The Reconcilation Of Two Brothers Series

The Reconciliation of Two Brothers

Text: Genesis, Chapters 28-33

Introduction.

I think the first lesson in life—for you, for me, and for everyone else—is to accept that we will not understand everything that happens in life.

In our 21st century minds, we think if we’re asked to do something, then we must understand every reason why. It’s hard for our 21st century, science oriented minds to step back and say, “I don’t know why this happened this way—but I know it did!”

We see things happen and think to ourselves, “I don’t believe that could happen!” How many times have we said, “That’s impossible!”

Think back to the first Gulf War when Saddam set all those oil wells on fire in Kuwait and we had to go in and put those fires out. Mostly big companies got the contracts to put out the fires—and most of them from Houston, TX. That’s because these guys were the best in the world at putting out oil fires.

Then there’s a little company that says, “Hey! We’ve got to get a chance to put out a fire in Kuwait!” So, they asked the U.S. government to be fair and give them a chance. The government says, “O.K.”, and gives them a $15 million contract to put out ONE oil field fire!

All right! So, the little company arrives in Kuwait and they look a little under-equipped for the task. The have one flat-bed truck, a driver, and 15 people on the bed of the truck with wet tow sacks!

They drive the truck right down the big sand dune toward the ferocious fire and, as people watch in awe and horror, they drive the truck right into the fire! Fifteen men jump out into the fire with their wet tow sacks and beat the fire to death! No more fire!

The witnesses can’t believe it! The newspaper people all rush over to the truck driver (who’s also the owner of the company) and exclaim, “We can’t believe what you did!”

The owner replies, “I can’t either!”

One reporter says, “You just made $15 million! What are you going to do with all that money?”

The driver/owner replies, “Well, the first thing I’m going to do is fix the brakes on that truck!”

You see, sometimes, we just don’t understand everything!!!

Now, we all know that God created the heavens and the earth, and He created us to inhabit the earth. Why?

That’s a good question! God put man in this perfect environment called the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve represented the nature of mankind—and they just couldn’t wait to prove that we ain’t perfect!

God knew this, and for some reason—and only God knows why—He loved us anyway! God wanted to reconcile us back to Himself.

Now mankind infested the earth, and they were very rebellious and evil. God considered His creation and their wickedness and, “…was sorry He had made man and was grieved in His heart.”

For this reason, God decided He would, “…blot out man…from the face of the land.” But God found one man who had faith. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and decided to spare Noah and his family. And that is why man survived the flood!

· God knew the man named Abraham; and, Abraham believed God and it was recorded to him as righteousness.

· God told Abraham to travel with his family to another land that He would show them—and Abraham did. Generations later, the Hebrew writer would say, “He was looking for a city that the builder and architect was God…” (Hebrews, Chapter 11). And, God did.

· God tested Abraham with the son Abraham loved so—and Abraham passed that test!

· God told Abraham, “…All the descendants of the earth will be blessed through you and your seed…”.

· God gave Abraham a son who was named Isaac—the promised child—and through him all the descendants of the earth would be blessed.

Now then—Isaac had a wife named Rebekah and she had two sons who began their fighting, even while still in her womb. God told Rebekah that there were two nations in her womb, and that the older son would serve the younger.

The older son was named Esau. Easau lived for the moment and sold his birthright to his brother, Jacob, for no more than a bowl of soup!

The younger son—well, he was born holding onto the heel of his brother; and, that is why he was named “Jacob”, which means “heel catcher”, “supplanted”, or “deceiver”, because he was a trickster who would trip people up, or catch them by the hamstring.

Their father, Isaac, wanted to give the blessings of the covenant to Esau, the older son, because Isaac favored the wild game Esau provided for him.