Genesis 56

 

 

JACOB LEFT ALONE

( Gen 32: 24-32)

Introduction:

After working as a servant in his uncle's house for 20 years, by the grace of God, Jacob returns with rich beyond imagination. He confessed in Genesis 32:10,

“I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.”

But when he returned, there was heartache. Because he had a bad relationship with his brother. He stole his brother's birthright with a bowl of red bean porridge, and later, like his brother, he wrapped wool around his hands and neck and went to his dark-eyed father Isaac, pretending to be his brother and receiving all the blessings. When his older brother got angry and tried to kill him, his mother sent him to run away to his parents' house.

Twenty years later, he was returning to his hometown, but the wound in his heart remained.  

 

1. Anxious Jacob

  1) Jacob sent messengers(Gen.32:4-5)

    v. 4. He instructed them: "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained

      there till now.

    v. 5. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in

      your eyes.' "

  2) Esau is coming to meet Jacob with 400 men.(Gen.32:6)

  3) Jacob’s prayer start.(Gen.32:7-12)

    v. 11. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.

  4) Jacob sent three groups a head of him.(Gen.32:18-19)

    v. 18. then you are to say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.' "

    v. 19. He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: "You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him.

  5) Jacob sent a gift.(Gen.32:20-21)

    v. 20. And be sure to say, 'Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.' " For he thought, "I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later,

      when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.“

    v. 21. So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

  6) Jacob sent all his family a head of him.(Gen.32:22-23)

    v. 22. That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

    v. 23. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.

 

2. Jacob left alone.

  1) Earnest prayer(Gen.32:24-25)

    v. 24. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

    v. 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.

  2) Faithful prayer(Gen.32:26)

    v. 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."

  3) Prayer that receive forgiveness(Gen.32:27-28)

    v. 27. The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.

    v. 28. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

  4) Prayer that receive answer.(James 5:13-18)

    v. 16. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

3. People enjoyed blessing of Peniel.

    Gen 32: 30. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

  1) Gen.39:1-6

    v. 2. The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

    v. 3. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did,

  2) Exo.3:1-18 The Lord calls Moses and commands the Exodus

  3) Dan.3:8-25 After erecting the golden statue, Daniel's three friends gathered together high-ranking officials from all over the country and bowed at

     the inauguration ceremony.

  4) Dan 6:10-22 King Darius’ decree and Daniel thrown into the lions’ den

  5) Dan 10:10-20 The vision seen at the Hiddekel River and the archangel’s delay and revelation

 

 

Conclusion: Enjoy the Blessings of Emmanuel and Witness It

The amazing thing is that Jacob crossed the Jabbok river with God's traces and met his brother, but instead the older brother ran ahead and hugged Jacob.

A beautiful reconciliation was achieved, and the brothers hugged each other happily for the first time in 20 years and had a touching reunion.

At this point, Jacob said, “When I look at your face, it is like seeing the face of God.” What an amazing change this is!

As he changed, the whole world changed and even people who seem like enemies feel like God. Ugly people appear to be good people.

I hope this kind of grace comes to all of us. The relationship between people is a relationship with God, and the relationship with God is also expressed

as a relationship between people.

The blessing of Peniel that Jacob enjoyed is guaranteed to us as the blessing of Immanuel. I pray that you will not be deceived and bound by

the world of darkness, that you will solve all your problems, and that you will always enjoy and be victorious with the Lord, who has all authority

in heaven and earth.