Jacob, thus preserved by the secret providence of God, where nothing can be owned in him, yet blessing secretly secured, and preservation, returns to the land of promise.
Edom is to become the portion of the profane; still here, this profaneness of the flesh is the stronger as to flesh, and the flesh must be put down in Jacob, before he can be fully blessed—for, though on the borders, he is not yet come into the land, nor up to Bethel. It is quite a different account—there Jacob had had the instruction of God's interfering with Laban—here the Angels of God met him, and he recognizes God's host, still the thought of Esau possesses his mind—he had wronged him in manner—getting by fraud what he might have waited on God to secure to him; he did not wait on God—that was the great evil. Present after present goes to appease Esau, rather his own fears, for Esau's mind was quite turned, he had no evil intention against him. He cries, however, to God in his distress, alleging God's command for him to return; also he sends over his children and wives—he was alone—for God's mind was to take all this flesh into His own hand for correction. So our blessed God does—in another's hand it would be enmity—here it is love, and He who deals with it, strengthens withal the new man within. He does not leave Jacob with Esau in the fear of the flesh, but takes him alone to Himself; for the correction of the flesh. All this was in secret. The day-breaking was coming, and He was not revealing Himself, yet He shows the weakness of flesh in His hand—blesses, but refuses His name; but on the morrow Jacob passes on first, and without fear.
Here Jacob has prevailed with God, for faith and life were there, and has hence his name, but still with struggle and mark of what power had been there struggling with him, not in revelation; further it was struggling that he might be blessed, not in intercession, or peaceful, though reverent nearness as Abraham—that is rather the Church's place—still he was blessed there. But, I repeat, it was a struggle to be blessed himself—the Man wrestled with him—did not talk with him as one to whom He should reveal His mind, as to His friend, and go up when communing was done, then judgment of the world was the subject.