GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 32 (Gen 32:1) And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. Jacob was returning to God’s Sanctuary, which was what He called this Promised Land, and thus you could expect that at the entrance would be angels. There were two cherubim at the entrance of His Garden of Eden, so why not at the entrance of His Sanctuary? You could say it was their “Welcome home.” Angel are still ministering to the heirs of salvation (Heb_1:14) (Gen 32:2) And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. When he left God’s Sanctuary twenty years before, he saw the angels of God ascending and descending and he called the place Bethel, house of God. Now when he returned, he met them again and he called the place Mahanaim, “Second Army.” He had seen the first twenty years before, now he saw the second. Actually it was the same army but seen by him a second time. (Gen 32:3) And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. Apparently Jacob expected to gradually get over to the old home place and get settled down, before having to encounter Esau. He did not know how he would be received, but he knew it might not be pleasant, so he planned ahead. He first sent these messengers ahead to enquire and let Esauknow he was coming, and he was planning it in a way he could always be in control of the situation. He did not expect Esauto come to him, and he thought that if he came to see him later he could handle it if he were settled. (Gen 32:4) And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: He wanted to impress Esauthat he had done well. He attempted to keep a very positive front and mentioned nothing of the past so that he could act as though nothing had ever happened. GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 32—PAGE 1
He reverenced his brother in worldly things, becausehe mainly looked to be preferred to the spiritual promise. (Geneva Bible)
(Gen 32:5) And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. He was hoping to find favor with him, for this was his only dread in coming home; that Esauwould still hold things against him from the past. He remembered what it was like when he left, and he had not seen Esausince, so he did not know what to expect and he was getting ready. He should have recognized that Esauwas opposite of him and would forget quickly, whereas Joseph would have held it in his memory. (Gen 32:6) And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Suddenly Jacob’s plans misfired and he was no longer in control. Esaudid the unexpected, and Jacob now saw this whole thing as a threat, and feared the worst. His mind began to scheme a way out of this problem, not knowing that God would intervene and teach him a valuable lesson in the process.He very likely misunderstood Esau's intentions. Esauhad very likely forgotten the incident back home long ago, and his intentions appeared to be honorable at this time. However, Jacob did not think like his brother, and his actions at this time renewed the old animosity. (Gen 32:7) Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; He considered this a threat and possible attack coming from Esauand began immediately to prepare for anything that might transpire. He began to organize his group into divisions. Esau's thinking was very likely the very opposite to what Jacob feared it was. He was very likely very glad to hear from Jacob again for it had been many years, and came to meet him with no ill feelings.
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(Gen 32:8) And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. He could divide his possessions, but he did not know how to prepare himself. He did know that it was time to pray. As usual it appears he prayed only when under pressure. Prayer did not seem to be a first priority for him but a last resort. From the natural standpoint the only thing he knew to do was put his family into companies and prepare to flee if that did not work. (Gen 32:9) And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: He began his prayer in recognition of the fact that it was the Lord Himself, Jehovah, that told him to come back here, so if that was His desire, he needed to be assured that he would arrive safely. This prayer is remarkable for its simplicity and energy; and it is a model too for prayer, of which it contains the essential constituents: - 1. Deep self-abasement. 2. Magnification of God’s mercy. 3. Deprecation of the evil to which he was exposed. 4. Pleading the promisesthat God had made to him. And, 5. Taking encouragement from what God had already wrought.
(Adam Clarke) (Gen 32:10) I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. He certainly knew how to approach God, on a very humble baseand with gratitude to what God had done for him. He recognized that these things came from Him, and he had revelations of truth that were only possible becausethe Lord had granted it. It is not every one of us that can becomerich -- not every one of us that can develop our mental powers to the highest; but it is within the reach of all to be spiritually minded. (W. Cuthbertson, B. A.)
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(Gen 32:11) Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. Having recognized God and humbled himself, he then went immediately to addresshis problem before God. He spelled out his fears very plainly. Fear and faith: Jacob's fear, and Jacob's faith "I fear him: and Thou saidst." Whether is that a contrast, or a connection, or both? I believe that it is both. And I have linked the two together as the text, becausethey will be found to stand thus related by the double tie of contrast and connection; deep, painful contrast, and yet strangely closekindrednessalso and connection; the fear with the faith "I fear him: and Thou saidst."
