Jacob’s Prayer

Jacob’s Story

Stealing the Birthright (Gen. 27)

Escape from Esau (Gen. 28)

Marries Leah & Rachel (Gen. 29)

Family Growth & Prosperity (Gen. 30)

Fleeing from Laban (Gen. 31)

Esau’s on the Way! (Gen. 32:1-8)

Jacob’s Prayer

Genesis 32:9–12 ESV

9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

Remember God’s Past

Jacob prays to the God of Abraham and Isaac. God faithfully guided and protected them, and can do the same for Jacob.

God’s Rascal: The Jacob Narrative in Genesis 25–35 Chapter 9: Preparing for Your Worst Nightmare (Genesis 32:1–21)

You are not coming to an unskilled God, to some divine ‘intern’ seeking to gain experience by dealing with your case. Jacob is coming to an Abraham-and-Isaac-God who has taken those servants through all sorts of heavy weather and kept them on their feet.

How much truer is this for us? We are privy to even more history of God’s faithfulness and power! (Exodus; Conquest; Return; JESUS!)

“Our Father…” (how Jesus taught us to pray in Mt. 6)—We have seen how God fathers His children, and can trust in His wisdom, love, and faithfulness when we come to Him.

Remember God’s Promises

Perhaps Jacob is negotiating (as would fit his character), or perhaps he’s learned to trust in God’s promises.

Verse 9: Jacob recounts that God had commanded Jacob to return to Canaan (31:13), an had promised to be with Jacob (31:3).

Verse 12: Jacob also bases his prayer on what God promised at Bethel when Jacob was fleeing Esau—that promise was a continuation of the promise God had given to Abraham and to Isaac—a promise to give Jacob an innumerable offspring, to give them Canaan, and to bless the families all of the earth through them. All of that seemed in danger to Jacob, so he prayed about it.

To pray in accordance with God’s promises is not akin to trying to force God’s hand—it displays a trust that when God promises something, we trust He will fulfill that promise.

Some Examples of Promises to Remember and Pray

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Matthew 28:20 (ESV)

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Romans 8:31, 35-39 (ESV)

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? …35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 46:10–11 (ESV)

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Remember God’s Provision

Verse 10:

Jacob prays humbly— “I am not worthy…”

Jacob is grateful—“…I have become two camps”

We ought always to be humble before God. While we can approach the throne of grace boldly, we should always remember it is grace that permits us to approach!

Even in difficult, painful, and stressful times, we can be thankful.

Remember God’s Power

Prayer is a time of reflection and a time to give thanks. But it is also a time to seek God’s help.

Prayer is a time to be honest and candid. Jacob admits “I fear him (Esau)” and simply asks “Please deliver me.”

Nehemiah: When asked by Artexerxes why he appeared and what he wanted: “Then I was very much afraid…” (Neh. 1:3); “So I prayed to God…” (Neh. 1:4)

Mark 14:36 (ESV) 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…” vs. 34)

When you are afraid, admit it before God. When you need help, ask God!

God’s Deliverance

Jacob’s prayer is a wonderful example, but there is another lesson to learn in this story—be ready for unexpected deliverance.

It may not always appear that God hears, listens, or acts. Sometimes, things might seem to be even worse. And yet, for the faithful, God is there, working His blessings and delivering His people.

Later after Jacob’s prayer, he ended up wrestling with a stranger that was either an angel or perhaps even a theophany of God, and left that encounter limping (but with a blessing!)

Jacob still had to meet Esau (injured and tired), but when he did, the most unexpected thing happened…

Genesis 33:4 ESV

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Again and again Scripture shows us that the Lord is a God who delights in delivering His people, and a God who does so in amazing and even unconventional ways.

Conclusion

Jacob’s story is one of many—but it is a powerful one still.

What a blessing to know that when we get on our knees and humble ourselves in prayer, we, too, are praying to the God of Abraham and Isaac. We are praying to the God who helped and delivered Jacob. We are praying to the Almighty God who sees and acts and saves.

Sometimes life will be dangerous. Sometimes life will be frightening. But we serve the same God Jacob served; And God has given to us even better and more precious promises. So let us always serve Him, thank Him, and seek His aid in prayer.