Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. I. Any attempt to make Jacob a hero, or even a good man, at the time of his deception of his father, must fail. At that time he represented the very lowest quality of manhood. We can call him a man only by courtesy; while Esau, a venturous and kind-hearted child of nature, stands up as a prince, uncrowned indeed, but only because a thief had robbed him of his crown. In the fact that God chose Jacob we find the germ of the redemptive idea at work. II. Jacob was not at once promoted to his high place. As a wanderer and a stranger, he underwent most humiliating discipline, and on this night his old and wretched past was replaced by a new name and a new hope. III. There must be such a night in every life — a night in which the sinful past shall go down for ever into the depths of unfathomable waters. The wrestling of Jacob was (1) long, (2) desperate, (3) successful. IV. The night of wrestling was followed by a morning of happy reconciliation with his brother. (J. Parker, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.WEB: Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. |
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