Father Jacob is a very special man. He is the heir of Isaac, who is the heir of Abraham, with whom God made a very special agreement that would bring salvation and blessing to the world. The Lord promised that through Jacob, He would create the Chosen People, through whom the knowledge of God that leads to salvation will come to the world. God’s blessing of reconciliation, redemption and life will come to the world through Jacob.
After 20 years of being away from his land and his immediate family, Jacob is heading back west, returning home to his family and the land of Canaan. He left with only the clothes on his back and a staff in his hand, but now he returns with wives, concubines, children, servants, and flocks. But, Jacob had not left his brother Esau good terms. In fact, Esau, who believed that Jacob had cheated him out of his birthright and blessing, had threatened to kill his brother.
Jacob is east of the Jordan River, and on the way, some of God’s angels appeared to him and met him. Jacob named the place of that special encounter, “Mahanaim – Twin Camps” – referring to Jacob’s group, and the group of the angels. It must have been very reassuring for Jacob to know that a whole group of angels were close to him, in light of the fact that Jacob was about to encounter his brother Esau.
Then Jacob sent messengers south to the land of Seir, the country of Edom, where Esau was living. Jacob instructed his messengers to inform Esau that his “servant” – a title showing humility, was returning home, and wanted Esau’s favor. He wanted to be well-received and treated well by his brother.
The messengers found Esau, and returned to Jacob – not with a message from Esau of brotherly love and acceptance and welcome, but with the news that Esau was coming to meet him – with 400 men! 400 men was a small army, and Jacob thought that meant trouble, and was very afraid.
Jacob took several precautions to deal with his estranged relative. First, he divided his group into two groups, figuring that if Esau came and killed one group, he might not discover the second group, and they would survive.
Next, Jacob prayed. He reminded the Lord that He had told him to return home, so he was following the Lord’s instructions (see 31:3, 13), and shouldn’t be harmed for being obedient.
He also reminded the Lord that He had promised to make his descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea, so the Lord had better protect Jacob from Esau, lest the word of the faithful God not be fulfilled. Jacob also acknowledged the Lord’s grace shown toward Jacob – making him prosperous, and also Jacob’s unworthiness – implying that it would be good if the Lord would continue being gracious to Jacob in this conflict with Esau.
This is a good lesson on prayer. When we pray, we should pray with humility. We mention the Lord’s attributes, like His grace. We should remind Him of His Word and His promises to us, asking Him to fulfill them. “Lord, You began a good work in me. Please bring me to the final goal.” Lord, be gracious to me, since You promised that Your grace would be sufficient for me. Lord, Your word says that all thing work togther for good. Therefore, help me understand that nothing truly evil can harm me. Lord, with every temptation there is a way of escape, that I may be able to endure each trial successfully, so bring me through this trial. Lord, You promised divine wisdom to face every difficult situation I will ever face, so please give me the wisdom I need! Lord, You promised that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so Lord I confess my sins to You, please forgive me for all my sins!
Then Jacob did something else – he gave a princely gift to his brother, hoping to reduce Esau’s anger. He gave him goats and sheep and camels and cows and donkeys. And, he divided the animals into groups, and instructed his servants to present each group of animals to Esau as a gift from his servant Jacob. It stretched out the giving of the gift, so that it seemed like there were many gifts – gift after gift after gift.
The night before he was to meet Esau, Jacob was alone, and a man appeared to Jacob; but this was no ordinary man. Hosea 12:4 tells us that this was an angel (“he wrestled with the angel”). But, this is more than an ordinary angel. This seems to be a manifestation of God Himself – the Preincarnate Messiah, and the Son of God.
Jacob and God’s messenger wrestled until daybreak. They wrestled until the angel touched Jacob’s thigh, and his leg became dislocated. In spite of the pain, Jacob continued wrestling. Jacob knew that this was a very special being, and would not stop wrestling until he extracted a promise from the messenger to bless him. This also tells us that Jacob had a heart for God, and tried to cling to God, get close to God, and not let go of God. Jacob is a good example for us to follow.
The angel agreed, and blessed him and gave him a new name – Yisrael – a prince of God, “you have become great, or you have become a prince – sar – before God and man. You have won.
“The name is clearly a title of victory; probably ‘a champion of God.’ The children of the Patriarchs are Israelites, Champions of God, Contenders for the Divine, conquering by strength from Above” (Hertz). Jacob wrestled with God and won. Jacob struggled with his brother, and would be victorious. He would struggle with the Canaanites and be victorious. He would struggle with his children and would win. But when Jacob asked the angel for his name, the angel answered his question with a question: why do you ask my name? He never directly answered Jacob’s question, since I think he had already told him who He was – by the “El” – God, in Yisrael (Ryrie).
Jacob seems to have understood, because he named the place of this encounter Peniel – the Face of God. Jacob must have understood that in some way, he had seen God, and he was pleasantly surprised that he remained alive, because it was known that God is so holy, and so powerful, and we are so weak, and so unholy compared to Him, that coming too close to Him would mean death for us – like a frail, fragile moth being attracted by a huge candle and coming too closed and being incinerated.
