Returning to Our Proper Place in God
Jacob’s Reunion with Esau
Jacob’s Return in obedience to God’s Promised Land
I noticed in the Bristol Bay Times this week that a serviceman and his family were able to visit Dillingham. Imagine he had been gone 13 years.
I know that when Gloria and I leave here, even just to go to Anchorage, we cannot wait to get back home do Dillingham.
Have you ever felt at home in a place…
Maybe its up at Aleknagik,
Maybe its up the Nushagak River,
Maybe it’s in Anchorage, Fairbanks, or the Mat-Su Valley
Where ever that place is to you, I recommend strongly that if you are one called of Christ, a Christian, that it be the place that God has called you to so that you might received all the blessings of being in the center of his will.
We will journey with Jacob as he meets Esau and we will continue with him as he returns to the land that God has promised Abraham and his descendents.
Jacob’s Reunion with Esau
Genesis 33
1And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. 3And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
5And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. 6Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 10And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. 12And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. 13And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. 14Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. 15And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
16So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. 17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth
Jacob, seeing Esau approaching with his four hundred men, moves forward in optimism that the God who had provided so abundantly for him the past 21 years of his life would be the God in total control of this meeting with his brother. Jacob still had some fear in his heart that his brother might harbor some justifiable prior misgiving on his part, but having secured the promise of God in prayer in Chapter 32, he put aside his misgiving and walked forward.
This is what God called each and every one of us to do. He asks us to lay our burdens upon him, then take up our cross and follow Him. We follow him in our daily job, commute, and in each and every activity we take part in. We should pray that God may be glorified in our walk on a continuing and daily basis.
Jacob divided his family just in case God’s answer might be different than he interpreted. Jacob probably arranged them according to their preciousness in his eyes, and then walks out to meet Esau.
If Esau had chosen to attack, at least a portion of the family, and thus God’s promise could have been preserved.
Does God expect us to walk blindly into dangers?
No, He does expect us to obediently walk where he calls us to in order that we may strive for Him to accomplish His good and perfect will. He does expect us to take the precautions that He himself has brought about. If we are to go to Africa, Southeast Asia, or any country or community that requires shots to prevent harmful diseases, God would expect you and I to take the reasonable precautions that He has brought about to protect ourselves. We see Jacob exercising wise precautions while maintaining his positive stride with God towards Esau.
Upon approaching Esau, Jacob bows. Jacob could have bowed any number of times, but I as a Christian am admirable of the choice of God’s perfect number for completion. This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen. 2:2, 3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban(X3); Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev. 25:4; 1 Sam. 2:5; Ps. 12:6; 79:12; Prov. 26:16; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4). The feast of Passover (Ex. 12:15, 16), the feast of Weeks (Deut. 16:9), of Tabernacles (Deut. 13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev. 25:8), were all ordered by seven. Seven is the number of sacrifice (2 Chr. 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (Lev. 4:6, 17; 8:11, 33; 14:9, 51), of forgiveness (Matt. 18:21, 22; Luke 17:4), of reward (Deut. 28:7; 1 Sam. 2:5), and of punishment (Lev. 26:21, 24, 28; Deut. 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Prov. 26:16, 25; Isa. 4:1; Matt. 12:45. It is used also to mean “abundantly” (Gen. 4:15, 24; Lev. 26:24; Ps. 79:12).
Just as it took seven days to create the universe, Jacob bows himself to Esau. Jacob does so as a token of complete submission to his older brother.
We see such a vastly different Jacob here than the younger brother who had taken the birthright from Esau. This was truly more of the man of God that we would expect to see. Not the “Exalt yourself and you shall be humbled” Jacob who had left the family home 21 years previously but a “Humble yourself and you shall be exalted” version after striving with and for God’s blessings.
What normally happens when you humble yourself before someone?
What is normally the case, even for the non-Christian, is that they soften their approach towards us.
We see a similar response by Esau. Esau, the wild hunter, is completely softened, and manifests the warmest affection, which is reciprocated by Jacob. The manner in which Esau comes to his brother is reminiscent of the story of the prodigal sons return.
Esau sees the women and children, and inquires as to who they are. Jacob answers that God had graciously bestowed on him, these children. They approach in succession, and do show respect as their father had.
Are you children respectful today?
This is something that is becoming extremely rare in this current sinful world. It should never be the case in a Christian families and churches. Our great example “Jesus Christ” set the perfect tone of obedience to the order of God, and so must we who walk after our Lord.
