In His Grip - Genesis 32

In His Grip
Genesis 32:1-32
20211219
Cling to God with all your might and your weakness will be overcome by his beauBful strength
Introduc)on:
Nothing highlights the way God works beEer than Christmas. I mean when the Messiah came into the world – he didn’t
come as the people expected. Even though the Scriptures, which God’s people had, were fairly clear in what was to take
place. The real events the people were experiencing; living under Roman occupaBon, being accustomed to a religion
typiﬁed by “the Scribes and Pharisees” meant that their expectaBons for Messiah were more in line with a naBonalisBc
leader that would arise and expel their Roman occupiers. This would allow them to live as they wanted, under the law,
and with the sacriﬁcial system leU intact.
You might think that doesn’t make much sense. But if you put it in the context of what the people of Israel were afraid of
it does start to make sense. They were afraid that their way of life was not going to be maintained. That their
understanding of the way God was to be worshipped would be infringed upon. And this understanding had clearly
morphed over Bme from what we are studying now in the book of Genesis, and the family line of Abraham, the
patriarchs, and on through the centuries. The people of God were at Bmes walking with the LORD but then, at Bmes,
were clearly defying his commands. They were not rendering their hearts to him. This heavily inﬂuenced the Judaism
that Christ was born into.
The animosity between the Jews and the GenBles was ripe. Although they were not at war it would be wrong to
characterize the Bme of Jesus’ birth as tranquil. So, when Jesus was born to a poor Jewish woman, a virgin, in a stable, in
the liEle town of Bethlehem – there the angels declared to the shepherds what had happened. They of course
responded with rejoicing and put themselves into moBon to see this thing that had been told them. But aside from
Herod’s maniacal decree to kill the children of the region – it didn’t seem that the arrival of Messiah made the massive
impact that the people were expecBng to have happened.
However, and impact did take place as the Lord worked. Joseph, who was made aware of Mary’s pregnancy through
what the angel declared to him, did the unthinkable to those looking on. He maintained his promise and took his wife
(MaE. 1:24) in spite of the shame. It would have incited a great amount of fear in him to do such a thing. But he trusted
that which was told him.
But the quesBon is why? This is the same quesBon that we face when the Lord is direcBng us by his word, by the Spirit,
and in pursuit of his will. For Joseph: He had an encounter with the angel of the Lord (MaE. 1:20). OUen Bmes the path
we are being directed in is fraught with shame and ridicule from the world. Or at least it should be. This is in part why we
have spent Bme ﬁrst in the Christmas story. Beyond the nostalgia of the celebraBon of Christmas, especially the way we
celebrate it societally here in America, the original and God ordained Christmas was scandalous. The people of Jesus’
Bme wanted an idea of Messiah and what they received was inﬁnitely more valuable. They wanted to be freed from
Roman rule and they instead were oﬀered freedom from sin and eternal damnaBon.
Jacob is now in a similar paEern and predicament. He has been directed by God to return to the land of his kindred (Gen.
31:3). He could potenBally abandon this idea and go back to Paddan-aram near his father-in-law, Laban. He could turn in
a diﬀerent direcBon in order to avoid being anywhere near Esau, whom when he leU the land of his kindred over 20
years ago, was ready to kill him. But, here is the thing, he is faced with the divine word of God as it was spoken to him.
This ﬁrst took place when he leU his family behind, and the LORD spoke saying, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your
father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your oﬀspring. Your oﬀspring shall be like
the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in
you and your oﬀspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you
go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you unFl I have done what I have promised you.”” (Gen 28:13–
15) And then just last chapter, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” (Gen 31:3).
With the words spoken to Jacob, with the words wri0en for us; What else is required to overcome our fears and trust
God? Every Bme – the faith of an individual is tempered like steel – when God makes a point to encounter the person. To

