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actions in reference to Esau, and we can readily answer them by looking into the glass of our own hearts.— C. H. M. 82:24— “Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him.” Mark, it was not Jacob wrestling with a man; but a man wrestling with Jacob; this scene is very com monly referred to as an instance of Jacob’s power in prayer. That it is not this is evident from the simple wording of the passage. My wrestling with a man, and a man, wrest ing with me, present two totally different ideas to the mind. In the former case I want to gain some object from him; in the latter, he wants to gain some object from me. Now, in Jacob’s case, the divine object was to bring him to see what a poor, feeble, worthless creature he was, and when Jacob so pertinaciously held out against the divine dealing with him, "he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him.” The sentence of death must be written on the flesh,i-g-the power of the cross must be entered into before we can steadily and happily walk with God. God was wrestling with Jacob to bring him to this point.— C. H. M. 32:26— “I will not let thee go except thou bless me.” To say this from the heart, and to abide in the power of it, is the secret of all true strength. Jacob said it when the hollow of his thigh was touched; but not till then. He struggled long ere he gave way, because his confidence in the flesh was strong. We must be “weak” ere we can be “strong.” “The power of Christ” can only “rest on us” in connection with the knowledge of our infirmities.— C. H. M. 3 2 :3 2—Whatever it is that enables a soul, whom God designs to bless, to stand out against Him, God will touch. It may be the pride of wealth, or of influence, or of af fection; but it will not be spared^—God will' touch it. It may be something as natural, as a sinew; but if it robs a man of spiritual blessing God will touch it. It may be as small a thing as a sinew; but its influence in making a man strong in his resistance of blessing will be enough to con demn it—and God will touch it. And beneath that touch it will shrink and shrivel, and you will limp to the end life. Remember that the sinew never shrinks save beneath the touch of the angel hand— the touch of tender love.— F. B. Meyer. Verse 28— In similar cases of change of name, Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, Simon to Peter, the new name persisted and, at least with Abraham and Paul, the old one was never used again. But what do we find in the story of Jacob? This; that after Peniel the name ‘Jacob’ occurs no less than forty-five times, while ‘Israel’ appears only twenty-three times. And what is equally significant, the usage to which we are familiar is ‘Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,’ not ‘Abraham, Isaac and Israel,’ Why, then, did not the name ‘Jacob’ disappear entirely and ‘Israel’ take its place? Was it not because Jacob went back from the new position and privilege given him at Peniel? He did not continue true to that Divine revelation; he did not abide in the position and power of a ‘Prince of God.’ It is unutterably sad when a believer recedes from a high posi tion of spiritual privilege.—W. H. Griffith Thomas. Chapter 33— Jacob’s experiences after. Peniel are a solemn reminder that Conversion (Bethel) and Consecra tion (Peniel) are no guarantees of abiding faithfulness. They need to be followed by Concentration and Continuance. There are frequent hints throughout Holy Scripture of the ghastly possibilities of spiritual relapse after the most ex alted fellowship with God. We think of David’s sin after such a revelation as is recorded in 2 Sam. 7. We think of Simon Peter’s denial after Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16) and after the Transfiguration (Matt. 17).—W. H. Griffith Thomas.
gle, but one linger touch from God defeated Jacob. Jacob clung to his adversary. He recognized Him then. He pleaded for a blessing and God changed his name to “Israel." The supplanter becomes a prince. “He had power with God and men and prevailed.” He prevailed also in his determination to learn the angel’s name, as did Manoah (Judges 13:18) “A n d th e a n g e l o f th e L o rd s a id u n to h im , W h y a s k e s t th o u th n s a f t e r m y n a m e , s e e in g i t is s e c r e t? ’* (Heb. 4:16; 10:19) Jacob is blessed by his Adversary and names the place Peniel (face of God.) He saw God face to face. He halted upon his thigh through life, always bearing the mark of his defeat and victory. He limped into the presence of Esau and called him, “My Lord, Esau.” Later, in his journey homeward he stops at Bethel (Psa. 146:5) “ H a p p y is lie t h a t h a th th e G o d o f J a c o b f o r h is h e lp , w h o s e h o p e is in th e L o rd h is G od.” Topics for Study (3 ) What place has diplomacy in the .Christian life? (4) What are the contrasts and comparisons between Jacob and Esau? (5 ) True prayer. (6 ) What revelation of God should we expect? (7) What was the principal failure in the life of Jacob? COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES Chapter 32:1. This divine manifestation assumes the form of two hosts of angels, and is doubtless connected with the departure of Laban on the one hand, and the ap proach of Esau on the other. Both these men took a hos tile attitude towards Jacob, which COMMENTS led the patriarch to fear them both. FROM THE It may be that the vision of angels COMMENTARIES which Jacob saw-Mone band between V. V. Morgan himself and the departing Laban, and the other between himself and the approaching Esau,—was God’s encouragement to him to fear neither Laban nor Esau, but rest securely and safely in the divine protection and promise. Undoubtedly these “two bands,” which is the meaning of “Mahanaim,” had also some reference to the two bands (Mahanoth) which he himself had prepared (cf. vers. 2, 7). How weak and need less was his preparation to meet Esau, compared with that which God had made! Some would say that this vision of the angelic bands was connected more with the approach of Esau than with the departure of Laban, and yet both truths are here. Not a “pillar” (3 1 :5 2 ), but the angels of God, would protect Jacob from the anger of Laban. Not by fawning and scheming and patronizing (32 :4 -9 ), but an angel band could deliver him from the oncoming wrath of Esau.—William Evans. 32:9-12—The first personal prayer in the Bible. All other prayers up to this point are in the nature of inter cession. Note how Jacob pleads the promises of God. What faith, humility and simplicity are manifest in this prayer! God answers this prayer in changing the mind, heart, and attitude of Esau towards Jacob, his brother. The sudden change of front shown by Esau can be accounted for only on the basis that God heard and answered the prayer of Jacob.—William Evans. 32:20— “I will appease him with a present.” Had he for gotten his prayer? Was he making a god of his present? Did he place more confidence in a few cattle than in Je hovah, to whom he had just been committing himself? There are questions which naturally arise out of Jacob’s (1 ) The ministry of angels. (2 ) The foundation of fear.
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