Genesis 33:1-20
Notes
Transcript
Genesis 33:1-20
Genesis 33:1-20
Right now, we’re going thru the book of Genesis, and about to start a new year. Fortunately, we don’t have to change our programming to match the close of the year!
This past week was Christmas, and the week before that, we were in Genesis 32. That’s one of my favorite stories in the Bible, because it’s where lying and deceiving Jacob finally understands the God of his grandfather Abraham, and father Isaac is his God as well.
Jacob and his family, his goods, all of his servants and livestock were on their way to Canaan, where Jacob is from. While on the road, Jacob noticed angels were following them. He recognized the angels, and it was a sign that this God was watching over them.
So Jacob sends ahead messengers to Canaan to Esau, his brother who’s hated him for 20 years. When they return, they let Jacob know that he has heard, and is now coming to meet them, and he’s bringing 400 men with him.
Jacob hears the news and knows that means trouble. Big trouble. And suddenly Jacob found himself needing a fresh robe. So, what does he do when he’s faced with his greatest fear? His brother coming with an army to meet him? He does what we do, he prays, doesn’t he? And it’s a beautiful prayer, and it’s an example of how we should pray, isn’t it?
9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. 12 For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”
After praying, and a good night’s sleep, he wakes up the next morning and moves on knowing the Lord is with him, right? No he doesn’t. He starts planning on how to save his own skin. He’s going to break up everything into several companies, so if one is attacked, the others can flee. It’s not an honorable plan, it’s cowardly…
But isn’t this what we do too? We pray to the Lord to help us, then we go about our own plans, disregarding what the Lord wants to do? We take the power right out of the hands of the one who can do something about it, and put it in the hands of the only one we trust…the one who screwed up everything in the first place…in our own hands. Oh we of little faith.
He sends everyone on, including his wives and children, and stays behind to rest and is met by a Man. I believe this is Jesus, mainly because when he’s asked a question, he answers it with a question.
He wrestles with Jacob all night, and we find out that, even at 100 years old, he would not give up in fighting this Man. To the point that this Man purposely dislocated his hip and he still would not yield. He asked what Jacob’s name was, rhetorically, and then responded that his name wouldn’t be heel catcher or deceiver any longer. Now, it would be Israel, which means “God Prevails.”
Jacob was given a reminder of that encounter that would be with him for the rest of his life. This limp would be the proof of the change he made that night. As he was holding on the this Man, he had to let go of the rest of the world to continue his grip. It was a reminder of the fact that sometimes the Lord will hurt you on purpose to get thru to you, and from that point forward, there will be visible proof of that pain so people can recognize that in you. We hear a lot today that hurting people hurt people. The same concept holds true, healed people, heal people also.
When the Lord lets you hurt, he gives you special eyes to be able to see people going thru the same pain. It’s a gift, so recognize the fact that the Lord gave it to you as a powerful reminder and testimony to share with others to change lives. Moving into the new year, we need to take that message, and this one with us as we learn to walk in God’s Glorious light.
Now, Jacob did not have the ability to fight back, or to flee, so this encounter with his brother would need the hand of the Lord on it to be anything but a disaster for Jacob and his family. That’s what happens, let’s get into today’s passage:
1 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2 And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Oh boy. Now, all of his gifts, all of his servants he sent ahead…now is the moment of truth. He lines up his wives, Bilha and Zilpha, and his children, asks them to be on their best behavior, and leads them. He sent everything else ahead, before this encounter with the Lord, and now there has been a bit of a change in him. You can see, though, there is still a pecking order in the family. Rachel is still the preferred wife, and Joseph is his favorite son.
As he approaches his brother, he bows 7 times. This is a sign of respect and submission. What do we know about these men? Let’s recap:
Before they were born, there was a prophecy given to Rebekah that there were twins in her womb and they were at war within her, and that the older son would serve the younger one. When they were born, Esau was oldest, and his name means hairy, and Jacob is the youngest and came out clinging to his heel. His name meant Heel Catcher or Deceiver.
After that, they grew up a bit. Esau was a hunter and worker of the earth. Jacob was a mama’s boy, and man could he cook. One day Esau came in from the field and was very tired, thinking he could die. Smelling some of Jacob’s chili, he demands it. Jacob being cunning, said he would sell Esau his chili for the birthright of the oldest son. Esau didn’t see any value in that status, so he willingly purchased the stew.
