Genesis 33:24-32 records an amazing event in the life of Jacob. At a time when Jacob was fearing the coming of his brother Esau...sending gifts to him to "appease him" and sending his family to safety, Jacob is alone at night. A "man" comes to him and they wrestle all night. At daybreak the "man" tells Jacob to let him go. Jacob refuses until the "man" blesses him. In response, the "man" changes Jacobs name to "Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed" (v. 28). Jacob named the place where this occurred, "Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered" (v 30).
This is such a fascinating story! I don't know all of the meaning that God has loaded into this event. I suspect that one lesson is about wrestling with God in prayer and persisting. Jesus certainly taught us this in Luke 11:5-13 and Luke 18:1-8. In Luke 18:7-8 Jesus says, "now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night...I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily..."
In Luke 11:8-10 Jesus teaches us to persist in prayer. He says to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking...and we will receive and find and see the door opened!
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