Jacob's Victory

The Biblical story of Jacob’s trouble clearly lays out the essential steps that all must experience to be an overcomer and gain the victory with God. Victory over sin, fear, guilt, and the ways of the flesh. These steps characterised not only Jacob’s experience but also the experiences of many other Biblical figures. They also have a prophetic application in the lives of all true believers today, especially the final generation preparing to meet God face to face. It’s my prayer that all who read and study this will find the principles emphasised here very practical and applicable to their own personal experience with God.

Jacob prepares to meet Esau

Genesis 32:3-8
[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.

"It appeared certain that he [Esau] was coming to seek revenge. Terror pervaded the camp. "Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed." He could not go back, and he feared to advance. His company, unarmed and defenseless, were wholly unprepared for a hostile encounter. He accordingly divided them into two bands, so that if one should be attacked, the other might have an opportunity to escape." PP 196.1

“Though Jacob had left Padan-aram in obedience to the divine direction, it was not without many misgivings that he retraced the road which he had trodden as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin in the deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin, and he pondered over these things day and night, the reproaches of an accusing conscience making his journey very sad. As the hills of his native land appeared before him in the distance, the heart of the patriarch was deeply moved. All the past rose vividly before him. With the memory of his sin came also the thought of God's favor toward him, and the promises of divine help and guidance.” PP 195.1

It was the memory of his past sins the fuelled and intensified the fear and distress Jacob felt. Where could he turn for deliverance from the anticipated hostile encounter with his elder brother?

Genesis 32:9-12
[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.

Our attitude toward God in prayer should be like Jacob, “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.” He claimed the promises of God, that He would do good to him and multiply his seed, and acknowledged that it was God who told him to return to Esau. We can claim help and deliverance from God not because of anything we have done but only through the infinite love and mercy of God for us. Jacob acknowledges that all his possessions (which make him vulnerable to attacks) are from the direct blessing of God prospering him.

Genesis 32:1-2
[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.

In preparation for his encounter with Esau God gave Jacob ample evidence of His loving care and protection on which to rest his faith.

Genesis 31:20-26,29,42
[20]And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
[21]So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
[22]And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
[23]And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
[24]And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
[25]Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
[26]And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
[29]It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
[42][Jacob said]Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Directly before Jacob’s fear of meeting Esau, he was pursued by Laban who said, “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt.” Jacob was delivered from Laban's intention of harm by the direct intervention of God through a dream. This fresh experience of God's protection should have strengthened Jacob's faith in a similar deliverance from Esau.

“Yet Jacob felt that he had something to do to secure his own safety.” PP 195.4

Jacob did not stop at resting in the promises of God. He went a step further, adding his own works to ensure safety.

Genesis 32:13-21
[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.

Jacob's decision to seek to appease Esau was prompted by fear. It was a futile attempt to deliver himself instead of trusting in God for deliverance. What would it take for Jacob to entirely trust God for his safety and deliverance?

Jacob’s encounter with God

Genesis 32:22-24
[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.

This encounter was a further manifestation of Jacob's carnal ways prompted by fear. It manifested the true fruit of Jacob's fearful spirit. He was acting out of fear and the spirit of self-preservation. He knew he was no match for Esau and his 400 men so he simply braced himself for being attacked by dividing into two bands. But when met with only one man (likely assumed to be one of Esau's men) alone in the dark the same spirit of self-preservation caused Jacob to fight because he judged that he had a chance of prevailing. The same spirit controlled him from the start although it was not fully manifested earlier.

“Solitary and unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight. All that made life dear to him were at a distance, exposed to danger and death. Bitterest of all was the thought that it was his own sin which had brought this peril upon the innocent. With earnest cries and tears he made his prayer before God. Suddenly a strong hand was laid upon him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life, and he endeavored to wrest himself from the grasp of his assailant. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Not a word was spoken, but Jacob put forth all his strength, and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While he was thus battling for his life, the sense of his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up before him, to shut him out from God. But in his terrible extremity he remembered God's promises, and his whole heart went out in entreaty for His mercy.” PP 196.3

Could it be that the man Jacob wrestled with came not to fight but to comfort and encourage him? Because “he thought that an enemy was seeking his life” Jacob began fighting for his life with the man. The carnal heart teaches us to either fight (use violence/self-preservation) or appease the opposition to gain victory. Either of these responses come from the root cause of fear. But this is a counterfeit victory which never ends in lasting peace.

Genesis 32:25
[25]And when he [Jacob] saw that he prevailed not against him [the man], he [the man] touched the hollow of his [Jacob's] thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he [Jacob] wrestled with him.

It was at this point in the struggle that Jacob understood two things. Firstly, he knew he was utterly helpless and could not overcome by his own strength. And secondly, it was no ordinary man whom he was wrestling with. It was Christ himself.

