01-83 Jacob’s Fear
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Genesis 32:1-21
Genesis 32:1-21
The name Oliver Hazard Perry might not mean anything to you (but if in Navy or history buff). He has been called the “Hero of Lake Erie” for his leadership and courage during the War of 1812, and specifically the battle of Lake Erie in September 1813. The Battle of Lake Erie was a confrontation between the American and British forces for control over the Great Lakes region. Perry was appointed as the commander of the American naval forces stationed at Presque Isle (now Erie), Pennsylvania.
On that day of battle Perry's fleet fiercely engaged the British naval forces led by Captain Robert Barclay. Despite severe damage to his flagship (USS Lawrence), Perry refused to surrender and, in an inspiring act of bravery, transferred himself and his crew to the USS Niagara, rowing thru live gunfire.
With renew strength and determination, Perry led the courageous attack on the British line, forcing them to surrender which brought a decisive victory for the American forces. He sent his now famous message to General William Henry Harrison, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," became a rallying cry for the American people.
He was honored with the congressional gold medal. Towns have been named after him, counties, schools, streets and even several ships. For all his courage, he suffered what has been called a psychopathic fear of cows. He would cross over a muddy road in order to pass by a cow as far from it as possible.
Fear (as a very real emotion) causes people to take drastic action (fight or flight—how people often respond to fearful events). Fear can be crippling but it can also cause people to become quite innovative to reduce the perceived threat.
31 “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
Now Jacob is here in fear mode. He just made a covenant with Laban (also afraid of—Gen 31:31). He is returning to his homeland and as he moves toward it he understands that he must face his brother Esau, whom he had cheated out of the blessing. Esau threatened to take his life and so their mother admonished Jacob to go the Haran:
45 until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”
Jacob never did receive that word and it is highly probable that his mother has already died before he returns. Jacob knows what he did. His conscience is blaring—reminding him of how he had treated his brother. That’s what the conscience will do. In Jacob’s case, he is fearing the encounter with his brother Esau. And rightly so b/c he has never dealt with that past sin…not the sin against his father, not the sin against his brother, not the sin against the Almighty God. And he is terrified.
Let’s walk thru this passage and I want you to note 3 activities that compel Jacob to address the fear that results from his past sins.
1. The Preparation For Encountering Esau
1. The Preparation For Encountering Esau
1-8
Jacob had every reason to be encouraged as he returns home. It was clear that God has been faithful to His promise:
15 “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jacob and Laban had parted ways on friendly terms (though the threat of the Mizpah judgment loomed over Jacob if he mistreated his wives. He certainly had no intention of doing that so he felt like this was a victorious end with his father-in-law. The next encouragement has to do with the next visitation—vs 1-2.
A. The Spiritual Protection
A. The Spiritual Protection
“angels of God” (plural). The last time Jacob was on a lengthy journey the same appeared:
12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Moses tells us the angels “met” Jacob. The angels have taken the initiative (no doubt in obedience to Lord) and there is in the term a sense of unexpectedness here and like the previous account (Gen 28) these angels do not speak—but their presence would have been a strong encouragement to Jacob who is fearing the next chapter of his life. Angelology is a tremendously rich study as you search the Scriptures—for you see the extent of their activities especially in relation to God’s people.
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Some of the terms used of angels: sons of God, watchers, sons of the Mighty, holy ones, God’s host. They are not omnipotent but they are very powerful. They have great strength and speed and for that reason are able to swiftly carry out God’s purposes. We see them in Scripture breaking chains & bars (Acts 12:7,10), they are shown in Revelation (7:1; 14:18; 16:5) to have power over nature. The angles in Gen 19 afflict the men of Sodom with blindness and an angel of the Lord afflicts Herod with physical ill that result in his death (Acts 12:23). As Hebrews reveals, they are appointed by God to serve the saints.
This is what we see them doing with Jacob. And he understands that significance of this “this is God’s camp.” Earlier at Bethel when Jacob had his dream he said “this is none other than the house of God (28:17). Now, this place is God’s camp—often has a military context. Here the angels are not charged with attacking but as a defense surrounding Jacob. This would be a call to encourage Israel later on:
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Sometimes the hosts are with Him as is the case in our vv. So Jacob names this place “Mahanaim” (lit 2 camps). One camp is Jacob’s and the 2nd camp is not Laban’s or Esau’s but God’s camp—occupied by angels who are dispatched to deliver Jacob from both Laban and Esau.