Esau then asks about the caravan or horde he had already met. He had heard the announcement of the servants; but awaited the confirmation of the master. “To find grace in the eyes of my lord.” Jacob values highly the good will of his brother, and truly where God has benefited there should be little regrets in humbling our riches and ourselves.
The acceptance of this present is the security for that good will, and for all the safety and protection, which it involved. Esau at first declines the gift, but on being
urged by Jacob accepts it, and thereby relieves Jacob of all his anxiety.
His brother is now his friend indeed. “Therefore, have I seen thy face,” that I might give thee this token of my affection. “As if I had seen the face of God.” The unexpected kindness with which his brother had received him was a type and proof of the kindness of our All-sufficient God, by whom it had been added to all his other mercies. My
blessing; my gift, which embodies my good wishes. I have all; not only enough, but all that I can wish.
Do you lift this praise up to God daily? You should.
Esau then offers to accompany Jacob but Jacob explains that this would be inconvenience for both parties, as his tender children and suckling cattle could not keep pace
with Esau’s men, who were used to the road. This is what God calls all wise stewards to do, care for the things which He has placed under our hands.
Jacob would see him when “At the pace of the cattle;” would permit. Jacob also declines the offer of some of the men that Esau had with him. He had, doubtless, enough of hands to manage his remaining flock, and he now relied more than ever on the protection of God who had continually proven himself a faithful and effectual guardian.
Jacob’s Return in obedience to God’s Promised Land
17And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 18And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.
Jacob’s journey takes him to “Sukkoth” which was south of the Jabbok, and east of the Jordan, as we learn from Judges 8:4-9. From the same passage it appears to have been nearer the Jordan than Penuel, which was at the ford of Jabbok.
It is here that Jacob finds this place that God has led him to be, “And built him a house.” This indicates a permanent residence. Home Sweet Home, as we say when we return.
Six things are requisite to create a happy home. Integrity must be the architect and tidiness the upholsterer. It must be warmed by affection, lighted up with cheerfulness; and industry must be the ventilator, renewing the atmosphere and bringing in fresh salubrity day by day; whole over all, as a protecting canopy and glory, nothing will suffice except the blessing of God.
JAMES HAMILTON (1814–1867)
Jacob eventually crosses the Jordan, and enters again the land of “In peace.” The original
word (íìÅLÜ shaôleôm “safe, in peace”) is rendered Shalem, the name of the town at which Jacob arrived, by the Septuagint. The rendering safe, or in peace, is here adopted, because
(1) the word is taken as a common noun or adjective, unless there is a clear necessity for a proper name;
(2) “the place” was called Shekem in the time of Abraham Gen. 12:6, and the “town” is so designated in the thirty-fifth chapter Gen. 35:4; and
(3) the statement that Jacob arrived in safety accounts for the
additional clauses, “which is in the land of Shalem,” and “when he went from Padan-aram,” and is in accordance with the promise Gen. 28:21 that he would return in peace.
Jacob has been so blessed by God that he does not enter into the city, because his flocks and herds could not find accommodation there, and he did not want to come into close contact with the inhabitants. Here Jacob again exercises wise stewardship in maintaining a distance between “God’s People” and the world.
Do you practice such wise stewardship today?
Jacob “bought a parcel of the field.” He is anxious to have a place to call his own, where he can have a permanent resting-place. “For a hundred pieces of money.” This may have been a piece of silver or gold, of a certain weight, equal in
value in that day to a lamb.
We see that Jacob will do something again that his father and grandfather are known for. Jacob builds to God an alter which he calls, “El-Elohe-Israel.” Jacob calls it the altar of the Mighty One, the God of Israel, in which he shows his intense belief in the omnipotence of him who had brought him in safety to the land of promise through many perils, the new name by which he himself had been lately designated, and the blessed communion which now existed between the Almighty and himself. This was the very spot where Abraham, about one hundred and eighty-five years ago, built the first altar he erected in the promised land Gen. 12:6-7. It is now consecrated anew to the God of promise.
Are you ready today to consecrate your alter to God? Our bodies are now the temple—have you consecrated your body to Almighty God.
We must start by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord of our life. To do this we must admit to God we are sinners, believed that Jesus is God’s only Son, and commit our lives to the Lord above and ask him to fill you up with his love. It may seem to easy for you today, it isn’t. God clearly calls us to be separated from the world, we ask you to join us in this separation today.
We would also love to pray for you. If you have any prayer needs are concerns please let us know today.
Closing Prayer.
