Communion With God

Genesis 32. Here we see Jacob's confrontation and communion with God. Here is where we come to the second great spiritual crisis in Jacob's life. This place would be named Peniel (Gen.32:30). Bible students need to pay close attention to Jacob's two encounters with God. The first encounter took place at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-22). The second encounter took place here at Peniel. At Bethel he saw the ladder, while at Peniel he saw the Lord. At Bethel he became a believing man. Here he became a broken man. At Bethel he became a son of God. Here he became a saint of God. At Bethel, twenty years prior, he learned the great lesson of salvation. Here, at Peniel, he had to learn the equally great lesson of sanctification. God touched Jacob's heart at Bethel. At Peniel, He claimed his life. What happened at Bethel took care of his beliefs. What happened at Peniel took care of his behavior. Jacob came away from Bethel with a new spring in his step. He came away from Peniel with a lasting limp in his walk. At Bethel he died to sin. Here at Peniel, he died to self. And it's only when we die to self, that we'll see the face of God. That's what Peniel means literally: the 'Face of God'.

There was a time when Moses desired to see God's glory (Exodus 33:18). But God said to Moses, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20). What does that mean? It means if you see the face of God you will die. In other words, only dead men see God. But in our text today, it says that Jacob saw God face to face (Gen.32:30). How come Jacob didn't die? Oh but he did. He died to his 'self'. He died to his agenda. He knew first hand of what the Apostle Paul would write later: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me...." (Gal.2:20).

To see the face of God means to live in His manifest presence. Most Christians never live or walk in the manifest presence of God. Why? Because they will not die to self. They died to sin at Calvary (Bethel). But they refuse to die to self at Peniel. Are you a Christian? If so, then you died to sin at Calvary. All that is left for you to do is to sign off on your death certificate of your sin nature. In a word, it's called "surrender". It's a call for you to be a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1-2). When you finally die to self, you will then step into the manifest presence of God, because only dead men see God!