have an encounter with God is a grace beyond our comprehension. He chooses whom he chooses and the right response
to such an encounter is the very focal point of this message.
Cling to God with all your might and your weakness will be overcome by his beauBful strength.
Many here have had an encounter with God that has leU its indelible mark upon you. Others are being prepared but
whether you are sealed as a believer in Christ or on your way we have much to learn from God’s Holy Word. I want us to
be a church that clings to God with everything we have, to embrace our weakness in exchange for his strength.
Will God Really Do As He Says? I’m Afraid.
1. vv1-2 “Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said...”
a. Jacob is returning to the land of his kindred. On his way north, over 20 years previous, the LORD revealed to
him in a vision the heavens opened and angels ascending and descending upon the earth. Here, on the
journey south, the LORD once again reveals to Jacob his angels.
i. This is a beauBful grace. It is an encouragement and a reminder that Jacob, in spite of his fears
(which we will get to in a moment) is being shown grace by God in a powerful way.
ii. Do you look for these in your life ChrisBan? SomeBmes we are desperate, desiring validaBon from
God and he knows us beEer than we know ourselves, so it is when it is needed that they are
graciously granted.
iii. It is known by most here that we are in the throws of a myriad of struggles as a church. As one of
your shepherds I’m conBnually reminded that it is a responsibility of mine to be nourished by the
word of God and to provide nourishment from the word of God. This means God’s promises are
important.
iv. I shared this with a handful of you already but Thursday when I was driving from Portland back to
the HRV God granted me one of these graces. Nothing brings to my remembrance faster the
promises of God than a rainbow in the sky. As soon as I leU the airport, a secBon of rainbow was
present. Driving further east it ﬁlled out unBl near Troutdale it was a full rainbow strectched over the
entrance to the Gorge. I was overcome by the peace of God and was reminded to trust his word and
to proclaim the gospel. He promised he will build his church – and I trust him. It wasn’t angels from
heaven but I received it as an immense blessing especially as I conBnued the drive and the end of
the rainbow parked oﬀ my leU shoulder for miles. God is faithful to his promises.
Transi)on: This is something Jacob is conBnuing to learn about the LORD, taking steps of faith, while also taking
precauBons b. vv3-4 “And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of...”
i. He is being sent back to the land of his kindred – there he must face his brother Esau. What is going
to happen? He doesn’t fully know – God has said he will be with him – but does that mean he will be
with him to watch him die? This is his fear, as we will see. So he sends a message to solicit, hopefully,
a favorable response.
1. v5 “I have oxen, donkeys, ﬂocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent..”
ii. However, the messengers bring back informaBon that makes Jacob quesBon how favorable the
reunion is going to be.
1. v6 “And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother...”
Transi)on: This puts Jacob in a really tough posiBon, in Gen 28:13-15 the LORD had declared the Abrahamic
blessing upon Jacob – then last chapter he was urged to return – on the journey he sees angels again – but look,
his fear is upon him:

c. v7 “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him..”
i. He is afraid and he immediately takes acBon.
ii. v8 “thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and aOacks it, then the camp that is leP will escape.””
Transi)on: Have you found yourself here before? Knowing that things are not looking good, not seeing a way out
so you set a plan? Jacob’s plan isn’t a saBsfactory plan. Just consider; which would you rather have survive this
half or that half? The eﬀort seems so weak and helpless. It was God who prospered Jacob, it was God who was
with Jacob, so it is going to have to be to God that Jacob turns to now with his fears.

The Pivotal Moment, Calling Out to God
2. vv9-12 “And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said…”
a. In the admiEed inadequacy of his plan and in the desperaBon of his situaBon – Jacob prays a truly beauBful,
even a model prayer. And please noBce that frequently this is how the Lord solidiﬁes our faith as well.
i. So, what is it that Jacob does – noBce how he prays to God as he knows him, as the God of his
fathers’ Abraham and Isaac.
ii. He incorporates the very words that God spoke to him, reminding God that he was paying aEenBon,
and was following his commandment to return.
iii. But then a sure and required transiBon to recognizing the unworthiness of his person to have such
favor bestowed upon him. “I am not worthy” he prays this, and we see it repeatedly in the
Scriptures. When considering the Holiness of God – that God would interact in any way with sinful
humans – the response is I’m not worthy.
iv. And that goes for all of us here. As blessed as we are to be part of God’s kingdom we must
remember that we are not worthy in ourselves, we are blessed and live as part of God’s kingdom
because of the Sovereign Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being bestowed upon us.
v. This allows us to praise God, and I believe that is what Jacob is doing when he acknowledges the
growth of his camp from a lone man with a staﬀ to a great mulBtude, enough to form two camps.
How did this happen – Praise God it happened because of God’s covenant promises upheld by his
steadfast love and faithfulness.
vi. It is from this place he makes his peBBon for help along with his confession of fear. He fears as a
leader in his household for he has two camps but these are not mere possessions – this is his family
and his responsibility. Simply dividing them in two and hoping one survives is a woefully inadequate
leadership strategy.
vii. Here, in this prayer he is doing as I would hope each man in this congregaBon would do, cry out to
God to help protect your family from the potenBal threats: spiritual, physical, emoBonal, mental,
whatever it might be that is rearing it head as an aEack. Pray to God and act decisively in accordance
with his word.
Transi)on: For from this prayer, it is now a diﬀerent Jacob that emerges, no longer saBsﬁed with dividing in two,
hoping half might survive. He is set to go towards Esau as the Lord has called him to do. He takes wise steps to
make this happen, guided by the Lord.
b. vv13-16 “So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for...”
i. This is a lavish giU, immense wealth, over 500 prize animals, and they are spaced out to have
maximum impact. Look at the instrucBon:

c. vv17-18 “He instructed the ﬁrst, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you…”
i. It is Jacob’s intenBon to not let Esau come and overtake him but to meet him along the way. This
reminds me of the wisdom of Abigail the wife of Nabal. Nabal had greatly oﬀended David and was
about to suﬀer accordingly unBl she took acBon. She stepped in to avert a catastrophe (1 Sam
25:14-35) and now Jacob is stepping in to avert what he expects to be his brother’s wrath, he wants
to appease that wrath, and he is doing so with what God has used to prosper him.
d. vv19-20 “He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say...”
i. For he thought! He wants to appease his brother, not simply to have his brother turn around, but he
wants to see his face, and thinks perhaps his brother will accept him.
1. They didn’t leave on good terms. Jacob the cheater, cheated his brother’s blessing out of
their father through a very decepBve act, with the help of his mother no less.
2. But now, this is markedly diﬀerent. This drove aUer drove and these messages being spoken
are being sent from a man who has been undergoing a change because God has been
changing him.
ii. v21 “So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.”
1. This is stated here in v21 that Jacob stays, and then it is emphasized in the next two verses.
e. vv22-23 “The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven...”
i. The emphasis is on an all-in strategy. He is no longer simply dividing all he has in two and
anBcipaBng the worst. He is taking necessary steps of faith to go ahead with what God has called
him to do – that is to return to the land of his kindred.
Transi)on: But his staying alone is ordained by God for an experience that will leave Jacob permanently changed,
transformed into the follower of the God of Abraham, and Isaac that our LORD desires of all of us who are his.

In the presence of God cry out to him and cling to him
3. vv24-25 “And Jacob was leP alone. And a man wrestled with him unFl the breaking of the day. When the man...”
a. In a most bizarre account of God showing himself, this theophany, is God presenBng himself as a man. And I
know this is near and dear to many people here, God clearly endorses and supports wrestling as he took it
upon himself to wrestle with Jacob.
b. Yes, the weight classes were a liEle mismatched and don’t think God was using a dirty trick by touching
Jacob’s hip and causing it to go out of socket. That was a very purposeful acBon taken by the LORD.
c. For consider this posiBon Jacob now ﬁnds himself in, this man comes to him while he is alone in the camp
and wrestles with him. We don’t get much of the dialogue unBl the next couple verses but what we know is
that the absolute power of the man was such that with his touch, Jacob’s hip, the very center of his core and
his strength is put out of socket.
d. I really hadn’t thought much about Jacob being a strong man unBl this past week. Karen helped me realize
that the moving of the stone over the well required mulBple men usually but Jacob in order to seemingly
show oﬀ to Rebekah moved the stone on his own. With Esau being the brother who enjoyed being out in the
ﬁeld and Jacob enjoying being among the tents I had just never thought much about it. But God was thinking
about it. So, he took this acBon to humble Jacob, permanently changing his gait. Removing the physical
strength that he had relied upon – causing him to be in just the right place for what happens next.

