The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Genesis 32:1-2,
“Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is the camp of God!’ So he named that place Mahanaim.”
The name “Mahanaim” means two camps. As Joseph leaves Laban following their confrontation over Jacob’s deceitful flight from Laban and the oath they took not to harm one another, Jacob encounters this camp of angels. We are not told how many angels there were, just that there was an encampment of them. What were they doing there? Was their primary mission to meet Jacob as he was facing an encounter with his brother Esau, whose ire he also raised through deceit? Or were they about some other business and took the opportunity to meet with Jacob? The details are pretty sketchy.
My assumption is that if it were important for us to know further details of this encampment of angels more detail would be provided. But, as in other passages, it raises my interest and curiosity. Were the angels of Mahanaim there on business or pleasure? Was Jacob their primary assignment if business was what brought them there? Did they break camp after their encounter with Jacob or did they remain for other purposes? These seem like silly questions but the answers might help me with something I know little about: encountering angels. I sometimes wonder if maybe I might have had an encounter with an angel. In Hebrews 13:2 we read, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” From this I suspect some of us very well may have had angelic encounters. From the verse in Hebrews it makes it sound as though they make look like any of us and go undetected.
Whatever the answers are to these questions there are a few things I do know. God is very engaged and active on earth. He sends his angels to do his bidding and they have been encountered from time to time. Any of us might possibly have had encounters with them. It leaves me astonished at a whole reality that I am quite certain surrounds us and in which we live our lives largely unaware of.
God is in this place and sends his angels to do his bidding.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
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