Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• A family on the move
• A lot of people, a lot of animals, a lot of stuff
• Can you imagine the stories told about the family members?
• Can you imagine moving home?
• Jacob had a lot of children
• 31:3 - God told Jacob to move
• Compare and contrast the homecomings of Jacob and Naomi
• Was Jacob's past catching up with him?
• Having to meet up with the brother he had conned out of his inheritance
• Payback time
• Jacob prayed to God - v9
• The first recorded prayer in Scripture
• He prayed for God's protection
• Jacob stayed on the other side of the Jabbok and wrestled with a man of God
• Overview:
• Jacob Waited on God
• Jacob Wrestled with God
• Jacob Wearied God
• Jacob Worshiped God

Jacob Waited on God (v24)

• He was alone: he has discharged his parental responsibility
• He was alone with God in prayer
• He wrestled with a Man
• The God Man
• The Lord Jesus Christ
• Another night to remember and not to be forgotten
• Ps 91:1-2
• Waiting on God can be difficult
• But His shadow over us is wonderful
• Jacob came to know God as His fortress
• He feared Esau but had confidence in God
• We do not underestimate the things of Christian life but we have confidence in God
• Jacob waited patiently on God
• God was in Peniel before Jacob arrived
• God is always waiting for us to come
• Do we need an unsettled family matter before we will approach God?

Jacob Wrestled with God (v24)

• This God Man was the Lord Jesus Christ
• Personal example
• Here is one stronger than any human wrestler
• True prayer is often a struggle
• Jacob struggled with God - v28
• Whatever he wanted, he wanted it badly enough to fight for it with God
• Jacob took hold of God
• Quote from Spurgeon
• God took hold of Jacob before Jacob took hold of God
• Example of prayer meeting
• It was a close encounter
• Rom 8:26 and Quote from Neil Morris
• Do we groan in prayer?
• Do we groan against sin?
• Do we groan because we are inarticulate in prayer?
• Painful certainly, profitable always
• v25/31 - Jacob did not walk the same after his encounter with God
• Surely such close encounters with God will affect the way we walk
• To shrink self-strength and make us reliant on His sovereign power
• We must walk in His strength
• Jacob would walk to Esau in God's strength

Jacob Wearied God (v26)

• Jacob would not let God 'go' until He blessed Him
• "I will not let you go unless you bless me"
• We should 'weary' God in prayer
• Consider Jesus' parable about the widow and the unjust ruler
• Luke 18:5
• Isa 62:6-7
• Do we pray to God continually?
• Do we lay hold of God?
• Jacob is blessed for prevailing with God - v28
• A change of name to Israel
• Meaning he prevailed
• Becoming the name of the nation
• Meaning prince with God
• He is now ready to meet with Esau without fear
• There is more power in God's name than in the world

Jacob Worshiped God (v30)

• To see God was a precursor to death
• Isa 6:5
• Jacob was face to face with God at Peniel
• In the gospel you come face-to-face with the living God
• At the cross of Calvary
• 2 Cor 4:4
• "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" - John 14:9
• We behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - John 1:29
• Have you heard the gospel many times and not know rebirth in Jesus?
• Are you still in sin and unbelief?
• Come face-to-face with Jesus
• Do not leave tonight until God has blessed you with the forgiveness of sins
• Do not let Jesus go until He saves you

Closing Remarks