Genesis 32

Sunday Morning Bible Study

July 15, 2007

Introduction

After having served his uncle Laban for twenty years, things were getting a bit difficult for Jacob and his family. Laban was getting more and more difficult to work for. The brother-in-laws were getting suspicious. Then God let Jacob know that it was time to leave. Jacob decided that he and the family needed to leave without Laban knowing, but when Laban found out, he eventually caught up to Jacob and there was an ugly confrontation. Except that God had already warned Laban to be good to Jacob.

Jacob now continues his journey home, knowing that he’s going to have to face his brother who swore to kill him, and knowing that he’ll never be able to go back to Laban again.

:1-21 Esau is coming to meet Jacob

:1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

angels – mal’ak – messenger, representative

We aren’t told how Jacob knows, but somehow he’s met by angels.

:2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

camp – machaneh – encampment, camp

Mahanaim – Machanayim – “two camps”; Jacob has one camp and God has another camp with the Angels. Perhaps it was a baseball training camp???

:3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

messengers – mal’ak – messenger, representative; this is the same word used in verse 1 as “angels”. But instead of being “messengers” from God, these fellows are “messengers” of Jacob.

Could it be that Jacob gets the idea of sending the messengers to Esau from the example of God sending messengers to him? Or maybe the angels just outright gave Jacob some instructions on what to do?

:4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.

Jacob has no obligation to call his brother “lord” and himself the “servant” in front of his servants, but he does. It sounds sincere to me.

:5 "I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."' "

Jacob is offering to give these kinds of things as gifts to Esau to gain Esau’s favor.

favor – chen – favor, grace, charm

:6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."

That is not what Jacob wants to hear. If Esau was coming with his wives and kids, that would be one thing. But four hundred men? That sounds like Esau has his own private army out to kill Jacob.

:7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

companies – machaneh – encampment, camp; Jacob originally named the place “Mahanaim” as two camps, his and God’s. Now he divides his family into two camps.

Jacob is literally caught between a rock and a hard place.

Behind him is the pile of rocks that he and Laban set up, a sort of boundary that Jacob couldn’t go back and cross over.

In front of him was the hard place, his brother coming, perhaps to finally get even with Jacob and kill him.

:8 And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape."

Jacob is willing to sacrifice the first group if Esau attacks if it might mean that the others have a chance to escape.

Illustration

Two men are out camping in the woods when a giant grizzly bear lumbers into their camp. One man starts to get up and run, but see his friend stopping to put on his tennis shoes. “What are you doing?” says the first man. “You can’t outrun a grizzly bear!” The second man calmly replies, “I don’t have to outrun the grizzly bear, all I have to do is out run you.”

That’s the idea behind Jacob’s plan. The second group doesn’t have to worry about out running Esau. Esau will be busy attacking the first group.

:9 Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':

Notice how Jacob responds to his terrifying situation. He prays.

:10 "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

Notice the humility – “I am not worthy…”

Notice how Jacob realizes where his blessings have come from. He acknowledges that so far God has kept His part of the deal at Bethel.

:11 "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

:12 "For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"

He reminds God of the promise God had made to Jacob (Gen. 28:13-15)

:13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:

:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

:15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

This seems like a HUGE gift to Esau. It also gives us an indication as to Jacob’s vast wealth if this is the size of his gift, what must he have left?

:16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves."

Jacob is going to add a little strategy to how these gifts are going to be presented to Esau. The animals are going to be delivered in several groups instead of all at once.

:17 And he commanded the first one, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?'

:18 "then you shall say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.'"

:19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

:20 "and also say, 'Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me."

:21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.

It could be that Jacob is just resorting to his old ways, scheming to find a way out of a problem.

But it could be an indication of a change. He’s no longer scheming how to take things from Esau, but he’s working at giving something back to Esau.

It could be that he’s simply using wisdom. Solomon writes,

(Prov 21:14 KJV) A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

:22-32 Wrestling with God

:22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.

Jabbok – Yabboq – “emptying”; the name is very close to the Hebrew word for “wrestle” which is used in verse 24; this is a stream that cuts through the mountains east of the Jordan, it empties into the Jordan river about 24 miles north of the Dead Sea.

