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Jacob’s Great Victory — Part 2
“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 … And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh” (Genesis 32:28-31).
From this moment, Jacob was never the same. Everyone who met him from that day on saw that his walk was different. So we too must learn, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). It must have seemed like a lost battle for Jacob. His thigh was out of joint, and he had to limp the rest of his life. But the Lord gave him the blessing he asked for. His name was changed to Israel, which means, “As a prince he prevailed with God.” As he passed over Penuel, the sun rose, and he knew that the Lord would never give up in seeking to bring him nearer to Himself. We too must learn that the life of a believer can only be lived in complete dependence on the Lord, and not in our strength. It was indeed a great victory for Jacob!
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