2024.09.01.Sermon Notes. Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau - Genesis 33:1-20
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA: Do you need reconciliation in your life?
Is the fear of confrontation holding you back from fulfilling GOD’s Purpose in your life?
Have you changed from what or who you once were? Don't let the past hinder your future.
When we surrender ourselves to the LORD, we should trust HIM to Order our Steps and have the Faith to see HIS plans unfold.
REMEMBER: GOD IS ABLE
Scriptures: Genesis 33:1-20, Genesis 27:29, John 13:13-17, 1 Timothy 6:6, Genesis 31:13, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:26-27, Luke 1:37
Recap Genesis 32. Mahanaim. 2 Camps. Jacob was headed back to Canaan to his parents, but Jacob was facing his fears with confronting his brother who had sworn to kill Jacob for stealing the blessing of Isaac.
The first recorded prayer in scripture is Jacob’s Prayer.
And Jacob prayed because he didn’t want to die.
Jacob sent all his possessions across the river and stayed back all alone.
“GOD as a Man” met Jacob and wrestled all night until morning and finally “broke” Jacob. Jacob held on, until he received another “Blessing”.
This Man was GOD in Flesh, who would be JESUS, the Covenant Blessing for all people of every nation.
And after finally surrendering to GOD, to this “Man” who gave Jacob the Blessing, Jacob and Esau meet.
Esau and Jacob meet…peaceably
Jacob is cautious.
Esau is ready to reconcile.
They never mention their differences.
Esau is inquisitive of Jacob’s large family.
The Meeting of Jacob and Esau
Genesis 33:1-20
Genesis 33:1-2. Jacob prepares to meet his brother.
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.
Jacob sees Esau coming with 400 men.
Jacob divides the children of Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants.
He first sends the maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah and their children, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and her son Joseph last.
Jacob’s favor and love for his wives and children are shown in the order of the groups sent. Keeping his first love, Rachel and Joseph as the last to go.
Perhaps the order was to protect those he loved most in the event something went wrong.
Genesis 33:3
3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Vs. 3a. Then Jacob crossed over BEFORE them.
Remember, he had sent gifts of herds with his herdsmen to shower Esau with gifts, and saying these are gifts from Jacob who comes behind us.
But after Jacob’s encounter with GOD, having been conquered by GOD and surrendering to HIM, Jacob now puts himself before his family.
This shows us a change in Jacob’s Character. From using others to get what he wanted, to going first, and protecting those he loved.
Vs. 3b. and bowed himself to the ground 7 times until he came near to his brother.
Jacob had already sent gifts to show he didn’t want anything material from Esau.
Now, by bowing down, Jacob was submitting himself to his brother in humility.
Jacob had learned humility in his encounter with GOD (Chapter 32).
Isaac’s Blessing over Esau/Jacob
Genesis 27:29 (NKJV)
29 Let peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you.
Be master over your brethren,
And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
And blessed be those who bless you!”
Compare JESUS at the Last Supper, washed the disciples feet and told them to lead others by serving them.
John 13:13-17 (NKJV)
13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
POINT: JESUS SHOWS US THAT A LEADER IS SERVANT TO THOSE THEY LEAD.
HE FULFILLED THE MASTER OVER THE BRETHREN, BUT HE DEMONSTRATED SERVING THOSE HE MASTERS OVER.
Jacob’s mother Rebekah and he both tried to make the blessing happen their own way.
In doing so, they sinned, and sin has its consequences. Jacob has gone through some of those consequences and has been adjusted by GOD. GOD wrestling Jacob until he surrendered.
Sometimes we suffer because we try to accomplish what we interpret as GOD’s will for our lives, or by not trusting HIM, we try to protect ourselves by our own strength and reasoning.
POINT: GOD NEVER needs us to sin to help HIM fulfill HIS Plan for our lives.
Gensis 33:4-7. Esau greets Jacob and family.
4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 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.
“Esau ran to meet him”
This most likely scared Jacob. He may even have thought he would die at the hands of his brother. But he had to face Esau.
Instead, God had worked in Esau, and he only wanted to bless Jacob.
Esau “Fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept”
Scripture doesn’t say that they sat down and discussed the past to bring resolution.
Resolution had come from GOD. GOD had worked in both of their hearts. And the past was past.
“Who are these with you”
Jacob introduces his wives and children to Esau.
