Genesis 33 - Unexpected Grace: Jacob Meets Esau -The Mysteries of God's Word

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Can a deeply fractured relationship truly find healing through unexpected forgiveness? Explore the remarkable story of Jacob and Esau as they transition from estranged siblings to embracing brothers in Genesis 33. We capture the tense moments leading up to their reunion, focusing on Jacob's strategic yet anxious preparations, fearing hostility from Esau and his 400 men. The surprising twist comes with the power of humility and divine intervention as Esau, contrary to all fears, greets Jacob with open arms and tearful affection. This powerful narrative not only highlights the dramatic transformation of their relationship but also emphasizes the timeless message of reconciliation and the unforeseen power of grace.

As Jacob and Esau part ways, we venture into Jacob's subsequent journey, unraveling his wise decision to prioritize his family's needs by traveling separately. From building temporary shelters in Succoth to his significant purchase of land in Shechem, Jacob’s actions reflect both practical wisdom and spiritual dedication. We dive into the historical significance of this land, initially acquired by his grandfather Abram, and the altar Jacob constructs there, symbolizing his ongoing journey of faith and the fulfillment of God’s promises. This episode offers a reflective look at how ancient stories of reconciliation and faith continue to resonate in our lives today.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome again to another episode of the Mysteries
of God's Word.
Today we're in Genesis, chapter33, where Jacob meets Esau,
starting in verse 1,.
And Jacob lifted up his eyesand looked and behold, esau was
coming and four hundred men withhim.

(00:21):
So he divided the childrenamong Leah and Rachel and the
two female servants and he putthe servants with their children
in front, then Leah with herchildren and Rachel and Joseph.
Last of all, he himself went onbefore them, bowing himself to
the ground seven times until hecame near to his brother.

(00:45):
In our first three verses weread that sometime after
daybreak and Jacob's wrestlingmatch with the angel of the Lord
, jacob had crossed that ford atJabbok River and he joined up
with his family.
And not long after he joined upwith his family he saw his
brother coming in the distancewith 400 men.

(01:07):
We see that Jacob had some timeto divide his family and his
livestock up into groups.
Jacob divides his family intothree groups in case there's an
attack.
Maybe if one group is attackedothers can escape.
The group in front is the twofemale servants with their

(01:29):
children.
This would be Bilhah, dan,naphtali, zilpah, Gad and Asher.
The second group which wasbehind that was Leah with her
children.
So this would be Leah.
That was Leah with her children.

(01:50):
So this would be Leah, reuben,simeon Levi, judah, issachar and
Zebulun.
And then finally, the thirdgroup which was in back was just
Rachel and Joseph.
And then we see that Jacob goeson before his family to protect
them and try to appease what heperceived as his brother's wrath
.
So Jacob bows down to theground a total of seven times,

(02:14):
showing his submission towardsEsau each time as he drew closer
and closer to his brother Verse4,.
But Esau ran to meet him andembraced, embraced him and fell
on his neck and kissed him andthey wept.
And when Esau lifted up hiseyes and saw the women and

(02:35):
children, he said who are thesewith you?
Jacob said the children whomGod has graciously given your
servant.
Then the servants drew near,they and their children, and
bowed down.
Leah likewise and her childrendrew near and bowed down.
And last, joseph and Racheldrew near and they bowed down.

(02:58):
In these four verses we see thatwhen Jacob got close to his
brother Esau, esau ran to meethim.
This probably surprised JacobVery.
Contrary to his expectations,esau completely had softened
toward him and was showing thewarmest of affections Esau is so
excited to see him that he runsto meet him, not being able to

(03:22):
control his emotion.
It says Esau embraced him andthen he fell on his neck and
kissed him.
This is a picture of Esauplacing his head on Jacob's
shoulders and next to his neck,kissing him and weeping.
It's a picture of how the Lordhad dramatically changed Esau's

(03:42):
heart towards Jacob.
What a difference we see herein Esau.
Twenty years ago Esau wanted tokill Jacob.
Now he's so happy to see him.
He's weeping and kissing him.
And Esau says who are thesewith you?
So Esau asks Jacob about hisfamily and Jacob gives glory to
God for the family that he hasbeen given.

(04:05):
And then Jacob's family drawscloser, each group, one at a
time, and Jacob begins tointroduce them to Esau.
Verse 8,.
Esau said what do you mean byall of this company that I met?
Jacob answered To find favor inthe sight of my Lord.
But Esau said I have enough,brother, keep what you have for

(04:29):
yourself.
Jacob said no, please, if Ifound favor in your sight, then
accept my present from my hand.
Jacob said because God hasdealt graciously with me and
because I have enough.
Thus he urged him and he tookit.

