| Subject: Genesis 32 vss 31-33 vss 1-4 Post 165 |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 20:28:30 11/02/11 Wed
Genesis 32:31-33:4 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 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.
CHAPTER 33
1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
The sun is rising in the east as Jacob hurriedly hobbles across the river ford. He must reach his family before Esau. He had divided his family and had sent them over the ford yesterday evening but now after his "wrestling" with the Lord he has no fear. He catches up with them and arranges them in the order he desires. He still places the family in order of importance to himself and then hurries ahead of them to meet Esau. Coming to Esau he bows to the ground and gets up. Goes a little further and bows again. Seven times he does this showing submission to his brother. Thinking back from this point we remember the prophecy to Rebekah: "It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger" (Romans 9:12) The problem with this is that it doesn't square with what we are seeing here when Jacob meets Esau. Jacob is doing the bowing and groveling and Esau is much in command. What gives?. In order to understand let's go back earlier in Genesis and see what all the prophecy was. Genesis 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. The verse is talking about peoples and nations. It is prophesying of the future progeny of these two brothers. It never was so much the individuals but the descendants of these two brothers. This is in agreement with what we read in Romans when we put scripture with scripture. Going back to Romans and it's references let's see the entire picture. Romans 9:11-13 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Here the emphasis seems, and I say seems to be limiting the scope of the prophecy to the two boys but notice it says in verse 13 "as it is written". The Apostle Paul is quoting a writing. Where is it written? Malachi 1:1-4 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
It is very important to notice the plural us, we, they, them and people. The prophecy was against the descendants of Esau for what they would become. Esau is Edom (Gen. 36:8) but wasn't Edom until he had grown in family and stature. His people settled in Mount Seir and became known as the Edomites. This is whom God hated and it was because of what they became. Israel (Jacob's descendants} grew greatly in stature and numbers and the Edomites did come to serve Israel and became enemies to Israel.
Going back now to the events at hand in the passage under study we see Israel (Jacob) bowing to Esau. What takes place is the second greatest theme in the Bible and is shown in type several times. Look at what Esau does. Instead of giving Jacob what he deserves he runs to him and hugs and kisses him weeping all the while for joy. Jacob and Esau are weeping, hugging and patting each other on the back. There is joy all around instead of warfare. What is it called? Reconciliation. This to me is the second greatest theme in the Bible. It is the result of the greatest theme in the Bible an that is Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We deserved death but instead God showed us His great love toward us by reconciling us to Himself through the atoning death of His only begotten Son who was God manifest in the flesh (1Tim. 3:16) This reconciliation is shown in the forgiveness of Jacob by Esau. We will see it again by the reconciliation of Joseph to his brothers who sold him into slavery. We see it in the prodigal son God has reconciled us but he also gave us "the ministry of reconciliation". We are to be reconciled to each other. If we who were enmity toward God could be reconciled to Him by His great love then we are to pass this reconciliation along to others. Has someone wrong you? Forgive that person and be reconciled to that person. You say they hurt me too badly to forgive. Did they hurt you as bad as you hurt Jesus through your sin? He reconciled you to Himself, didn't He. Listen, no one has hurt you like you have hurt the Saviour. He forgave you. You need to be just as forgiving. What did Jesus say from the cross? "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. "..(Luke 23:24)
Jacob expected and deserved retribution from Esau. Instead he got love. We deserve judgment from God but we have received love and mercy. Can we do any less toward those who hurt us?
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