Part 4: Hang On To The Lord And Never Let Him Go! Series

Great Prayers of the Old Testament

Part 4: Hang on to the Lord and Never Let Him Go!

Genesis 32:13-31

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared October 16, 2024)

BACKGROUND:

*Today, we will explore one of the most interesting answers to prayer in the Old Testament. The Lord's answer was life-changing for Jacob. -- and it should be life-changing for us.

*But first we have to remember that in Genesis 32, Jacob was walking into a terrible crisis. This chapter took place 20 years after Jacob left home with nothing but his staff. Jacob had left his parents to visit his mother's family in Padanaram, about 500 miles away from home. He had gone there in part to find a godly wife. But Jacob was mostly running away from his angry brother Esau. Jacob had tricked his older brother out of his birthright. Then Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing that Isaac wanted to give to his firstborn son, Esau.

*We say "God bless you" without giving it much thought. But God's blessing makes a huge difference for all eternity. And Esau was filled with murderous wrath over his brother's trickery. Now 20 years later, in Genesis 31:3, "The LORD said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you'" That's why Jacob was going home with his 4 wives, 11 children, and the vast fortune God had put into his hand.

*Twenty years had gone by, but as far as Jacob knew, the danger had not gone away. We can see the possible danger in vs. 3-8:

3. Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4. And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.

5. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"

6. Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.''

7. So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

8. And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.''

*This great threat led Jacob to the prayer we studied last time. Please listen to it again in vs. 9-12:

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.'"

*Jacob passionately prayed, and this is one of the best things we can ever do. Jacob cried out to God in faith, looking back to the performance of God, and looking forward to the promises of God. Jacob knew that God was faithful, so he prayed.

*But in vs. 13-23, Jacob also planned. Please listen to his plan from the New Living Translation:

13. Jacob stayed where he was for the night and prepared a present for Esau:

14. two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred ewes, twenty rams,

15. thirty female camels with their young, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys.

16. He told his servants to lead them on ahead, each group of animals by itself, separated by a distance in between.

17. He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: "When you meet Esau, he will ask, 'Where are you going? Whose servants are you? Whose animals are these?'

18. You should reply, 'These belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present for his master Esau! He is coming right behind us.'"

19. Jacob gave the same instructions to each of the herdsmen and told them, "You are all to say the same thing to Esau when you see him.

20. And be sure to say, 'Your servant Jacob is right behind us.'" Jacob's plan was to appease Esau with the presents before meeting him face to face. "Perhaps," Jacob hoped, "he will be friendly to us."