At the end of last week’s lesson, we saw Jacob leaving his Uncle Laban’s family in Haran and heading to Canaan. On the way, God’s angels meet Jacob. The angels are God’s physical assurance of His protection on Jacob’s family.
Jacob plans a meeting with his estranged brother Esau. Jacob sends messengers ahead of him, seeking Esau’s favor. He is fearful of Esau’s response, so Jacob divides his family into two groups. After he makes these plans, then Jacob prays. In his prayer, Jacob doesn’t immediately jump into his request. Instead, he focuses on God, His character, His promises, even Jacob’s own unworthiness. His request was only a small portion of his prayer.
That’s so much like me! It’s so easy to run ahead of God’s plans and then backtrack to Him when I get fearful! So, how quickly do I take things to God in prayer? Prayer should be my first option not my last one.
After Jacob prays, he moves from panic to peace. Then he makes a new plan. Did Jacob let God have a part of this new plan? Or did God tell him to do this?
Jacob decides to give a large amount of his animals (at least 550) to Esau as a gift. Jacob also asks his messengers to tell Esau that he is coming. Jacob sends his family across the river and is alone for the night. Suddenly, he feels a hand grab him from the darkness. He may have thought it was Esau coming to attack him. But it is the beginning of an extremely unique wrestling match.
Jacob wrestles the man all night. Jacob cannot overpower the man and will not give up the fight. The man touches Jacob’s hip and puts it out of joint. This might be where Jacob realizes that the man is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Jacob begs for a blessing from the man. The man asks Jacob to speak his name (“deceiver”). This represents Jacob confessing his past sins. Then the man blesses Jacob and renames him Israel, which means “he struggles with God.”
I also struggle with God when I want to lead my own life instead of obeying Him, when I doubt Him, when I ignore God and when I wrestle with Him in prayer because my will doesn’t match His. But God always wins. He expects me to surrender to Him. Over what am I wrestling with God right now?
This wrestling match wasn’t for God’s benefit. It was for Jacob’s. He had to see his weaknesses, face his sins and fully surrender to God and His plan for Jacob’s life. Where do I need to fully surrender to God and let Him have control in my life?
The morning after the wrestling match, Jacob sees Esau approaching with 400 men. Jacob leads his family to Esau. He bows to Esau, a sign of respect and submission. Then Jacob and Esau embrace each other and weep. Jacob’s actions and gifts show that he is asking for Esau’s forgiveness.
Jacob and Esau part ways, but it appears that their relationship has been restored. Jacob stops about 20 miles short of where God asked him to go (Genesis 31:3, 13; 35:1). Jacob has led his family to Canaan, but they stay in the wrong place and buy land, implying a permanence to their living in this area. Next week, we’ll see how Jacob’s disobedience affects his family. I’m sure you can tell that it won’t be a happy story!
Yesterday was a busy day, so Avery and I forgot to record her memory verse. Hopefully we’ll remember next week!
Proverbs 3:6 NIV