A profession of faith in Christ is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of a pilgrimage. Along the way there will be defining moments and spiritual highlights. For Jacob his defining moment was at Peniel. The meaning of Peniel is the face of God.
Peniel was a place where Jacob reached brokenness. He lost all self-sufficiency and depended completely on God. This was a time for Jacob of genuine soul searching and spiritual struggle. It was also a significant time of knowing God’s grace. Jacob was alone with God.
It was a time the Lord blessed Jacob. Jacob is alone with God. It is the time Jacob wrestles with the Lord, seeks the Lord’s blessing. B. H. Carrol said of Genesis 32, “This is a passage to spend the night on.”
Jacob was born the second of twins, his twin brother Esau was the older. When Jacob and Esau were in the womb they jostled in Rebekah’s womb. Rebekah asked the Lord what was happening in her womb and the Lord spoke to Rebekah. The LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23)
Jacob capitalized on Esau’s weakness and sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. He later deceived his father Isaac to receive the blessing he intended to give to Esau. Jacob received the blessing not because of his deceit but in spite of it.
Esau was the rugged outdoorsman and had a temper and was directing his wrath toward Jacob. Jacob put self-first and forced him to flee penniless as a fugitive. Jacob reached a low point and then had an experience with God at Bethel.
This experience is known as Jacob’s ladder. It was the spiritual conversion experience for Jacob. He vowed to serve God from that time on and he vowed to tithe to the Lord. He was not only fleeing from Esau, but his mother arranged that he go to Haran to find a wife.
Upon reaching Haran Jacob first met Rachael and then the brother of his mother, uncle Laban. He deceived Jacob. He agreed to work 7 years to marry Rachael. Laban then gave Jacob Leah to Mary and Jacob had to work another 7 years for a total of 14 years to marry Rachael. During that time Laban changed Jacob’s wages ten times.
God blessed Jacob with his many children and large flocks of animals. As Jacob grew more and more prosperous the attitude of Laban changed toward Jacob. Laban’s sons were jealous of Jacob too. God told Jacob to leave Haran and return to his homeland. Returning meant he would be facing Esau who may still hold a grudge against his brother.
Jacob left Haran secretly without telling his father-in-law Laban. Laban was upset that Jacob left secretly and chased him down and confronted him. Before they parted ways they set up an altar to God as a witness between them. Now all is settled with Laban.
Jacob will be returning home after 20 years back to where Esau lived. It had been a long time since Jacob deceived his father to receive the blessing due Esau, but it may be very fresh on Esau’s mind. Jacob feared for his life. Esau was waiting with 400 men.
Jacob had great fear and distress.
In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. (Genesis 32:7)
Jacob prayed to God in his distress.
Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, LORD, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ (Genesis 32:9)
Jacob declares his own unworthiness.
I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. (Genesis 32:10)
Jacob asked God to spare him, based on the promises God had made.
Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” (Genesis 32:11-12)
Jacob prayed to God, and he also did what he could do. Jacob sent ahead gifts for Esau. He divided his family in two groups and sent them including his eleven sons across the Jabbok River. Jacob waited alone in the quietness of the desert, he alone with the Lord.
Here alone in the desert, in unbearable distress Jacob has a lifechanging experience with God. He already had a spiritual conversion experience 20 years earlier at Bethe, Jacob’s Ladder experience. Now there is another deep lifechanging experience with God. Jacob wrestles with God.
Just because as a Christian you have had a spiritual conversion experience does not mean there will be no more life changing encounters with God. They most commonly come in times of distress. Look at the account of the apostle Paul and his experiences with God after the Damascus Road. The Lord met him most dramatically in the distress of prison and persecution. Be ready to get alone to meet God like Jacob did.
Like in Jacob’s case you may have your most important experience with God when you are in your most intense distress. You cry out to God and His grace floods upon you. It is part of your sanctification process of becoming more like Christ.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. (Genesis 32:24)
Here is the intense spiritual struggle of Jacob. Finally, Jacob was going to let go of his own self-sufficiency. Jacob realized his struggle was with the Lord. He ws in a situation of being desperate and he wanted only what God could give.
Jacob hung on tenaciously like a pit bull. Jacob is the man who knocks persistently. Ask and you shall receive. You see the emphasis on the value of persistence.
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 118-9)
Here is Jacob in a situation beyond himself and he persistently seeks the blessing of the Lord. This is profound. The whole passage shifts subtly. At first Jacob is striving wresting with a man. But becomes Jacob holding on in his hour of need, persistently seeking the blessing of God.
This should be more than studying about Jacob having a defining spiritual moment. It should become us seeking one of our own experience with God. What kind of experience did Jacob have here? We know that no one can see the face of God and live (Genesis 33). Yet Jacob said, I saw God face to face and lived.
Jacob called the place Peniel. It means face of God. This is an instance of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. The experience lasted only in the dark hours until daybreak. Jacob was alone and left with his hip out of socket to give him a constant reminder of the reality of his experience with the Lord.
The experience was also marked by the Lord giving Jacob a new name.
then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,[f] because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:28)
There are others with a significant experience where their name was changed”
Abram’s name was changed to Abraham.
Simon’s name was changed to Peter.
Saul’s name was changed to Paul
Jacob’s name was changed to Israel.
Jacob’s name meant; he grabs the heal. Figuratively his name meant deceiver. Now his name is Israel which means, he struggled with God and man and overcame. It also means he is persistent and perseveres.
The Lord asked Jacob what is your name? At the time Isaac was giving a blessing for Esau he asked what is your name? Jacob answered deceptively that his name was Esau. This time Jacob answers truthfully, my name is Jacob.
Jacob was ready to face what he dreaded, seeing Esau. Whatever would result Jacob settled this matter with God. For us the fear of the unknown disappears when we settle the matter with God. Jacob had been with the Lord, and he had an eternal perspective. He could see the purposes of God in everything.
He will meet Esau limping, but no longer self-sufficient and deceptive. He goes in God’s strength. Paul said, when I am weak then I am strong. We must seek spiritual time with God. It may reveal something spiritual and something painful, but it results in a blessing and inward peace.
Jacob has gone through the refiners fire and he comes out now known as Israel. How long has it been since you persisted with God in prayer? Even Jesus made a concentrated time with God and sometimes persisted in prayer all night. It is through this perseverance in prayer you can reach a defining moment in your walk with the Lord.
In the KJV it translates, Israel you have power with God and man. There is a real spiritual power in persisting with God. Make it your priority to get alone and persevere in your time with God. Then come what may you have God’s strength. You see God’s purpose in everything.