These were 2 40 year old men.
Then a few years later, Isaac is getting old and feels that he’s at the end of his life. At this point, Isaac tells Esau go hunt for me and make some of my favorite meat and he’ll give Esau his blessing. We don’t know for sure if Isaac knows about the prophecy given to Rebekah. Both Rebekah and Isaac were avid liars.
Rebekah overhears this exchange with Esau and grabs Jacob and helps him concoct a plan to deceive Isaac and take the blessing from him. She tells him to go get 2 goats, and they’d make up a plate of goat meat, and she’d slap a goat pelt on him, because Jacob wasn’t hairy, and grabbed some of his sweaty clothes to make sure he smelled like Esau’s B.O. too.
They are 77 years old. 77 year old CHILDREN...
So, Jacob deceives Isaac and gets blessed, Esau comes back, makes his custom burrito for dad, and Isaac, confused, tells Esau that he already blessed someone…and Esau burns with anger. When Rebekah sees this anger between her boys, she sends Jacob away for a few days to let her son’s anger subside to her brother Laban, 400+ miles away. Those couple of days turned into 20 years. That catches you up to this moment right now, and why this mama’s boy was so afraid of his brother.
It’s game time now…The tension was building. Bowing in submission to his brother:
4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Well, that was unexpected.
5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. 8 Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”
Imagine that? Esau runs at his brother, the thoughts going thru Jacob’s mind, closer and closer, then right in on him. He could have had a knife, anything, and Jacob would have accepted it. His faith was small…just like ours is when we start putting that trust in the Lord.
Esau seems to be happy his brother is back around. This is just how some people are though. Do you know some of those people who are infectious and can get along with anyone? My brother Justin was like that. He was the light of the party everywhere he went. He was good, too, at pulling people into that light too and making them the center of attention. I am one of those kinds of people.
How many of us play “What If” in our heads? I always play out the worst case scenario’s in my head. If he says this, then I’m going to say this…then if he responds with this, I’m going to have to say this…Then I get to the point where I’m like: at this point, I have no other choice but to punch him, or run.
At any point had Jacob thought that this confrontation would go like this? NO WAY! This was blowing his mind! What had just happened last night? He wrestled, as we do, with the Lord. He should have known, as Abraham did, as Isaac did, that God does amazing things.
I do believe the Lord wants us to prepare practically for tough situations. He wants us to respond as Jesus would. That doesn’t come organically, we need to train ourselves for it. How does that feel though, when the Lord comes thru for you in a big way? A relief, right? But doesn’t it kind of make you feel silly that you had so little faith at the time too? It does me. Even when he comes thru in the little necessity ways, I feel small, like “I should have known He’d come thru, He always does.”
I don’t think Jacob feels out of the woods though on this. He’s cautious enough thru this, and you can see so in the next exchange here:
10 And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it.
Receive my present, this whole thing started out as a bribe. If you remember in Genesis 32, we talked about him setting up all of these caravans of people and livestock to soften the blow to Esau that Jacob was important and had resources to buy back what he had taken from Esau. But he recognizes that Esau’s response to him was clearly favor from God as well.
When you have broken a relationship with someone, you want to try to make it up to them, don’t you? If the relationship means anything to you that’s what you do. Jacob is saying “This relationship means this much to me.” That’s what servants do.
Jacob had learned the importance of being a servant. 20 years he was taught hard work, something he didn’t have to do at home. He wanted to prove to his brother that what he had didn’t come thru ill-gotten gain. Fair and square, by the grace of God he earned all of it and he wanted to give generously.
Mending fences is difficult work. If you invite the Lord into the preparation of that work, your success will increase. You can’t force a relationship to grow. I’ve tried. They take time. They take a close proximity, and the question is, will Jacob feel comfortable being close to his brother again. After all, they lived in the same house for over 70 years…That’s a long time to make a reputation.
Do you remember what Esau was referred to in Hebrews 12:16? It says he was a profane man, ungodly is how that word is translated. When you are ungodly, who is your authority? Who is your moral compass? You are, right? Jacob has every right to think there has been little change in his brother. How does he respond?