(C. J. Brown, D. D.) (Gen 32:12) And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. Then he reminded the Lord of the covenant promise that had been made back at Bethel twenty years before, that the Lord would multiply him abundantly. The possession of a God, or the non-possession of a God, makes the greatest possible difference between man and man. Esau is a princely being, but he is "a profane person." Jacob is a weak, fallible, frail creature, but he has a God. Have you not heard of "the mighty God of Jacob"? My dear hearers, you can divide yourselves without difficulty by this rule: have you a God, or have you none? If you have no God, what have you? If you have no God, what good have you to expect? What, indeed, can be good to you? If you have no God, how can you face the past, the present, or the future? But if you have God for your portion, your whole history is covered. The God of the past has blotted out your sin, the God of the present makes all things work for your good, the God of the future will never leave you nor forsake you. In God you are prepared for every emergency. He shall guard thee from all evil; the Lord shall preserve thy soul. (C. H. Spurgeon)
(Gen 32:13) And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Having prayed, he did what he could about the situation. One good thing is that he prayed early this time instead of waiting until Esaugot there. Then
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he began to prepare a present, for he thought that such a lavish gift would be the best way to appeasesomeone that he had robbed of their birthright and blessing. It is obvious, however when this came to Esauthat Jacob had misunderstood Esau's intentions. (Gen 32:14) Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, This would not be an extravagant amount of animals, though to us who think in terms of small ranches, it might appear to be a lot. He had quite a large estate in animals as did his father and grandfather before him. He felt a need to make as great a sacrifice as possible to show Esauthat he wanted to make amends. He also knew that Esauhad the power to take it all away from him if he was bringing four hundred men with him. (Gen 32:15) Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. He covered the gamut of animals and sent anything that he thought Esau would be interested in. He did not have a lot of other goods yet like gold and silver, for he had only gotten from Laban the animals that he had. He knew that Esauthought in material terms and what he was sending would likely be enough to pay for the birthright and blessing he took from his brother. (Gen 32:16) And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. Jacob wanted to impress him the best he could, hoping that this profane thinking man would forget the anger he had in the past when his covetous spirit was satisfied. Thus he sent drove after drove to make it appear that the processwas never ending, and that soon after each party arrived another would soon be on the way. (Gen 32:17) And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?
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Jacob was crossing all his bridges and making preparation to meet Esauas peaceably as possible, believing at this point that his coming was not friendly. His conscience and the memories of the past were sending him into almost a panic mode, knowing that he would soon be there and Jacob could see the possibility of losing everything he had worked for over the last twenty years. (Gen 32:18) Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. Present after present would be given to put Esauon friendly terms hoping that these gifts could do it, and Jacob thought they might, for he knew his brother to be desirous of possessions, and Jacob had little of that, and yet little more than that. It was Jehovah however who was orchestrating Jacob's life and return to Canaan that was the greatest factor in this event. (Gen 32:19) And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. Thesewere sent in a well-spaced order and with plenty of instructions to each servant in charge, in order to make the way as smooth as possible in the first encounter with his brother, and make it appear to be a much larger gift than it really was. They were even advised in what to say so that Esauwould be fully persuaded that Jacob's heart was right. (Gen 32:20) And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. His supplanter mind was working overtime now trying to figure every avenue he could take becausethis was the biggest problem he had faced in his life, with the most to lose. He could become accustomed to dealing with Laban, and they understood each other, and each tried to outwit the other, but Esauwas different. There would be no matching of wits. It would either be that he won his brother with his gifts by satisfying his carnal nature, and then he could run over him, or his brother would be implacable and seek revenge. And it was the latter that Jacob feared the most.
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(Gen 32:21) So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. He put himself most likely at the forefront of his company so that if attacked he would be able to fight to the best of his ability. But he was restless and could not find himself comfortable. [and himself lodged that night in the company] or "in the camp" (c), either in the place called Mahanaim, from the hosts or crowds of angels seen there; or rather in his own camp, his family and servants; or, as Aben Ezra distinguishes, in the camp with his servants, and not in his tent, lest his brother should come and smite him; and so Nachmanides. (c) "in castris", Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt; "in acie sua", Junius & Tremellius; "in exercitu", Piscator. (Gill)
(Gen 32:22) And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. Notice that it was in the night and he had not been able to sleep. He had tried to figure what would be the best approach, and how to divide his family in meeting Esau. THE WORLD'S GREATEST WRESTLING MATCH (Gen_32:22-32) We are reminded— 1.
THAT PRAYERIS A STRUGGLE It is taking a grip on the Power in whose hand we have already found ourselves. It is a feeling after God, a seeking to know more about Him.
2.
THAT PRAYERIS A LONELYSTRUGGLE "Jacob was left alone." (Mat_6:6). The earnest heart withdraws from the world and thinks only of God. The desires are unknown to all except God.
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3.
