Devotion 32

DEVOTION 32: “The Mark of God” coming out of Gen. 32

What is your name? I ask this because as Jacob, he walked straight and upright, but in fear. However, as Israel, he walked funny with a limp, but in power. So I ask what is your name?

Let’s read:

Genesis 32:1-3 “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. [2] And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. [3] And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.”

In fear, he sends messengers to his brother Esau. 

Sin will put you in fear. He remembers the scheme against his brother about two decades before. Sin will never leave our conscience until we bring it to be washed by the Blood of the Lamb. 

We continue our reading:

Genesis 32:4-7 “And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: [5] And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. [6] And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. [7] Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;”

Most fear and distress is out of sin. In sin, Adam was hiding from God.

Genesis 3:9-10 “And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

The remedy for sin is not to run from God, but to run to God for cleansing. 

We continue our reading:

Genesis 32:8-11 “And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape. [9] And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: [10] I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. [11] Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.”

Jacob lined himself up with the Word of God in prayer. If he takes his eyes off Esau and unto God; that will be his remedy, and that is our remedy.

We continue our reading:

Genesis 32:12-24 “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. [13] And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; [14] Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, [15] Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. [16] And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. [17] And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? [18] Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. [19] And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. [20] And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me. [21] So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. [22] And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. [23] And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. [24] And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

His prayer was answered in wrestling. We expect prayers to be answered in comfort. Until God can wrestle us down, we remain in our stubbornness, but underneath all that is fear. 

We continue our reading:

Genesis 32:25-31 “And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. [26] And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. [27] And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. [28] And he said, 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. [29] And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. [30] And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. [31] And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.”

He walked funny but in power. He now has a new name. He is marked by God.

When He marks you, your walk and your talk will be different. 

Today, He marks us by the Holy Spirit Baptism. The Holy Spirit Baptism makes you walk and talk funny but it is the Power of God. 

We conclude our reading:

Genesis 32:32 “Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.”

The Marks of God.

Let the Word of God bring you into the Will and Mark of God. Believe and confess Christ as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. The Mark of God today is the descending Holy Spirit, in Christ!

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