Jacob and Esau Make Peace

Several bullet points from our last lesson.

• • Jacob is coming back into the Promised Land.
  • God confronted Jacob.
  • Big changes were about to take place in Jacob’s life.
  • Jacob wanted a blessing from God.
  • Jacob had to see himself for who he was.
  • Jacob’s life had to be radically changed.
  • As a result of this struggle, Jacob was both “Crippled and Blessed”.
  • The God of Abraham and Isaac was becoming the God of Jacob.

A verse from our last lesson:

Genesis 32:30 (NLT)
³⁰ Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”

We will see, that after seeing God face to face, Jacob was a changed man, but he still had significant issues in his life that needed to be addressed.

• Sanctification is an on-going process that will not be complete or reach perfection in this life.

Genesis 33 (NLT)
Jacob and Esau Make Peace
¹ Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives. ² He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. ³ Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. ⁴ Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
⁵ Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”
“These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied. ⁶ Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him. ⁷ Next came Leah with her children, and they bowed before him. Finally, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed before him.
⁸ “And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked.
Jacob replied, “They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship.”
⁹ “My brother, I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.”
¹⁰ But Jacob insisted, “No, if I have found favor with you, please accept this gift from me. And what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God! ¹¹ Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.
¹² “Well,” Esau said, “let’s be going. I will lead the way.”
¹³ But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. ¹⁴ Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.”
¹⁵ “All right,” Esau said, “but at least let me assign some of my men to guide and protect you.”
Jacob responded, “That’s not necessary. It’s enough that you’ve received me warmly, my lord!”
¹⁶ So Esau turned around and started back to Seir that same day. ¹⁷ Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means “shelters”).
¹⁸ Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town. ¹⁹ Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver. ²⁰ And there he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel.

 Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 33 (NLT)
Jacob and Esau Make Peace
¹ Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives. ² He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 

The brothers had not seen each other for 20-21 years.

In the perceived danger, Jacob is showing weakness and fear.

It is clear that Jacob favored Rachel and Joseph, putting them in the rear, the safest place.

• Jacob shows weakness and fear in the presence of perceived danger. 

³ Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. 

A sign of total submission.

⁴ Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.

Esau greeted Jacob with open arms without any hint of a grudge against Jacob.

 And they both wept.

After 21 years of separation.

Hearts had been changed.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 

• God changed the hearts of Jacob and Esau.

⁵ Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?” 

“These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied. 

Jacob saw his children as a blessing from God.

Jacob referred to himself as Esau’s servant.

A sign of submission. 

⁶ Then the servant wives came forward with their children and bowed before him. ⁷ Next came Leah with her children, and they bowed before him. Finally, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed before him. 

⁸ “And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?” Esau asked.

Jacob replied, “They are a gift, my lord, to ensure your friendship.”

Jacob referred to Esau as “My lord”.  Again, a clear sign of submission.

A gift of 550 animals.

Genesis 32:13-21 (NLT)
¹³ Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: ¹⁴ 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, ¹⁵ 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. ¹⁶ He divided these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he told his servants, “Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance between the herds.”
¹⁷ He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?’ ¹⁸ You must reply, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming right behind us.’”
¹⁹ Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and to all who followed behind the herds: “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰ And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’”
Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” ²¹ So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.

• Jacob tried to appease his brother, Esau, by giving him gifts. 

⁹ “My brother,

Esau referred to Jacob as “my brother”.  Quite a contrast to Jacob’s references to Esau.

God had clearly removed the animosity that had existed between the two brothers.

I have plenty,” Esau answered. “Keep what you have for yourself.”

• Esau did not need or want Jacob’s gifts. 

¹⁰ But Jacob insisted, “No, if I have found favor with you, please accept this gift from me. And what a relief to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the face of God! 

Genesis 32:30 (NLT)
³⁰ Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 

God had spared Jacob’s life (32:30) and now Jacob’s life was spared again by God, from Esau.

¹¹ Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.”

God had blessed Jacob, and Jacob wanted to share these blessings with his brother Esau.

And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift.

The Hebrew word here is the same word used in 27:35 for blessing.

Genesis 27:35 (NLT)
³⁵ But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.”

At one point in time, Jacob had taken blessing that Isaac had intended for Esau.  Now he wanted to give back some of the blessings he had received from God.

¹² “Well,” Esau said, “let’s be going. I will lead the way.”

 ¹³ But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. ¹⁴ Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.”

One more act of deception.

• Once again Jacob deceives his brother Esau.

• Sanctification is an on-going process that will not be complete or reach perfection in this life.

¹⁵ “All right,” Esau said, “but at least let me assign some of my men to guide and protect you.”

Jacob responded, “That’s not necessary. It’s enough that you’ve received me warmly, my lord!” 

• Jacob and Esau are now living in peace with each other. 

¹⁶ So Esau turned around and started back to Seir that same day. 

Deuteronomy 2:4-5 (NLT)
⁴ Give these orders to the people: “You will pass through the country belonging to your relatives the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. The Edomites will feel threatened, so be careful. ⁵ Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land.

 Joshua 24:3-4 (NLT)
³ But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. ⁴ To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 

• Jacob and Esau end up living in different countries.

¹⁷ Jacob, on the other hand, traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was named Succoth (which means “shelters”). 

¹⁸ Later, having traveled all the way from Paddan-aram, Jacob arrived safely at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan. There he set up camp outside the town. 

Genesis 12:6 (NLT)
⁶ Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem (when he first arrived in Canaan). There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. 

¹⁹ Jacob bought the plot of land where he camped from the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for 100 pieces of silver. 

This is only the second plot of land located in the Promised Land purchased by Abraham or one of his descendants.

Genesis 23:17 (NLT)
¹⁷ So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. (where he buried Sarah) 

²⁰ And there he built an altar and named it El-Elohe-Israel. 

God, The God of Israel, Or Mighty God of Israel.

Jacob was giving glory to the God of Israel for bringing him safely back to Canaan.

• Jacob gave glory to God for bringing him safely to Canaan.

Genesis 12:7 (NLT)
⁷ Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

 Jacob and Esau meet again.

Genesis 35:29 (NLT)
²⁹ Then he breathed his last and died at a ripe old age, joining his ancestors in death. And his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.

In this story, lives have been changed by God.

In Jacob, God had brought about a spirit of humility and generosity.

Esau was changed from seeking revenge to desiring reconciliation.

Sanctification is an on-going process that will not be complete or reach perfection in this life.