THROUGH THE BIBLE COMMENTARY

This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears.

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

GENESIS
CHAPTER 32

1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Take note of these words: "...Jacob went on his way." His
way is now to do what God had told him to do -- to go home
and face Essau. (see Gen. 24:27)
There is a principal here. When we do as God directs
His angels protect and minister to us (Heb. 1:14).
Mahanaim means "double camp." Jacob was there, and God
and His angels were there!
Are YOU living in a double camp?

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

Jacob sent messengers (ambassadors) ahead to tell Essau he had gifts
for him, and that Jacob was pleading for grace and mercy.

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.

The ambassadors brought back some very disturbing news. But
notice that Jacob did not turn around; he continued to
rust God's message and purpose.
When you face difficulties in your work for the Lord, do you
"forge ahead" in trust that God will work out the details?

7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

Jacob was afraid; but still he didn't run. Instead he divided
his family. Now notice what he does NEXT!

9 And 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: 10 I 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. 11 Deliver 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. 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

He PRAYED! Note the humility in his prayer, and how
he attributes all he has to God's provision.
He prays for deliverance, and states his intention to rely totally
upon God's Word.
Now friends, this is an important lesson! As a pastor, I can testify
that I cannot depend upon my abilities. Neither should I be afraid of
some people's attitudes. I must simply trust that God has called,
empowered, enabled, and then pay attention to FOLLOWING His plan!

13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. 17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? 18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. 19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. 20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Jacob brings out some tremendous gifts fit for a king, and sends them to Essau.
He sends them one behind the other as a show of grace poured out.
The word for "offering" here is the Hebrew word Mincha, for "present."
It is an offering made from an inferior person to a
superior person. The purpose of these gifts was to APPEASE Essau.

21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

Later that evening, Jacob completed the dividing of his camp,
and sent all his family and everything he had across the brook.

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And 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. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And 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. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

Now Jacob was ALONE. And the Bible says he "wrestled" in prayer all night.
There has been a lot of discussion about this passage of Scripture. Some say
that Jacob actually wrestled with Jesus. Well, contrary to the opinion of some
who think I'm that old, I wasn't there. And I don't see anything in the Bible
which could specifically support that idea. However, I will admit it is very much
possible that our Lord Himself came and visited with Jacob.
But I think Jacob stayed in a POSITION of prayer all night!
And one thing is for sure: Jacob CLUNG to God's promises
(and perhaps to Jesus Himself), and would NOT let go of
those promises.
Be sure of another thing: the Bible specifically says that Jacob
PREVAILED over God with his prayer!! Hosea 12:4 says,
"...he had power over the Angel and prevailed...""

Friends, don't think for a moment that it was at this point Jacob was
"born-again." Because the only way for a person to prevail over
God in prayer is to pray in God's own strength; the strength of faith.
Faith comes from God to those who have surrendered to Him (Eph. 2:8-9).
The Lord Himself proved Jacob's tenacity of faith. He put Jacob's thigh
out of joint (vs 25). But Jacob STILL would not let the Lord go
(vs 26).

No. Jacob was saved a long time ago. Now he is PRACTICING FAITH!!
He was earnestly, fervently praying! He was CLINGING to God's
Presence and Promises and Power.
God changed Jacob's name because this instance was so significant.
Jacob (or "deceiver") is now called ISRAEL, or "he who persists
with God in prayer."

Friends, Jacob's LIFE was changed by this faith-exercising experience!
His name was changed, his body was changed - His WHOLE LIFE was changed.
Not only was Jacob changed, but the whole nation of Israel is different
today because of this prayer. Traditionally, Jews will not eat of the
sciatic nerve area of the hindquarter commemorating this experience.
Our faith-exercising, genuine, fervent prayer does indeed "avail much,"
as James 5:16 tells us.

{POINT}: We all need to have LIFE-CHANGING periods of PRAYER. Prayer
is EXERCISING FAITH.
You will notice that, even though Jacob now limped, when he crossed
that brook it was "sunrise."!! When we genuinely seek God in
the faith-exercise of prayer, we come out of the darkness of the world
and self into the LIGHT OF HIS WILL AND WAY!

Please continue to follow along with us in Bible study.