12 Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. 14 Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
Esau says “Follow my lead” but Jacob knew this could be a trap. After all, Esau was the patriarch of the Edomites, and the Edomites would be at war with the Israelites for as long as the Edomites would exist. Back in chapter 25 when we introduced Esau, we talked about the fact that King Herod, the king that was ruling over Judah was of the last of the Edomites.
Jacob let his brother go, fooling him that the children and livestock would not survive the journey. Jacob had no intention of living near his brother. He knew Esau used to be a bad influence.
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Jacob didn’t want ANYONE in his family to learn from Esau. He probably could have just told him the truth though,right? The truth is always better. It’s not a great way to rebuild a relationship by starting with a lie again. Esau, though, again generously offers to help his brother.
15 And Esau said, “Now 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 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
So they split ways. They would no longer be separated by hundreds of miles, but by about 50 this time. Seir is south of where they met, and Succoth was north. You may recognize the word Succoth, which means “Booths.” Sier is south of the Dead Sea, Succoth was in the north of it.
Later on, Moses would institute 7 feasts thru out the year. We read about them in Lev 23. The 7th and most important would be the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot.
Lev 23:33-36
33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.
This feast would commemorate the years in the wilderness and God’s provision in those years. It happened in the fall, usually close after the harvest was completed.
It was a feast of thanksgiving for all that the Lord had provided to Israel thru the year, and as well, during this time, many important events happened at this time too.
It is even speculated by a lot of scholars that this is the true time when Jesus was born, considering Passover, the first of the feasts, is when the death of Jesus happened. I won’t split hairs about when we celebrate Jesus’ birth, as long as we keep celebrating it, amen?
Let’s close out the rest of this chapter, and the rest of our year together as a church:
18 Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.
PASS OUT COMMUNION
Schechem is another one of those places that keep popping up all around the Bible. It’s where Jesus met the woman at the well, where he revealed that He was the messiah to her. This is where the Lord appeared to Abraham for the first time in Genesis 12:7. Here is where Jacob purchased the promised land that Israel would claim. When Abraham came into the land, it was occupied, even though it was promised to him and his descendants.
Abraham didn’t ever make a house anywhere, he lived in tents all over and walked the land. Isaac would have a house there, but he was driven to the outskirts of the land. He would never leave the Promised Land, but he also wouldn’t be an owner of it either. Jacob rightly purchased it, and named it after the man he bought it from. In Jesus’ time it would be Samaritan land, not Jewish territory. Jesus went there to prove He was God over the Jews and the non-Jews.
What does this man who started off chasing after his own ambitions do? He finally submits to the Lord and erects an altar for worship. 20 years of a journey. 20 hard years, to finally get thru to Jacob that it’s not the God of Abraham, or the God of Abraham and Isaac that was looking after him. It was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Why does submission take so long? Why is the Lord so patient when He’s teaching us things?
We started our chapter today with a synopsis of Jacob and Esau’s life. Let’s examine the spiritual significance to put things into focus, from where these men came from, to where they are now: Let’s start with Rebekah, there was a war inside of her, 2 nations, one would be stronger than the other. Only one would rule over the other though. That was symbolic of the war against the sin in our flesh that rages inside each of us every second. Paul knew this feeling well:
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Even Paul struggled with his sin, but he prevailed. He fought the good fight. He finished the race. That’s such a hard thing to do today!
Let’s continue on looking at these brothers’ lives: Jacob bought Esau’s birthright with a bowl of red stew, a bowl of chili. What was the birthright of the oldest son? It was to carry the torch after dad died. That meant a double portion of the land and money…but it also meant that now, he would be the spiritual head of the household. He would have to lead the family. He was a warrior, a loner, not a leader. He didn’t care about that position, that’s why it meant so little to him.
Jacob on the other hand, he wanted what his brother didn’t. He knew the importance of family. His mom taught him that. He wasn’t ready to lead spiritually, but are any of us ever ready for that? Dad’s, were you ready for that? Did you know that’s your responsibility?? Do you exercise that? Wives, do you let him lead? It’s Biblical.