Jacob came from northern Syria and has now been traveling southward on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Jacob goes ahead and helps his family and flocks cross to the south side of the Jabbok, while he crosses back to be alone for the night.

:23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

:24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

a Man – this strange person comes out of nowhere and begins to wrestle with Jacob.

:25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

The man wrestling with Jacob was not able to prevail against Jacob, so he touched Jacob’s hip and crippled him. That sounds kind of like cheating, doesn’t it? It’s interesting to think that this “man” could have touched and crippled Jacob earlier, but He allowed him a chance to make a choice. Only at the end did he cripple him.

prevail

Lesson

Sometimes you have to be wounded to be useful

Something good is going to come out of this night of wrestling, but before it can happen, Jacob needs to be crippled.

Paul tells an interesting story.

(2 Cor 12:1-10 NKJV) It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: {2} I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago; whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows; such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

This fellow Paul talks about actually caught a glimpse of heaven, where God dwells.

{3} And I know such a man; whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows; {4} how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. {5} Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. {6} For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

What Paul is saying is that he was that guy. We think that he might have been talking about the time in Lystra where he was stoned and the crowd thought he had died, but then he got up and walked away (Acts 14:19-20). Paul had actually had a glimpse of heaven. Now wouldn’t you think that would make for an awesome ministry?

{7} And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

God allowed some sort of affliction in Paul’s life. Some think it might have been some sort of an eye disease. Paul realized that this affliction had a purpose, to keep him from becoming too proud about this glimpse of heaven that he had.

{8} Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. {9} And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. {10} Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul had learned a tremendous lesson. Sometimes God allows us to be crippled. Sometimes God allows us to be weak. And when this happens, it’s so people can see God’s strength, not ours. It’s so people can see God, not us.

:26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

bless – barak – to bless, kneel; the word is in a form that makes the word “intensive” or “intentional” (Piel)

Hosea gives us some insight into Jacob’s state of mind here.

(Hosea 12:3-4a NKJV) He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God. {4} Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him…

Don’t think that Jacob was cocky in asking for this wrestler to bless him. He was a broken man. His strength was gone.

Hosea reminds us that when Jacob started wrestling, it was “in his strength”.

He didn’t end the way he started. He started strong, he ended weak.

Illustration

A young seminary graduate came up to the lectern, very self confident and immaculately dressed. He began to deliver his first sermon in his first church and the words simply would not come out. Finally he burst into tears and ended up leaving the platform obviously humbled.

There were 2 older ladies sitting in the front row and one remarked to the other, “If he’d come in like he went out, he would have gone out like he came in.”

Illustration

:27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."

:28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

Jacob had been struggling with Laban. Now Jacob has struggled with God.

struggled – sarah – contend, have power, contend with, persist, exert oneself, persevere

Jacob – Ya‘aqob – “heel catcher” or “trickster”

Israel – Yisra’el (from sarah and ‘el = contend + God) – usually the name is interpreted as “God prevails” or “governed by God”, yet in the context Jacob is the one who is declared the winner who prevails over God. Perhaps it might be good to translate this name as “struggled with God”.

prevailed

Even though Jacob is declared the “winner”, notice the condition of the contestants at the end. The one who “lost” walks away fine while the “winner” is the one limping.

:29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there.

Jacob has a sense that this person is someone special. After all, he’s been wrestling with this person and this person has just told him that he’s been wrestling with God.

:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

Peniel – P@nuw’el or P@niy’el – “facing God” or “face of God”

The person Jacob has been wrestling with is God having taken a human form.

He’s been wrestling with Jesus.

:31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

:32 Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.

I don’t think that the Israelites were superstitious. I think Israel taught his children to do something to remember this night of wrestling. Israel wanted his children to remember how important that night was when he wrestled with God. The point that was to be taught to his descendants was not that he prevailed, but that he was crippled.

Lesson

Prevailing prayer

It all started earlier in the day when Jacob prayed, “Deliver me, I pray…” (vs. 11). But God wasn’t going to answer Jacob’s request with that simple prayer. More needed to take place before God would answer that prayer. He would have to wrestle with God.

Some of the great saints of the 19^th century used to use this story as an illustration of what prayer was really all about. They would call it “prevailing prayer”, they would talk about learning to “wrestle” with God.