B. The Sense to Pacify
B. The Sense to Pacify
3-5
Jacob, who is terrified of the prospect meeting his brother whom he had cheated. He has no idea what has happened with Esau over the last 20 years. But he is expecting the worst so he sends his own messengers in an attempt to pacify, or appease Esau’s anger. The gift (not a bribe) but a gift of restitution was offered—many animals and servants that would be Jacob’s attempt at reconciliation. That was his goal “that I may find favor” (vs 5).
Note Jacob’s humility here…”my lord” “your servant”. Mathews “Although Jacob’s message approaches his brother delicately, he does not forsake his claim to their father’s blessing.”
Jacob wanted to return and be at peace with Esau and he is ready to give a very large gift in order to pacify that anger Esau had 20 years earlier.
C. The Scheme to Prevail
C. The Scheme to Prevail
6-8
The messengers return with an ominous report that Esau is coming to meet him and he is bringing a substantial travelling party of 400 men (Nahum Sarna comments that this is the standard size of a militia at that time). Jacob’s mind goes into overdrive and I’m sure his heart sinks. He can’t know Esau’s intention but he assumes the worst. Moses tells us that he is “greatly afraid and distressed.” The Heb indicates that abundance of terror (a gripping fear) and the term distress lit means “to tie up or bind”-metaphorically it describes the intense inner turmoil, the personal anguish one encounters in adverse circumstances. We say a person’s stomach is tied up in knots. This is Jacob.
“They’re coming after me with hostile intentions.” So Jacob formulates a plan that will ensure his own survival—he divides his group into 2 companies. This is actually not a horrible plan b/c if Esau pursued one the other would escape. But here again, Jacob is leaning on his own understanding not realizing that if he was to prevail it is not b/c he divided his camp but b/c this is God’s camp and he trusts the Lord.
2. The Prayer For Divine Deliverance
2. The Prayer For Divine Deliverance
9-12
If Jacob has 1 or 2 shining moments in his life, this prayer is one of them. This is one of the great prayers recorded in the Bible and yet Jacob is a man of tremendously weak faith. You don’t have to be strong in the faith to pray powerfully. Those who have just come to faith, those who are young in their faith…prayer is a great weapon in spiritual warfare. The prayer itself reveals how profoundly rich Jacob’s understanding is about God’s ways and God’s character/nature. Prayer puts a proper focus into your mind/heart as it causes us to express our total dependency on the Almighty God.
I had a professor in seminary (Prayer class) who liked to describe this dependency and to make the point that God welcomes us to bring our most challenging burdens quickly to him. However, we often resist that and come to God “when all else fails.” My professor would become visibly bothered by that procrastination and he would slam his hand on the podium and say NO—Before all else fails, PRAY!” At least Jacob prays—and when he does, what a powerful prayer.
There are many parts (some say 5, 7)—let me break it down into 3:
God’s Covenant
God’s Covenant
9a,12
Jacob first of all acknowledges God’s covenant as he addresses the “God of my father…” This is the true, Creator God who has entered into a covenant with Abraham, and reiterated several times that God would graciously bless Abraham and his descendants, making him a great nation and blessing him and the entire world thru him. Jacob comes to God on the basis of that Abrahamic Covenant.
Today, believers approach the throne of God’s grace thru LJC on the basis of a better covenant (New Covenant) that was made when He shed His own blood at the cross.
God’s Command
God’s Command
9b
Jacob was ready to leave Padan-Aram and to get away from the harsh conditions of serving his father-in-law Laban. As he cries out to God he remembers that leaving was God’s idea first. It was the command of God that led Jacob away from Haran to return to his homeland. It was God who had placed that desire in his heart to begin with. And Jacob responds in obedience when he left.
Another application for God’s people, when God commands He also enables. Wiersbe “the will of God will never lead us where the power of God can’t protect us and provide for us.” This prayer remembers that.
