Jacob Wrestling (Discussion Questions)

Read Genesis 32:1-31

• Describe what's happening in this account about Jacob.
• Why is Jacob afraid of Esau?
• What does he send his brother?
• Why is Jacob's gift so large? Is it an appropriate size?
• Is this a good strategy for Jacob to use to reconcile with Esau?
• Does this strategy work today?
• After Jacob sends everyone across the Jabbok river, he stays on the other side alone. What happens?
• Who is Jacob wrestling with?
• Have you ever wrestled over decisions you've made?
• What was different about this encounter?
• What was his name changed to? Why?
• When Jacob felt he had seen God face-to-face, was it easier to see his brother?
• How often are we expected to see God in people we meet?
• When does Jacob get his relationship with Esau straightened out? [After he got his relationship with God right]
• Why is it important to have a good relationship with God?
• Who needed to be forgiven? [There are a lot of people in these stories who need forgiveness]
• Who forgave?
• Can you think of a time when you needed forgiveness or forgave someone?
• How did you feel when you were forgiven?
• How would you instruct someone to go about the act of forgiving?