Bible Study Online ArticleLocated at the Bottom of Page In the last article we discovered that Jacob and Laban had finally made amends from their past history, and had decided to put it all behind them and move forward. This was done through the two of them reconciling and agreeing to some type of "friendship covenant" between the two of them.
Next we find that soon after this was done, Laban had decided to depart from Jacob. He would head back home after the successful reconciling efforts with his son-in-law. We also find that Jacob had started back out on his journey as well, for he was once again, going back home to Canaan. And as he started out on his way, God would send his "heavenly angelic messengers" out to meet with him. After Jacob had seen the angels, he responded by saying: "This is the camp of God!" Because of this he would name this place "Mahanaim" which has three different, but similar meanings - (two armies/ two host/ two camps) Keep in mind that the naming of this place by Jacob - gives us some deeper insight into what he actually saw when it came to the angels. Know that with the name "Mahanaim" meaning what it does, we can assume that the volume, or the number of angels that Jacob had seen was perhaps large or great. We're not told what these "angelic hosts" had actually told him. They could have been, perhaps, sent by God as a divine welcoming committee, being that Jacob was now heading back to the land that God had promised to his grandfather Abraham and his seed. Now as we move forward we discover that Jacob somehow found out that his older brother Esau had settled within the land of Seir. Know that "Seir" was the country of Edom and we're not told how Jacob found out this little bit of important news. One could presume that it was done in a couple of ways... Jacob could have received this news about Esau through his very loving and concerning mother Rebekah. Or perhaps it was through the "heavenly messengers" that the Lord had just sent out to meet with Jacob. However the news came about, Jacob would prepare himself just in case he ran into his angry twin brother Esau. Remember that Esau over twenty years ago had vowed to kill Jacob. This "vow" was made behind the deceitful dealings that Jacob had with their father Isaac. Esau was upset that their father Isaac had been tricked by Jacob when it came to his blessing and birthright that he was supposed to have received on that particular day. But instead, Jacob would get the blessing and birthright and because of this, Esau was furious at him. However, after learning where Esau was, Jacob would send out messengers to meet with his brother: "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I've been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.'" - Genesis 32:4,5 Now notice that when Jacob had given this command to his messengers, he'd called his brother "master" and he also pointed out that he was Esau's servant. Know that this was done, because Jacob knew how important these issues were to Esau when it came to being of someone of great importance. After all, this is what Esau's birthright (before he gave it away) had entailed. So Jacob lowered and humbled himself in order to keep the peace between him and his brother. So Jacob's messengers went out, found, and delivered the message to Esau, just like Jacob had instructed them to do. The messengers would then return back to Jacob after meeting with Esau and they told Jacob: "We went to your brother Esau and now he his coming to meet you, and four-hundred men are with him." Understand that this is not what Jacob wanted to hear, being that he remembered the disdain that Esau had towards him. And because of this, Jacob would begin to panic and started to prepare for the worse. So he divided his family into two groups, along with his flocks, herds and camels: "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape." Jacob would say to himself. After doing this, next Jacob would turn to the Lord and pray for protection: "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. "Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted." - (Genesis 32:9-12) Now after Jacob had prayed his prayer, we find that he would spend the night at the place that he'd prayed. And it would be at this time that he would prepare a gift for his brother Esau as well. Jacob would select two-hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two-hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. Jacob would then separate each set of animals into their own individual groups and placed them into the care of his servants. After doing this, Jacob said to the servant who was leading the first group: "Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds. When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?' then you are to say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.'" - Genesis 32:16-18 Next, Jacob would then instruct all the other servant groups that followed, to do, and say the same thing - just like the one in the lead had done before them: "I will pacify (appease) him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me," Jacob had thought to himself. Jacob had done all he could when it came to curving, or avoiding the wrath of his brother Esau. One must wonder, will God answer his prayer? Will his gifts help to keep Esau from destroying him? Will this be where Esau finally gets the revenge he's been longing for? **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** 56) Rachel the Thief 57) Jacob's Mistake 58) Laban's Pursuit 60) <-CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE PAGE-> 62) Jacob & Esau - The Reconciliation 63) Dinah the Daughter of Israel  |
|
|
