Jacob’s Humility?
Genesis 32
In Genesis 27 we saw that Jacob traded a bowl of lintel stew to his brother Esau for Esau’s birthright when Esau was hungry. We also saw that their mother Rebekah told Jacob to disguise himself as his brother Esau and trick their blind father, Isaac, into giving him the Firstborn Blessing. Now because of Esau’s threats against Jacob, Rebekah decides to tell Isaac a half truth. She does not want Jacob to marry a Canaanite like Esau has, it disgusts her; but she does not tell of her trickery and Esau’s anger.
In Genesis 28 is the story of Isaac telling Jacob to go to his Uncle’s house to find a wife; then Isaac Blesses Jacob again: “Now may El Shaddai Bless you and make you Fruitful and multiply you so that you will become an assembly of Peoples. May He give you The Blessing of Abraham, to you and your seed with you that you may take possession of the land of your sojourn, which GOD Gave to Abraham.” (Genesis 28:1-4)
In Genesis 29-30 we see Laban and Jacob deceiving each other. Laban gets both his daughters married to Jacob in exchange for 14 years of labor. Jacob spends the next 6 years becoming a rich man while Laban’s fortunes decline.
In Genesis 31 we see Jacob’s herd of sheep and goats was growing and Laban’s was not and Laban and his sons noticed. Jacob realized that he had lost favor with Laban and decided to leave, he spoke to his wives telling them that Laban had changed his salary 10 times and they saw they had no future there so they agreed (Genesis 31:1-10, 14-16).
The continuing saga of Jacob son of Isaac, son of Abraham. Jacob and Laban his uncle on his mother’s, Rebekah, side have parted ways and Laban’s descendants now become enemies of Israel like all of Abraham’s descendants not of Isaac and Jacob.
As Jacob traveled he saw the angels of GOD and named the place, Mahanaim (GOD’s Camp). (Genesis 31:55-32:2)
Jacob sends messengers to his brother Esau, telling him he is returning home with this message: “This is what your servant Jacob said: ‘I’ve been staying with Laban and have lingered until now. Now I’ve come to possess oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants and female servants. I sent word to tell my lord, in order to find favor in your eyes.’” (Genesis 32:3-5)
The messengers return and tell Jacob that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. Jacob is afraid and devises a plan to pacify his brother. He divides his camp into 2 camps so that if Esau attacks one the other can escape. (Genesis 32:6-8)
Then Jacob prayed to GOD, “O GOD of my father Abraham, and GOD of my father Isaac, ADONAI, Who said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will do Good with you (I will deal well with you). I am unworthy of all the proofs of Mercy and of all the Dependability that You have shown to Your servant. For with only my staff I crossed over this Jordan and now I’ve become 2 camps.” So even though Jacob divided his company into 2 camps out of fear of Esau, He credits GOD with the increase and abundance in his life. “Deliver me please, from my brother’s hand, from Esau’s hand, for I’m afraid of him that he will come and strike me – the mothers with the children. You Yourself said, ‘I will most certainly do Good with you (treat you well) , and make your seed like the sand of the sea that cannot be counted because of its abundance.’” (Genesis 32:9-12)
Jacob lodged there that night and prepared a gift for his brother. He divided his flocks and sent them with his servants ahead and told each group leader “When Esau my brother asks you, ‘To whom do you belong and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’” Say to Esau: “They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; behold, he also is behind us.” (Proverbs 17:8) The present went ahead but Jacob stayed in camp. (Genesis 32:13-21)
During the night Jacob sent his children and their mothers across at the ford Jabbok but he stayed behind. That night he wrestled a Man until daybreak and The Man could not prevail against Jacob so he touched (struck) Jacob’s hip socket so that Jacob’s hip was out of joint. “And He (The Man) said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he (Jacob) said, ‘I will not let You go unless You Bless me!’ So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel (Lit. Prince with GOD); for you have struggled with GOD and with men and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked, saying, ‘Tell me your Name, I pray.’ And He said, ‘Why is it that you ask about My Name?’ And He Blessed him there.” Jacob call the place Peniel (Lit. Face of GOD): “For I have seen GOD face to face, and my life is preserved.” As Jacob crossed the Jordan the sun rose and he had a limp. The children of Israel stopped eating the hip socket muscle because Jacob’s shrank when The Man struck it. (Genesis32:22-32)
Jacob seems to have learned humility but if you read
carefully you see he is driven by fear of Esau (Matthew 10:27-31. GOD meets
with him on his journey home and wrestles with him physically but does not
prevail, that is the Grace and Mercy of GOD. Before we become a Christ-ian we
fight against GOD and His Purpose for our Life, as a Christ-ian we still often
fight against GOD’s Purpose for our Life, but now He comes to us to convince us to serve Him,
as Jacob or Peter (John 18:15-27, 21:15-19) or Paul (Acts 7:54-60, 9:1-31) we
may hold our own out of GOD’s Grace and Mercy but if we do not yield to His
Will and Purpose for our life we might become a Judas (John 13:21-30, 18:1-5, Acts
1:15-20) or Esau (Genesis 36:1-8; Numbers 20:14-21).
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