I see three elements in prevailing prayer:

1. Perseverance.

It took the entire night.

That’s a tough sell to our microwave world. If I can’t pray and have my prayer answered in thirty seconds, I’m just not interested.

We know what to do if God says “yes” to us. But what do you do if God says “no” to you? Sometimes God’s “no” is really just “not yet”. What do you do if God says “not yet” to you? Do you just quit? Or do you continue to wrestle?

When Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray, He taught them that they needed to pray with persistence.

(Luke 11:5-10 NKJV) And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; {6} 'for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; {7} "and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? {8} "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. {9} "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. {10} "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

The point is not to teach us that God is some cranky guy who doesn’t want to be bothered. The point is that if a cranky guy is moved by persistence, how much more would a loving God be moved by the persistence of His children?

Sometimes answered prayer doesn’t come after a whole night, but after many years.

George Mueller had a couple of friends that he prayed would one day receive Christ. He prayed for these two friends for something close to fifty years. Just before George Mueller died, one of the finally became a Christian. The other one became a Christian shortly after Mueller died. Will we be persistent in prayer?

2. Passion

This wasn’t a casual prayer time. Jacob had a lot at stake. I think the tears that Hosea described came because his heart was involved.

He prayed with passion.

If Jacob doesn’t get any help, he’s going to lose his family, his flocks, and his life.

Paul talks about a friend who knew how to pray:

(Col 4:12-13 KJV) Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. {13} For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea and them in Hierapolis.

Epaphras prayed with passion for his friends.

The passage back in Luke 11:8 used the word “persistence”, but the Greek word also carries a little different idea than just continual asking. The word (anaideia) can also mean shamelessness or even impudence. That’s a form of passion.

Illustration

The Associated Press carried an interesting story about a group of post office customers who succeeded in speeding up some slow-moving service. One man said, “It was like watching grass grow.” There were 26 patrons jammed into two lines. They realized they weren’t getting enough attention, so a 73-year-old man organized the group. In an uncommon show of unity, the 26 shouted together, “We want service!” Two minutes later, another clerk ambled out and without cracking a smile said, “Next?” Well, the 26 knew they were on to something, so they tried it again. You guessed it, one more clerk appeared. An amused customer summed up the situation like this: “I got through that line in 4 minutes. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

We don’t have to be rude with God, but I think there’s a place for passion in prayer.

I have this idea that sometimes God withholds answers to prayers because we simply don’t care about the answer. We might pray out of duty. We might pray because we promised a friend. But we don’t have much at stake.

I think God wants to know just how bad we want something.

3. Change

Jacob was crippled. He was no longer the strong, confident trickster.

You could call it an adjustment.

Maybe God wants to say yes, but something needs to change before He answers.

What if the thing that keeps God from saying “yes” is you?

Is there something that needs to change in you?

I’ve known wonderful folks who have prayed for God to give them a spouse.

But I suspect there could be a few changes that are hindering that from happening.

It might be expectations that are simply not achievable by any living, breathing, human being.

And until those expectations change or are “crippled”, no one will ever be good enough.

Sometimes the adjustment needs to come in the thing you’re praying for.

Maybe you’re getting close to what God wants to do, but you need to change the prayer just a bit.

Introduction

Jacob now continues his journey home, knowing that he’s going to have to face his brother who swore to kill him, and knowing that he’ll never be able to go back to Laban again.

:1-21 Esau is coming to meet Jacob

:1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

angels – mal’ak – messenger, representative

We aren’t told how Jacob knows, but somehow he’s met by angels.

:2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

camp – machaneh – encampment, camp

Mahanaim – Machanayim – “two camps”; Jacob has one camp and God has another camp with the Angels. Perhaps it was a baseball training camp???

:3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

messengers – mal’ak – messenger, representative; this is the same word used in verse 1 as “angels”. But instead of being “messengers” from God, these fellows are “messengers” of Jacob.

Could it be that Jacob gets the idea of sending the messengers to Esau from the example of God sending messengers to him? Or maybe the angels just outright gave Jacob some instructions on what to do?

Jacob has just left one difficult situation, with Laban, and now faces the next difficulty, with Esau.

:4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.

Jacob has no obligation to call his brother “lord” and himself the “servant” in front of his servants, but he does. It sounds sincere to me.

