DAY TEN:

Jacob and Esau Reconcile

Genesis 32:1-33:20

Good morning! We've reached the tenth of the one hundred passages we're studying. Yesterday we met Jacob and Esau, twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was a man who lived for the present moment and gave no heed to the things of God. Jacob, whose name means cheat, lived up to that name when he deceived his father and took the blessing he intended for Esau. Esau's rage simmered. He was waiting for his father to die, and then he would kill Jacob. Rebekah sent Jacob away to her family in Paddan-Aram, where he would be safe and where he could find a wife from his own people.

Here's a brief summary of what we're skipping. Jacob arrived safely. He met a beautiful young woman named Rachel. It was love at first sight! And even better, it turned out that she was his cousin, the daughter of Rebekah's brother Laban. Laban welcomed Jacob and asked him to stay and work for him. Jacob said that he would serve Laban for seven years if he could marry Rachel. Laban agreed, and the next seven years flew by. Laban held a big wedding feast and then, according to the custom of that area, escorted Jacob to the house where his wife would be waiting for him. Jacob couldn't be happier! But when he woke up in the morning and turned to look at his bride, and there was another woman in his bed! It was Rachel's older sister Leah! The name Leah means "weak eyes." It sounds like she wasn't as attractive as her younger sister and her father hadn't been able to marry her off. Jacob was furious! Laban told him that custom prevented him from giving his younger daughter in marriage until the older was married (something he neglected to tell Jacob seven years earlier). Laban offered another deal: work for me another seven years and you can marry Rachel too. Just finish the honeymoon with Leah and you can marry Rachel next week.  Jacob's love for Rachel was greater than his anger at her father, and he agreed. So Jacob got more than he bargained for, two wives instead of one. Jacob the cheat had met his match in Uncle Laban!  Leah started having children immediately, but Rachel couldn't conceive, so she told Jacob to have children for her with her maid. Leah wasn't to be outdone, and she gave Jacob her maid to have more children. Now Jacob had FOUR wives! Before long Jacob had ten sons and one daughter. Finally Rachel conceived and had a son, Joseph (we'll talk about him next week). Laban continued to cheat Jacob, but the Lord was with him and he prospered in spite of his uncle's chicanery. After twenty years it was time to take his family and flocks and head back to Canaan. This is where we come to today's passage.

Each step that brought Jacob closer to home also brought him one step closer to meeting his brother Esau. He was filled with murderous rage when Jacob left. What if he wants to make good on that threat to kill him? He sent a large portion of his flock ahead, a gift that would hopefully pacify Esau. He also divided his family into two groups and sent them ahead of them. Jacob followed along by himself, last of all. Maybe if Esau sees that he's a family man now he won't kill him.

Jacob had a visitor that night. A man (actually an angel) suddenly appeared and attacked him! They wrestled until daylight. Jacob was tenacious and wouldn't give up. The man touched Jacob's hip and dislocated it. Despite the pain Jacob continued to cling to his opponent and wouldn't let him go until he blessed him. Jacob received a new name- Israel, which means "one who prevails with God," because he had wrestled with God and didn't give up. Jacob wanted to know the angel's name, but he wouldn't tell him. All of a sudden it dawned on Jacob that he had been wresting with God Himself! Some scholars say he wrestled with Jesus, the Son, in a pre-incarnate appearance. Whoever it was, the encounter changed Jacob's life. 

He finally came face to face with Esau. And Esau was actually happy to see him! He wasn't angry any more. God had answered Jacob's (Israel's) prayers and gave him favor with his brother. Esau invited Jacob to live with him in Edom. But Jacob knew he had to go back to Canaan. He settled in Shechem. His mother, Rebekah, had died but Isaac was still alive and they eventually met up. The Promise goes on!

Jacob is a fascinating man! He's devious and willing to do almost anything to get his way. At the same time he was also devoted to God. The Lord worked in and through Jacob. He let the cheater endure twenty years under Laban, one of the greatest grifters of all time. He wanted just one wife but ended up with four. He went back home trembling at the thought of meeting Esau. He wrestled with God through the night and wouldn't give up. Jacob received a new name, which would become the name for the nation that God would create in fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. 

It's been a great week! Next week we'll look at the life of Joseph and how God shaped and used him.

I'll leave you with a little preview of our studies next week with this opening scene from the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat. Look closely- if you're my age or older you'll recognize someone who was quite famous in the day.