"Touched By An Angel"

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

Text: Genesis 32:24-32

Introduction-

Hebrews 13:2 tells us "Be not forgetful

to entertain strangers: for thereby some

have entertained angels unawares."

Most of us would probably be astounded

if we really knew how involved God’s angels

are in human events and human lives. You

have most likely watched at some time or

another the popular tv show of the same title

as my message for today, which shows angels

very much involved in human beings’ lives.

The Old Testament book of Genesis tells us

of one who was literally "touched by an angel."

His name was Jacob. That touch forever trans-

formed his life, and character, for when he was

"touched by an angel" he really had an encounter

with the living God.

In this message today, I would like for us

to investigate Jabob’s encounter with this Angel

of God.

I. First, JACOB WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL DURING A

TIME OF GREAT DISTRESS & CONFUSION

If you are familiar with Jabob’s life, you know

that he had been a scheemer and con-artist since

his birth. He had stolen his brother’s birth-

rites, and in Genesis 32 he is hot on Jacob’s

trail with 400 men with him. Jacob just knew

that his number had come up, and that he was

about to die. He was terrified. He divided his

family into two companies so that if one was

destroyed the other might survive. Genesis 24:10

reveals that Jacob was becoming more humble and

submissive to God’s will. He confessed that he

was not worthy of any of God’s blessings.

If we ever hope to encounter God, we need to

draw neigh to God, to humble ourselves, and cry

out to Him in sincerity and truth.

II.Secondly, JACOB WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL WHEN HE

WENT TO GOD IN PRAYER.

Genesis 32:9-12 tells us his prayer. He had

been humbled, and now he prayed for deliverance.

He knew that without God’s protection, his days

were numbered.

He asked God to be faithful to fulfill the pro-

mises that He had made to him earlier in his life.

He determined to try to appease his brother’s anger

by sending him some kind of gift. Genesis 32:13-20

tells us what he was sending him-30 milch camels

with their colts, forty kine, and ten bull, twenty

she asses, and ten foals.

III.Thirdly, JACOB WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL WHEN HE

WAS ALL ALONE.

Encounters with God have often come to men at such

a time. Either the servant of God had withdrawn

to some wilderness to meet with Him, or else the

servant was alone and discouraged and needing a

touch from God.

I pray better all by myself than in a crowd, and

most of us do. We open up more deeply and earnest-

ly with God, and pour out our hearts to Him.

Don’t think that when you are all "alone" that you

are really alone. As Charles Spurgeon once said,

He was "alone, yet not alone." God is with us

during those times, and like Jacob at Bethel, it

takes time for it to dawn on us that "God was in

that place, and we knew it not."

IV.Fourthly, JACOB WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, AND HE

HAD TO FIGHT A GREAT SPIRITUAL BATTLE.

He was desparately fighting for his life. I don’t

know how dark it was that night, but I imagine he

just knew it must be Esau who had ahold of him.

But, it wasn’t Esau. It was God.

The battle lasted on throughout the night until

the breaking of daylight. Jacob had ahold of God,

and didn’t even know it! Maybe some of you are

wrestling with Him right now, yet you don’t realize

what power it is that has hold of you.

V.Fifthly, JACOB WAS TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, AND WAS

NEVER THE SAME AGAIN.

The Angel touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh, and

Jacob’s thigh was thrown out of joint. Jacob would

walk with a limp the rest of his life because of

this encounter. He would never be the same again.

By this time he realizes this is a special someone

he is wrestling with, so he refuses to let the

Angel go until he blesses him. He wrestles until

he prevails. So must we.

His name was changed from Jacob(trickster) to

Israel(Prince with God).

His character was also changed. It was

greatly altered by this encounter with God, and

he would never be the same spiritually again

either. He had seen God face to face.

Conclusion-What we need today in our lives is

to be touched by an Angel, as Jacob was. The

Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ,

wants to touch our lives, and transform our

hearts. He wants to be Lord of all in us, and