:5 "I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."' "

Jacob is offering to give these kinds of things as gifts to Esau to gain Esau’s favor.

favor – chen – favor, grace, charm

:6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."

That is not what Jacob wants to hear. If Esau was coming with his wives and kids, that would be one thing. But four hundred men? That sounds like Esau has his own private army out to kill Jacob.

:7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

companies – machaneh – encampment, camp; Jacob originally named the place “Mahanaim” as two camps, his and God’s. Now he divides his family into two camps.

Jacob is literally caught between a rock and a hard place.

Behind him is the pile of rocks that he and Laban set up, a sort of boundary that Jacob couldn’t go back and cross over.

In front of him was the hard place, his brother coming, perhaps to finally get even with Jacob and kill him.

:8 And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape."

Jacob is willing to sacrifice the first group if Esau attacks if it might mean that the others have a chance to escape.

Illustration

That’s the idea behind Jacob’s plan. The second group doesn’t have to worry about out running Esau. Esau will be busy attacking the first group.

It seems that the first group will consist of the two concubines Bilhah and Zilpah and their children, while the latter group will consist of Leah, Rachel, and their children.

:9 Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':

Notice how Jacob responds to his terrifying situation. He prays.

:10 "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

Notice the humility – “I am not worthy…”

Notice how Jacob realizes where his blessings have come from. He acknowledges that so far God has kept His part of the deal at Bethel.

:11 "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

:12 "For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"

He reminds God of the promise God had made to Jacob (Gen. 28:13-15)

:13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:

:14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

:15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

This seems like a HUGE gift to Esau. It also gives us an indication as to Jacob’s vast wealth if this is the size of his gift, what must he have left?

:16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves."

Jacob is going to add a little strategy to how these gifts are going to be presented to Esau. The animals are going to be delivered in several groups instead of all at once.

:17 And he commanded the first one, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?'

:18 "then you shall say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.'"

:19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

:20 "and also say, 'Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.' " For he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me."

:21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.

It could be that Jacob is just resorting to his old ways, scheming to find a way out of a problem.

But it could be an indication of a change. He’s no longer scheming how to take things from Esau, but he’s working at giving something back to Esau.

It could be that he’s simply using wisdom. Solomon writes,

(Prov 18:16 NKJV) A man's gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

(Prov 21:14 KJV) A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

:22-32 Wrestling with God

:22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.

Jabbok – Yabboq – “emptying”; the name is very close to the Hebrew word for “wrestle” which is used in verse 24; this is a stream that cuts through the mountains east of the Jordan, it empties into the Jordan river about 24 miles north of the Dead Sea.

Jacob came from northern Syria and has now been traveling southward on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Jacob goes ahead and helps his family and flocks cross to the south side of the Jabbok, while he crosses back to be alone for the night.

:23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

:24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

a Man – this strange person comes out of nowhere and begins to wrestle with Jacob.

:25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

prevail – yakol – to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able

Lesson

Sometimes you have to be wounded to be useful

Something good is going to come out of this night of wrestling, but before it can happen, Jacob needs to be crippled.

Paul tells an interesting story.

{7} And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

:26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

bless – barak – to bless, kneel; the word is in a form that makes the word “intensive” or “intentional” (Piel)

Hosea gives us some insight into Jacob’s state of mind here.

(Hosea 12:3-4a NKJV) He took his brother by the heel in the womb, And in his strength he struggled with God. {4} Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him…

Don’t think that Jacob was cocky in asking for this wrestler to bless him. He was a broken man. His strength was gone.

Hosea reminds us that when Jacob started wrestling, it was “in his strength”.

He didn’t end the way he started. He started strong, he ended weak.

Illustration

A young seminary graduate came up to the lectern, very self confident and immaculately dressed. He began to deliver his first sermon in his first church and the words simply would not come out. Finally he burst into tears and ended up leaving the platform obviously humbled.

There were 2 older ladies sitting in the front row and one remarked to the other, “If he’d come in like he went out, he would have gone out like he came in.”

Illustration

:27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."

prevail

prevailed

Some of the great saints of the 19^th century used to use this story as an illustration of what prayer was really all about. They would call it “prevailing prayer”, they would talk about learning to “wrestle” with God.