December 07, 2024
83 years ago today, the empire of Japan attacked the Hawaiian island of Oahu at Pearl Harbor, Hickam Army-Airfield and Wheeler Army-Airfield. The next day President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to Congress:
….Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…… Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.
And with that, the United States finally entered the 2nd World War.
At that time, America was an isolationist country. Even though war in Europe had been raging for over 2 years and in Asia for over 10 years, most Americans remained steadfast that they did not want to become involved with international politics, especially war, but December 7th changed all that. Now the US had been directly targeted. The “sleeping giant” was awake and, as Admiral Yamamoto feared, was filled with a terrible resolve.
When the war finally ended in September of 1945 the Allies (US, England, USSR) were victorious, but an estimated 85-95 million people worldwide – including both military and civilian – were dead.
Sin exacts a very high price.
That is the hard truth that Jacob has been learning….. sin exacts a very high price.
When we left Jacob last week, he had finally cut ties with Laban. The 2 men had come to an uneasy truce and parted ways. But now Jacob had a new problem – Esau.
• Ellen G White (PP 195.1) - ….. it was not without many misgivings that he retraced the road which he had trodden as a fugitive twenty years before. His sin in the deception of his father was ever before him. He knew that his long exile was the direct result of that sin, and he pondered over these things day and night, the reproaches of an accusing conscience making his journey very sad.
It seems that for the past 20 years, Jacob has mostly been relying on himself – at least we don’t have much of a record of him consulting God before making decisions. Today was no different. Feeling that he must do something to secure his own safety Jacob sent messengers ahead and instructed them to give Esau the following message:
“Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes."
Jacob tactfully placed himself in the subservient position – noting that he already had plenty of wealth and was not there to take what Esau had = he was no threat to Esau. He did this, hoping that it would go far in turning away Esau’s fear and anger. Unfortunately, the messengers brought no message of friendship from Esau instead saying, “Esau received your message and he is on his way to meet you – with 400 men.”
Jacob was greatly afraid – he couldn’t go back to Laban and he had no ability to defend his family.
He divided his family, flocks and herds into 2 groups. His thinking was this; If Esau attacks one group the other group may escape.
Then in humiliation and repentance pleaded for divine protection:
"O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.’”
Finally, the God of Abraham and Isaac had become the God of Jacob.
Hoping to atone for the wrong he had done to Esau, Jacob sent 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 female camels along with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys on ahead of the main caravan. He put servants in charge of each flock/herd and gave them the same instructions. “When you meet Esau and he asks you who owns the animals, you are to tell him that they belong to your master, Jacob, he has sent them to you as a gift, and he is coming behind us.”
Then Jacob sent his family across the Jabbok River. He was now alone.
• Ellen G White (PP 196-197) - He had decided to spend the night in prayer, and he desired to be alone with God. God could soften the heart of Esau. In Him was the patriarch's only hope. It was in a lonely, mountainous region, the haunt of wild beasts and the lurking place of robbers and murderers. Solitary and unprotected, Jacob bowed in deep distress upon the earth. It was midnight. All that made life dear to him were at a distance, exposed to danger and death. Bitterest of all was the thought that it was his own sin which had brought this peril upon the innocent. With earnest cries and tears he made his prayer before God. Suddenly a strong hand was laid upon him. He thought that an enemy was seeking his life, and he endeavored to wrest himself from the grasp of his assailant. In the darkness the two struggled for the mastery. Not a word was spoken, but Jacob put forth all his strength, and did not relax his efforts for a moment. While he was thus battling for his life, the sense of his guilt pressed upon his soul; his sins rose up before him, to shut him out from God. But in his terrible extremity he remembered God's promises, and his whole heart went out in entreaty for His mercy. The struggle continued until near the break of day, when the stranger placed his finger upon Jacob's thigh, and he was crippled instantly. The patriarch now discerned the character of his antagonist. He knew that he had been in conflict with a heavenly messenger, and this was why his almost superhuman effort had not gained the victory.
Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
• Ellen G White (PP 197-198) - Through humiliation, repentance, and self-surrender, this sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the Majesty of heaven. He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away the sinner's plea. The error that had led to Jacob's sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud was now clearly set before him. He had not trusted God's promises, but had sought by his own efforts to bring about that which God would have accomplished in His own time and way.
As evidence that he had been forgiven his name was changed from Jacob “Heel-grabber” to Israel, “because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
As the sun rose above him, Jacob/Israel moved forward in confidence. He had had a transformational experience with God. Now, with the assurance of forgiveness and reconciliation, he was no longer afraid.
Jacob looked up and saw Esau and his 400 men coming down the road. Even though he was no longer afraid, he still wanted to protect those he cared about most:
Genesis 33:2 - He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
Limping and leaning heavily of his staff he went to meet his brother.
Genesis 33:3-16 – Jacob went on ahead and bowed down to the ground 7 times as he approached his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these with you?" he asked. Jacob answered, "They are the children God has graciously given your servant." Then the maidservants and their children approached and bowed down. Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down. Esau asked, "What do you mean by all these droves I met?" "To find favor in your eyes, my lord," he said. But Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself." "No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it. Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you." But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir." Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you." "But why do that?" Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord." So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir.
Jacob finally arrived safely at Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. For 100 pieces of silver, he bought a plot of ground from the sons of Hamor (including Shechem) and pitched his tents.
There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel – “God, the God of Israel.”
Until Next Time…………….