(05:01):
In verses 8 through 11, we seethat Esau wants to know Jacob's
intentions in all of thesedroves of animals that he had
sent to give to Esau prior toJacob meeting with him.
Jacob is honest with him andsays I'm seeking your favor and
your good graces, and Esaureplies but I have enough,

(05:24):
brother, keep what is yours.
Here it is revealed to us thatall of Jacob's efforts were
unnecessary.
All of Jacob's efforts wereunnecessary.
All of these droves of animalsthat Jacob sent in an effort to
change his brother's heart werenot what changed his brother's
heart.
It was the Lord who was incontrol the whole time.

(05:47):
But Jacob still insists.
He says no, please, insistingthat Esau accept the gift to
confirm that he has indeed foundfavor in his brother's sight.
And in doing this Jacob showsus he understands a biblical
principle that building strongrelationships is more important

(06:11):
than having financial stability.
Verse 12,.
But Jacob said to him my Lordknows that the children are
frail and that the nursingflocks and herds are a care to
me.
If they're driven hard for oneday, all the flocks will die.

(06:32):
Let my Lord pass on ahead ofhis servant and I will lead on
slowly, at the pace of thelivestock that are ahead of me
and the pace of the childrenuntil I come to my Lord in Seir.
In these three verses we seethat Esau proposes they should

(06:53):
journey on together now thatthey've met up and Esau believes
he should lead the way.
Esau, a man of the world, wouldwant to press on quickly, using
force to stop anyone who wouldstand against him or his brother
.
And while Esau now doesn'tappear to have any animosity
toward his brother, he still hada very different way of doing

(07:17):
things and looking at thingsthan Jacob.
And Jacob, a man of God, liveda life much differently and at a
different pace than Esau.
And Jacob wisely proposes thatthey go back separately.
Jacob also understands howhard-pressed his family and
flocks already are after themany days of fleeing from Laban

(07:43):
and then living in fear of hisbrother Esau.
Jacob tells Esau that he shouldgo on ahead of him.
He will come later and catch upwith him in his home at Seir.
It's interesting that Jacobtells him this, because it
appears once again that Jacobtends to be a little bit of a
trickster here, because whenEsau is actually gone, jacob

(08:08):
turns back north rather thangoing south to Seir.
Jacob crosses back over theJabbok and goes to Succoth and
then later heads to Shechem.
Perhaps Jacob was hoping thatone day he would come to Esau in
Seir, but he certainly was notupfront about that when he was
talking with Esau Verse 15.

(08:29):
So Esau said Let me leave withyou some of my people who are
with me.
But he said, what need is there?
Let me find favor in your sight, o Lord.
So Esau returned that day onhis way to Seir.
But Jacob journeyed to Succothand built himself a house and
made booths for his livestock.

(08:50):
Therefore the name of the placeis Succoth.
We don't know exactly why Esauwanted to leave some people with
Jacob, perhaps to protect hisbrother, or perhaps because he
knew his brother Jacob very welland detected that his brother
Jacob wasn't completely beinghonest with him.
In any case, jacob said therewas no need for him to leave men

(09:14):
, and Esau and all of his menheaded back to Seir.
But Jacob went to Succoth.
Now Succoth was north of theJabbok river and there at
Succoth Jacob built temporaryshelters for his family and his
livestock to give them respitefrom their long, hard journey

(09:35):
thus far Verse 18,.
And Jacob came safely to thecity of Shechem, which is in the
land of Canaan on his way fromPaddan Aram and he camped before
the city and from the sons ofHamar, shechem's father, he
bought for a hundred pieces ofmoney the piece of land on which

(09:56):
he had pitched his tent.
There he erected an altar andcalled it El Elohi Israel, which
means God, the God of Israel.
When Jacob came outside thecity of Shechem in the land of
Canaan, he came to a place ofsafety once again.
Shechem is an area 40 milesnorth of Jerusalem.

(10:20):
It's where his grandfatherAbram built an altar to God when
he first stopped in Canaan, wayback in Genesis 12.6.
Here, at Shechem, jacobpurchases a piece of land and
begins to settle.
The piece of land that Jacobpurchases was originally

(10:41):
purchased by Abram, hisgrandfather we learn that in
Acts 7.16, perhaps even when hefirst came into the Promised
Land.
But it must have reverted backto the people of Hamor, which is
now why Jacob repurchased itfrom the sons of Hamar for a
hundred pieces of money.

(11:02):
Later, jacob will give thisland to his son, joseph, and
Joseph will be buried here onthis land, which will stay in
the family and, much like hisgrandfather, abram built an
altar here.
Now Jacob builds an altar andworships the Lord, the God of

(11:22):
Israel.
Thank you for joining me thisweek and God bless you.