Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/204

172 our own prudence. "Help thyself, and God will help thee;" God answers our prayers by teaching us to order our affairs with discretion. To pacify Esau,

1. Jacob sent him a very noble present, not of jewels or fine garments, (he had them not,) but of cattle, to the number of 580 in all, v. 13..15. Now, (1.) It was an evidence of the great increase with which God had blessed Jacob, that he could spare such a number of cattle out of his stock. (2.) It was an evidence of his wisdom, that he would willingly part with some, to secure the rest; some men's covetousness loses them more than ever it got them, and by grudging a little expense, they expose themselves to great damage; skin for skin, and all that a man has, if he be a wise man, he will give for his life. (3.) It was a present that he thought would be acceptable to Esau, who had traded so much in hunting wild beasts, that, perhaps, he was but ill furnished with tame cattle with which to stock his new conquests. And we may suppose that the mixt colours of Jacob's cattle, ring-straked, speckled, and spotted, would please Esau's fancy. (4.) He promised himself that by this present he should gain Esau's favour; for a gift commonly prospers, which way soever it turns, (Prov. 17. 8.) and makes room for a man; (Prov. 18. 16.) nay, it pacifies anger and strong wrath, Prov. 21. 14. Note, [1.] We must not despair of reconciling ourselves even to those that have been most exasperated against us; we ought not to judge men unappeasable, till we have tried to appease them. [2.] Peace and love, though purchased dear, will prove a good bargain to the purchaser. Many a morose ill-natured man would have said, in Jacob's case, "Esau has vowed my death without cause, and he shall never be a farthing the better for me; I will see him far enough before I will send him a present:" but Jacob forgives and forgets.

2. He sent him a very humble message, which he ordered his servants to deliver in the best manner, v. 17, 18. They must call Esau their lord, and Jacob his servant; they must tell him the cattle they had was a small present which Jacob had sent him, as a specimen of his acquisitions while he was abroad. The cattle he sent, were to be disposed of in several droves, and the servants that attended each drove, were to deliver the same message, that the present might appear the more valuable, and his submission, so often repeated, might be the more likely to influence Esau. They must especially take care to tell him, that Jacob was coming after, (v. 18..20.) that he might not suspect he was fled through fear. Note, A friendly confidence in men's goodness may help to prevent the mischief designed us by their badness; if Jacob will seem not to be afraid of Esau, Esau, it may be hoped, will not be a terror to Jacob.

24. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26. And he said, let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince thou hast power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31. And as he passed over Penuel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, in the sinew that shrank.

We have here the remarkable story of Jacob's wrestling with the angel, and prevailing, which is referred to Hos. 12. 4. Very early in the morning, a great while before day, Jacob had helped his wives and his children over the river, and he desired to be private, and was left alone, that he might again more fully spread his cares and fears before God in prayer. Note, We ought to continue instant in prayer, always to pray, and not to faint: frequency and importunity in prayer prepare us for mercy. While Jacob was earnest in prayer, stirring up himself to take hold on God, an angel takes hold on him. Some think this was a created angel, the angel of his presence, (Isa. 63. 9.) one of those that always behold the face of our Father, and attend on the Shechinah, or the Divine Majesty, which probably Jacob had also in view. Others think it was Michael our Prince, the eternal Word, the Angel of the Covenant, who is indeed the Lord of the angels, who often appeared in a human shape, before he assumed the human nature for a perpetuity; whichsoever it was, we are sure God's name was in him, Exod. 23. 21. Observe,

I. How Jacob and this angel engaged, v. 24. It was a single combat, hand to hand, they had neither of them any seconds. Jacob was now full of care and fear about the interview he expected, next day, with his brother, and to aggravate the trial, God himself seemed to come forth against him as an enemy, to oppose his entrance into the land of promise, and to dispute the pass with him, not suffering him to follow his wives and children whom he had sent before. Note, Strong believers must expect divers temptations, and strong ones. We are told by the prophet, (Hos. 12. 4.) how Jacob wrestled; he wept and made supplication; prayers and tears were his weapons. It was not only a corporal, but a spiritual wrestling, by the vigorous actings of faith and holy desire; and thus all the spiritual seed of Jacob that pray, in praying, still wrestle with God.

II. What was the success of the engagement.

1. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, the angel prevailed not against him, (v. 25.) that is, this discouragement did not shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. It was not in his own strength that he wrestled, nor by his own strength that he prevails, but in and by strength derived from Heaven. That of Job illustrates this, (Job 23. 6.) Will he plead against me with his great power? No, (had the angel done so, Jacob had been crushed,) but he would put strength in me; and by that strength Jacob had power over the angel, Hos. 12. 4. Note, We cannot prevail with God, but in his own strength. It is his Spirit that intercedes in us, and helps our infirmities, Rom. 8. 26.

2. The angel put out Jacob's thigh, to show him what he could do, and that it was God he was wrestling with, for no man could disjoint his thigh with a touch. Some think that Jacob felt little or no pain