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jrhughes · 4 months

Text

Fear and Deliverance

Genesis 32:1-32

Sunday, January28, 2024

Golden Text: And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. - Genesis 32:13-15

Introduction: Today we are going to study Jacob’s return to the promised land of Canaan to his father Isaac. Jacob originally left his family 20 years earlier after he and his mother had deceived Isaac and received a blessing for Jacob which Isaac intended for Esau. Esau was extremely upset and said that as soon as his father died he was going to kill Jacob.

It is interesting to note that this contest between the brothers started when the two of them were in the womb of their mother Rebekah. There, there was a great struggle within her womb and when she asked the Lord what it meant, she was told that two nations were in her womb and she was told that the elder would serve the younger. It is interesting to note that God spoke to the family, in this case, though Rebekah the wife and mother, which was a bit unusual because God usually spoke through the father/husband.

Once the two young men grew, one time Esau was out hunting and Jacob was home with his mother as usual and was preparing pottage. Esau came out from hunting and was famished and Jacob, who is a deceiver and supplanter, took full advantage of the situation and said to the very hungry Esau, Sell me your birthright. Esau had been born first, only by a few minutes, but the firstborn was going to either get all of the father’s wealth or a large portion of it. Esau succumbed to his hunger and said to Jacob what good is the birthright, feed me that pottage, lest I die, in exchange for his birthright position as number one.

Although Isaac knew of these events, and that God had said the elder shall serve the younger, Isaac intended to go against the will of God and give the blessing that Esau would have had by being firstborn back to Esau even though God had clearly told them the elder would serve the younger. Rebekah and Jacob devised plans to deceive an older Isaac who had trouble seeing and may have had trouble in his tasting ability because when Rebekah made savory meat, she took the meat from the goats and made it taste like venison. Anyway they convinced Isaac that Jacob was Esau and Isaac blessed Jacob with the blessings of the firstborn.

Shortly after this encounter Esau came in and was told that the blessing that Isaac was going to gice to Esau was already given to Jacob and Jacob would indeed get that blessing. Esau was very, very angry. He literally cried and asked his father for another blessing. The father told him that he would give him a blessing but Jacob had received the firstborn blessing. That is when Esau became so angry that he threatened to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac their father had died.

Rebekah heard this and about that same time Esau had married another Canaanite woman as his wife. Knowing these two facts, Rebekah convinced Isaac to join her in telling Jacob to go to the land of her brother Laban and there to find a wife, who was not Canaanite.

Off to Haran: Jacob traveled some 500 miles and early on in the travels he laid down his head on a stone and that night saw angels going up and down a ladder from heaven to earth. Furthermore, Jacob had seen the Lord at the top of the ladder. And Jacob had made a promise that if God would keep him when he would come back, he would then serve Him as God.

Jacob went to Laban. The first meeting was with the daughter of Laban, Rachel, when Rachel came to water her sheep. Jacob told Rachel who he was. Jacob was very interested in the very beautiful well favored Rachel and had worked out a deal with his uncle Laban to serve 7 years to marry Rachel as agreed upon between Laban and Jacob. However, on the wedding night, Laban substituted Leah.

Apparently in the dark and with the bridal coverings and the veil Jacob did not know it was Leah that night, but discovered it the next morning. Jacob went to Laban very upset, incensed, But Laban had a deal for him. After Leah gets her week (honeymoon?) Jacob could serve Laban seven more years and after only 1 week Laban would give Jacob Rachel, also to be the wife of Jacob. Jacob had no other alternative but to agree and started working now for Rachel.

After the 14 years were up, Jacob asked Laban to send him away. In the meantime God had prospered the efforts of Jacob and Laban had gained much wealth and prosperity. Laban wanted to continue this so he told Jacob basically you name your price and I will agree to it.

Flocks and herds of sheep and goats were generally speaking white, without any other color in their coats at all. The ones with color in them were not highly regarded so Jacob said you give me those with color in them and I will serve you for them. And so he made the agreement. Ten times Laban changed the “deal” but each time he did so God countered it by having the stronger animals mate and come up with the better offspring.

After 6 more years of service the sons of Laban (who stood to inherit their fathers wealth) decided that all that he, Jacob, had earned through his labors really belonged to their father and they convinced their father who also began to believe perhaps the sons were correct and Jacob realized that he was (perhaps) about to lose everything that he had earned in the last 6 years.

Jacob then talked to his 2 wives out in the field where he was keeping his own animals and asked them if they wanted to return back to the land of promise with him. Jacob informed them that God had told him it was time to go home. The two daughters of Laban agreed that all that had been accomplished by their husband Jacob belonged to him and to them and their families. Laban shortly thereafter went to shear his sheep and was gone for a week.

During that time when Laban was gone, Jacob Leah and Rachel and the two handmaids and all the company and all the livestock that he had acquired left and went with him on the way back to the Promised Land.

