1. “Jacob – A Prince with God”
Study 5 – “He had power with God”
Jacob – A Prince with God

2. … …. Jacob Returns to the Land Jacob journeys in haste from Haran
An angel wrestles with him at Jabbok
Confrontation with Laban at Galeed
Esau comes from Edom
Jacob – A Prince with God

3. The time of Jacob’s trouble
Gen. 32:1-8 – Two camps becomes three – insurance before prayer.
Esau’s small-mindedness revealed.
Gen. 32:13-23 – The longest night of Jacob’s life – meticulous preparation to meet Esau – initial contact carefully choreographed.
“For Yahweh hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.” – Jer. 31:11
Jacob – A Prince with God

4. Mahanaim - Gen. 32:1-2 Signifies “two camps”.
Gen. 28:12-15 – Angels already part of his camp – “ascending and descending”.
Ps. 34:7 – “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”
Gen. 48:16 - Final realisation after a lifetime of experience – “The Angel which redeemed me from all evil.”
Heb. 2:14 – “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
Jacob – A Prince with God

5. Insurance and Prayer Gen. 32:6-12
V.6 – Esau’s ego revealed.
V.7 – Jacob now has “3 camps”.
V.8 – Insurance – Mitigation of loss.
Vv.9-12 – Jacob’s great prayer of dependence.
Why is it not immediately answered?
Jacob – A Prince with God

6. The Governing Principle
John 6:28-29
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Jacob – A Prince with God

7. Appeasing Esau’s face Gen. 32:13-23
A long night! – V.13, 21, 22.
580 animals in probably 5 droves – cp. 33:8.
V.17 – Commanding deliverances for Jacob – Ps. 44:3-4.
V.20 – “For he said, I will appease (kaphar paneh – cover his face) him with the present that goeth before me (paneh – my face), and afterward I will see his face (paneh); peradventure he will accept of me (paneh – my face).”
Jacob – A Prince with God

8. Jabbok
The name signifies “pouring out” or “emptying”. Jacob was to be emptied of the “Syrian” by the events of this place.
Some suggest it is from the root abak – to wrestle or struggle (the verb translated “wrestled” in V.24.
Jacob – A Prince with God

9. … ….
...
Jacob – A Prince with God

10. Why “a man” and not “an angel”?
God’s Method – Gen. 32:24-32
“left alone” – This is when our relationship with God is tested – Jacob sought the angels (V.1).
“there wrestled a man with him” – This was an angel (Hos. 12:4). God initiated the struggle. His method is to use the circumstances of human life to test and purge His servants.
Why “a man” and not “an angel”?
Jacob – A Prince with God

11. God’s Method – Gen. 32:24-32
“thigh…out of joint” – Strongest part of body dislocated – Lesson - no confidence in flesh – hence V.32.
Named changed to Israel, but not until Gen. 35:21 after Rachel (the Syrian) had died.
Peniel (“I have seen God”) – 1st person singular – Jacob’s lesson.
Penuel (“they have seen God”) – 3rd person plural – Lesson for all.
Jacob – A Prince with God

12. The sinew that shrank Gen. 32:32
“sinew” – The sinew or tendon which holds the hip bone in its socket.
Thigh is strongest part of body = The strength of man.
Lesson – Israel’s ‘family builders’ do not put any trust in human strength.
Jacob – A Prince with God

13. “He halted upon his thigh”
Gen. 32:25 – “out of joint” – yaqa – dislocated.
“The sciatic nerve, the longest in the human body, runs from the lower back through the pelvic region and down the
back of the leg. To relieve the pain, sufferers often walk by bending the affected leg at the knee and rotating it outwards.” (Encarta)
Jacob – A Prince with God

14. “I will save her that halteth” Mic. 4:6-7; Zeph. 3:19
“Sciatica sometimes occurs during pregnancy when the sciatic nerve is pinched between the head of the foetus and the pelvic wall.” (Encarta)
Sciatic pain is the closest thing a man can experience to the pain of childbirth – Jer. 30:6-7.
“Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child?
Jacob – A Prince with God

15. How can men prevail with God?
Jacob to Israel
Jacob = “heel-catcher”; supplanter.
Israel - The name consists of two words – sarah – to prevail; and El – might, power; hence Ygs. - “Ruling with God”, and Strong’s - “He will rule God”.
How can men prevail with God?
Jacob – A Prince with God

16. Power over the Angel Hos. 12:3-6
V.3 – “had power” – sarah – to prevail (as a prince). Ygs. Lit. “by his strength he was a prince with God”.
V.4 – “power over the angel” – suwr – to vanquish; to rule. Ygs. Lit. – “Yea he is a prince unto the messenger”. Hence, Jacob “ruled over God” = ‘Israel’.
Proof – Hos. 11:12 – “but Judah yet ruleth with God (El)”.
Jacob – A Prince with God

17. “He found him in Bethel”
Hos. 12:4 – Refers to 2nd visit to Bethel – Gen. 35:9-15. Free of the “Syrian” – Gen. 35:8-9,
“there he spake with us” – The lesson is for us!
V.6 – Roth. - “Thou therefore by thy God shalt return”. Ygs. Lit. - “And thou through thy God, dost turn”. RSV – “So you by the help of thy God, return”.
Jacob – A Prince with God

18. “There He spake with us”
“mercy” – chesed – loving-kindness - Ex. 34:6.
“judgment” – mishpat – justice. Divine ethics and characteristics.
“wait” – qavah – to bind together (perhaps by twisting). Echoes of Jacob’s wrestling!
“continually” – tamiyd – constant; in perpetuity.
Jacob – A Prince with God

19. The stolen blessing abandoned
Gen. 33:8 – The blessings of the field (“fatness of the earth” – Gen. 27:28) forfeited to find grace.
“My lord Esau” – Lordship in the earthly family (“be lord over thy brethren” – Gen. 27:29) abandoned – V.8, 13, 14 (2), 15.
Jacob – A Prince with God

20. This is how God deals with the ‘Jacob’ in all of us!
Jacob – A Prince with God