Then we fast forward to the deception that took away the blessing of Esau. This event would burn in the heart of Esau for many years. He would blame Jacob for stealing the birthright, but he rightfully sold that to him. This time the Lord knew this family was full of tricksters. He would have to play their own game to make sure the blessing would go to Jacob instead of Esau.
We don’t know if Isaac knew about what Rebekah knew. What we do know, especially now, was that a blessed separation was needed for these two brothers. One that would burn within them until that day finally came when they would be joined together again.
In this chapter, we see the Lord’s work in these two brothers. Their families would war against each other for many years to come, but their relationship was better than it was. We don’t have Esau’s insight, nor do we know his motivation, however his actions here are not the actions of a man out for blood.
Which brings us to communion. We do this the last Sunday every month. It’s a time of fellowship with the Lord, and it represents the last time Jesus would spend time with his closest friends before he would become the final sacrifice for sin and death in our world that holds us captive.
What is it that holds us captive? The Law of Moses. 10 commandments that are so simple to follow…yet we break them every day. We lie, we steal, we curse the name of the Lord. There are people we hate being around, which Jesus says is equal to murdering them in our hearts because we cannot love if we have hate. Look at Esau and Jacob. They had to learn to love each other again. Life returned to their relationship.
Is what He’s done for you worth making changes? Is it worth it to go and make amends? Is there someone who’s hurt you that you should reach out to?
What if you are the chisel that makes the difference in a heart of stone? If you harbor that in your heart today, don’t take communion with us. 1 Corinthians 11 says if you take communion in an unworthy manor, you’re drinking damnation on yourself. This is sealed still. Take it with you. Take some time and set your heart right. There is no condemnation in doing this. You’re among family, nobody is watching or keeping score.
Get quiet, even in your car outside, and settle your heart. This is between you and Him.
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He knows what you’re doing, He knows what you’ve done, He knows the thoughts of doubt and loneliness and sadness inside you, more importantly, He knows what you can do with you when you return to Him. When you find your worth in Him. When you find your purpose in Him. You can do all things thru Christ who strengthens you. Repent of those feelings of worthlessness, leave them at the foot of the Cross and walk away changed. You were worth it to Him. Stop chasing after this world.
As we get started on a new year, let’s be mindful of the price that was paid for us. We deserve hell. To lead people to Jesus, we need to be able to show people how we walk.
Do any of you journal? I would suggest it. Commit your prayers and your reflections on paper. They will help you organize your thoughts, see little wins, and dig into the things you keep doing that you know you shouldn’t. Let’s start good habits this year. Brothers, how will you lead? Sisters, how will you submit? Kids, how will you obey? Get better at it this year.
My family has a problem with authority. Everyone wants the power, but we all wield it wrong. One of my tasks this year is to teach my kids how to be better team players. That’s one of my examples, and you can pray for us for that.
I have to change some of the way I am a dad and a husband. My wife is going to have to change the way she mom’s and is my wife. Not drastically, but to prepare our family, we need to move into a new mode of parenthood, honestly, one we should have been in. Our kids will see those growing pains and rebel, that’s OK.
While the Lord does a work in people, those around aren’t comfortable with the changes. I can tell you, the Lord has done a work in my wife. The Lord has done a work in many of you, I’ve talked to many of you. Jesus was a renegade, who walked in holiness and upset the tables of the evil doers. Let us do that, let it start 3 days before the start of the new year. Try the garment on. In love, don’t let another day pass you by that you’re not sold out for Jesus.
You will see me and my wife fail, you will see us try new things on and get them wrong…follow our lead, not in what we do, but the heart behind why we’re doing it. We need sons who know how to fight and stand against the winds of doctrine that will toss them.
We need daughters who know how to be the anchor for their families and speak up when they see problems, but submit to their GODLY husband’s lead. I emphasize GODLY. He must be a man of God and under His authority. If he doesn’t, you can sanctify him by loving him the way Christ does.
Our world needs our kids, it needs YOUR kids. Ferocious, tenacious, knowledgable in the Word, gentle as doves. They won’t get that by coming here every Sunday. They get that from you. Train them. Training doesn’t mean showing them and complaining you’ve already shown them…I do that! It means train them, and train them again, and train them again until they get it AND make it their own.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
