283. Jacob’s Battle at Peniel

Gen. 32:22. “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.”

“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 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. And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!’ So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ 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.’” Verses 24-28.

“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. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’” Verses 29-30.

Jacob was in this intense battle because he was greatly afraid and distressed for fear of his brother Esau who was coming against him with four hundred men. Esau hated Jacob since their father had given the blessing to him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Gen. 27:41, ff.

Jacob had just been pursued by Laban who came upon him from behind and ransacked all his possessions, and now he was expecting his brother Esau with a whole army of strong men.

Jacob sent two companies with gifts to Esau, and he made a distance between them because he thought if Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape. And then Jacob prayed fervently to God and reminded Him powerfully and urgently about everything He had promised him, saying: “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and slay me and everyone of my family, both mother and child.”

As we see, Jacob was between a rock and a hard place. He could not go back to Laban because Laban regarded him as an enemy, and for that matter God had told him: “Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you.” Verse 9. So that night Jacob took all he possessed and took it over the ford of Jabbok. And then he stayed behind and struggled with the angel of the Lord in prayer until dawn.

This conflict was very similar to Israel’s conflict at the Red Sea. They had Pharoah and the Egyptians behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. God tests His people in such situations. He tests nations and He tests individuals. In such situations there is nothing else for us to do but believe and trust completely in what God has spoken. When we do that, we are able to go through the sea and go past Esau because all things are possible for him who believes.

“Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.” Chapter 33:1-2.

“Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.” Verse 3.

There are many Christians today who say they will bow only to God and never to people. They can learn something from Jacob. If Jacob had not bowed himself seven times to the ground before Esau his brother, then it is very likely that he would not have escaped unscathed. The pride in Jacob’s heart had been crushed at the ford of Jabbok where he struggled with God and with men and prevailed. What man did he prevail over? It was the man he feared most of all, namely, Esau, and then he prevailed over all his four hundred men. A consequence of this deep humility was that Esau ran to meet him and embraced him; he fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Verse 4.

“Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.” Matt. 5:25-26.

Everyone is willing to bow before God, but people? No, never! Yet we see that Jacob learned to bow to God and also to man. This is what the battle was all about at Jabbok’s ford. There God taught him how he should deal with Esau.

Jesus learned obedience by the things that He suffered. He learned to pray for His murderers. “Learn of Me,” He says, “because I am meek and lowly of heart.”

The fact is that people are highminded for years and years after they have been saved from common sins. Therefore Elihu says in Job 33: “All this God does two times, even three, in order to eradicate pride from man and turn him from his deeds.” What did He do two or three times? He takes him to the edge of the grave; He leads them to the angels of death.

One man despises another, even though he too is just a man. The first commandment is that we should love God above everything else, but the second commandment is equally great and that says: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jacob learned to bow down seven times to the earth before a man of whom the Lord had said: “Esau I hated.” In spite of the fact that Jacob had the blessing and the promises, he had to bow down to his brother. Not only that, his maidservants with their children came and bowed down. Leah with their children came and bowed down, and after that Joseph and Rachel came and bowed down. Gen. 33:5-7.

This “humility passport” was his entry paper into the Promised Land. The gate which leads to life is small and the way is narrow, but those who have struggled with “the Man at Peniel” and have prevailed with God and with men can have a hope of getting past Esau and his four hundred men.