Genesis 32:22 – 30 “During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the ford of Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, along with all his possessions.
So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that He could not overpower Jacob, He struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. Then the man said, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.”
“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. (Jacob means “He grasps the heel” or “He deceives.”)
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.” (Israel means “He struggles with God.”)
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me Your name.”
“Why do you ask My name?” he replied. And He blessed Jacob there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” (Peniel or Penuel means “the face of God.”)
On the face of it, this is a very strange passage that appears to have little to do with forgiveness. God has already forgiven Jacob and blessed him abundantly with wives, children, possessions, servants, and livestock. Why does Jacob get up in the middle of the night and send everyone and everything across the Jabbok, returning to the east side by himself? Somehow Jacob must feel a need to be alone with God, something it would certainly be difficult to do in the midst of fussing children and animals making all kinds of noises.
Frankly, Jacob is worried about his upcoming meeting with Esau. With four hundred warriors Esau can easily wipe out Jacob and his entire family and take everything Jacob has slaved for for twenty years. By now Jacob is remembering every time he cheated Esau, every time he snickered at Esau behind Esau’s back for being a muscle – bound oaf. Even though Jacob has sent very handsome gifts ahead of him, there is no guarantee that Esau will not simply wipe out Jacob and steal Jacob’s wives and children and everything else. And Jacob is remembering how he deceived his aging father by pretending to be Esau to gain the blessing that should have gone to Esau.
While Jacob is sitting there in the dark and the stillness, a man shows up and begins to wrestle with him. Why does Jacob engage in the wrestling match? Perhaps Jacob feels that this stranger is from God and that God is punishing him yet again for his treachery to Esau. Evidently, the two are evenly matched because there is no mention of the stranger being able to overpower Jacob. As a shepherd who has spent twenty years walking, fighting off wild animals, and carrying wounded sheep, Jacob is quite strong. Each time it appears that the stranger is about to pin Jacob, somehow Jacob gets out of his grasp. Perhaps each time the stranger throws Jacob to the ground, Jacob remembers another one of his sins against Esau or against his aged father Isaac. Perhaps as Jacob remembers each sin, he begs God to forgive him. By now Jacob has probably realized that this stranger must have come from God. Finally as Jacob repents of the last sin he can recollect, the dawn breaks. The divine stranger touches Jacob’s hip, causing it to dislocate and ending the wrestling match. And it is after this strange wrestling match that God performs the biggest act of forgiveness of all: He gives Jacob a new name.
Jacob was the second – born twin and came out of the womb holding Esau’s heel, hence his name. All Jacob’s life he has born a name that is a kind of curse, but now God is giving Jacob a new name, a strong positive name, “Israel.” The angelic stranger tells Jacob that he has earned this name because he has struggled with both God and man and has won. Jacob stands there amazed, both at his new name and also at the fact that he has seen the face of God and is still alive.
APPLICATION: Sometimes we need to be alone with God as Jacob was and allow God to do whatever He desires with us. We must remember that God knows us far better than we know ourselves. We are fond of making excuses and covering up our wrong – doing. Sometimes before we are willing to face our sins, we must wrestle mentally, emotionally, or spiritually with God. The wrestling process is necessary because we are stubborn and cling to our pet sins!
God loves us too much to leave us in our sins, particularly our sins against others. We are like small children who have played in mud who now are demanding that our loving Father pick us up. Why not allow God to clean the mud by confessing your sins and repenting of them?
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for the example of Jacob. Thank you that you love us too much to leave us alone but that it is your will to perfect us into your image. Help us to cooperate and not to fight you while this process is taking place. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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