#DailyDevotion God Has Mercy On Us In The Face Of Jesus
Genesis 32:29-32 29“Please tell me Your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you ask for My name?” He asked. And He blessed Jacob there. 30Jacob called the place Peniel [Face of God],” saying, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life was saved.” 31The sun rose on him as he passed Penuel, and he limped on account of his hip. 32To this day the Israelites don’t eat the muscle in the thigh at the hip joint, because He struck Jacob’s hip joint at the muscle of the thigh.
Why did Jacob want to know the person’s name? As he is asking for a blessing from him we know Jacob perceived it was perhaps a divine being who could bless him. He may have perceived it was God. In asking for his name maybe he thought he could gain some control over him. It is a common thought. The LORD had appeared to him in a dream when he first made his journey to Laban. Jacob had some idea of the LORD. Well the person does not tell Jacob his name. He does however bless Jacob as asked after or during this discussion but he does it there.
With receiving the name of Israel, Jacob completes his lesson of conniving with God and men. He wrestled from God a blessing of a new name which shows he has overcome his past and his present and is given a new future having received a blessing from God. Hosea prophecies in chapter 12, “3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and when he was a strong man he fought with God. 4When he fought with the Angel, he won, weeping and pleading with Him.” The Angel is is the Angel of the LORD, who is often the physical manifestation of Yahweh to his people. He is the pre-incarnate Jesus, the Word of God.
Jacob understands that he had fought with God and seen God face to face. He recognizes the great grace he was given because his life was spared. The Angel of the LORD though manifest himself to God’s people in a manner of grace. Moses spoke to him as a friend, face-to-face. He appeared in grace to Manoah and his wife. In both these instances where they thought they would die the LORD was gracious to them and spared them.
Paul writes in 2 Cor. 4:6, “You see, we don’t preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as the Lord, and we are your servants for Jesus’ sake. God, Who said: “Let light shine out of the dark,” has shone in our hearts to bring you the light of knowing God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” The face of Jesus Christ is his work and his promise of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life. God’s glory is Jesus Christ crucified, the LORD of Glory and the Author of Life, as our atoning sacrifice. It is in Jesus we find the mercy of God as did Jacob, Abraham and Manoah. We see it in the blind men who continually cried out to him and to Syrophoenician woman who would not let him go until heard her prayer for her demon possessed daughter.
Jesus revealed himself and the Father’s heart so we would not be terrified of them but look to them for mercy, to do for us what we need in our lives, not only for eternal goods but also for the needs of our daily life. We need not fear of continually wrestling with God for a blessing in Jesus’ name. It is what he wants of us, to trust him for every good.
Heavenly Father, give us faith like Jacob and all who followed his faith that we may always look upon the face of Jesus and seek your mercy and all good things for this life and the world to come. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.