Genesis 33:8-11 Esau receives Jacob’s gifts.
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.”
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.
“What do you mean by all this company which I met”
The gifts that Jacob had sent before him confused Esau. Esau didn’t expect anything from Jacob and was confused by his brother’s gifts. This shows us that Esau wasn’t expecting anything from Jacob, as if Jacob owed him for things from past. Esau was simply coming to see his brother who had been gone for 20 years.
“I have enough”
Esau and Jacob have both received blessings of great gain in that Jacob would share of his abundance, and Esau would say “I have enough”.
1 Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
“Although Esau did not receive the great blessing — the covenant blessing, — that having gone to Jacob who secured it by deception, yet Esau did receive a great blessing of a temporal kind, which Isaac pronounced upon him with all the fervor of a father who loved his son most ardently. Esau thus received what he most wanted, for he cared very little for the spiritual blessing, — not being a spiritual man, — and when he obtained the temporal blessing, that satisfied his heart, and he said, ‘It is enough.’” (Spurgeon)
“So he urged him, and he took it”
Esau received Jacob’s gifts which was important to Jacob for reconciliation. It was Jacob’s way of saying to Esau that he was sorry. And with Esau’s acceptance, it was Esau’s way of accepting and forgiving Jacob.
In that culture, one never accepted a gift from an enemy, only from a friend. To accept the gift was to accept the friendship.
Jacob’s travels in the Promised Land.
Genesis 33:12-17 (NKJV) Jacob and Esau part ways. Jacob continues to Succoth.
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.”
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.
“Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant”
Jacob was glad to be reconciled with his brother, but he was still afraid of Esau.
“Jacob journeyed to Succoth”
Instead of going south with Esau to Mount Seir, Jacob acting once again like the old Jacob instead of the new Israel, allows Esau to get a few days start before Jacob would head north towards Succoth.
The “New Israel” still had the old “Jacob’s” ways.
“Built himself a house, and made booths for his herds, lifestock”
God had appointed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to live in the land, but in tents as sojourners. Here was a disobedient and unwise settling down.
“Yet at Succoth we read that he built booths — scarcely houses, I suppose, but more than tents. It was a compromise, and a compromise is often worse than a direct and overt disobedience of command. He dares not erect a house, but he builds a booth and thus shows his desire for a settled life.” (Spurgeon)
Genesis 33:18-20 (NKJV) Jacob comes to Shechem
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.
“And he pitched his tent before the city”
While it was good that Jacob had returned to the Promised Land to settle there, he fell short of being obedient to GOD who directed him to return to Bethel, where Jacob first met GOD in the dream.
Genesis 31:13 “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”
“Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel”
While the altar was good, complete obedience was better.
God wants obedience first, then sacrifice. As a result, Jacob and his family will suffer in this wasted, disobedient period of time.
“El Elohe Israel”
Meaning: God, the GOD of Israel.
By naming this altar El Elohe Israel, he was implying that the GOD of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, was also his, Jacob’s GOD, who had kept the promise to Jacob to bring him back safely to the land of Canaan as his inheritance.
SUMMARY
After wrestling with GOD, Jacob was able to face his fears and meet his brother Esau. While this passage shows Jacob’s fear of his brother, it also shows that he has changed in his character. From being one who would take by whatever means necessary, to one who gave to right the wrongs.
And for his brother Esau, who swore that he would kill Jacob for Jacob’s deceitful actions, had changed his character to love on his twin brother. Receiving Jacob’s apology and showing his forgiveness.
The reconciliation of these twin brothers was a work of GOD in them both.
CONCLUSION
GOD is a merciful, gracious and loving GOD. What is too big for our GOD?
GOD spoke to Abraham regarding Sarah having a child…Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD?
Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
Jeremiah 32:26-27 26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
What are you facing today that needs to be reconciled?
Perhaps you’ve waited 20 years or more for answers.
What are you facing today that looks impossible.
Look to the LORD, for HE can do the impossible.
HE is the GOD of the impossible, making all things new when we encounter HIM and put our faith, hope and trust in HIM.
FATHER, we come with things in our lives that are too hard for us to see it through. So we come to YOU knowing that IN YOU, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. So we place these things, these difficulties, these concerns, these problems into YOUR HANDS, and trust YOU for the answers. In JESUS Name, Amen.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Bill
