Jacob’s Terrible Night of Wrestling

This chapter is based on Genesis 32 and 33.  

With many misgivings Jacob retraced the road he had taken as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin of deceiving his father was always on his mind. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin. He thought about these things day and night, his accusing conscience making his journey very sad. As the hills of his native land appeared before him in the distance, all the past rose vividly before him. With the memory of his sin came also the promises of divine help and guidance. 1TC 120.2

He thought of Esau with dread. Esau might be spurred to violence not only by revenge, but to gain unchallenged possession of the wealth he had long looked upon as his own. 1TC 120.3

Again the Lord gave Jacob a sign of divine care; two camps, or armies, of heavenly angels advanced with his company, as if for their protection. Jacob remembered the vision at Bethel so long before, and his burdened heart grew lighter. The divine messengers who brought him hope and courage as he fled from Canaan were to be the guardians of his return. And he said, “This is God’s camp.” 1TC 121.1

Yet Jacob felt that he had something to do to secure his own safety. He therefore sent messengers to Esau with a greeting that he hoped his brother would receive with favor. The servants were sent to “my lord Esau.” They were to refer to their master as “your servant Jacob.” And to remove the fear that he was returning to claim the inheritance, Jacob was careful to state in his message, “I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants.” 1TC 121.2

But Esau sent no response to the friendly message. It appeared certain that Esau was coming to seek revenge. Terror swept the camp. “Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.” His company, unarmed and defenseless, were completely unprepared for a hostile encounter. From his vast flocks he sent generous presents to Esau, with a friendly message. He did all in his power to atone for the wrong to his brother and to avert the threatened danger. Then he pleaded for divine protection: “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant. ... Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.” 1TC 121.3

Jacob decided to spend the night in prayer, alone with God. God could soften the heart of Esau. In Him was Jacob’s only hope. 1TC 121.4

An Angel Wrestles With Jacob

It was a lonely, mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts, robbers, and murderers. Unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight. All who made life dear to him were exposed to danger and death. Bitter was the thought that his own sin had brought this peril on the innocent. 1TC 121.5

Suddenly a strong hand was laid on him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Neither spoke a word, but Jacob put forth all his strength and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While he battled for his life, his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up to shut him out from God. 1TC 122.1

But in his terrible extremity he remembered God’s promises. The struggle continued until near daybreak, when the stranger placed his finger on Jacob’s thigh, and he was crippled instantly. Jacob now knew that he had been in conflict with a heavenly messenger. This was why his almost superhuman effort had not gained the victory. It was Christ, “the angel of the covenant.” Jacob was now disabled and suffering the sharpest pain, but he would not loosen his hold. Repentant and broken, he clung to the Angel. “He wept, and sought favor from Him,” pleading for a blessing. He must have the assurance that his sin was pardoned. The Angel urged, “Let Me go, for the day breaks;” but Jacob answered, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” He had the assurance of one who confesses his unworthiness yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God. 1TC 122.2

Jacob “struggled with the Angel and prevailed” (Hosea 12:4). This sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He had fastened his trembling grasp on the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner’s plea. 1TC 122.3

Jacob’s Name Becomes “Israel”

Jacob now clearly saw the mistake that had led to his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud. He had not trusted God’s promises but had tried by his own efforts to bring about what God would have accomplished in His own time and way. As an evidence that he had been forgiven, his name was changed to one designed to keep alive the memory of his victory. “Your name,” said the Angel, “shall no longer be called Jacob [supplanter], but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 1TC 122.4

The crisis in his life was past. Doubt, perplexity, and remorse had made his existence bitter, but now all was changed. The peace of being reconciled to God was sweet. Jacob no longer was afraid to meet his brother—God could move the heart of Esau to accept his humiliation and repentance. 1TC 123.1

While Jacob was wrestling with the Angel, another heavenly messenger was sent to Esau. In a dream, Esau saw his brother, for twenty years an exile—he witnessed his grief at finding that his mother was dead, and he saw him surrounded by the hosts of God. The God of his father was with him. 1TC 123.2

The two companies at last approached each other, the desert chief leading his men of war, and Jacob with his wives and children followed by long lines of flocks and herds. Leaning on his staff, Jacob went forward, pale and disabled from his recent conflict. He walked slowly and painfully, but his face was lighted up with joy and peace. 1TC 123.3

At the sight of that crippled sufferer, “Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, ... and they wept.” Even the hearts of Esau’s rough soldiers were touched. They could not account for the change that had come over their captain. 1TC 123.4

In his night of anguish Jacob had been taught how useless human help is, how groundless trust in human power is. Helpless and unworthy, he pleaded God’s promise of mercy to the repentant sinner. That promise was his assurance that God would pardon and accept him. 1TC 123.5

The Future “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”

Jacob’s experience during that night of wrestling and anguish represents the trial through which the people of God must pass just before Christ’s second coming. “We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. ... Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:5-7). 1TC 123.6

When Christ ends His work as mediator in our behalf, this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every person will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin. The solemn announcement is made, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11). As Jacob was threatened with death by his angry brother, so the people of God will be in danger from the wicked. The righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance. 1TC 124.1

Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin. He tried to force on him a sense of his guilt in order to discourage him and break his hold on God. When Jacob prayed fervently with tears, the heavenly Messenger, in order to test his faith, also reminded him of his sin, and tried to escape from him. But Jacob had learned that God is merciful. As he reviewed his life, he was driven almost to despair, but he held tightly to the Angel, and with earnest, agonizing cries urged his request until he prevailed. 1TC 124.2

The Final Struggle

The experience of God’s people will be like this in their final struggle with the powers of evil. God will test their faith, their perseverance, their confidence in His power. Satan will try to terrify them with the thought that their sins have been too great to receive pardon. As they review their lives, their hopes will sink. But remembering God’s mercy and their own sincere repentance, they will cling to His promises. Their faith will not fail because their prayers are not immediately answered. The language of their souls will be, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” 1TC 124.3

If Jacob had not previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God could not have mercifully preserved his life. So in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But they will have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins will have been blotted out by the atoning blood of Christ, and they cannot remember them. 1TC 124.4

All who try to excuse or hide their sins and leave them on the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan. The more exalted their profession is and the more honorable the position that they hold, the more certain is the triumph of the great adversary. 1TC 125.1

Jacob’s history assures us that God will not cast off those who have been betrayed into sin but have returned to Him with true repentance. God taught His servant that divine grace alone could give him the blessing he craved. This is how it will be with those who live in the last days. In all our helpless unworthiness we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Savior. None will ever perish while they do this. 1TC 125.2

Jacob’s experience testifies to the power of persistent, urgent prayer. It is now that we are to learn this lesson of unyielding faith. The greatest victories are not those gained by talent, education, wealth, or human favor; they are gained in the audience chamber with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power. 1TC 125.3

All who will lay hold of God’s promises as Jacob did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. 1TC 125.4