Jacob was wrestling against God again as he once did on the banks of the Jabbok on the border of Esau’s territory. But Jacob had learned his lesson then and the lesson of those earlier days had come back to him as he had to face up to these God-ordained necessities. Now I did not really look into it, but for some reason the name Israel and Jacob are interchanged in this story. There must be a significance to that, but I have not looked deep into that.
So here he was a man accepting what God had decided would be at this point and putting himself in faith into God’s hands.
Two names are significant in this place. First, Israel, which was Jacob's covenant name and second was God Almighty, to whom the chastened patriotic appeals. When Abram's name was changed to Abraham, the old name was never used again. The new name represented a profound and permanent growth in his character. It has been otherwise with Jacob however. His name was changed to Israel at Jabbok, but it is not long after this that his new or covenant name is used.
Usually he was thinking and operating much like the old Jacob had done. He was self-centered, self-serving, and complaining, however at this point in the story we see Jacob emerging as Israel once again—as a prince, or as one who has been conquered by God. In this character, he rightly appeals to the Sovereign God Almighty for the issue’s outcome.