THAT PRAYERIS A DESPERATESTRUGGLE "He (the angel) saw that he prevailed not against him"—"The worm Jacob." Man prevailing with God! It is a spark of Divinity in man himself that causeshim to match God.
4.
THAT PRAYERIS A REVEALINGSTRUGGLE "He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thing was strained, as he wrestled with him." Our weaknessesare brought to light as we pray.
5.
THAT PRAYERSIS A PERSISTENTSTRUGGLE "Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." Though Jacob's thigh was strained so that he could not wrestle, he clung to the angel. When we are too weak to struggle we can, like Jacob cling to the Lord.
6.
THAT PRAYERIS A VICTORIOUSSTRUGGLE Though the Divine antagonist refused to reveal to Jacob his name, "He blessed him there." a.
Jacob became a "new man." His name was changed from Jacob to Israel (Supplanter to Prince with God.). As change in name signifies a change in character Old things passed away, all things became new.
b.
God revealed Himself to Jacob. "I have seen God face to face. " It is during earnest prayer that we see God (through the eyes of faith) and are changed by the vision (See 2Co_3:18).
I WILL NOT LET THEE GO, EXCEPT THOU BLESS ME (Gen_32:26) George L. Glass,Sr.
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INTRODUCTION: I feel real good about preaching this thought today. I feel it is actually a challenge from God to us. We can obtain what we desire from God if we will earnestly seek Him. In this passage we find Jacob to be: 1.
DESPERATE A.
2.
a.
Ever keep in mind, when one becomesdesperate in seeking God, he always finds Him.
b.
He laid hold on God in prayer, held on to Him, even wrestled with Him.
c.
God said, "Let me go!"
d.
Jacob said, "I will not let you go, except you bless me." God blessed him.
MOSESWOULDNOT LET THELORDGO(Exo_32:10) A.
3.
In his desperation he sought God.
God at this time was displeased with Israel and wanted to destroy them. a.
God said, "Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot."
b.
Moseshere used all the pressure he knew and could. God yielded to his prayers.
THESYROPHENICIANWOMAN (Mat_15:21+). A.
She held on to Him in asking until He yielded to her. a.
B.
Great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt.
People that I know that held on to God until the answer came.
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a.
A lady in Port Arthur, our church was in a revival. The altar was filled and yet no break. She started fasting and praying until, eight days later, the break came. The altar cleaned out.
b.
A lady in Many. Her husband one night went to the altar. In a few minutes he had the Holy Ghost. She had prayed 13 years. The answer came.
c.
A lady prayed ten years for a church in Sulpher.
d.
Eventually the answer came.
e.
In a revival meeting, a mother with a lost son gave herself to fasting and prayer for her son in the church until the answer came.
CONCLUSION: Maybe from this discourse someone in this audience will get the burden for prayer, and not let God go until the answer comes. -730WRESTLERS WITH GOD (Gen_32:24) Consider the incident 1.
As to its outward form
2.
As to its spiritual meaning a.
That the great struggle of life is to know and feel after God.
b.
That God reveals Himself through mystery and awe.
c.
That God reveals Himself to us in blessing.
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3.
d.
That God's revelation of Himself to us is intended to change our character
e.
That God is conquered by prayer and supplication.
Other Wrestlers a.
Elijah
b.
Daniel
c.
Syrophenician Woman
d.
Widow and Unjust Judge
e.
Gethsemane
(Gen 32:23) And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. He now crossed the brook with everyone organized as best he could and sent them before him. Jacob combined active exertions with earnest prayer; and this teachesus that we must not depend upon the aid and interposition of God in such a way as to supersedethe exercise of prudence and foresight. (JFB)
(Gen 32:24) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. As soon as they left, a man approached him, and it was not Esau. He did not know who the man was, but they began to wrestle and it became clear at some point that this was more than a man. This was the angel of the Lord. His father had received visitations from God. His grandfather had talked with God personally, and he also had received communications with the Lord, but never like this. He was in a mortal struggle, and it was over his brother, and over coming back to Canaan. He kept wrestling that he might gain some insight as to how to continue. Yet he found no answer.
