Genesis 33
Notes
Transcript
Background
Last week we saw Jacob prepare to meet his brother Esau, and out of fear he separated all that he possessed into 2 companies. He also separated himself from his family, and while he was alone, he wrestled with a mysterious man who blessed him and renamed him Israel.
1 Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.
2 He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
In the last chapter, Jacob was terrified by his brother Esau, who was traveling towards him with 400 men.
11 “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.
To summarize, Jacob feared that Esau would kill him because he stole his birthright and blessing, and was sent away because Esau threatened to kill him after their father died.
This number of men could have easily been a small fighting force who would’ve done great damage to Jacob and all he owned.
Recall Abraham’s 318.
Though he knew that God was with him and protected him from Laban, he was still afraid of Esau.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear,
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
42 “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”
In the previous chapter, Jacob separated everything he owned, gathered together a large gift of animals that was sent forward with servants, and he sent his family ahead as well.
He put all that was his between him and Esau, to protect himself. He was willing to lose everything to preserve his life.
We see a change in Jacob after his encounter with the mysterious man in the last chapter.
Perhaps it had to do with the blessing he received.
28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.”
He still retained his humility towards Esau (recall last chapter), but now he boldly went before his family, so as to protect them from harm.
3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.
This is in a sense like Christ, reflecting His self-sacrifice.
11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
4 “When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
Jacob is now acting out of faith, trusting God with the outcome.
Let God fight our battles for us; our job is to trust Him.
Let God fight our battles for us; our job is to trust Him.
Notice though that he still puts his favored wife and child at the back of the procession.
He bows lowly to Esau as an act of subordination and respect.
4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
6 Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down.
7 Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down.
8 And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.”
10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably.
11 “Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.
This is one of the most beautiful interactions between family members in Scripture.
After 20 years of separation, Esau has apparently forgiven Jacob.
Though appearances portray armed conflict, Esau’s entourage wasn’t meant to harm Jacob.
God fought this battle for Jacob in Esau’s heart, and won his brother affection for him.
He refers to Jacob as “my brother,” even when Jacob insists on formal honorifics.
Esau runs ahead and embraces his brother.
This is quite reminiscent of Jesus’ story of the 2 sons.
20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
In a sense, Jacob was already dead to Esau for 20 years, and is now alive again.
Forgiveness is an important part of our faith.
21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 “And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
Then Esau asked Jacob about his family, whom he had follow behind him. He introduced from least to most favored by him.
Notice his language, and how they bowed before Esau just as Jacob did.
Esau then asks about the gift that was sent ahead.
Jacob meant for the gift to find favor with Esau.
Esau attempts to refuse the gift, which was a common cultural custom.
Jacob says that he sees Esau’s face as “the face of God.”
This is quite interesting considering the events of the last chapter.
30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”
This is not meant to be literal, but rather an understanding that our lives rest in the hands of God.
20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
39 “But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”
Jacob insists on his taking of his “blessing,” and Esau relents.
This is opposite of their first recorded interaction.
Notice the use of the word “blessing” - to whom is being blessed.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.”
13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds which are nursing are a care to me. And if they are driven hard one day, all the flocks will die.
14 “Please let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
15 Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17 Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
Esau now wants to travel with Jacob and escort him to his lands in Seir.
Seir was hill country east of where Isaac was settled.
This was certainly his way of showing Jacob hospitality.
He was also established while he knew that Jacob had no home in the land.
Jacob protested in a respectful way, reasoning that his pace must be slow for the sake of his children and flocks.
This was a legitimate concern, though notice how he says they will go to Seir.
Esau then wants to leave men with him as guards, but Jacob again protests the necessity of it, and Esau relents.
Jacob traveled on, not to Seir, but west to a place where he made booths, which is where the name Succoth comes from.
18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city.
19 He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money.
20 Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Jacob has now returned to the land he left 20 years ago, and arrived at the city of Shechem.
He had a vast number of animals and had to stay outside of the city.
He bought land from the Canaanites, the second time his ancestral line has done so.
Just as Abraham and Isaac did, Jacob built an altar to God, the God of Israel.
He recognizes his new name at this altar.
His spiritual maturity has now brought him full circle as he trusted God’s promise.
God will cause growth in our lives as He leads us in His plan.
God will cause growth in our lives as He leads us in His plan.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
God works in us, and we live accordingly.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Let God fight our battles for us; our job is to trust Him.
God will cause growth in our lives as He leads us in His plan.
Next week, we will continue with the story of Jacob.