Jacob-When He Wrestled With God Series

Introduction: Jacob and his household had left the land of Laban and were heading back to his homeland. God Himself had told Jacob to do this (Gen. 31:3) and Jacob had obeyed.

While on the journey, Moses wrote “the angels of God met” Jacob at a place he called “Mahanaim (Hebrew for “two camps)”. Jacob then sent messengers to his brother Esau describing what Jacob was doing and why: to find grace in Esau’s sight. The messengers returned with a message Jacob probably either didn’t want to hear, or didn’t know what to do when he heard it—Esau was coming his way!

Several verses in chapter 32 explain what Jacob now did, sending a large amount of livestock in order to, as one might say, soften Esau’s heart. Jacob had cheated Esau of birthright and paternal blessing 20 or so years before but he had no way of knowing if Esau still held a grudge against him. Jacob sent everybody ahead but spent one more night alone.

Except, he wasn’t.

1 Jacob thought he was alone

Text: Genesis 32:22-24, KJV: 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

In the first several verses of this chapter, Jacob had sent messengers to his brother, Esau, and then heard the messengers say Esau was coming that way. The last time these men, Esau and Jacob, had ever seen each other was not pleasant—Esau had even promised “I’ll kill Jacob” as soon as he got a chance (see Genesis 27 for the whole story). Jacob, at mother Rebekah’s urging, left for his uncle Laban’s territory “for a few days,” which extended for 20 years (Gen. 31:38)!

Now when Jacob knew Esau was coming, Jacob decided to send gifts of 550 various male and female animals (32:13-15)! Jacob’s idea was that Esau would see, and receive, this “present (32:20-21)” as a means to “appease” him. Note that there is no record of Jacob praying, fasting, asking his wives for their inputs, or even talking to the LORD for the right thing to do. He did all this, apparently, on his own initiative.

And then, Jacob took his wives, maid servants, and the children by night to cross over (“pass over”) the “ford Jabbok”. The Jabbok was one of several important rivers on the east side of Jordan, including the Arnon, Yarmuk, and Zered. Besides fresh water, these rivers were also borders between various countries (further discussion is beyond the scope of this message). The text says that Jacob and his family crossed over the ford, which could mean this took place when the water level was relatively low and posed little damage, even at night.

At this point, Jacob did something unusual. All of his household crossed the ford of the Jabbok, but he sent them over the “brook” or “wadi”, a dry stream bed during much of the year. In the American southwest, arroyos are more or less similar to these “brooks” of the Middle East. Again this implies that this part of the journey was during the time when water levels were relatively low and posed little danger to Jacob or his family, even at night.

By now Jacob had sent over his family, his livestock, and all that he had, across the Jabbok and beyond, if I read this passage correctly. They were safely across the river.

And Jacob thought he was safely alone.

But he was in for the surprise of his life.

He was wrestling—all night long—with someone (Someone) he didn’t know was there!

2 Jacob realized he wasn’t alone

Text, Genesis 32:25-29, KJV: 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

This surprise Guest had wrestled with Jacob all night. For one thing, this shows Jacob was in pretty good shape, physically, for his age (some believe he was around 90 years of age by this time). Perhaps the years of tending Laban’s flocks and the other chores he had done helped Jacob develop some outer strength or other things.