Laban pursues Jacob: When Laban returned from shearing sheep he was told what had happened and he and his men went after Jacob and his company. Seven days later Laban overtook them. God spoke to Laban in a dream and told him not to be harsh with Jacob. Apparently Laban realized that he was not only going to have to battle with Jacob and his people, but God would be on the side of Jacob. Rather than take them all on he made a covenant with Jacob. They set up a pillar and neither one was to pass that pillar to do any harm to the other. Then Laban kissed his daughters and left and went back to his land.

Message Text: Genesis 32:1-32

1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

The angels of God met him After God has told him to return to his home and his wives had agreed, Jacob went on his way. And to confirm that he was in the will of God, the angels of God met him. And when he realized these were the angels of God, he exclaimed this is God’s host. He called the name of that place Mahanaim. Mahanaim means “two camps.”

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Verse 3 tells us Jacob sent messengers to Esau. As you will recall, Esau is the older twin brother of Jacob. Esau had vowed to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac their father died. This was part of the reason that Jacob fled from Canaan in the first place.

We find out that after the return to Canaan, the two discovered that they had too much livestock to dwell together. Thus Esau (brother of Jacob) left the land of Canaan and then moved to the land of Seir in the country of Edom.

Seir means "hairy" or "shaggy" and Edom means “red.” The reason that is important is because that describes Esau. He was a hairy man who also had some redness about him. As you will recall, in the eyes of Esau, Jacob has stolen his blessing from his father and therefore had stolen the inheritance or goods that would flow to the firstborn.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Speak unto my lord Esau As you can see, he speaks humbly and in deference to Esau, calling him lord. It seems to indicate that he considers him above himself.

Jacob tells Esau that he had been gone for these twenty years working with Laban and stayed there until now. He had been gone for 20 years where he had worked 14 years for his two wives Leah and Rachel and another 6 years during which time, Jacob had acquired animals and wealth. Jacob said when he sent to Esau, “I now own or have oxen and donkeys, flocks of animals, menservants, maidservants. I have been prospered greatly and I said to tell this to you Esau it is my purpose to find grace in thy sight.”

Certainly the motivation for Jacob was fear. He feared for his life. He remembered how badly Esau had been hurt and felt betrayed by what he had done to take the blessing from Isaac unto himself. He knew that Esau was angry enough to carry out his threat to kill Jacob and to kill him as soon as their father died. Another thing we can surmise is Jacob was not sure as to whether or not Isaac was living or dead and if he had died, certainly Esau would be wanting to carry out his threat against Jacob.

The messengers of Jacob returned and told him more frightening news. When they met Esau, he wasn’t coming alone or with a small group to meet him. Esau had with him 400 men and we assume that the messengers meant 400 men of war willing to do the bidding of Esau. Jacob (falsely) realized at this moment that Esau was still intent on taking his life. If he hadn’t been afraid before now Jacob was certain, Esau had come with his men intending to kill Jacob and take all that he had.

7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

Jacob was greatly afraid It was clear to all that Jacob was greatly afraid. Jacob decided he would try to save at least some of his people. Jacob divided the people that were with him and all that they had into two separate bands of people. The one thing that puzzles me is if Jacob had all that he claimed to have he must have had a substantial group of men himself that could have fought in defense against Esau’s 400 men but Jacob wasn’t thinking.

Fear struck his heart. Jacob was distressed, upset, worried. Jacob believed Esau had only ill will toward him and Jacob expected the worst.

Jacob spoke to the two companies and said if Esau strikes one of the two companies the other should run for their lives and escape. That way at least half of the people would be saved.

9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11 Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12 And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Deliver me I pray Thee Jacob must have recalled that he had heard form God and it was God that told him to return to the promised land so Jacob finally does something wise. He prays and asks God to intervene. He wants to make certain that he is talking to the right God, the one true living God, the God of his father Abraham and Isaac. He reminds God that it was God who told him to return to his country and to his kindred. Then he thanks God and reminds himself how he is unworthy and that when he passed over Jordan to go to Haran all that Jacob had with him was his staff. Jacob came back blessed of God, prospered and there were two bands of people.

Then he again reverts back to fear and asks God deliver me I pray Thee from the hand of my brother Esau for I fear him. The fear was total. The fear was complete. It was controlling Jacob his life and his thoughts.

Then Jacob ends the prayer, interestingly enough, reminding himself that God was going to do him good and make his seed as the sand of the sea, perhaps reminding God that as a dead person that would not be possible. And then his prayer is ended.

13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. 17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? 18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. 19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. 20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Now Jacob devises a plan. We don’t see any direction from God but he decides he is going to give a gift to Esau his brother and hopes to satisfy him so he will not take his vengeance out upon him as promised to do after Jacob had convinced Isaac that he was Esau so Isaac would give the blessing he intended for Esau to Jacob.

