In our previous study, we left Jacob wrestling with the Angel of the Lord, who is also referred to as YHWH or the Lord God, our Creator. It was as though Jacob’s prayer in Genesis 32:9-12 was being fleshed out in Jacob’s life in a wrestling match for all to see. Jacob had to admit that the Lord had blessed him, abundantly. He came to Haran on foot, having only what he could carry to obtain food along the way. Yet, he left Haran with four wives, eleven sons, many servants (both male and female), camels and pack animals and herds and flocks of livestock that accounted for his great wealth (Genesis 32:10; cp. 28:13, 15). In fact, his wealth was so great, that his powerful father-in-law was jealous enough to wish to take it by force, but, when warned of God to greet Jacob peaceably, he had to settle for a treaty for their mutual safety.
Nevertheless, present circumstances, vis-à-vis Esau coming with 400 men, seemed to be a threat to Jacob and his family. What good are the blessings, if he would be slain by his brother, who would then take those blessings for his own (Genesis 32:11). Yet, the Lord had promised that Jacob’s descendants would be so great that no one would be able to number them (Genesis 32:12; cp. 28:14). Thus, Jacob wrestled in his mind over what God had promised him and what present circumstances seemed to be telling him.
What was Jacob to do? He couldn’t meet his brother in battle, because he wasn’t a violent man. There is no indication in the text that might imply that Jacob or his servants were trained and equipped to fight such a large band of men as Esau had with him. And, Esau was on his way to greet his brother, whom, some twenty years prior, Esau vowed he would slay (Genesis 27:41).
So, Jacob wrestled in his prayers to God over how his word would prove true, given his present circumstances. This wrestling provoked an actual wrestling match between an Angel from the camp of the Almighty’s host, and Jacob, himself. Jacob was alone, waiting for the arrival of his brother. The wrestling match in the flesh continued through the night until dawn, and when the Angel saw he didn’t prevail against Jacob, he reached down to Jacob’s thigh and put it out of joint, so Jacob was without strength to wrestle any longer. Nevertheless, Jacob continued to clutch the Angel, who told him to release him, because the dawn was about to break, but Jacob refused until he blessed him (Genesis 32:25-26).
Why was it important that Jacob release the Angel prior to sunrise (Genesis 32:26)? While I am unable to prove my understanding of the Angel’s request, it is an odd request, which seems to mean something. Later, in the Book of Judges, Manoah, a man of the tribe of Dan, and his wife were visited by the Angel of the Lord. Manoah’s wife was barren, but the Angel had promised her that she would have a son (Judges 13:2-3). Later, the Angel visited both Manoah and his wife, and Manoah sacrificed (Judges 13:16, 19-22). When Manoah’s wife gave birth to her son, she named him Samson (Judges 13:24), which means: “little sun,” “sunny” or “sun-man,”[1] implying that the Angel “did wondrously” at the rising of the sun. The sunrise offering also seemed important to Jesus, who rose from the dead prior to sunrise, but wouldn’t allow Mary Magdalene to touch him, because he hadn’t yet ascended to the Father. Yet, what seems to be moments afterward, he permitted the other women to cling to his feet, indicating he had ascended to the Father with the morning sacrifice at the time of the Wave Sheaf Offering. So, just as Jesus was under time constraints, so was the Angel. Both had to be free at the time of the rising of the sun.
As all this pertains to Jacob’s wrestling match with the Angel, what seems surprising is how Jacob was blessed. The Angel asked Jacob’s name, and he told him, and the Angel said, from that point onward he would be known as Israel, meaning “contender (or wrestler) with God!” because, as a prince he had power with God, meaning through his prayers he had that power (Genesis 32:27-28). We may also say that Jacob’s fleshed out prayer, vis-à-vis the wrestling match, shows that “power” with God, because Jacob refused to let the Angel free until he “blessed” him, or answered his prayer. The sense seems to be, the Angel had to be free at sunrise to ascend to the Father. Therefore, the Angel condescended to bless Jacob (cp. Luke 18:1-8), before going on to answer his prayer for peace with Esau.
When Jacob asked the name of the Angel, he implied it was a ridiculous question (Genesis 32:29), meaning YHWH cannot be pronounced. If one tries, only the sound of one’s breath is heard. So, it was in this manner that Jacob/Israel was blessed. Therefore, he called the name of the place Penuel, meaning “face of God,” for Jacob wrestled with God face to face and lived to talk about it! As a result, Jacob never walked the same again (Genesis 32:30-32).
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[1] See International Standard Bible Encyclopedia under “Samson.”
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