Jacob
was gripped by a feeling of great foreboding. He knew he had wronged his elder brother
for deceitfully stealing both his birth-right and the blessing of the first
born. The last words of Esau must have once
again reinstated the great fear in his heart. Recorded in Genesis 27:36 were words
of how Esau had appraised him. “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times.
He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” All Esau could do was to wait for an opportune time
to get rid of his conniving brother.
When
Jacob first heard that Esau was coming to him with his 400 men, he was greatly petrified.
Meeting Esau was something Jacob knew he couldn’t avoid. He had grown in grace
and his quickened conscience would not allow him to evade what was necessary:
to be reconciled with his brother. Having spent a night wrestling with God, and
had his hip dislocated by the gentle touch of the angel, Jacob could not run
any longer. He knew he must confront the situation. The crippling of Jacob helped
to remind him that by himself he was weak. The new name Israel would remind him
that it would be God that would fight for him in the journey of life. Like him
we must remember this paradox if we want to experience success. It is in our
weakness that our strength is made perfect. His grace is truly more than enough
for us.
Jacob’s
new name ‘Israel’ was a prophetic declaration of his future. While the
wrestling with the supernatural being did transform him, he still had some
distance to go in his nature. Though he had grown in depth spiritually, his old
nature was still a part of him. So we read that when he lifted his eye and saw
Esau coming with 400 men to meet him, he frantically divided his family in the
way that those dearest to him would be last, in case Esau should unleash his
anger. So he placed the two maids and their children right at the start of the
queue. Next were Leah and the children she bore for him and finally right
behind was Rachel and Joseph. He himself then passed ahead of them bowing, prostrating
himself seven times intermittently until he came to Esau. Oddly this was a
reversal of Isaac’s blessing on him in Genesis 27:29 that says, “Be master of your brother and may your mother’s sons bow down to you….”
Now what he did was to express his repentance for the shameful act of stealing
the blessing due to Esau from his father Isaac.
Jacob
did not expect what Esau would do. Esau actually ran to meet him and embraced
him, fell on his neck and kissed him as they both wept uncontrollably. Notice Esau
did not even mention the past. The hug and the kiss said it all. God answered Jacob’s
prayer. Remember Genesis 32:11 where he pleaded with God saying, “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I
fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.” God had indeed changed Esau’s heart. Jacob’s
experience affirms that prayer indeed does change things and more importantly, prayer
will change us.
When
Esau saw the family of Jacob following behind him, he asked, “Who are these
with you?” Jacob then introduced to him his wives and his sons whom God had
graciously given to him. He attributed to them as God’s grace poured over his
life. Notice how he responded to Esau’s question in verse 5, “The children whom
God has graciously given your servant.” Jacob had introduced the beginning of
the chosen people. The second question Esau asked was concerning the groups of
animals, preceded by a messenger, that he had met on the way here. That very
question allowed Jacob the opening to seek reconciliation. He told Esau honestly
that they were intended to seek his favour. Esau declined at first but at the
insistence of Jacob, he finally accepted. The key is found in the second part
of verse 10 where it says “…take my present from my hand, for I see your
face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favourably.” Jacob was
conscious that seeing the face of God at Peniel and seeing Esau’s face were
connected. It was God graciously dealing with him. The fact that Esau did not
reciprocate by giving something in return to Jacob was an indication that he
accepted the brother’s gifts and the old score was totally settled.
What
can we learn from all these? It is important that we recognize that the blessing
of life comes to us through the grace of God. He relentlessly pursues us with
His grace. Hence, relying on God is not an option but an essential part of
success in life. We need to know also that reconciliation with God must precede
all blessings in life. God must always come first. He must be our pre-eminence
in life. And from the gifts Jacob gave to Esau we know that restitution is an
essential part of repentance. Forgiveness is never cheap, ours was secured by
the very death of our precious Lord. He gave His life for us, so let’s give ours
to Him!
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