| Subject: Genesis 33 vss 5-20 Post 166 |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 18:28:34 11/08/11 Tue
Genesis 33:5-20 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. 6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. 12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. 13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. 15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. 16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. 17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.
The story of Esau and Jacob is one that, like a cut gemstone, has many facets. There is the facet of greed and selfishness that Jacob exhibited. There is the facet of carelessness and lack of commitment that Esau exhibited. There is the facet of immaturity that both boys showed in there desire for the material and not the spiritual. There is the facet of hatred and the desire to kill and then there is the facet of forgiveness and love.
As Esau and Jacob meet and talk they find there is a deep down love that God has placed in people that tells them there is something much better than hatred and strife. Gone is the selfishness of youth. What led to the fracturing of Isaac's children was sibling rivalry allowed to go much too far. Part of the problem was with Isaac and Rebekah having their favorites with their children. Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob. This led to further jealousies. Twenty years had changed all that. Esau had settled from his hunting trips and neglecting the family to becoming a wealthy man of standing in his own right. More than likely he realized as he matured how much a part he had played in the rift with his wandering far afield and leaving the farm chores to Jacob.
As Jacob introduces all his family and servants Esau realizes these are his kin. These are his nephews and sisters in law. He sees the offering of Jacob to atone for his taking the birthright and blessing and declines saying "I have enough". It is only at the insistence of Jacob to receive the gift that Esau relents. Again showing the bond of love these two are now developing.
Esau offers to help Jacob on his journey but now Jacob declines. He wants to let the herds set the pace so as not to stress them and also he doesn't want to wear the children down. Everything that is done is now at the consideration of others. What a difference. What a lesson we can learn from the lives of this family. Out of great strife has come the realization that their lack of consideration had cost them dearly. In reconciliation was to be found great peace and contentment. Being reconciled one to another is a great Bible precept which these two brothers are now fulfilling. Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Esau now heads on back to Seir and Jacob slowly wends his way down to Succoth where he builds a temporary home. Possibly winter is coming on and this is a great spot for pasture and water for his flocks and herds. Succoth means "booths" and it lends itself to the suggestion of shelter as Jacob built booths for his livestock. I would assume each booth would be on the order of a lean-to to protect the animals from any harsh weather. From Succoth he journeys to Shechem and a city of Shechem called Shalem in the land of the Canaanites.
Shalem is equal to Shalom of today and the word means peace. Another word for this is Salem. This is where Melchisedec was from. This site is none other than the place where the city of Jerusalem will be founded. It is here that Jacob buys a parcel of land and therefore has a deed to land in Jerusalem. The account is given in verse 19. "And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money." In verse 20 we find the fulfilling of a promise that Jacob made to God when he had the vision of the ladder ascending to heaven. Genesis 28:20-21 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: Jacob was back in the land that God had promised to him and his fathers and Jacob willingly and gladly fulfilled his vow. Verse 20: "And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel." Elelohe-Israel "God, the God of Israel or the Mighty God of Israel. God was both. Jacob had learned that God would do what He said. God had renamed Jacob to be known as Israel and therefore the name Jacob gave to that place which was to become [art of the "City of God" had a twofold meaning. God was now Jacob's God and God was truly to become the God of all Israel. Forever!
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