In The Word
Read: Genesis 33
Jacob Meets Esau
33 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2 He put the slave women and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 He raised his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the slave women came forward with their children, and they bowed down. 7 And Leah likewise came forward with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed down.8 And he said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then accept my gift from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” So he urged him, and he accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let’s journey on and go, and I will go ahead of you.”13 But he said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds that are nursing are a matter of concern to me. And if they are driven hard just one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, at the pace of the cattle that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord at Seir.”
15 Then Esau said, “Please let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built for himself a house and made booths for his livestock; therefore the place is named Succoth.
Jacob Settles in Shechem
18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city.19 He bought the plot of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money.20 Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Our text today opens with Jacob lifting up his eyes and seeing his brother, Esau, coming towards him, not alone, but with 400 men. Some theologians say the phrase “lifted up his eyes and looked” signifies a gaze with excitement and anticipation. This is something that should be very encouraging to us as the reader because Jacob no longer walked in fear; before wrestling with the angel in Genesis 32, Jacob was afraid, but not anymore. Instead, he gave his worries and cares to the Lord and trusted that God would pave the way for reconciliation between him and Esau.
God did just as Jacob anticipated. “Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept” (Genesis 33:4). This was God’s restoration power on display. Not only did Jacob find favor in Esau’s sight, but Rachel, Leah, the two handmaids, and his children did also.
We as Christians have to grow to the place where we are able to genuinely trust in God. Jacob gave all of his worries to the Lord, then faced them with joy, knowing that God would prevail. I believe this passage of scripture encourages us to do the same. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Jesus Christ has already accepted your burdens as His own. When you allow Him to carry them for you, you too can face any situation with joy.