i. This is a message for us church. We want to be like Jacob aUer this encounter with God, our own
strength turned to weakness, and his strength and his work to be our only desire. Doesn’t it seem
like in many ways this is happening? We are being brought to a place where it is clearly God and God
alone that is carrying us along and we are clinging to him.
ii. As God was in control of the situaBon with Jacob – he is in control of our situaBon too. We are to
trust him, even as we may feel at Bmes the strength drain out of us.
iii. Look at Jacob’s beauBful desire in the next verse as God prepares to depart.
e. v26 “Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless
me.”
i. Jacob’s hip is out of socket! He is wrestling God Almighty and all he can think about now is receiving
the blessing of this man, unlike any other man he has his arms around.
ii. So, God conBnues the transformaBon process of Jacob by going aUer, not the core of his strength,
but the core of his previous method of gaining goods and blessings.
f.

v27 “And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
i. God doesn’t need to have Jacob tell him his name to know his name – rather what he is doing is
receiving the self-declaraBon of Jacob’s methods. He has been known as the “heel catcher” and “the
cheater” (for that is what his name means), from the beginning for his life outside of the womb.
ii. He has lived up to this name. He has allowed it to deﬁne him and his acBons.
iii. But that is no longer what God desires for his chosen.

g. v28 “Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God...”
i. The magnitude of this name change is dwarfed in the moment but we should take Bme to recognize
the tremendous transformaBon that is ushered in through this encounter with God for the blessing
of all the naBons of the earth through this man and his family – for as God wrestles with him – he
knows that one day it will be his son that is born from the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, down
through David and eventually by the Holy Spirit through the virgin Mary to be the redeemer of the
world.
ii. In the delirium of his pain, from his hip being put out of socket iii. v29 “Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you...”
1. It is a desire of Jacob to know the name of the one he clings to but it is not God’s prerogaBve
to give his name.
2. Even when Moses asks to know his name at the burning bush so that he might tell his fellow
Hebrews who sent him, it is the I AM that I AM. The eternally existent one. (Ex. 3:14)
3. In Judges, Samson’s dad, Manoah, asks the angel of the Lord his name, and his response is,
“Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” (Judges 13:18)
h. v30 “So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face...”
i. Jacob recognizes without any shadow of doubt that he has just been in the presence of God. With
reverence and fear he recognizes the mercy and grace extended to him.
ii. Jacob had clung to God with all his might and his weakness had been overcome by God’s beauBful
strength.
i.

vv31-32 “The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this...”

i. His life was transformed, forever changed, and that of his people as well. For now – he carries on,
limping, touched by God.
Conclusion:
This is the outcome of such a progression. The progression of Genesis 32 is no diﬀerent than the life any one of us, any
sinner, any person who has ever walked the planet goes through when faced with trying to answer the quesBons:
“Should I surrender my life to the LORD? Do I really belong to him?” This is where Jacob began in the chapter. Working in
his own strength and full of fear. So, he had to ask, as do we friends: Will God Really Do As He Says? even as we admit
“I’m Afraid.”
But if you are in a place such as this, do not be dismayed, for this sets up The Pivotal Moment, Calling Out to God. Jacob,
called out to God in prayer in the beauBful and hearpul prayer, as we covered in vv9-12. We all must call out to God. Our
lives are changed in this manner. We have a hunger and a longing for him and him alone. And Church, he provides the
only fulﬁllment. When you are at his mercy, and you recognize you are at his mercy, while simultaneously trembling to
consider that he is a God of mercy and grace, he will reveal himself.
He will impress himself upon you in a most undeniable way. In the presence of God cry out to him and cling to him. Jacob
did this, for his all and all was wrapped up in God’s plan for his life. The Canaanite woman in MaEhew 15, when in the
presence of the Son of God understood this. She was so afraid; her daughter was severely oppressed by a demon. She
had heard of Jesus, and in her pivotal moment she unashamedly, against the cultural norm called out – even cried out to
him, “O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me” kneeling down and pleading, “Jesus, Lord, help me.” Sharing with her his
mission was to the children of Israel she immediately surrenders to needing the blessing that is to be extended to all the
naBons through God’s people – she immediately surrenders to the one who is the fulﬁllment of all the promises. Church
she is in the presence of God incarnate and she clings to him with all her might knowing full well her weakness. Jesus
cuts through it all and declares, as King of King and Lord of Lords, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you
desire.”
This woman took the steps that Jacob had taken and that each one of us must take. Cling to God with all your might and
your weakness will be overcome by his beauBful strength. Your life will be forever changed, your name will be new, your
idenBty will be forever and always a child of God’s. This is what happens when you, Cling to God with all your might, your
weakness will be overcome by his beauBful strength.


Related Media
Related Sermons