Jacob The Wrestler

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: Prayers Of Scripture | Jun 1973

"And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (Gen. 32:24).

That night, when Jacob. wrestled alone with the Angel, was surely the greatest experience of his life. The fear of Esau had driven him, in agony of soul, to wait on God. He had previously met a company of the angels of God, at Mahanaim (Gen. 32:1,2). But he knew, in his own soul, that he needed something more - he needed to meet with God. Jacob was shrewd in business, he had prospered greatly, for the Lord was with him. But something was lacking in his life, and his experience at Peniel (the face of God), was the answer to his deepest need.

We, too, come to times of anxiety and decision in our lives, and it is good for us if, like Jacob, we are driven to God. "Peniel" can be a great experience in our lives, as it was in Jacob's. Peniel leads to power - power with God.

"And there wrestled a man with him". Jacob had prevailed with Esau his brother and with Laban his uncle, but this Man could not be overcome. It was a different struggle in which he was now engaged. His native shrewdness counted for nothing here. This struggle was to change his life - and his name. Now he saw something greater than deliverance from Esau, for the Angel of the Lord had come to wrestle with him. Jacob wanted the blessing of the Lord, and the Lord wanted to give it to Jacob - when he was broken enough to receive it. That was the secret of Peniel. Someone has written:

"Only melted gold is minted;

Only moistened clay is moulded;

Only softened wax receives the seal.

Only contrite broken hearts,

Only these receive the mark

Of the Potter, as He spins us on the wheel."

And on they wrestled till the breaking of the day, when the Angel touched the thigh of Jacob, and his thigh was strained and he could wrestle no more. But when he was unable to wrestle he could cling to the Angel, and he could weep, and this he did. "He wept, and made supplication to Him" (Hosea 12:4). It was Jacob - the broken man - who received the blessing that early morning. As the sun rose he came limping from his experience - a different man - Israel, a prince with God.

The lesson for us is the lesson of the suppliant, the broken in heart before the Lord. It costs us something to have power with

God. Those who strive in prayer receive the blessing, and the greater the blessing we seek, so much the more must we be able to contain it. Peniel is a great lesson for us, as it was for Jacob.

We must prevail with God in prayer if we are to prevail with men in preaching. Jacob's fear of Esau drove him to God to prevail with his brother, but the blessing he received was greater by far than that, for he prevailed with God, and God prevailed with Esau.

We give too little thought to the forces arrayed against us in the service of God (Eph. 6:12). If we realized this more, surely our supplication to God would be greater (Eph. 6:18). Then, not only would we come victorious over them, but we would be greatly blessed and enriched in our own souls. Peniel is the secret of victory for us, as it was for Jacob. We need Peniel.

G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Jun 1973
Prayers Of Scripture