Chapter 18—Jacob’s Terrible Night of Wrestling
This chapter is based on Genesis 32 and 33.
With many misgivings Jacob retraced the road he had trodden as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin in the deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin. He pondered over these things day and night, an 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. {EP 127.1}
The thought of Esau brought troubled foreboding. Esau might be moved to violence not only by revenge, but to secure undisturbed possession of the wealth he had long looked upon as his own. {EP 127.2}
Again the Lord granted Jacob a token of divine care; two hosts 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 at his flight from Canaan were to be the guardians of his return. And he said, “This is God’s host.” {EP 127.3}
Yet Jacob felt that he had something to do to secure his own safety. He therefore dispatched messengers with a conciliatory greeting to Esau. The servants were sent to “my lord Esau.” They were to refer to their master as “thy 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, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants.” {EP 127.4}
But no response was sent to the friendly message. It appeared certain that Esau was coming to seek revenge. Terror pervaded the camp. “Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.” His company, unarmed and defenseless, were wholly unprepared for a hostile encounter. He sent from his vast flocks 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 Thou hast showed unto Thy servant. Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.” {EP 128.1}
Jacob decided to spend the night in prayer, alone with God. God could soften the heart of Esau. In Him was the patriarch’s only hope. {EP 128.2}
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 that made life dear to him were exposed to danger and death. Bitter was the thought that his own sin had brought this peril upon the innocent. {EP 128.3}
Suddenly a strong hand was laid upon him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Not a word was spoken, but Jacob put forth all his strength and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While battling for his life, his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up to shut him out from God. {EP 128.4} But in his terrible extremity he remembered God’s promises. The struggle continued until near break of day, when the stranger placed his finger on Jacob’s thigh, and he was crippled instantly. The patriarch 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 keenest pain, but he would not loosen his hold. Penitent and broken, he clung to the Angel; “he wept, and made supplication,” pleading for a blessing. He must have the assurance that his sin was pardoned. The Angel urged, “Let Me go, for the day breaketh”; but Jacob answered, “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” His was the assurance of one who confesses his unworthiness yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God. {EP 128.5}
Jacob “had power over the Angel, and prevailed.” Hosea 12:4. This sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner’s plea. {EP 129.1}
Jacob’s Name Becomes “Israel”
The error that had led to Jacob’s sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud was now clearly set before him. He had not trusted God’s promises but had sought by his own efforts to bring about that which God would have accomplished in His own time and way. As an evidence that he had been forgiven, his name was changed to one that commemorated his victory. “Thy name,” said the Angel, “shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” {EP 129.2}
The crisis in his life was past. Doubt, perplexity, and remorse had embittered his existence, but now all was changed. Sweet was the peace of reconciliation with God. Jacob no longer feared to meet his brother. God could move the heart of Esau to accept his humiliation and repentance. {EP 129.3}
While Jacob was wrestling with the Angel, another heavenly messenger was sent to Esau. In a dream, Esau beheld his brother for twenty years an exile; he witnessed his grief at finding his mother dead; he saw him encompassed by the hosts of God. The God of his father was with him. {EP 129.4}
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 upon his staff, the patriarch went forward, pale and disabled from his recent conflict. He walked slowly and painfully, but his countenance was lighted up with joy and peace. {EP 130.1}
At sight of that crippled sufferer, “Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, ... and they wept.” Even the hearts of Esau’s rude soldiers were touched. They could not account for the change that had come over their captain. {EP 130.2}
In his night of anguish Jacob had been taught how vain is the help of man, how groundless is trust in human power. 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. {EP 130.3}
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: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jeremiah 30:5-7. {EP 130.4}
When Christ shall cease His work as mediator in man’s behalf, this time of trouble will begin. Then the case of every soul will have been decided, and there will be no atoning blood to cleanse from sin. The solemn announcement is made, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that 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 peril from the wicked. The righteous will cry to God day and night for deliverance. {EP 130.5}
Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin; he endeavored to force upon him a sense of his guilt in order to discourage him and break his hold on God. When Jacob made supplication with tears, the heavenly Messenger, in order to try his faith, also reminded him of his sin, and endeavored 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 fast the Angel, and with earnest, agonizing cries urged his petition until he prevailed. {EP 131.1}
The Final Struggle
Such will be the experience of God’s people in their final struggle with the powers of evil. God will test their faith, their perseverance, their confidence in His power. Satan will endeavor 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 plead 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 Thee go, except Thou bless me.” {EP 131.2}
Had not Jacob 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 bring them to remembrance. {EP 131.3}
All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan. The more exalted their profession and the more honorable the position which they hold, the more certain is the triumph of the great adversary. {EP 131.4}
Jacob’s history is an assurance that God will not cast off those who have been betrayed into sin, but have returned unto Him with true repentance. God taught His servant that divine grace alone could give him the blessing he craved. Thus 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 Saviour. None will ever perish while they do this. {EP 132.1}
Jacob’s experience testifies to the power of importunate 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 the favor of men. They are gained in the audience chamber with God, when earnest, agonizing faith lays hold upon the mighty arm of power. {EP 132.2}
All who will lay hold of God’s promises as did Jacob, and be as earnest and persevering as he, will succeed as he succeeded. {EP 132.3}