April 28, 2024
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Reading along with us in Genesis? Here’s today’s reading:
Genesis 33 (NIV)
Jacob Meets Esau
1 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.……Continue Reading
This certainly is a beautiful picture of the reconciliation God can bring to the worst situations. Both of these men had made mistakes in the past and both hurt in their own actions and the actions of eah other, however, when they come back together God has clearly done a work in both of their hearts and there is no need for talk of the past only the here and now. so many times our best path to forgiving is forgetting…we hold onto things we feel like we need to, to be heard or explain and sometimes it is just better to move on and let God heal the hearts involved. Glad Jacob did not let fear prevent this reunification with his brother and he trusted God.
Esau arrives with the 400 men so was Jacob fear justified or did Esau have a change of heart before he arrived to see Jacob. For it says that Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Sounds like a changed heart. Esau didn`t even want the gifts but Jacob insisted. I don`t know the culture or tradition on this actions. But they were happy to see each other. But for some reason Jacob tells Esau that he will follow him to his home and yet goes somewhere else away from Esau and company. Was it because he still believed that Esau would kill him? Esau could already have killed Jacob but chose not to. Was he still trying to protect his family from corruption by false gods and all that went with that? But he moved to an area where his daughter was harmed. Sometimes we make wrong decisions but whether his decision was wrong we really don`t know. But he probably should have asked God`s guidance here and not just gone to Succoth and then to Shalem a city of Shechem. We live in an evil world and sin is all around us. Sometimes it is impossible to protect our children and grandchildren from harm. All we can do is seek God and call upon Him to help our families. But God does give us all a free will to choose Him over sin.
Genesis 33
Genesis 33
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole earth.” I John 2:2
The offering Israel sends is his propitation for the evil he inflicted on Esau, to appease his wrath.
This pictures Christ Jesus. -gy
Genesis 33
Genesis 33
Genesis 34
Genesis 33-34
”But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.“
Genesis 33:4 NKJV
Both Jacob and Esau offer each other generous gifts and each reply that he “has enough”. What a contrast from the domestic battle for the birthright blessing so many years ago. Reconciliation is a beautiful thing.
Genesis 33
This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: surprised by grace and forgiveness. Jacob had built up in his mind what Esau’s response would be to his return. He made provision for protection and minimizing collateral damage. But Esau comes to him in a way completely unexpected. The 400 men were there to help Jacob, not hurt him. And although we don’t know whether the change in Esau was a work of God, time or reflection, to me this is a great picture of the grace and forgiveness of God and how it comes out of the blue and is much greater than we would have thought possible. It is also a great picture of what our forgiveness should look like too. And once that forgiveness comes, it is like a new day has dawned, all the trouble that we thought we would have to manage goes away. Now Jacob can do what is necessary to establish him and his family in his home country. Hmmm how much better forgiveness is, especially since that is also what God can bless and foster.