As the gifts were being delivered to Esau (32:21) out of fear for his life, Jacob lodges for the night and when he awoke from his sleep, he sent his family across the stream (32:22-23); however, before Jacob crossed the stream himself, “a Man wrestles with him until the breaking of the day” (32:24). When the Man “…saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him” (32:25). The Man battling against Jacob asked to be let go, but Jacob refused to quit until this Man blessed him (32:26). ”‘What is your name?’ the man asked. He replied, ‘Jacob.’ ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob,’ the Man told him. ‘From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won’” (32:27-28, NLT).
Jacob’s all-night wrestling match with an unknown attacker, whom Jacob later discovered was God (32:29), ended with his name being changed to “Israel” which was significant in this culture. Since a person’s name was tied to their character, the changing of a Jacob’s name also meant a change of character or direction for Jacob. The name, Jacob, means deceiver or heel grabber and indicated that he would spend much of his life manipulating and lying to get his own way. This was true of Jacob. Jacob’s new name meant “God fights” or “He struggles with God.” The name change was significant in two ways. First, Jacob overcoming God in this fight would give him confidence in his struggles with men. Secondly, his name would give the nation of Israel future confidence in their battles with opposing nations. Jacob was overwhelmed with God’s blessing upon him and the preservation of his life so he changed the name of the location where he fought with God to Peniel, meaning face of God (32:30). Jacob eventually emerged from the battle with God with a blessing from God, but he would carry a limp (32:31) with him for the rest of his life (see 32:25). His limp would be a constant reminder that overcoming does not lie in physical strength, but in his faith in God.
Dear God, increase my faith in You.