One only has to look at what Jacob offered to his brother to realize how God had blessed him. He gave him 450 goats and rams, 30 camels with their colts, 40 head of cattle, 10 bulls, 20 donkeys half of them having foals. This great number of animals was but a fraction of the wealth he had obtained and prosperity he had been given by God. It seems like he should have at least advised God of his plan to offer these to Esau, but we don’t see any evidence of that here.

Furthermore Jacob delivered them to his servants and commanded them to pass over before Jacob and put a space between those things he was giving away to Esau. Certainly his fear had driven him to the point of seeing if he could buy off his brothers anger.

He then tells them when you meet Esau my brother and he asks about these animals, you are instructed to say these were all acquired by and belonged to Jacob. They are a present sent to Esau, it’s for Esau. Then they were to say Jacob is behind us. Apparently there were three droves, I do not know if this was the number of animals in each drove or the total number in three droves. Whichever way it is you can see how blessed Jacob was by the hand of God.

Jacob tells his servants the purpose: Jacob wanted to appease Esau. Jacob hoped that Esau would forgive him and accept him and not carry out his plan to kill Jacob.

21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.

Jacob had sent the present on before him and he spent the night with his company of people. But apparently he could not sleep. He rose up that night, took his wives and servants (concubines) eleven sons and they all passed over the ford of Jabbok. He sent them over the brook probably for their own safety but we are not sure what was his purpose. Except Jacob wanted to be left alone or left alone with God.

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when He saw that He prevailed not against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, Let Me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.

After Jacob sent them over, Jacob was left alone. He wrestled there a Man but if one looks forward to verse 30, Jacob says for I have seen God face to Face. Therefore it is apparent to this writer that this was nothing less than a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Jacob wrestled with that Man until the breaking of the day and then suddenly the Man touched the hollow of the thigh of Jacob and threw it out of place, perhaps indicating that really Jacob was no match for Him; and He could have stopped the wrestling at any point in time but He did not. The pre-incarnate Christ said to Jacob let Me go because the sun is coming up. Jacob protested no, I will not let You go unless You bless me.

27 And He said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And He said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked Him, and said, Tell me, I pray Thee, Thy Name. And He said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after My Name? And He blessed him there.

And the One wrestling with Jacob asked him what is your name. Jacob replied Jacob. He was told you are not going to be called Jacob anymore but Israel because I have now made you a prince and given you power with God and with men. In other words, God had touched Jacob in such a way his life was totally and completely changed. Have you received this touch from God?

Now Jacob asks the Person with whom he is wrestling tell me Your Name. And He said to him why do you ask after My Name? I believe that meant you know Who I AM. If we look at the next verse we see he did know Who it was. And the Wrestler (Jesus) blessed him (Jacob). Now we have an encounter with God by a man who is in fear for his life and has forgotten it was God who told him to come back to the land and we know that God will not send us into a dangerous situation unless we are so forewarned. He was not longer fully trusting in God because of his fear.

The Bible says fear hath torment but perfect love casteth out all fear. Who is the Author of perfect love? The Lord Jesus Christ.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

I have seen God face to face Jacob called the name of the place Peniel. Peniel means "facing God." Here Jacob had come face to face with God the Son and he knew the Scripture which said no one has seen God face to face and lived. That obviously does not apply to the Lord Jesus Christ but God the Father only. God the Holy Spirit is the Spirit that is not readily seen. Jacob passed over Penuel which means "facing God," a derivation of the word Peniel. And the sun rose bringing him a new day. When Jacob walked he walked with a limp because his thigh was out of joint. Does your encounter with Jesus change the way you walk?

32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because He touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

Verse 32 talks about a custom that had risen up in Israel. Because Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint and he walked with a limp, the people decided not to eat of the sinew (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, a tendon; that which unites a muscle to a bone.)

We will find out in the next chapter what happens when Esau and Jacob meet. Were Jacob’s fears well founded? Tune in next week and find out!

Prayer Heavenly Father we thank You that You love each and very one of us. We ask You to cleanse us of all of our sin so that You may hear and answer our prayer. We learned to day how Jacob was gripped with fear believing the worst was going to happen by his brother who had vowed to kill him after Isaac their father died. Apparently he had forgotten it was God Who told him to go back to his family and Lord You are clear that You’re with us always, protecting us when we don’t even know it. Help us not to fear. As Your word says fear hath torment but Your Word also says perfect love casteth out all fear. That perfect love is the Body of God the Son the Messiah of Israel and Savior of all mankind who came to earth in the form of man. He lived a sinless life. He became the sacrifice to take away the sin of the world. So now those who trust and believe in Him and what He has done on the cross for them will one day rule and reign with Him in Heaven. God You are so good to us. We don’t deserve any of what You have given us. We certainly don’t deserve the death of God the Son in our place. We thank You and praise You and worship You. God the Holy Spirit thank You for bringing us into all truth teaching us Your ways. These things we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ God the Son Amen and Amen.

#bible study #genesis #jacob

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