Jacob's history is universnlly admitted. He wo.s now returning to the lond of Canann II man of mnture age, being in his ninety-seventh year, and of a singularly diversi- fied experience, both n11tural and spiritual. In his early life he had twice supplanted Esau by means of croft, depriving him of his birthright and blessing, and now he was on the eve of meeting that formidable brother whom he had wronged. That the prospective interview filled him with ulann is explicitly declared (eh. :x.xxii. 7); but it likewise drove him to take refuge in prayer, in which exercise it is scarcely doubt- ful he was engaged when his mysterious assailant approached. What then did this extraordinary combat signify in the spiritual consciousness of Jacob? Putting together those views which do JJot necessarily exclude one another, and which appear to contain an element of truth, it may be said thnt this remarkable experience through which the patriarch passed at Jabbok was designed to have a threefold bearing. 1. On his/ear of Esau. Apprehensive of his brother, he now learns th~t not Esau, but Jehovah, was his real adversary (Keil, Kurtz, Gerlach, Candlish), 111,<i that before he can ever hope to triumph over Esau he must first conquer God. 2. On his retention of the blessing. Having previously, 11s he thought, obtained the birthright and its accompanying blessing by means oE carnal policy anrl worldly stratagem, he now discovers that it cannot be received, or, if he renounced it in the act of homage done to Esau (Lange), cannot be recovered except directly fro1n th11 lips of God; and by means of earnest cries and entreaties (Keil)-a truth taught him, according to Kurtz, by the dislocation of his thigh, which caused him to discontinue his corporeal wreslling, and resort to prayers and tears. 3. On his personal chararter. Jacob during all his past career, from his birth, when he caught l,is brotl,er by the heel, to l1is last years in Haran, when he overreached the crafty and avaricious Laban, having been a person who sought to overcome by means of self-reliance ~nd personal effort, it was now designed to teach him that, as the heir of the covenant, the weapon;i of his warfare were not to be carnal, but spiritual, nnd that his advancement tu the place prede~tined for him of pre-eminence over his brethren was to be bronght about by earnest reliance upon God (Murphy),
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vcrs. 24-32.-" Peniel." "The .face of God." The patriarchal revelation ot its best. The main point, thl! persona[ wrestling of tho believer with the nngel of deliverance. Through that scene Jacob passed ns by a baptism (ford Jabbok) into the full enjoyment of confidence in Jehovah, into the theanthropic faith. A man wrestled with him. The faith of Jacob was now to be a faith resting not upon tradition alone, nor upon promises and commandments alone, nor upon post experi- ence alone, but upon a living, personal union with God. The wrestling was a type of that intimate fellowship which spiritually identifies the individual child of God with the Father through the man Christ Jesus. The pilgrim on his way is hence- forth the prince, having power with God and with men. It is a great lesson on pre- vailing prayer. 1. The prayer of faith. 2. The prayer of importunit;,J. 3. T!te prayer of intense desire. "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." Dless me for myself, bless me for my family, bless rne for the world. But Jacob was a type of the true Prince of Gori prevailing for his people. He wrestled, he wrestled alone, he wrestled to his own suffering nnd humiliation, although into victory. He obtained the blessing as the Mediator. Although the patriarch was not allowed to know the name of the angel, he was himself named by the angel. Although we cannot with nil our searching find out God, and even the revelation of Christ leaves much unknown, still we are "known of him.'' He gives us one name, and by that name we know him to be ours, which is the true eaving koowledge. Peniel, the face of God, is the name not of God himself, but of the blessed revelation of God. We know where we may find him. We may each one start afresh from our Peniel, where we have been blessed of God, and have through Christ prevailed against the dark- ness of the future and the helplessness of our own impotence. Nor must we forget that this wrestling was reconciliation-the reconciliation between man ancl God, pre- ~ding the reconciliation betll"een mon and man. The lameness of the p11triarch THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [cu. XXXIII. 1-20.