Genesis 32

In this instance, God chose to appear to Jacob as a man—even a man “limited” in physical strength. Yet the “man” disabled Jacob by merely touching his hip socket. Jacob must soon have realized that this was no man but rather an angel—indeed, God Himself¹⁰⁷—for when the angel tried to leave, Jacob held on to him, saying, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (verse 26). It is only God who can give a blessing such as Jacob asked for; Jacob knew that he had been struggling with God Himself.

27–29 Jacob had been struggling for blessings all his life, first with Esau, then with Laban. But he had been relying only on his own wits and schemes. Now that he was about to reenter the promised land, he needed to “struggle” with God, he needed to struggle for God’s blessings, he needed to learn to rely on God’s resources alone. He needed to know God in this most intimate way—as a fellow “wrestler.” And he needed to know that through faith and prayer he could overcome (verse 28)—that he could prevail with God. In this way God gave Jacob that final assurance that he would prevail, not only with Esau but also in all the struggles that lay ahead in the promised land.

In recognition of Jacob’s new status as a wrestler with God—a “prayer warrior”—God gave him a new name, Israel, which means “he struggles with God.” Not only did Jacob struggle with God, but in that struggle he overcame. And as proof of that, the angel blessed him there (verse 29).

Thus Jacob received his new name; and from this came the name of a new nation as well—the nation of Israel.

30–32 Jacob called that place Peniel, which means “face of God.” For he knew he had seen God face to face—and yet survived (verse 30). No human can actually see God and live; but many have seen an angel of God or “part” of God or a “form” of God, and have survived¹⁰⁸ (see Exodus 33:23; Numbers 12:8; Judges 6:22–23).

This account of Jacob’s struggle with God is not some fanciful tale. The struggle did not occur in a dream or vision; it was real, and it resulted in Jacob’s limping for the rest of his life. The struggle changed Jacob not only outwardly—in his walk—but also inwardly in his heart. That work in Jacob’s life which God had begun twenty years earlier at Bethel (Genesis 28:16–22) was now brought to a climax at Peniel (Philippians 1:6). Jacob had come to know God at Bethel, but now he knew Him “face to face.”

What is the difference? When Jacob started wrestling with the angel, he was resisting, he was defending himself, fighting for himself. Only when he became disabled and recognized he’d been wrestling with God did Jacob stop struggling and begin simply holding on. It was then that God overcame Jacob’s resistance, his self-will; and Jacob in turn was able to “overcome” God, to obtain His true blessing, and to know Him “face to face.”

If we too would hope to know God in this way, we must not try to approach Him on our own terms. We must allow Him to “disable” us, to “break” us. We cannot develop an intimate relationship with God without first being broken, without first allowing our self-will and self-centeredness to be made “lame” by God. Only then will we be able to gain God’s deepest blessings and to know Him “face to face.”¹⁰⁹