View of Israel from Mount Nebo. The view of the Holy Land. March 19, 2000, Pope John Paul II visited. Pope John Paul planted an olive tree beside the Byzantine chapel as a symbol of peace.The serpentine cross sculpture (the Brazen Serpent Monument) created by Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni. Symbolic of the bronze serpent from Moses in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9) and the cross upon which Jesus was crucified (John 3:14).
Genesis 32
1 As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom. 4 He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, 5 and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’”
6 After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!” 7 Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups. 8 He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape.”
9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! 11 O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. 12 But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’”
13 Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 14 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 15 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16 He divided these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he told his servants, “Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance between the herds.”
17 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?’ 18 You must reply, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming right behind us.’”
19 Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and to all who followed behind the herds: “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’”
Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” 21 So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.
22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. 23 After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.
24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 “What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
29 “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31 The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. 32 (Even today the people of Israel don’t eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob’s hip.)
Jacob is a thought provoking individual: fighting inside of Rebekah during gestation with Esau, a young man of cunning and deception, a man willing to leave his blind father and scheming mother behind to avoid the wrath of his brother, fleeing at once even though the family is preparing to go into mourning for his father Isaac’s death (does not happen for decades to come). Does Jacob rip off the family herds, silver, gold, heirlooms, fishing rods, tool set, best lamp, land, barns or water rights? No, this renowned biblical thief, schemer and biblical bad guy leaves with Isaac’s blessing that Esau had already forfeited willingly for a bowl of stew.
When our biblical bad guy leaves, he leaves: his family, safety, all his experiences and life-time memories, herd, land and all that Abraham and Sarah had worked, earned and been blessed with. Jabob leaves with a blessing and a walking stick.
Did God think that he had obtained the blessing with righteousness? NO!
Was Esau interested in the blessing? Not enough to give up a bowl of stew for. When Esau learned that Rebekah and Isaac are dissatisfied with his choice of local wife without any belief in the living God, he married again… to please them? He married Isaac’s older half-brother Ishmael’s daughter. Doubt the new choice was relished. Plus Isaac had one wife and Isaac married Rebekah. Esau was either not hit with many smart sticks or he just suited himself and wanders through life. Esau wasn't hoofing it in the wilderness and leaving the comfort of home, he stayed right there with the family herds, silver, gold, heirlooms, fishing rods, tool set, best lamp, land, barns & water rights & Mom & Dad. Why do we think Esau is the one who is wronged here? We see that the biblical viewpoint is that Esau was wronged by Jacob because Isaac intended to bless Esau. God says Esau was wronged.
((Interesting that this family is very interested in “my word is my bond”. Rebekah and Isaac are unique individuals in a time of multiple marriages. Rebekah schemes and sends one of their only two children for a life time of years, by telling the younger son not to stick to his father as he is dying. Isaac has decades of living still. He eventually sees Jacob again before he dies. But low and behold, he is still married and evidently forgiven Rebekah. Forgiveness must be good for the soul, Isaac lives to see his grown sons and grandchildren.
But back to “my word is my bond”, why wouldn't Isaac scream for Rebekah and say round up the two fighting twins? These idiots have some explaining to do to a dying Isaac. Why wasn't Isaac say, “Oops, we need a repeal?” That would have happened usually. Perhaps Isaac remembers the story of Esau giving his blessing away for a bowl of stew. Perhaps Isaac thinks Jacob is willing to fight for the blessing. Perhaps Isaac thinks that after a life-time of being married to Rebekah and Rebekah sees more in the younger son. Perhaps Isaac thinks about Esau and his married choice…s. Perhaps Isaac feels the Holy Spirit of God move in the choice. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…the real situation: Isaac does not change the blessing. It remains.))
Back to Jacob, he discovers from his father-in-law, Laban, how it feels to be schemed against. This notorious thief could have left knocked-up, scheming Leah at night. Jacob could have threatened Laban, tortured Laban or hurt the herd. He could have said give me Rachel tomorrow, or I leave, as soon as Leah was pregnant. But instead, he works out a straightforward, honest, binding proposal. Why? Could be that Jacob has learns how it feels to be cheated, could be some remorse. More than likely, it is not stupidity. We have seen Jacob get what he wants using all means and schemes. It isn’t entirely for true love of Rachael, because he is having a lot of sexual intercourse. This Jacob has had fidelity modeled to him in Rebekah and Isaac. If it was all chivalry, I don’t think Jacob would have had 12 sons. Well, Israel has 12 sons and God is happy.
So, Jacob wrestles with God. This isn’t new, he has been wrestling God for a long, long time. Stealing a blessing from a holy father. Working out a plan to have 12 sons while feeling cheated. Thinking, thinking, thinking. Did God tell him to take Esau a huge gift? No, that was Jacob. Did God tell Jacob to divide into two camps? No, that was Jacob. Did God tell Jacob to separate from his wives and children during the night? No, that was Jacob. Jacob is wrestling with God because it is important to have His blessing and even flee leaving everything behind, but Jacob doesn’t listen for God, the bible says he rarely prays. Jesus is written as being in prayer a lot. Jacob is like us, he thinks his way through, but isn’t necessarily looking to God or asking. But as Jacob flounders around thinking his way through, he makes the choices, but Jacob remembers to talk to God in prayer and tell the Lord he is trying.
Is Jacob a hero or a thief? Jacob is like us, he wants God on our terms. God’s terms are God’s terms, the bible is all about God’s way. God blesses Jacob over and over and over. Why? Israel is like us, he seeks God.
