4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.
Jacob didn’t just spend an hour or two with one eye on God and one on his watch. He wrestled with God because Esau was coming with an army of men to kill Jacob and break up His family. The messengers came to Jacob and told him in (Genesis 32:6) And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. After this the bible says Jacob was afraid and he divided the people, the camels, the flocks and the herds into two bands (Genesis 32:7-8 ).
Jacob then prayed to God and here is Jacob’s prayer. (Genesis 32: 9- 12) 9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
Jacob sent a present ahead to Esau. 200 she goats, 20 male goats, 200 hundred ewes and 20 rams. He also sent 30 milch camels with their colts and forty ki ne, 10 bulls, 40 female donkeys and ten foals (Gen 32: 13-15). This reminds me alot of times how we often pray. Jacob prayed for poor little old Jacob and then tried to resolve the situation by sending His brother gifts. Esau no doubt was on his way to kill his brother who had stolen his birthright and his blessing. But what happened after this changed Jacob and even His Name and changed His situation and the very outcome of that situation.
Genesis 32: 24- 30) 24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Continued next Page----------------------------->