Wednesday Bible Study 05/11/22

Genesis 32 (cont’d)

B. Jacob wrestles with God (32:22-32)

1. Jacob sends all his possessions over the river (v. 22-23)

Genesis 32:22–23 NKJV

22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. 23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

This was a demonstration of faith! Jacob left himself no retreat.

In the ancient world, crossing a river was a monumental task, considered to be laden with significance.

The Jabbok is a river in modern day Jordan (called the Zarqa River now)

It was particularly challenging due to the steep banks on both sides

Jacob spent the night alone. The was his last night on the east side of the Jordan - he probably spent the night in prayer.

2. A man wrestles with Jacob (v. 24-25)

Genesis 32:24–25 NKJV

24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

Jacob didn’t wrestle with a man…a man wrestled with him

Jacob didn’t start out wanting anything from God - God wanted something form him.

God wanted all of Jacob’s proud self-reliance and fleshly scheming and came to take it, by force if necessary

This was no mere man

This is another appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament before His incarnation in Bethlehem.

This was God in human form.

We can only imagine what this scene looked like.

Maybe it was like a bar room brawl

Maybe it was like an intense wrestling match

But Jacob fought all night long

He was determined!

As the fight progressed, it seemed Jacob was pretty evenly matched against the Man. But the match was only even in appearance. The Man could have easily won at any time, using supernatural power.

Sometimes we feel like man really can contend with God

Someone in rebellion against God might seem to do pretty well.

That match SEEMS even in appearance only.

God can turn the tide at any moment.

Jacob must have felt really defeated!

3. Jacob’s plea to the Man (v. 26

Genesis 32:26 NKJV

26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

There was humbleness with this request

Jacob was reduced to the place where all he could do was to hold on to the Lord with everything he had.

He couldn’t fight anymore, but he could hold on. That’s not a bad place to be.

Jacob thought the real enemy was outside of him - Esau. The real enemy was his own carnal, fleshly nature, which had not been conquered by God.

4. Jacob’s name is changed, and he is a blessed man (v. 27-29)

Genesis 32:27–29 NKJV

27 So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

Jacob must have felt a sense of shame, admitting his name was Jacob

Deception, cheating

This is who he was, he had to admit it

God says, that’s not your name anymore. You are Israel.

Israel is a compound of two words: “Sarah” meaning fight, struggle, or rule / El: meaning God

Israel likely means, “God rules”

From this point on, he will be called Jacob twice as often as he is called Israel. Apparently, there was still plenty of the old man left in Jacob!

Jacob prevailed in the sense that he endured through his struggle until God thoroughly conquered him.

5. Two memorials of this event (v. 30-32)

Genesis 32:30–32 NKJV

30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank.

Peniel = “Face of God”

No man should be able to wrestle with God and live. It was only by God’s grace and mercy he escaped from this with his life.

The second memorial was a perpetual limp

Jacob would be remembered his being conquered by God with every step he took for the rest of his life

This was a small price to pay for such a great gift.

Genesis 33

A. Esau’s warm welcome (33:1-11)

1. Jacob’s careful preparations (v. 1-2)

Genesis 33:1–2 NKJV

1 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.

From this, we can see that Jacob preferred Rachel and her son, Joseph

He put the two maidservants up front, so at least they were more protected than the two maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah were

2. Jacob demonstrates his submission (v. 3)

Genesis 33:3 NKJV

3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

He bows himself to the ground.

He’s already sent gifts ahead to show he didn’t want to take anything from Esau

By bowing down, he showed he was submitted to his brother and wanted no social power over him.

If Jacob had not tried to steal the blessing 20 years before, all this would have done the job.

Isaac’s promise to Jacob, “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren (27:29) - that would have been more immediately fulfilled.

For us today, we can suffer some problems because we try to accomplish what we think to be God’s will or to protect our interest in merely human energy and wisdom. God NEVER needs us to sin to help Him fulfill His plan in our life.

3. Esau warmly greets Jacob and his family (v. 4-7)

Genesis 33:4–7 NKJV

4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.

If you saw a man that had vowed to kill you, brought 400 of his friends with him, running at you…would you be a little scared?

But just as God had been working in Jacob’s life, He had been working in Esau’s life too. He only wanted to bless Jacob.

Look at how forgiveness works here:

Neither felt a need to discuss and resolve the past.

God worked in both their hearts and there was no need to dredge it all up again.

What was past was past.

There’s real joy in that kind of forgiveness.

4. Esau receives Jacob’s gifts (v. 8-11)

Genesis 33:8–11 NKJV

8 Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it.

“I don’t need that, you don’t have to do that!” “No, no, no, I insist!”

Esau had found peace and contentment in the past 20 years

He was a remarkably blessed man, even though he didn’t get the promise of Abraham’s covenant like he had hoped for.

Why would Jacob insist on Esau accepting the gifts?

It would be Esau’s way of saying he forgave Jacob

In that culture, one never accepted a gift from an enemy, only from a friend. To accept the gift was to accept the friendship.

B. Jacob’s travels to the Promised Land (33:12-20)

1. Jacob and Esau part their ways; Jacob goes to Succoth (v. 12-17)

Genesis 33:12–17 NKJV

12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14 Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.” 15 And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

“Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant”

Jacob is still a little bit scared of Esau

He was still acting like old Jacob some days instead of Israel

It’s hard to be Jacob AND Israel at the same time.

2. Jacob comes to Shechem (v. 18-20

Genesis 33:18–20 NKJV

18 Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.

It was good that Jacob returned to the Promised Land. He settled there.

But he still came short of full obedience.

Genesis 31:13 NKJV

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”

It seems that God had wanted Jacob to return to Bethel.

He called the altar there “El Elohe Israel.” “El, God of Israel”

The altar was good. Obedience would have been better.

God wants obedience first, THEN sacrifice.

Jacob and his family will suffer greatly in this wasted, disobedience period of time.