May 18, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Genesis 32 – From Fear to Encounter: Jacob’s Wrestle with God and His Renaming as Israel

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Bible Text – Genesis 32 (KJV)

¹ And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

² And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

³ And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

⁴ And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

⁵ And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

⁶ And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

⁷ Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

⁸ And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

⁹ And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

¹⁰ I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

¹¹ 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.

¹² And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

¹³ And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

¹⁴ Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

¹⁵ Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

¹⁶ And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

¹⁷ And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

¹⁸ Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

¹⁹ And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

²⁰ And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

²¹ So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.

²² And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

²³ And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

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 hast thou 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.

 

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Introduction

Having been reconciled with Laban, Jacob now faces perhaps his greatest trial: meeting his brother Esau. Fear of revenge weighs heavily on him—after all, Jacob once deceived Esau. This chapter shows Jacob in deep inner turmoil, guided by divine messengers, strategic action, humble prayer, and a mysterious, life-changing encounter by night: wrestling with God. Jacob’s renaming to Israel marks a turning point in his spiritual journey and foreshadows the nation that will spring from him.

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Commentary

1. God’s Messengers and Preparation (vv. 1–3)
   Jacob meets God’s angels—as he did at Bethel—and names the place Mahanaim (“Two Camps”), hinting at both the angelic host and his divided family. This divine encounter fortifies him for the coming test.

2. News of Esau’s Approach—Fear and Strategy (vv. 4–9)
   Jacob sends humble messengers to Esau: “Your servant Jacob…” Their return report—that Esau approaches with 400 men—fills Jacob with dread. He wisely divides his household and flocks into two camps, hoping at least one will survive.

3. Jacob’s Humble Prayer (vv. 10–13)
   In earnest humility Jacob appeals to God:

   • He invokes God’s promise.

   • He confesses his unworthiness.

   • He pleads for rescue from Esau.

   • He recalls God’s pledge of blessing.
     This prayer reveals Jacob’s growing trust that real help comes from God, not just human planning.

4. Reconciliation by Gifts (vv. 14–21)
   Jacob assembles a lavish gift of herds for Esau, sending them ahead in separate droves. This is not bribery but a sincere effort at making amends, while still exercising caution.

5. Night at the Jabbok—Separation and Solitude (vv. 22–24)
   Jacob crosses his wives and children over the ford, then remains alone. This deliberate solitude sets the stage for a divine encounter.

6. The Wrestle with God (vv. 25–30)
   A mysterious “man”—God manifest—wrestles with Jacob till dawn. Jacob’s thigh is dislocated, yet he refuses to relent until he receives a blessing. God then renames him Israel, “He who struggles with God.” In this moment Jacob is transformed, learning that his deepest conflict is with God himself—and that perseverance, not strength, yields blessing.

7. A New Name—Israel (vv. 28–29)
   The new name defines Jacob’s identity and calling: a nation will bear the name Israel. No longer “supplanter,” Jacob now clings to God.

8. Peniel—“Face of God” (vv. 30–33)
   Jacob calls the place Peniel, “I have seen God face to face.” His limp and the dietary prohibition on the hip sinew forever commemorate this profound encounter: true strength emerges from sacred weakness.

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Summary

Genesis 32 finds Jacob on the brink of meeting Esau. Fear, strategy, and prayer precede a stunning nocturnal struggle with God Himself. Renamed Israel, Jacob emerges no longer as a crafty fugitive but as a blessed champion of God. His true adversary was not his brother but God—yet God meets him in the struggle, changes him, and grants him a new identity.

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Message for Today

• God meets us in our darkest nights. When fear grips us, God is often nearer than we think.

• Breakthrough comes in wrestling with God. Holding on, even when it hurts, defeats despair.

• Prayer matters more than plans. Jacob’s strategy was wise, but his deliverance began with humble prayer.

• Encounter changes us. We do not emerge from divine struggles unchanged—our limp can become a sign of grace.

• Weakness is no disgrace. Like Jacob, our scars can testify to God’s transforming power.

• God grants new identity. In Christ we receive names and destinies far beyond our past failures.

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May 11–17, 2025

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING

Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 4

“The Plan of Redemption”

Read online here

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Introduction

Chapter 4 of Patriarchs and Prophets, titled “The Plan of Redemption,” offers a profound glimpse into the heart of the Christian gospel. It portrays the cosmic significance of the Fall and God’s response through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. From heaven’s anguish over humanity’s sin to the unfolding of the rescue plan in Christ’s sacrifice, the text reveals the unfathomable depth of God’s love.

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Commentary

1. Heavenly Sorrow and Christ’s Compassion
   After the Fall, all heaven mourns. The Son of God is moved with pity. Though the Creator could have left humanity to death, His love seeks a way of salvation.
2. The “Counsel of Peace” and Christ’s Self-Sacrifice
   Redemption is decreed in an eternal, loving agreement between the Father and the Son. Christ volunteers Himself as the ransom—an act that fills the angels with both awe and sorrow.
3. The Role of the Angels in the Plan of Redemption
   The angels cannot bear the burden of atonement, but they are commissioned to minister to humanity, to accompany Christ in His humiliation, and to support the unfolding of the redemption plan.
4. The Universal Significance of Christ’s Sacrifice
   Christ’s offering matters not only for mankind but for the entire universe. It answers questions about God’s justice, the unchangeable nature of His law, and the character of Satan.
5. The First Promise in the Garden of Eden
   Genesis 3:15 is presented as the “gospel in seed form.” It promises victory over Satan through the “seed of the woman,” ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
6. Hope Despite Judgment
   Although humanity has fallen, hope remains. Through repentance and faith, people can be restored as children of God.
7. The Sacrificial Service as Symbol
   The offerings continually reminded Adam of human sinfulness and the need for an atoning sacrifice. His first sacrifice was both painful and instructive.
8. The Cosmic Dimension of Redemption
   The plan of salvation demonstrates God’s justice and mercy to all creation. It upholds God as righteous while exposing Satan as accuser and deceiver.
9. The Significance of the Immutable Law
   If God’s law were changeable, Christ’s death would have been unnecessary. Instead, His sacrifice confirms the eternal and just character of the law.

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Summary

The plan of redemption reveals God’s character—infinitely loving and perfectly just. Despite the depth of humanity’s fall, God offers restoration through Jesus Christ. Heaven, the universe, and humankind alike bear witness to the greatness of this plan, which was ordained before the foundation of the world.

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Application for Today

• God sees our condition but does not abandon us.
• His love goes so far that He Himself bears the punishment we deserve.
• Christ is our substitute, our mediator, and our Savior.
• Faith in Him opens the way to forgiveness, life, and a future with God.
• Every person today has the opportunity to become part of this redemption.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
— John 3:16