“The patriarch now discerned the character of his antagonist. He knew that he had been in conflict with a heavenly messenger, and this was why his almost superhuman effort had not gained the victory. It was Christ, "the Angel of the covenant," who had revealed Himself to Jacob.” PP 196.3

This twofold realization prepared Jacob to receive the true victory which can only be experienced by those who by faith humbly ask for it. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

Genesis 32:26
[26]And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

“His determination grew stronger, his faith more earnest and persevering, until the very last. The Angel tried to release Himself; He urged, "Let Me go, for the day breaketh;" but Jacob answered, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Had this been a boastful, presumptuous confidence, Jacob would have been instantly destroyed; but his was the assurance of one who confesses his own unworthiness, yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God.” PP 196.3

“It was by self-surrender and confiding faith that Jacob gained what he had failed to gain by conflict in his own strength.” PP 202.4

Hosea 12:3-6
[3]He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
[4]Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
[5]Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
[6]Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

Jacob struggled to overcome (prevail) his whole life; even before birth he took hold of Esau's heel. But when “he had power over the angel [Christ]” and overcame it was a different kind of strength. He overcame, not by wrestling and violence, but by weeping and supplication.

Genesis 32:27-29
[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.

The name Jacob means supplanter (Genesis 27:26). By confessing that his name is Jacob he was acknowledging his true character and his sin. Jacob was now an overcomer. He no longer needed violence and appeasement to protect himself. He no longer needed to live in constant fear and unbelief. When Jacob prevailed with God by asking in humble faith (the experience of true victory) there was an entire paradigm shift, a change of worldview. This experience enabled him to have a heavenly minded approach to life’s challenges. Christ gave Jacob a new name, Israel, to reflect his new character as an overcomer.

Genesis 32:31
[31]And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

The physical infirmity that was a weakness to his old nature was a sign of strength to the new man, Israel, as he advanced to meet Esau. It was a reminder that God alone was his strength and safety.

“While Jacob was wrestling with the Angel, another heavenly messenger was sent to Esau. In a dream, Esau beheld his brother for twenty years an exile from his father's house; he witnessed his grief at finding his mother dead; he saw him encompassed by the hosts of God. This dream was related by Esau to his soldiers, with the charge not to harm Jacob, for the God of his father was with him.” PP 198.2

As with Laban, Jacob was again delivered from Esau's intention of harm by the direct intervention of God through a dream.

Face to Face

Genesis 32:30
[30]And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

The experience of Jacob is relevant to us in the last days because those who go through the final crisis and witness the second coming of Christ will also need to see God face to face and live. We must go through a similar experience to Jacob if we hope to overcome as he did. Faith instead of fear must be the basis of our experience. Habakkuk 2:4. Violence and appeasement must be replaced with trust in God. Jacob's victory was characterized by:

-Journeying to a new location (returning home) in obedience to the command of God.
-A life-threatening circumstance from which it seems there is no escape (a temptation to fear).
-A burden of guilt for sins already repented of.
-A manifestation of the carnal nature in the use of violence and/or appeasement in an effort achieve self-preservation.
-An encounter with Christ (entered into with fear).
-An overwhelming sense of weakness and unworthiness.
-A confession of sin.
-A desperate request for blessing, claiming the promises of God's mercy, not any personal merit.
-A turning away from the ways of man to rely wholly on God.
-A spiritual deliverance first, followed by a physical deliverance.
-A change of character (new name).

This was the experience of Jacob (Genesis 32:30), Moses (Exodus 33:11), the nation of Israel (Numbers
14:14), Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15), Gideon (Judges 6:22), Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13), the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:20-21), Saul (Acts 9:3-6), and others; and this will be the experience of the 144,000 (Revelation 7:14;14:1).

Matthew 24:3,21
[3]And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
[21]For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Jeremiah 30:5-7,14,17,21
[5]For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
[6]Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
[7]Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
[14]...for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
[17]For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
[21]...and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

Ezekiel 20:35
[35]And I [the Lord GOD] will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

It is always alone in the wilderness that God meets with His people face to face.

The experience of Moses

Exodus 33:11,18
[11]And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...
[18]And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Moses communed with God face to face and even desired to behold more of His glory. How did Moses learn to speak with God face to face without fear?

Exodus 3:4-6
[4]And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
[5]And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
[6]Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

When Moses first saw God at the burning bush in the wilderness he was afraid and hid his face. In order to see God face to face without fear we must know and have an existing intimate relationship with Him. What were the significant steps in Moses' journey from fear to a longing desire to behold God's full glory?

Acts 7:23-29
[23]And when he [Moses] was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
[24]And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
[25]For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
[26]And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
[27]But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
[28]Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
[29]Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

At the burning bush Moses faced what seemed like an impossible and even life-threatening mission. He doubted whether he could be respected by either the Israelites or the Egyptian rulers. 40 years prior Moses had killed an Egyptian man in revenge because of the unjust oppression of the Israelites. Moses had fled from Egypt out of fear for his life, and now as he journeyed back he would be reminded of the sin he had committed there.

