The angels of God met Jacob and he settled at Mahanaim. He sent 2 messengers to Esau to let him know he’s coming with 400 men. Jacob was afraid. He divided the people so if Esau attacked others could escape. He prayed, “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown your servant…Please deliver me from the hand of my brother.” He asked God to fulfill His covenant promise to make Jacob’s offspring too numerous to be counted. He gave presents to appease Esau. He sent everything and everyone across the Jabbok river and was alone that night. A man then wrestled with him until the breaking of the day, and when he saw that he didn’t prevail against Jacob, the man touched Jacob’s hip socket (32:24-25). Then the man said, “Let me go for the day has broken.” But Jacob said he wouldn’t unless he blessed him (32:26). Then the man renamed Jacob, Israel, “for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (32:27-28) (Israel means “He strives with God” or “God strives”) The man wouldn’t tell Jacob his name, and he blessed Jacob there, and Jacob called the place Peniel (which means “the face of God”) and said, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” (32:30) Then as he passed Penuel the sun rose upon him as he limped because of his hip. This is the reason that the people of Israel don’t eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because the man touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.
As the sun sets it appears that he has no hope, it’s as if the sun is setting on his life. This is a good illustration of how the Lord often works in our lives. He strips away everything we hold most dear, the idols of our hearts, and He shows us that He is most worthy of our affection and praise. In the face of fear and imminent danger we are humbled and we have no one to turn to for help, save Christ alone. Now, as the sun rises (vs. 31), as the day breaks, it appears that Jacob has hope, and that the sun is rising on a new dawn in Jacob’s striving with and for God. No longer is Jacob identified by his given name, but as Israel. No longer is he identified by his relationship to man, rather Yahweh. He persevered in grasping not after men and the things of this world, but by holding tight to his God in the midst of a “dark night of the soul”. God preserved His chosen people through Jacob.