Jacob is one of my least favorite characters in the Bible. His life was characterized by deception.
For example, he cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright, impersonated Esau and obtained his blessing from his father Isaac.
His dealing with Laban was one of mutual deception toward one another, with Jacob ultimately gaining the upper hand.
Even though Jacob is characterized by deceptive practices, he is a picture of God’s grace. God used this flawed individual to produce the nation that ultimately gave the world the Savior.
God’s Gracious Encounter
Charles Spurgeon’s book, All of Grace, aptly describes God’s interaction with Jacob. Despite Jacob’s history of deception, God graciously appeared to him, in this instance by angels.
Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him; when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called that place Mahanaim (Genesis 32:1-2).
After seeing the angels in either a vision, a dream, or face-to-face, Jacob names the place “God’s encampment.” This matches what he said earlier about it being God’s abode, or the gateway to heaven, in Genesis 28:17.
The angels encounter Jacob but say nothing. They are just there, and they are silent.
Meeting Esau
Jacob, who had been separated from Esau for over two decades, was apprehensive about their soon-to-take place meeting. Therefore, he sent out scouts to gather information and also sent gifts as a gesture of goodwill.
The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him” (Genesis 32:6).
Concerned for his own safety, Jacob devises a survival plan. He divides his group into two camps. If one group is overwhelmed, he thinks the other may survive.
Jacob has experienced God and angels but is still fearful of a meeting with Esau and his men.
Before being too hard on Jacob, I must realize that I met with God this morning in prayer. Like multitudes of other people today, I was granted the privilege of an audience with the Creator.
However, like Jacob, my meeting with God didn’t eliminate worry over the state of the world.
Jacob’s 911 Prayer
First, Jacob acts; then he prays.
The Bible’s honest portrayal of its heroes strengthens its authenticity. The Bible pictures Jacob, the patriarch of Israel, as manipulative, deceitful, and with a tendency to rely on his own abilities before seeking God.
This mirrors the human experience, highlighting how God’s grace extends to flawed individuals and works through them to fulfill His purposes.
Even though Jacob was certainly aware of his flaws, he believed God would hear his prayer. Here are four beliefs that bolstered his confidence:
(1) He starts by reminding God that He’s the God of his family, Abraham and Isaac.
(2) He points out that he’s just following God’s instructions to return home.
(3) He brings up God’s promise to bless him.
(4) Jacob humbly admits he doesn’t deserve God’s kindness, but begs God to keep being kind to him. Interestingly, he doesn’t say anything about not deserving Esau’s kindness.
And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’
I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children.
Yet you have said, ‘I will surely do you good and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number'” (Genesis 32:9-12).
Jacob’s School of Prayer
- Sinners Welcome: A woman hesitated as she approached the altar to receive Communion. The priest reassured her, saying, “Take it; it’s for sinners.”
This same principle applies to prayer. Despite our moral failings, God hears our prayers. Why do we pray? Because God accepts, uses, and loves sinners.
- Praying Promises: Just as Jacob was aware of God’s promises, we also should be well-versed in them and use them in our prayers.
This requires discernment, as we can’t simply apply any promise to our situation without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, when the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray a specific promise, we should absolutely do so.
- Definite Requests: The final lesson we can learn from Jacob’s prayer is the importance of praying with specificity. Jacob clearly articulated his needs to God.
We, too, should be bold enough to bring our needs before Him.
Even if we’re unsure about the best way to pray for something, we can trust that God will adjust how He answers, ensuring we receive what we truly need.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 