Genesis 32:22-32
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. 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. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
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.
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.
Jacob stayed alone from his family all night after sending over the stream of Jabbok just east of the Jordan, halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. His wives, their eleven children, and two servants went ahead as he wrestled with God over the past with his brother Esau and the imminent reunion on uncertain terms before him. He knew that the promise to Abraham and his father Isaac was now allotted to him to fulfill in being fruitful to many nations, but he feared facing his elder brother and what violence might ensue. He was alone when what seemed a man had grabbed ahold of him and would not let go, wrestling all night long with Jacob. Jacob had too much to lose, too much uncertainty, and knew the promises of God, so he would not relent until the heavenly man touched his hip and threw it out of the socket, making it extremely difficult to go on. But he did until the sun rose and dawn broke on them. The one wrestling with Jacob then saw the light which would show his true nature in plain view and told Jacob to release him, but Jacob refused unless and until the attacker blessed him. That one asked his name and he replied, ‘Jacob’ (supplanter) and then heard that his new name would be Israel (prince with God) because he had wrestled with God and had the strength to overcome! Jacob naturally was confused and asked the man his name. He refused to give his name and then blessed Jacob named Israel. Jacob realized this man was as God Himself who he had wrestled with for blessing and his new name confirmed his thoughts. Therefore, Jacob named that place Peniel meaning ‘the face of God’ or ‘facing God’ because he had come face to face with Him there and survived! He then crossed from facing God whom he had seen for himself as a theophany there with a limp from his efforts which he had sustained in the struggle with God as a reminder that his future descendants would remember and avoid eating from their animals, which some believe indicate that they refused to face God and repent from their immortality and idolatry, choosing instead to ignore the need to face God and repent, trusting His promises and work on their behalf for their deliverance from sin culminated in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We struggle with our sin until we see God’s Son face to face and receive Him who we wrestle against with stubborn and corrupt wills and then have Him reveal Himself and cause us to confess and trust Him for who He is and what He has promised and done for us in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son named ‘Yahweh Saves,’ Jesus. When we wrestle with the gospel of promise and see His face we are changed, given hope of life, and receive new names (Revelation 2:17, 3:12) as His children forever to inherit the promise (Hebrews 10:36, 37-38) leading to our eternal salvation (Hebrews 10:39, 11:6) from the penalty of sin. This is a picture of us wrestling with Jesus Christ and His good news of the promise of salvation from our sin’s penalty and hope of never ending life in seeing His face. Have you so wrestled with God seen in the gospel as you struggle in life and face the prospect of death to see the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6) and know you will live forever according to the promise of the gospel?
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