Jacob At Penuel (Genesis 32.)

by W. REYNOLDS | Category: N/a | Aug 1951

When Jacob left his home to go to Paddan-aram at the bidding of his father, the LORD spake to him at "the place." He said not only that Re was with Jacob and would keep him whithersoever he went, but that He would also bring him again into the land he was leaving (Genesis 28.15).

We also read in Hosea 12. 12, "And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep." Re fled to escape the wrath of his' brother Esau. Re had his fears and his failures. Faith and fear are at variance. Faith, like perfect love, casteth out fear. Faith inspires the saint with courage and confidence in the Lord.

In Psalm 34.4 David said, "I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." Hebrews 11. 20 records that "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come," as directed by God. He saw he could not do otherwise than bless Jacob. Though he had forestalled Esau, Isaac could not reverse it, and chapter 28. 1-4 furnishes us with the coveted covenant blessing Jacob received ere he went. On Jacob's return to the land of Canaan he feared the coming meeting with Esau, knowing not whether his brother still retained his wrathful intentions or whether "time, the great healer" had closed the wound. Hoping for the best, he fears the worst, and he turns to God in prayer. "Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother .... for I fear him" (verse 11).

But why should Jacob fear Esau? God had given him a safe passport, and, further, assurance of being under God's protection had been given in his deliverance from Laban, surely these things ought to have dispelled all his fears! In his prayer he quotes God's promise twice, and yet his fears remain! He had sent out messengers before him with a humble conciliatory message to Esau, desiring to find grace in his sight, but what they told him on returning only augmented any fear then in his heart. "We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him .... " Previous to this God had sent a host of angels to meet him, and what were Esau's four hundred men in comparison? They were powerless indeed. Passing over all he did to gain his brother's favour, as told in verses 13-21, we read that he sent over the stream Jabbok all he counted dear. His plans had been completed: would they succeed or would they fail? We often make mistakes, for failure is common to man, but it is good when we seek to profit by our mistakes, and admitting our failure we turn to God for His help.

"Jacob was left alone" (verse 24). The Lord Jesus, God's perfect Servant, could say, "He that sent Me is with Me, He hath not left Me alone, for I do always the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8.29). In Jacob's case this was an opportunity for Cod to draw near and have personal dealings with him. "Alone with Thee, 0 Master, where The light of earthly glory dies," for here the light of heaven shines the brighter and things are better seen in their true value, with abiding profit to our souls. "There wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the day." The struggle through the night was long and strenuous, for Jacob was stubborn and determined: it was a wearing-down process and Jacob must have felt his powers of resistance gradually being sapped. The final stage is reached;, the Wrestler knew the place of Jacob's natural strength: He touched the hollow of his thigh and Jacob had to give way, but he is not completely defeated. Though he cannot longer wrestle he still can cling, and, in his helplessness to do more, he holds on to the Wrestler. So we read in Hosea 12.4, "He had power over the Angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto Him."

What heart, if heart there be, can withstand the tears and supplications of Jacob? Jacob's strength gave way when his thigh was touched, but now he touches a vital spot, the heart of the Wrestler, who, having gained His purpose, now says to Jacob, "Let Me go, for the day breaketh." But Jacob has a purpose too, and that is to secure a blessing from the Wrestler before they part. When asked, "What is thy name?" he replied "Jacob." What an admission! considering what it implied (a supplanter, Newberry margin). The admission that his name was Jacob was somewhat humiliating, but, "where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly." Jacob was a fitting name for him naturally, but from this' point onward he was to have a new name, a name befitting a subject of grace, a new man, an altered life.

Let us thank God for a new name! Once we stood before Cod, each of us, a sinner in his sins, under impending judgement; now through grace by faith in Christ, a child of God, an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. Jacob takes the liberty to ask the Wrestler His name, and you can never dissociate the name from the person who bears it. The Lord Jesus, at the end of His earthly ministry said to His Father, in regard to His disciples, "I made known unto them Thy name, and will make it known" (John 17.26). The One who ever was and is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared His name and Person. Here is an occupation for which eternity alone is sufficient, for the name of the Father implies all His glorious attributes and perfections.

The struggle is over, and I judge that, through mercy and grace, it ended in Jacob's favour. He may carry the physical defects of it and go limping for the rest of his days, but he has the happiest of memories associated with it. He can now go forward with his new name and divine strength, and take his rightful place. Fear put him in the rear; faith puts him in the front. His way is clear, and the sun rose upon him as he passed over Penuel. Having seen the face of God he no longer fears the face of Esau. What a surprise awaited him! The past is forgotten, and Esau meets him on the most friendly terms, and gives him a cordial welcome.

How like ourselves! Sometimes we dread the future with its possible difficulties and dangers, but through the goodness of God we find as we go forward in faith these disappear, and we experience what the women of Mark 16.4 experienced. They were saying as they drew near the tomb, "Who shall roll us away the stone?" They found Cod had been before them, the stone was rolled away, exceeding great as it was.

Discipline for a child of Cod is a necessity; whether educative, corrective or preventive. What a lesson in humility the Lord gave His disciples when He took the little child and set him in their midst, when they asked Him who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven! This desire to be greatest still is found in hearts where spiritual pride exists and causes contention.

John Mark left the work at a time when his services were much needed (Acts 13.13; 15.38), but through the mercy of Cod he was restored and again gained Paul's approval, fellowship and commendation (Colossians 4.10, 11). In his second letter to Timothy Paul wrote, "Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is useful to me for ministering." God knows the dangers that beset us and He goes before us and preserves us if we seek unto Him. The Lord Jesus said to Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not."

Paul had a somewhat similar experience to that of Jacob. Having received exceeding great revelations, lest he should on that account be exalted overmuch there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him (2 Corinthians 12. 7). Thrice he sought the Lord that it might depart from him, but that thorn in his flesh was a necessity; it was preventive; and though he sought again and again to get rid of it, the Lord refused, but said to him, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My power is made perfect in weakness." Paul learned a much-needed lesson and in his submission he proved the Lord's grace so sufficient that he exclaims, "Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake :' for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Men of outstanding ability and gift require to be on their guard lest Satan in his deceitful ways leads them to become proud of their spiritual gifts and attainments, and thus secures their downfall. Indeed every one of us will have our usefulness hindered if pride is allowed place in our hearts. In view of this may it be ours humbly to submit to God's all-wise and gracious disciplinary dealings with us. The kite, suspended in the air, needs some weight attached, else it would crash to the ground, so Cod knows and determines the weight we can bear, and to resist His will is to stand in the way of our own blessing and usefulness. "HE GIVETH GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

W. REYNOLDS | Aug 1951
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