The angel of Esau perceived by that time - the first dawning - that he could not overpower Jacob. He had looked for weaknesses throughout the match, but couldn't find any. But then he violently gripped Jacob's hip-socket, and dislocated it²³. 

The day of salvation had begun to dawn on Jacob, the light and might of Messiah was coming to his aid. Despite the injury Jacob, with supernatural strength, now literally held this angel of Esau prisoner. Although this “man” tried to free himself, Jacob would not let go of him.

Now the tone of Esau's angel changed. He no longer was Jacob's equal in strength. His power was bound up with the blackness of night, which was giving way to light. While Jacob was able to resist the angel even in darkness, the angel appeared to weaken in light.

The LIGHT OF TRUTH will always in the end defeat the NIGHT OF DECEPTION and lies. Esau's angel had met with his master.

Finally the “man” pleaded: "Let me go (lit. "send me"), for dawn has broken." How would light interfere with his mission - had this been indeed an angel of G-d? Since when does an angel of G-d shun the light? An angel of light welcomes light and does not flee it. An angel of G-d would certainly have prevailed. That this “man” did not prevail indicates someone other than an angel of G-d for he could not overcome the “elect champion” and “anointed prince” of G-d.

Now this “man” was in Jacob’s power (the power of evil can be overcome by the power of good or vice versa, but how would an angel of G-d be overpowered by a mere, albeit godly, human?), and Jacob saw his chance come --- the good fortune His G-d supplied to establish His chosen once and for all. He replied: "I will not let you go...," i.e. you are in MY power now. The situation is changed. You cannot outwrestle Jacob (ye'avek --- ya'akov) with your dark and brutish power. Although I did take hold of my brother's heel (akav) in our mother's womb, I did not overpower you with deceit (ik'vah), but in honest wrestling. And I proved the stronger, for G-d is with me. Therefore... "I will not let go of you unless YOU bless me."

For why would Jacob have insisted on a benevolent angel of G-d to bless him, seen that G-d already had promised that he would bless Jacob, the offspring of Abraham and Isaac? 

The blessing Jacob wanted from the angel is not the kind one would solicit from a righteous person. For who wants to get blessed by an evil one? Rather, as Rashi states, Jacob told the angel to acknowledge his right to the blessing which Isaac bestowed on him, but for which Esau contended. 

To accept this “man” having been an angel of G-d or even the Lord Himself is rather difficult, since this angel is anything but benevolent. Furthermore, in light of Jewish history Esau’s angel has continued to contend for the birthright, even until today. He is the one with whom the Jewish people have wrestled throughout every generation. 

Why would I wrestle with G-d for faith in G-d? 

It is the adversary who seeks to destroy my faith and hope, not G-d. But such a struggle may enter into the sphere of the divine. For this kind of warfare is not merely between one man with another for temporal matters, but for the eternal life of one's soul; whether one will spend eternity with God, or apart from God.

We may regard Jacob's struggle on a higher than ordinary level. The angel, still caught in Jacob's iron clasp, then asked a rather needless question: "What is your name?" Needless, because he knew the answer anyhow. Apparently he intended a pun on the Hebrew as the text reveals, his next words showing his intent: "No longer will it be SAID that your name is Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with the divine [with the ‘supernatural’] and with human and have overcome."

The angel did not say, "no longer shall your name be CALLED...," but "...no longer shall it be SAID.." The literal meaning of verse 28 is: “No longer shall it be said, gossiped and rumored of you that you are Ya’acov, the ‘heel-catcher’ and ‘supplanter’ of your brother. Your name shall be nothing other but [than] - ke eem - Israel.” I.e. “you shall be known henceforth only as, as nothing other than the prince, heir and champion with/of G-d.” 

The angel was not renaming Jacob as it has commonly been interpreted, but rather revealing to Jacob - in a pun on the Hebrew - what would be said of him in the future, and what G-d Himself would do later. Jacob in Hebrew is ya'akov - supplanter; to wrestle is ye'avek. Jacob wrestled in all honesty, in the power and light of his faith, without resorting to any trickery as was once his custom... Therefore his reputation as the tricky supplanter of his brother would give way to being known solely as a minister of, or prince before G-d: for in mighty, honest wrestling had he overcome every trial and adversity.

Samael, who guarded Esau and his rights, grudgingly confirmed to Jacob the blessing of the firstborn obtained from the father through deceit. Jacob was now formally and "lawfully" acknowledged as the TRUE heir to the father's blessing of inheritance. Deceit and supplanting of rights and inheritance were things of the past (practiced in our days by the enemies of Israel). Jacob was recognized by this “man” as the truly chosen of G-d, who prevailed over all his trials by his unshakable faith in G-d and His promises.

Of Ya'akov had become I’sra'el, a giant of faith, the fit patriarch of a people through whom G-d would channel the recreation of a new race of [A-dam] man, by means of His only begotten Son, Yeshua HaMashiach.

Without understanding who this patriarch was and who he became, and what his descendants are and will be, it is impossible to fully grasp what G-d is doing. For the children of this patriarch are Israelites, i.e., Champions of G-d,  Contenders for the Divine, conquering by strength from Above. It is not a vain saying of Yeshua that, "Salvation is of the Jews."

Through this people alone did G-d raise up Messiah; and through this people alone is He raising up a new race of man, a chosen race. G-d may have diminished the goodly olive-tree Israel in size and branches, but He never uprooted THAT tree to replace it with another. This would have undone His very plan of salvation and recreation. Rather, G-d set in motion a plan of redemption which cannot be altered by the enemy of G-d. Regardless of how many believe or fall by the wayside, G-d continues to pursue this plan because it, and the new world arising from it, is unshakable.

Likewise Jacob’s descendants prevail immovably until ALL has been accomplished. Israel's position as the chosen "people of G-d" remains secure²⁴, regardless of outward appearances to the contrary or the countless attacks against them. In G-d's plan they are the “womb,” the “incubator” through whom He is raising up that new, chosen race of man unshakable in faith, love, and loyalty to G-d. He founded that race of men on the Patriarchs, and raises them up through Messiah.

And Israel (Jacob) is the progenitor of THIS people!
 
 

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