Genesis 32

Jacob met by angels (vs. 1-2)—There is no reason given why these angels came to Jacob; perhaps to comfort him after his stressful encounter with Laban. Jacob names the place “Mahanaim,” which means “two hosts,” or “two camps.”

Esau is on his way to meet Jacob (vs. 3-8)—The background here is not given. For some reason, Jacob sends messengers to Esau in the land of Seir, or Edom. That was far south of where Jacob was going; why bother? And then messengers come back, saying “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him" (v. 6). How did Esau know Jacob was coming? Well, again there is some information lacking, but the bottom line is, they were going to meet and Jacob, remembering how he had twice cheated Esau many years before, is afraid his brother is coming to do him harm.

Jacob’s prayer (vs. 9-12)—Jacob then prays a very humble, pleading prayer to God for protection against Esau. “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children,” (v. 11), and then reminds God of the promise He had made to Jacob—as if Jehovah would have forgotten (v. 12). Yet, God wants us to acknowledge His blessings and promises so Jacob’s prayer here was no doubt pleasing to Him.

Jacob sends Esau a gift (vs. 13-21)—With the stated idea of appeasing his brother (v. 20). It wasn’t an insubstantial gift, either: “two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals” (vs. 14-15). Jacob is obviously very concerned about this meeting.

Wrestling with God (vs. 24-33)—This is a significant event in the life of Jacob for the Lord gives him the additional name of “Israel” (v. 28). It appears that this represents a struggle of Jacob with his own faith: “for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed" (v. 28). It was a severe test for the patriarch, and all of us will face such tests in our lives as we journey on the road to our eternal destiny.  Jacob thinks he has seen God "face to face" (v. 30), but it was probably only an angel he skirmished with.  Hosea 12:4 reads, "he struggled with the Angel and prevailed."  It pays to be cautious when labeling heavenly beings.  Which ones are true manifestations of God and which ones are only angels is not always easy to determine.