God’s Care
God’s Care
10-11
Jacob confesses his lowliness “I am unworthy”. The term has the idea of being small/insignificant… lit “I am too small for all the lovingkindness…”
Those who had this same perspective:
David: 2 Sam 7:18
18 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
Peter
8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
Paul
9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Acknowledging your unworthiness only serves to magnify the grace of our Lord. We are unworthy of His love/mercy and faithfulness—and yet He showed as much to us. Jacob knows he has prospered b/c the Lord brought that about (having nothing but a staff, to the large camp he has now).
Here’s the request: Deliver me… The prayer was not only a prayer for physical deliverance of Jacob but would also carry thru to his sons, the nation of Israel, and ultimately to bring the blessing upon all humanity. God delivering Jacob would be one more step in guaranteeing that the Savior of the world would come from the tribe of Judah.
Prayer is an essential gift to every believer. Before all else fails—pray.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
3. The Presentation of Appeasing Animals
3. The Presentation of Appeasing Animals
13-21
Prayer didn’t have the immediate effect on Jacob’s heart of giving him peace. He remained restless and moved forward with the plan to appease Esau with a present of a large herd of animals.
14-15 describes the gift Jacob prepared—more than 550 animal. He then arranged them into 5 groups: goats, sheep, camels (with some calves), cattle and donkeys. Now, you want an idea of how prosperous Jacob was during those final 6 years when he worked Laban’s flocks…he is able to part with a substantial gift and does so with some of the most valuable in the herd (female and the young).
Jacob plans to inundate Esau with wave after wave of gifts. This would have a maximum impact where Esau would admire the animals and then the next group would arrive. He instructed his servants to say with each wave—vs 18.
220 goats arrived “he is behind us”
220 sheep and rams “he is behind us”
30 camels “he is behind us”
50 cows “he is behind us”
30 donkeys “he is behind us”
20 and you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob also is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”
Jacob was afraid of Esau’s wrath/anger. The term appease is a remarkable word that means “to cover.” Of course Jacob thought that Esau’s wrath would be covered with a bountiful gift. The Bible offers other examples of the removal of wrath/anger by a covering.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death, But a wise man will appease it.
The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50 3. Going to Meet Esau (32:14–22)
When Phinehas executed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman, he turned back God’s wrath from Israel (Num. 25:4, 11), and also “covered” (wayeḵappēr) the people of Israel (Num. 25:13).
This same word is used of the covering of the Ark of the Covenant which was taken into the most holy place in the temple. There, 1 day a year (yom kippur) the high priest would enter the holy of holies and sprinkle blood of a sacrificial goat on the mercy seat (the covering of the Ark of the Covenant). The cover stood between the tablets of stone (representing the broken Law of God) and the glory of the Lord above it. The sprinkling of the blood was the act of appeasing/satisfying the wrath of God against the people who had sinned.
John says:
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
There are 2 ways to appease, to satisfy, to propitiate God’s Wrath:
1) Through eternal hell as the sentence an unrepentant sinner will receive
2) Through the blood of Christ applied to those who trust Jesus for salvation.
Jacob’s gift was a way of propitiating, appeasing Esau’s anger.
Jacob thought: “Finally Esau would set his eyes on me, having admired all the animals and servants that I’ve given, and it would melt Esau’s heart, his anger would subside and we will reconcile”. At least this is what was in Jacob’s mind as he planned all this out.
Moses ends: vs 21.
Faith is about living without scheming. We may be quick to criticize Jacob for having a lack of faith. But if this is where you are, take time to examine your own heart and see if you have ever prayed a prayer like Jacob and turned from trusting the Lord to handle the circumstances that led you to prayer, and turned to depend on your own schemes and rely on your own resources. If we’re being honest, we’ve all done that. Faith is resting in the Lord who is all-powerful, and trusting Him who is all-wise, believing in Him who is all-good. And where our faith is inadequate, we come to the Lord as the desperate father of the boy who was demonized in Mark 9—
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
When faith is imperfect and mixed with doubt (like Jacob’s) don’t turn to your own understanding but pray for a greater faith and then trust the Lord to strengthen it.