The Angel Blesses Jacob

Description of The Coloring Page: this angel is what scholars call an "angelophany." An angel in a human form. Some scholars say this story was actually about a "Christophany." A Christophany is an early, prefiguration of Christ in an angelic form. In other words, it was Jesus who actually wrestled with Jacob, not just any angel. This is because God wants us to struggle for our identity in Christ. Our identity is freely given through the blood atonement but some of us need to struggle for it, in order to appreciate the gift. 

       Even though Jacob was born before Christ came to earth, Jesus also died for those who waited in anticipation for him as well as those who have been born after his death and resurrection. (Romans 14:9)

• How were people saved before Jesus died for our sins?
• Jesus in the Old Testament 

The coloring page illustrates Genesis 32:22-32

²² During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. ²³ After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.

²⁴ This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. ²⁵ When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
²⁷ “What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
²⁸ “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
²⁹ “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
³⁰ Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” ³¹ The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. ³² (Even today the people of Israel don’t eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob’s hip.)

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document an enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.