Persevering, Prevailing Prayer

Prevailing prayer must often be learned in the school of discipline and suffering. The lives of such men as Elijah, Moses, and Jacob teach us how men prevailed with God an­ciently. The book of Genesis takes us back, far back to where, outside of the Scripture record, we have only traditional history, and gives us glimpses of noble men like Enoch, who "walked with God," and Abra­ham, who was called "the friend of God,"—men who prevailed in prayer. The biography of Jacob, though brief, pictures him as a man of strong will, deep sagacity, determined pur­pose, and shrewd cunning. The glimpses of his life which are given us make him very human and much like what we know of men today, yet they tell how Jacob prevailed in prayer.

One of Jacob's most touching experiences is suggested in the words, "Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." Gen. 32:24. The events with which this scripture is connected may be told briefly, though they occupied a long series of years in the life of Jacob, which had been filled with many troubles. In his early life he had bought the birthright of his brother Esau for a supper of pottage; later he deceived his old, blind father, stealing the blessing which Isaac had intended for Esau. Because he feared the jealous wrath of his brother, who threatened his life for his misdeeds, and influ­enced by the advice of his parents, Jacob fled to the home of his mother's brother, Laban, in Padan-aram, and there served for twenty years.

He had troubles with Laban about his mar­riages and wages, and finally, under specific direction from the Lord, left Laban's service with large possessions of cattle, sheep, and other live stock which Laban's family did not feel were rightfully Jacob's. As Jacob jour­neyed homeward, he sent messengers to Esau in Edom, telling him of his return and of his peaceful intentions. The messengers returned with the word that Esau was on his way to meet Jacob, accompanied by four hundred armed men.

Such a foray could have only one meaning, —revenge. Esau was angry, For twenty years he had awaited Jacob's return, with increasing rage for the wrongs he had suffered at his brother's hand. Now he proposed to settle his wrongs by destroying Jacob. No wonder "Ja­cob was greatly afraid and distressed."

This occasion marked a crisis in the life of Jacob, a crisis that changed his life for the better. He had no human being with whom he could consult; he was far from a permanent abiding place; he was traveling by stages and camping; his flocks and herds were grazing by the way; he was hoping, in time, to reach his aged father. His entire family were with him; his eleven children were young, none of them perhaps capable of comprehending the threat­ening danger or of counseling methods of safety. Jacob must rely upon the loyalty of his few helpers, who were either slaves or hirelings.

As night drew on, having arranged and sent forward a rich present for Esau, hoping thus to appease his wrath, Jacob divided his un­armed company into two bands, so if one was taken, the other might escape, and sent them on across the river Jabbok. Then, having done all he could to save his family from de­struction, he remained behind to pray. Jacob acted wisely. He could not meet force with force. His only hope was to conciliate his brother's wrath. He must meet his brother, not in war, but in peace. As there was no human being who could help him, after having done everything he knew to appease the wrath of Esau, he turned to God for forgiveness and deliverance.

Jacob had known the Lord in other days. On his way to Padan-aram he had had a vision in the night, and the promise to Abraham had been confirmed to him, that he and his seed should possess the land. But that was long years before. Later experiences had come to him. Prosperity, the counsel of Heaven for him to return to his father, fleeing from Laban, even the warning from the Lord toy Laban by dream not to harm Jacob, had all been evi­dences of God's care for him. Now Jacob had come to a crisis in his life beyond his control: he was wholly dependent on God for deliver­ance.

It must have been a night of great concern to Jacob, as to whether he would find help or be destroyed. Across the stream he had sent all that was dear to him—Leah and his beau­tiful, beloved Rachel; all his children; all his earthly goods. The burden for his whole fam­ily must have lain on his heart that night with a deepening conviction that only God could help him. Then, too, he had lived a selfish life. He had bettered himself by cunning. Esau and the birthright episode; the stolen blessing; his dealings with Laban,—all the past came as a thick cloud, hiding the presence of God from him. His sins must have rested heavily upon his heart that night, driving him to confession and earnest prayer.

Will God hear Jacob's cry for help? Will deliverance come? In God he puts his trust. There is no other scene in the Bible, save Geth­semane, like this of Jacob's wrestling. No words record his prayer. We are left to im­agine the scene. A stranger comes, as Jacob supposes, for mortal combat. Jacob's very life is now at stake. Who is this mortal foe? Whence did he come? It is now life or death. They wrestle for hours in the darkness. Oh, what a struggle! What agony Jacob passes through! They wrestle till the dawn appears. Someone has put these words in Jacob's mouth on this occasion:

"Come, O thou Traveler unknown,

Whom still I hold, but cannot see;

My company before is gone,

And I am left alone with Thee;

With Thee all night I mean to stay,

And wrestle till the break of day.

"I need not tell Thee who I am;

My sin and misery declare;

Thyself hest called me by my name,

Look on Thy hands, and read it there:

But who, I ask 'Thee, who art Thou?

Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.

"In vain Thou strugglest to get free;

I never will unloose my hold ;

Art Thou the Man that died for me?

The secret of Thy love unfold; 

Wrestling, I will not let Thee go, 

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know."

Jacob had not known with whom he was wrestling: but he supposed his life was at stake, and in this struggle he saw the loss of all he possessed unless he won. If he failed to conquer his unknown antagonist, he was ruined. His family must die or be made slaves. His flocks and herds were lost. As they continued to wrestle, the unseen Combat­ant touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, and Jacob was lamed from that touch, suffering perhaps as much pain as we would with our thigh out of joint. Still Jacob held to the Angel, demanding His blessing. He could not stand on his feet. Jacob fell to the earth, but he would not release his hold. "Let Me go," said the Angel, "for the day breaketh." But Jacob said, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Then came to Jacob the conscious­ness of forgiveness and a great peace. Though crippled for life, Jacob had prevailed, and the Angel blessed him, and changed Jacob's name to Israel—a prince; for he had wrestled with the Lord and prevailed.

It was the persistency of the patriarch that brought the blessing. He won by persever­ance. Had he ceased struggling at any point before the blessing came, Jacob would have lost. The blessing came by holding on in prayer and refusing to let the Angel go. We are told that many prayers are not answered because "we let go of the arm of the Lord too soon." Most men who have won out in their ministry have learned the strength and com­fort that come through prevailing prayer. Ja­cob and Moses and Elijah and Christ knew God, and gained the victory through prayer.

We need this experience.                               

I. H. E.