Peniel

Genesis 32:22-30
“The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him,
“Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [means “the face of God”], saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

When the Scriptures say “The same night” it was the night before he was to meet with his brother Esau who he had stolen the birthright from and
Jacob was worried that Esau would kill him since Esau had a large number of men with him. When Jacob wrestled with a “man” until the dawn (“breaking of the day”) he saw that Jacob was not going to give up. Jacob asked what this man’s name was but in the Jewish culture, when you asked for someone’s name, it was the same as saying you have preeminence or dominance over them and that is why the other man said “Why is it that you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob and Jacob’s name was then changed to Israel which in the Hebrew is “ Yisra’el” and means “God prevails” which God did when He wrestled with Jacob. This
may have been a preincarnate appearance of Christ. This may be why Jacob named the place “Peniel” which in Hebrew is “Pĕnuw’el” which
means “facing God.” Jacob faced God and didn’t give up. Do you wrestle to find the will of God? Many of us do. Do like Jacob did. Don’t give up, be
persistent. You might not see the face of God but you may find His will. If you stay in the Word of God and wrestle with it, you will find the revealed
will of God which can show you the specific will of God for your life which does not appear in Scriptures.