This week we read that Jacob meets Esau after 20 years to reconcile. This is the 1st time Jacob is not running or going in a around about way. He is going to meet Esau face to face no matter the cost. Jacob sends a servant to meet Esau to tell him, he is coming to meet him. The servant comes back letting Jacob know Esau is coming with 400 men. Jacob then sends gifts of herds to Esau trying to appease him and win favor. Jacob then separates his family into 2 camps. Be puts Rachel’s and Leah’s servants children in one camp. Then Leah and her children and to the rear Rachel and Joseph. Everything Jacob is doing is out of fear.
When Jacob hears Esau is coming he prays to God a perfect prayer.
Genesis 32:9-12
“Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’””
Jacob is not giving God a list of conditions or making promises. He reminds God of the promise he made. He reminds God he is doing what God told him to do. He then praises God for what He has given him. After all of this he asks God to deliver him from Esau. Jacob finishes the prayer remind God of His promise. The last time Jacob prayed it was all about what God could do for him. This time something has changed. Jacob is not the man he was. After living with Laban for 20 years he has gotten a taste of what it is like to be deceived over and over again. Jacob now knows what it feels like when family takes advantage of you. It took 20 years of abuse from Laban to humble Jacob.
Jacob separates himself from everyone and goes across the Jabbok river. The word Jabbok means to pour out, to empty, depopulate, and to spread out. Jacob pours out his heart here. He separates his family into different camps. He is prepared to depopulate or lose part of his family to Esau’s anger. While he is pouring out his heart a man appears and Jacob wrestles him. Who is this mystery man? Depending on the translation you read it says he is a man, an Angel, or God. When you read this passage in Hebrew it is clear Jacob is alone no one else is there. This means the man Jacob is wrestling is actually himself. That changes everything. Jacob is desiring to be worthy of the blessing Isaac gave him. He refuses to let go until the man gives him the blessing. So the man asks Jacob his name and finally concedes. The man tells Jacob he will no longer be called Jacob, but his name will now be Israel. Jacob asks the man’s name. The man responds why do you ask my name? Then he blesses him. We never hear the man’s name. However through the process Jacob’s hip is knocked out of place. Jacob never walks the same after this encounter.
What are you waiting for? God is ready to give you an encounter and change your name. It doesn’t matter what you have done. There is room at the table. The only thing that can stop you from having the encounter is you. Don’t stand in the way of your encounter with God.