“Moses saw before him difficulties that seemed insurmountable. What proof could he give his people that God had indeed sent him?...Evidence that appealed to his own senses was now given.” PP 253.6

Exodus 4:1-9
[1]And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
[2]And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
[3]And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
[4]And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
[5]That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
[6]And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
[7]And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
[8]And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
[9]And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

God gave Moses three destructive signs (violence); the snake from the rod, the leprous hand, and the water to blood. Why were these life-threatening signs/tools given? Unbelief. The destructive signs which God gave Moses to use in the presence of Pharoah reflected the violent ways of Moses' own doubting heart.

Exodus 3:12
[12]And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

If Moses had obeyed in faith the only sign he would have needed was the word (promise) of God,
“Certainly I will be with thee;” and the appointment God made with him that he and the people of Israel would “serve [worship] God upon this mountain.” If God made an appointment to spend time with His people could He not arrange events to enable them to keep this appointment?

“Moses returned to his father-in-law and expressed his desire to visit his brethren in Egypt. Jethro's consent was given, with his blessing, "Go in peace." With his wife and children, Moses set forth on the journey. He had not dared to make known the object of his mission, lest they should not be allowed to accompany him. Before reaching Egypt, however, he himself thought it best for their own safety to send them back to the home in Midian.

“A secret dread of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, whose anger had been kindled against him forty years before, had rendered Moses still more reluctant to return to Egypt; but after he had set out to obey the divine command, the Lord revealed to him that his enemies were dead.” PP 255.3 - PP 255.4

Even after setting out on their journey in obedience to the Divine command Moses wavered in trusting God with the physical safety of his family.

Exodus 4:24-26
[24]And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
[25]Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
[26]So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

Like Jacob, Moses had a personal encounter with Christ and fought for his life because he thought the Heavenly Messenger sought to kill him. But when the point of despair came and he felt his great weakness, unlike Jacob, he did not cling to Christ seeking His blessing.

Moses realized that they had not circumcised their youngest son, which Moses considered to be the sin of neglecting a known duty. So instead of confessing their sin and claiming the promise of God's mercy, Zipporah circumcised their son in the hope of appeasing God and thus saving Moses life. This was a parallel experience to that of Jacob but Moses failed the test because unlike Jacob, he did not prevail (overcome) by faith. Circumcision was offered as an appeasement offering instead.

When would Moses have another opportunity to test the strength of his faith and be an overcomer? His next journey was when leading the Israelites out of Egypt after the tenth plague. They faced another life-threatening circumstance when they reached the Red Sea.

Hebrews 11:27-29
[27]By faith he [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
[28]Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
[29]By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Keeping the passover was an act of trust, obedience and allegiance to God in the face of imminent danger. Could it be that the experience of the Passover at the very start of this journey was where Moses overcame and learnt to trust God with the safety of himself and his family? It may have been a key factor in preparing Moses to lead the Israelites through the Red Sea.

Exodus 14:9-12
[9]But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
[10]And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
[11]And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
[12]Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

“The wonderful pillar of cloud had been followed as the signal of God to go forward; but now they questioned among themselves if it might not foreshadow some great calamity; for had it not led them on the wrong side of the mountain, into an impassable way? Thus the angel of God appeared to their deluded minds as the harbinger of disaster.” PP 284.2

The Israelite multitudes were afraid and perceived the Angel of God (Christ in the cloud) as the one seeking to destroy them.

Exodus 14:13-14
[13]And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
[14]The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

It was the faith of Moses that delivered no only himself but also the entire company of Israel. He had worked closely with God throughout the deliverance from Egypt and had learnt to trust God in a far deeper and more practical way than he had previously.

“Moses was greatly troubled that his people should manifest so little faith in God, notwithstanding they had repeatedly witnessed the manifestation of His power in their behalf. How could they charge upon him the dangers and difficulties of their situation, when he had followed the express command of God? True, there was no possibility of deliverance unless God Himself should interpose for their release; but having been brought into this position in obedience to the divine direction, Moses felt no fear of the consequences. His calm and assuring reply to the people was, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."” PP 284.1

Moses knew that he had followed the express command of God and he felt no fear. This is evidence of a character transformation in Moses. He was no longer the fearful, timid and doubting man who returned to Egypt in Exodus 4. Directly after the deliverance through the Red Sea Moses sung a song of victory in praise and gratitude to God. Exodus 15:1-19.

Exodus 15:2
[2]The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Revelation 15:2-4
[2]And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
[3]And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
[4]Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

There will be a class of people in the last days who experience the same victory that both Moses and Jacob had. This is also the same victory that Christ had. It is the experience of overcoming by faith.