1 As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.
3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom. 4 He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, 5 and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’”
6 After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!” 7 Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups. 8 He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape.”
9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10 I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! 11 O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. 12 But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.’”
13 Jacob stayed where he was for the night. Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 14 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 15 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16 He divided these animals into herds and assigned each to different servants. Then he told his servants, “Go ahead of me with the animals, but keep some distance between the herds.”
17 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group: “When my brother, Esau, meets you, he will ask, ‘Whose servants are you? Where are you going? Who owns these animals?’ 18 You must reply, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob, but they are a gift for his master Esau. Look, he is coming right behind us.’”
19 Jacob gave the same instructions to the second and third herdsmen and to all who followed behind the herds: “You must say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’”
Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” 21 So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp.
22 During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. 23 After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions.
24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. 25 When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 “What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
29 “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.
“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31 The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. 32 (Even today the people of Israel don’t eat the tendon near the hip socket because of what happened that night when the man strained the tendon of Jacob’s hip.)
Jacob is a thought provoking individual: fighting inside of Rebekah during gestation with Esau, a young man of cunning and deception, a man willing to leave his blind father and scheming mother behind to avoid the wrath of his brother, fleeing at once even though the family is preparing to go into mourning for his father Isaac’s death (does not happen for decades to come). Does Jacob rip off the family herds, silver, gold, heirlooms, fishing rods, tool set, best lamp, land, barns or water rights? No, this renowned biblical thief, schemer and biblical bad guy leaves with Isaac’s blessing that Esau had already forfeited willingly for a bowl of stew.
When our biblical bad guy leaves, he leaves: his family, safety, all his experiences and life-time memories, herd, land and all that Abraham and Sarah had worked, earned and been blessed with. Jabob leaves with a blessing and a walking stick.
Did God think that he had obtained the blessing with righteousness? NO!
Was Esau interested in the blessing? Not enough to give up a bowl of stew for. When Esau learned that Rebekah and Isaac are dissatisfied with his choice of local wife without any belief in the living God, he married again… to please them? He married Isaac’s older half-brother Ishmael’s daughter. Doubt the new choice was relished. Plus Isaac had one wife and Isaac married Rebekah. Esau was either not hit with many smart sticks or he just suited himself and wanders through life. Esau wasn't hoofing it in the wilderness and leaving the comfort of home, he stayed right there with the family herds, silver, gold, heirlooms, fishing rods, tool set, best lamp, land, barns & water rights & Mom & Dad. Why do we think Esau is the one who is wronged here? We see that the biblical viewpoint is that Esau was wronged by Jacob because Isaac intended to bless Esau. God says Esau was wronged.
((Interesting that this family is very interested in “my word is my bond”. Rebekah and Isaac are unique individuals in a time of multiple marriages. Rebekah schemes and sends one of their only two children for a life time of years, by telling the younger son not to stick to his father as he is dying. Isaac has decades of living still. He eventually sees Jacob again before he dies. But low and behold, he is still married and evidently forgiven Rebekah. Forgiveness must be good for the soul, Isaac lives to see his grown sons and grandchildren.
But back to “my word is my bond”, why wouldn't Isaac scream for Rebekah and say round up the two fighting twins? These idiots have some explaining to do to a dying Isaac. Why wasn't Isaac say, “Oops, we need a repeal?” That would have happened usually. Perhaps Isaac remembers the story of Esau giving his blessing away for a bowl of stew. Perhaps Isaac thinks Jacob is willing to fight for the blessing. Perhaps Isaac thinks that after a life-time of being married to Rebekah and Rebekah sees more in the younger son. Perhaps Isaac thinks about Esau and his married choice…s. Perhaps Isaac feels the Holy Spirit of God move in the choice. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…the real situation: Isaac does not change the blessing. It remains.))
Back to Jacob, he discovers from his father-in-law, Laban, how it feels to be schemed against. This notorious thief could have left knocked-up, scheming Leah at night. Jacob could have threatened Laban, tortured Laban or hurt the herd. He could have said give me Rachel tomorrow, or I leave, as soon as Leah was pregnant. But instead, he works out a straightforward, honest, binding proposal. Why? Could be that Jacob has learns how it feels to be cheated, could be some remorse. More than likely, it is not stupidity. We have seen Jacob get what he wants using all means and schemes. It isn’t entirely for true love of Rachael, because he is having a lot of sexual intercourse. This Jacob has had fidelity modeled to him in Rebekah and Isaac. If it was all chivalry, I don’t think Jacob would have had 12 sons. Well, Israel has 12 sons and God is happy.
So, Jacob wrestles with God. This isn’t new, he has been wrestling God for a long, long time. Stealing a blessing from a holy father. Working out a plan to have 12 sons while feeling cheated. Thinking, thinking, thinking. Did God tell him to take Esau a huge gift? No, that was Jacob. Did God tell Jacob to divide into two camps? No, that was Jacob. Did God tell Jacob to separate from his wives and children during the night? No, that was Jacob. Jacob is wrestling with God because it is important to have His blessing and even flee leaving everything behind, but Jacob doesn’t listen for God, the bible says he rarely prays. Jesus is written as being in prayer a lot. Jacob is like us, he thinks his way through, but isn’t necessarily looking to God or asking. But as Jacob flounders around thinking his way through, he makes the choices, but Jacob remembers to talk to God in prayer and tell the Lord he is trying.
Is Jacob a hero or a thief? Jacob is like us, he wants God on our terms. God’s terms are God’s terms, the bible is all about God’s way. God blesses Jacob over and over and over. Why? Israel is like us, he seeks God.
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