Fear Meets Grace

Introduction

Today we are reentering the book of Genesis and we will finish it this semester. We left off last semester with Jacob fleeing from his father in law and preparing to meet his brother. The last time he saw his brother Esau, Esau wanted to kill him. Tonight we will finally get to that reunion.

This is a moment of great fear for Jacob because if his brother still wants him dead he can do it no problem. Now though Jacob knows what is right and he must face his brother.

This is more than just a story of fear though, it is also a story of grace. We will see God at work in both men and we will see the blessing of Abraham in practice in both men. The ending may be anticlimactic but when you see how God has worked it is all the more glorious.

In this text today we are going to look at fear, mercy, and worship and three key movements. First lets pray.

Jacob approaches Esau in Fear and Humility

Genesis 33:1–3 ESV

And Jacob lifted up 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 female servants. And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Jacob divides up his family and then he goes out before them. This is a recent change in his life as before he was the tail end of his people. As he approaches he bows down seven times while his family approaches and as he approached Esau. He led, he was fearful, but he was humble.

This is the thing to see in his approach, though he is afraid he is also leading as he should and he is also approaching in humility. The number seven is often a significant number in the Bible that is pointing towards completeness or fullness. We see in as in creation in seven days, it was the fullness of creation. We see it also in Leviticus 26:18 “And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins,” here it is talking about full punishment for sins. In our story there is full surrender to Esau. This is not some calculate gesture to try to deceive, it is genuine.

This story is not a direct correlation but in a way it reflects our own lives before God. We are deserving of death from God. Some will approach him and list all of the things that they have done, but that is not what saves. We must approach him saying that we do not deserve mercy, we must approach with humility.

This is a dramatic change in the heart of Jacob and it reflects the heart change that we need to have.

Esau Responds with Unexpected Mercy

Genesis 33:4–11 ESV

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

As he approaches Esau runs to meet him and hugged and they wept together. This is not what is expected but rather is a warm embrace. He doesn’t try to kill him but their relationship is restored. Esau then ask what all these people are and you can see the change in language from Jacob. These are the children that God gave him. This is not what he has acquired but rather what God has given him. Jacob then tell him that everything else is a gift for him. This reflects the desire for genuine reconciliation. This gift more than anything is an expression of the restored relationship. Esau doesn’t want to accept it but he eventually does after going back and forth.

This relationship is restored and there is an obvious change in the person of Jacob.

When we have done wrong against someone we should act like Jacob here and humble ourselves before them and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. The thing with man though is that we may not always get it like Jacob does here. When we humbly come to God though looking for our relationship to be restored, we will always be met with mercy.

Peace Leads to Worship

Genesis 33:12–20 ESV

Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.” So Esau said, “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.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

Now they all journey on their way but Jacob is hesitant to be to close to Esau, he says he wants to travel slow and that he does not need protection. They eventually go to different ways and Jacob buys some land and sets up his tent. He then sets up a altar and worships. This altar name means “God, the God of Israel”.

Jacob now worships. He humbly sought forgiveness from his brother, he got mercy he did not deserve, and that moved him to worship. How often are we not moved to worship when God has done great things for us? When he set up his tent more than anything the promise that he would reenter the land was fulfilled and to that promise Jacob said that God would be his God if it were true, here it is fulfilled and he worships.

When was the last time you truly worshiped because of your salvation. When was the last time you praised because you got mercy you did not deserve.

May our salvation drive us to worship.

Conclusion

So as we come to the conclusion of this passage I want to turn this back on you. When God changes hearts he calls for outward change. Are there any relationships you need to restore? Is there any forgiveness that you need to seek out? Even the speech of Jacob is changed, is that something that you need to change?

Some of you here today cannot live the outward effects of salvation because you have not had the inward change. The problem that we have is sin. That is the problem that broke the relationship between these two brothers in the first place and it is the same problem that we face today. Our sins are wrongs committed against God. These wrongs committed against him broke our relationship with him. The good news though is found in Jesus. Through his sacrificial death he paid the price that we owed for our sins. This means that there is forgiveness found in Jesus. There is a way to get mercy. There is a way for our heart to be changed. Jesus tells us that it is through faith and repentance that we are saved.

Maybe today this is you. You need the heart change, put your faith in Jesus as Lord. If you have done this, what area of your life are you not living like a changed person?