Genesis 32:22-32

Genesis 32:22-32

ALONE with God – Accident or on Agreement

22-24a

Family then possessions gone – all alone

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

Jesus gave example that being alone was important:

 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

“Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them.” (Luke 6:12-13)

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…”‘” (Luke 11:1-2)

“When Jesus heard what had happened [that John the Baptist was beheaded], he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.” (Matthew 14:13)

Matthew 14:23

“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” (John 6:15)

When have you been alone with God in this way?  Ever?

ASSESSMENT – Agent and answer

24b-29

25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.  28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Hosea 12:1-6

Initial struggles had been with Esau then Laban – now God

·      Physical struggle

·      Passionate struggle

·      Personal struggle

In 25 – Could the man really not overpower Jacob?  He touched his hip – literally – strike – naw gah –

In 26 – It was time to be done – what did Jacob want in his arrogance?

In 27 – Does God ask because He does not know or to remind Jacob of what he is (grabber) before he renames him in 28?  When had Jacob last asked for a blessing from someone and how had he obtained it?  What was the result? 

He had to recognize who he really was – as do we –

[Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God p 144,145)

In 28 – Jacob’s name is changed – have you been changed and what is new about you after struggling with God?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – Ask and attain

29-32

29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

29 – Know God by name or Know God – God didn’t want to be known just by name but to be known as we see in the next verse – Judges 13:18

30 – When did you see God face to face – as you are – as you have been – at your root and survived?  Where was it?  Exodus 33:20 – cannot see God’s face – just His angel and work

31- Physical scar – but Sun coming up – have you had anything you have lost or was ‘messed up’ because of your being changed by God?

32 – Traditions handed down acknowledge that incident -

Do your traditions point back to a specific incident or do they distract?

Do you know of anyone else’s testimony of when they came to Christ?  Who – and how do they celebrate it?  How do we celebrate our own birthday?

Psalm 46:10-11

Hebrews 11:6

Personal Prayer Time and Spiritual Gift Assessment