A lot of hand to hand stuff
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