it "out of joint." Still, Jacob wrestled on until the day began to break. The messenger then said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." It was then that Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me" (NKJV). Later Jacob said of that night, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." He received the blessing he sought (Gen 32:20-30). To this day, the main thing is still to get the blessing.

A WORD CONCERNING THE DIVINELY APPOINTED MEANS of appropriating the blessing is in order. It is not enough to have an academic understanding of Scripture – particularly as it relates to Jesus. Mind you, we are not to despise such knowledge, but it is elementary, and incapable of bringing eternal benefits, or blessing to you.

HOW WONDERFULLY THIS IS EXPRESSED in God's Word. " . . . making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Eph 1:16b-17, NASB). " . . . seeing that His Divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him . . ." (2 Pet 1:3, NASB). "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord" (2 Pet 1:2). "For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 2:20a, NASB).

THE "KNOWLEDGE" MENTIONED in these texts is not limited to intellectual knowledge. This is experiential knowledge. It speaks of spiritual involvement with the Son of God. The word "knowledge," in this case, means recognition, i.e. full discernment, acknowledgment. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says, "to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to know accurately, know well." This is knowledge that comes from acquaintance with Christ Himself, not merely the record about Him. It necessarily includes Scriptural knowledge, but it extends beyond that. Faith goes further than the intellect. It is rational, but goes beyond rationality.

THIS MEANS THAT OUR EXPOSURE to the text of Scripture must be coupled with a believing heart. Jesus has promised identity with the individual who is intent upon knowing Him. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him . . . Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him" (John 14:21,23). This is the "knowledge" that characterizes the New covenant. " . . . they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest" (Heb 8:11).

THIS IS JOYFUL FAMILIARITY WITH THE LORD. It began with our exposure to God's Word. It was brought to a culmination by means of our faith, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no salvation without this type of knowledge. In fact, eternal life, which is salvation in its totality, is knowing the Lord. As it is written, "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

BECAUSE THE SPIRIT WORKS with the Word of God (which is His "sword"), He has moved holy men to write frequently and powerfully of the Lord Jesus. In those sacred writings, Jesus will be proclaimed in His present exalted state, which is altogether glorious. Further, this proclamation will exert a compelling influence upon the hearts of men, drawing them into the circumference of Divine influence. There, in the light of the Son of God, recovery from all manner of departures and drawing back will be realized. These words will become the building blocks for our perception of Christ. That perception, if true, will be the vehicle through which the Lord will make Himself known to us. They are the chief means through which we will come know Him.

ALLOW ME TO EMPHASIZE this important point. Our view of Christ is not based upon personal daily experiences. It is not what Jesus has done "for me" that makes Jesus clear, but how the Spirit declares Him in the Scripture. Without laboring this to the point of distraction, let me affirm it one more time. Our spiritual familiarity with the Person of Christ is the means through which we are being saved. In the Gospel, God is providing a lofty view of His Son – i.e. "The record that God gave of His Son" (1 John 5:10). That view is required to experience fellowship with the Son (1 Cor 1:9). There is no salvation without that!

IN KNOWING JESUS, the ultimate blessing will be experienced, for God has sent Him, to bless us (Acts 3:26).

– Given O. Blakely