Although Jacob was victorious, he suffered, as would his descendants. This wrestling match foreshadow’s the struggles that the descendants of Jacob would have with God throughout our history. We have fought with God (see Acts 7), but at the end we will be victorious, and be blessed. Yet, there would be much suffering for the children of Israel, just as Jacob himself suffered.
To remember this amazing encounter between Jacob and the angel, the sciatic nerve, along with the other arteries and tendons, is removed from the slaughtered animal, before that portion of the animal is fit for consumption by the Jewish people. This command is a constant reminder of the Divine Providence to Israel as exemplified in the experience of the Patriarch (Hertz).
Chapter 33 describes the encounter between Jacob and Esau. Jacob divides his family, in what seems to be the order of importance to him. First to face Esau and his 400 men are his two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah along with their children, followed by Leah and her children, with Rachel and her son Joseph coming last. If Esau wants to kill them, maybe he will tire of killing and spare the last group or groups.
Jacob, being a good man and the protector of his family, went first and approached Esau, bowing seven times before his brother, which was a way showing great honor to his brother.
Twenty years of time, and Jacob’s various acts of respect that he had shown toward his brother, and the generous gifts that he gave his brother had healed the anger that Esau had felt for his brother. Esau ran to meet Jacob, and the brothers embraced and cried, and were reconciled.
Like a good brother, not wanting to take from his brother, Esau initially wanted to refuse Jacob’s gifts, claiming that he had plenty of his own, but Jacob insisted, and so Esau took the gifts. Let’s review how Jacob dealt with an offended brother, so we can better deal with people we have offended:
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First, pray: pray that God would help you deal with the situation, and that He would intervene.
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Second, humble yourself and show the one you have offended honor: “your servant Jacob,” “Lord Esau,” Jacob bowed seven times.
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Third, do something nice, give him something good, and be generous. Our gifts can make men and perhaps even God, more inclined to help us.
Esau offered to travel further south together with Jacob, but Jacob refused his offer, telling his brother that he would have to travel at a much slower pace, due to the flocks and herds and children that were in his care. So, Esau and his men departed. The Lord had been good to Jacob, and had indeed protected him from the anger of Esau.
Jacob continued south, and entered the land of Canaan, and settled near the city of Shechem, which is about 30 miles north of Jerusalem. Jacob bought some land there, and built an altar, to sacrifice animals to the Lord, enabling him to draw near to the Lord. He called the altar, “El Elohay Yisrael” – “a Mighty One is the God of Israel,” emphasizing the Lord’s power, might and strength. God had shown Himself strong on Jacob’s behalf, protecting him and being generous with him.
Chapter 34 describes the rape of Dinah and the massacre at Shechem. While Dinah, Jacob’s daughter through Leah, was out visiting the women of the area, Shechem, one of the leaders of the area, saw her, and took her by force, and raped her. He also became deeply attached to her, and loved her, and wanted to marry her. Jacob and his sons were grieved and very angry. When Shechem and his father Chamor and came to them, to make a proposal for a marriage, Jacob’s sons deceived them. They would be willing to give Dinah to Shechem as a wife. In fact, they would be willing to make all their daughters available to the people of Shechem, and they would be willing to marry the women of Shechem, but only if the men of Shechem would become like them, and be circumcised. Chamor and Shechem brought this proposal to the men of their city, and they agreed, and all the men of the city were circumcised. On the third day, while they were still recuperating from the circumcisions, and while they were in pain, two of Dinah’s brothers – Simeon and Levi, launched a surprise attack on the men of the city, and killed every man, including Shechem and Chamor. They rescued their sister Dinah. Then Jacob’s sons looted the city, and took all their wealth, and also captured the women and children.
Jacob had been unaware of the massacre that his sons had planned, and he complained to Simeon and Levi that this massacre would anger the rest of the Canaanites, who outnumbered them, and who might unite and destroy them. Simeon and Levi responded that they had to do something to respond to the rape of their sister. However, deceiving the people of Shechem about circumcision, which is the sign between God and Israel, and is connected to the Covenant that brings salvation, and launching a sneak attack, and killing all the men of a city for the crime of one was not justified.
To the end of his life, Jacob considered the actions of Simeon and Levi to be wrong. Before he died, when it came time to bless his sons, Jacob rebuked these two sons them for their anger and violence displayed at Shechem. As a result, they would not have their own distinct tribal areas within the Land of Israel. Their tribes would be dispersed and scattered among the other tribes – which is exactly what happened. The descendants of Simeon lived in the midst of the area given to the tribe of Judah. The Levites were given cities scattered throughout the areas allotted to the other tribes of Israel. This is a warning to us about violence, and cruelty, and deception, and that what we do can affect our children and grandchildren. In chapter 35 the wonderful and extremely important covenant between Jacob and the Lord is renewed. The Lord spoke to Jacob, and instructed him to go to Bethel, about 15 miles south of Shechem, where God had appeared to him while he was fleeing from Esau, and given him the vision of the ladder, and promised the blessing of Abraham and Isaac to Jacob. Israel was to live at Bethel, and make an altar where he could offer sacrifices which enable the worshiper to draw close to God.