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(Gen 32:25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. As his own body grew weaker and weaker from the encounter, the angel suddenly touched his thigh, which would either causeJacob to give up becauseof the terrible pain, or becauseof desperation and determination, put everything he had into it. The latter is what happened, and I am sure that is what the angel actually was hoping would happen. It was not Jacob’s nature to give up easy anyway, but he was sorely tried at this point. Yet his dogged determination made him hold on to the angel with a death grip. (Gen 32:26) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Here was the greatest example in the world of intercession, of diligent prayer. Here was a prayer that would get an answer. Prayer that will not let go without a blessing is the kind Jesuswas speaking of in Luke 18. It is what He meant when He spoke of the importune man who came at night asking for bread. SUNRISE AT PENIEL (Gen_32:26) Sunrise speaks of new beginning. The long night is past and fresh opportunities await us. The unknown future brings hope of better things. Jacob found several life-changing factors at sunrise. A NEWMAN (NATURE) A NEWNAME A NEWDAY (OPPORTUNITY) A NEWWALK Contrast of light and dark (Psa_30:5) (Gen 32:27) And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
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The angel wanted him to admit that he was a heel-grabber, he was a supplanter so he asked him to reveal his name. The angel would of course know his name, but wanted him to admit what he was. And Jacob did. Only then could God do something with him. We must confesswho and what we are before we receive an answer from God. (Gen 32:28) And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. God put the first part of His name on Jacob, as He had put the last part of that name on Abraham. Now he would be called by the name of the Lord. Israel is the name that stuck. To this day they are Israelites. They have prevailed. Somesurprise may be felt at first at the term prince being applied to the patriarch Jacob; for whatever good qualities distinguish his character, we hardly regard him as possessing princely ones. He has the quiet virtues of resignation, meeknessand caution, but we hardly attribute to him that spirit and mettle, that vigorous temper and fire, which belong to the princely character. Yet when we consider Jacob we find that he had virtues that lie at the foundation of the royal and grand form of human character. (J. B. Mozley, D. D.)
(Gen 32:29) And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. Then Jacob asked the big question that Abraham, Moses,Isaiah, and a multitude have wondered, “What is your name?” They knew Him as Jehovah. They understood He was Elohim, but there was a name above every name and they wanted to find out what that name was. But the angel could not yet reveal that name. It would not be revealed for almost two thousand years when, very likely this same angel came to Mary and told her to call His name Jesusfor He shall save His people from their sins. (Gen 32:30) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 32—PAGE 13
He called the name of the place, “Face of God,” for he had looked upon the face of the Angel of the Lord, which was as close to seeing God as a man could come and live. So he would say, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Of course it was not God Himself he saw, it was the Lord’s angel that represented Him to men. (Gen 32:31) And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. He would forever carry with him the symbol of his dual nature; a Jacob, an Israel; a man of flesh, a man of the Spirit. Every step he took, his limp would remind him, “I am nothing, I am a conqueror; I have nothing, I have all things. He could never escapethe fact that he had wrestled with God; but neither could he escapethe fact that he had prevailed. A man becomeshis better self only when he is forced to lay aside his pride. Now he will ask forgivenessand show humility. (Gen 32:32) Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank. The anomalies of Jacob's character: -- Jacob is to me the most difficult character in the Bible history. He looks so worldly, shrewd, and even unscrupulous, that it is hard to reconcile ourselves to him. I feel the justice of the sneers about him, and sometimes it seemshumbling that this should be one of the patriarchs, even in that rude time. But if all were on one side, it would be easy, however painful, to judge of him. It is his singular contradictions, with his visions of angels, &c., that make it hard. He cheats his brother; and behold him just afterward with his consecration, his awful senseof God's presence, and hear his simple vow! Behold Jacob so shrewd to Laban, so calculating and successful! Behold him returning; see the shrinking of his guilty and timid heart; and then at night seethis scene of wrestling! We are all of us mixtures of earth and heaven, but I know of none like this. On the one hand I see Jacob sometimes so merely a Jew that he seemsthe father of Jewish guile, fear, unscrupulousness,and thrift. On the other I see him sometimes not only as the deeply faithful lover in his youth, the most tender father, but as an elevated, majestic man of faith, who believed in high things, who valued them, and who left on record such GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 32—PAGE 14
words of lowliness and penitence for his faults, in such genuine tones, that the purest and most repentant hearts take them up from age to age and repeat them as their own: "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant"; "Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been," &c. Nay, I seehim sometimes as so purely an inspired Hebrew, that he seemsthe father of the visions of Hebrew prophets, the father of the Psalms, and the father of the deepest spiritual insights of the Bible. How wonderful! The shame and sorrow and shock of such contradictions is a common tale. Alas, that we, who are linked in some qualities, at some moments, with the highest, purest, in the fellowship of Christ, should so blaspheme ourselves, should descend from angels' food to prey on garbage -- that heavenly-fashioned hearts should go into businessand society and do mean things, and be worldly Jacobs,and forget, and live our low lives, while we have in solemn moments our visions and wrestlings! This is not merely for reproach, but for hope. Awful contradiction as man is, Christ believed in the power of the better part. (A. G. Mercer, D. D.).
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