- Scripture: Genesis 32:22–32
- The Anchor: “So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.’ The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.” – Genesis 32:30–31 (ESV)
Jacob took his family to move closer to Esau. That night, a man wrestled with Jacob until the break of day. The man touched Jacob’s hip socket and his hip was put out of joint. The man was probably winning at that point, so He told Jacob to let go because the day had broken, but Jacob insisted that he wouldn’t let go until the man blessed him. The man asked him what his name is, and he replied “Jacob”. The man changed his name to Israel. Jacob asks the man for His name, but the man doesn’t tell him His name. However, we know that the man is actually God. Jacob was blessed at that moment. Jacob remembered this place in two ways. Jacob named the place Peniel, where he saw God face to face. And he also permanently dislocated his hip.
The commentary I read brought up a very interesting point. The way to prevail is by letting God conquer you. It’s when you realize that you can’t win on your own. Jacob literally fought with God and realized that God prevailed, yet we fight other things. For us, it is important that we trust that God can overcome everything, and we need to submit ourselves to the ruling and will of God.
There is a new word to learn: Christophany. Christophany is where we see Jesus in the Old Testament as the “Angel of the Lord.” This is a pre-NT form of God, yet it is human. I also like how my commentary referred to Jesus’s humanity as “humanity added to divinity” rather than Jesus changing into a human. This passage is a Christophany because we see a human form of God.
Reflection
- You learned that the true way to prevail is by letting God conquer you when you realize you cannot win on your own. Is there a scenario at school or in your personal life where you are still trying to fight in your own strength instead of submitting to God’s will?
- Jacob left Peniel with a permanently dislocated hip to remember seeing God face to face. As you handle small groups, teacher emails, and music solo practices, how can you remind yourself to trust that God can overcome everything?
Prayer
Lord, teach me how to truly prevail by letting You conquer my self-reliance, because I know I cannot win on my own. Thank You for the reality of Jesus, whose humanity was added to His divinity to meet us. Help me to submit completely to Your ruling and Your perfect will today. Amen.