Jacob acted on the Lord’s instructions, and instructed his household to prepare themselves to draw near to God: they needed to remove all foreign gods, purify themselves, perhaps by bathing, and from abstaining that might make them unclean, and also change their clothes.
When we join ourselves to Messiah, who is joined to God, the Lord is always near us, but there are times when we want to draw even closer to God. We too need to purify ourselves from defilement, confess our sins, and offer the sacrifice of praise. I like the idea of changing into special clothes when we publically draw near to God. It shows respect, and makes worship more special.
As they journeyed south, a great terror came upon the Canaanite cities, and they did not attempt to harm Jacob’s family for the massacre at Shechem.
They arrived at Bethel, and Jacob built an altar, and called it El Bethel – the God of Bethel (the House of God), and it was dedicated to the worship of the God who had appeared to him there.
Then God appeared to the Patriarch once again. What an honor, to have the Creator of the universe appear to a person! Not only did El Shaddai – God the Almighty, appear to Jacob, but He blessed him, promising to do good things to him.
The Lord confirmed that his name was changed from Jacob – he will heel, to Israel – a prince of God – one of God’s leaders. El Shaddai also told him to do his part to be fruitful and multiply, and the Lord would do his part. He would cause him to become a nation, with enough greatness to bring forth kings. The land of Israel, this special land in the center of the Earth, at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, would be given to this holy nation.
Jacob wanted to remember this special encounter with the Lord, and so he set up a pillar of stone in the place where this encounter took place. He poured a libation of wine on the pillar – a symbol of joy and prosperity, and oil – a symbol of the presence of God and of richness. The pouring of the wine and oil on the pillar dedicated it to God, and set it apart as a special memorial.
After this Jacob’s family traveled south, toward Bethlehem. Rachel gave birth to another son – whom Jacob called Benjamin – “Son of the Right” because the right is a place of honor, his father wanted to honor his last and youngest son from the woman he loved most of all. Rachel died as a result of childbirth, and was buried on the way to Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The Jewish people have continued this custom, making monuments of stone on graves to help us remember the dead. Rachel’s Tomb was still in existence in the time of Samuel (1 Kings 10:2) and is a familiar site to this very day.
A terrible incident is detailed for us in verse 22. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn son, committed adultery with his father’s concubine Bilhah. Jacob found out about this shameful act, and this sin will have its consequences. Reuben the firstborn, the beginning of Jacob’s might and strength, who could have been preeminent among the tribes of Israel, was disqualified from leadership.
The chapter concludes with Isaac’s death at Chevron at the age of 180. His two sons, Jacob and Esau, buried him, and Isaac was “gathered to his people.” This is “an indication that those who had died were regarded as people still existing. This is an early testimony to belief in life after death (Ryrie).
Thus end the life of Isaac, a man of God, and the middle of the three Patriarchs. “Isaac is a less active character than either Abraham or Jacob. ‘Abraham was an epoch-maker; his life, therefore, was an eventful one. Jacob closes the Patriarchal period, and his life was both rough and eventful. Not so Isaac. He inherits the true belief in God; his is merely the task of loyally transmitting it’” (Hoffman – quoted by Hertz). And that’s an important and necessary task. Not all of us are Abrahams and Jacobs. Many of us are Isaacs, called to be faithful transmitters of the truth that we have received. “Isaac, a patient, meditative man, strong in affection and love, is typical of the domestic virtues for which his descendants have throughout the ages been remarkable. He stands as a type of the passive virtues, which have a strength of their own (The Study Bible – quoted by Hertz).
In chapter 36 we have information about Esau. Esau separated himself from Jacob. He moved south to the hill country of the Horites, who lived south of the Dead Sea. The descendants of Esau destroyed the Horites, the original inhabitants of that area, and took over their land. Esau’s descendants became the nation of Edom. They were a mixture of Semites and Canaanites. Esau married Canaanite women, as well as the daughter of Ishmael.
Esau was not a spiritual man, nor were most of his descendants. An exception may be Eliphaz, who is mentioned in verse 10. This may be the same Eliphaz who was the wise friend of Job. But, for most of their history, the Edomites were hostile to the people of the Spirit. At the time of the Exodus, the Edomites refused permission to the Jewish people to pass through their land (Numbers 20:14-21), and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward us. They were conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:14) and afterwards by Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:11-12). But they regained again their independence, and in later years, made war against Israel. They took part with the Babylonians when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Israel as far as Chevron. At length, however, Edom fell under the growing Babylonian power (Jeremiah 27:3- 6). After an existence as a people for more than seventeen hundred years, they finally disappeared. (This information about the Edomites comes from the WebBible Encyclopaedia.)
What a contrast to the children of Israel, who although we too have sinned many times throughout or history, and like Jacob, wrestled with God, nevertheless we managed, with the grace of God, to remain and endure, and even bring the Word of God, and the knowledge of God, and the salvation of God, to the rest of the nations of the world.
That tells me that your heart for God, or your lack of interest in God, can make a tremendous difference – not only in your own life, but in the lives of your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This should motivate us to cling to God, and love the Lord our God with the totality of our being – all our heart, soul, mind and strength!
THE CHALLENGE Begins Jan. 1, 2011
