Chapter 20 Genesis 32.-33. Jacob’s Return.
WHEN Laban had returned home, Jacob went on toward Canaan. And God sent angels to meet him, that he might be reminded of that great promise, that wherever he went, God would be with him and keep him. But instead of Jacob being comforted, the poor man thought of his brother Esau, and the hatred he had provoked, and was greatly afraid. His conscience accused him of wrong doing, and instead of confessing his fault to God, and trusting Him for the result, he tried to appease Esau by sending messages, and telling him what a rich man he had become, and humbly begging his brother to be kind and friendly to him. But the messengers came back and told him his brother was coming to meet him with four hundred men. Then Jacob was very much afraid and divided his people into two bands, thinking that if one fell before Esau’s anger, the other would be preserved. Then he prayed to God to keep him and deliver him from his brother.
What could poor Jacob have done with the wives, and children against four hundred strong men? God alone could help him, as He alone is able to meet us in all our difficulties. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Ps. 50:15. But Jacob was not content to let God act, but thought evidently he must do something too; so he took two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred sheep and twenty rams, thirty camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she asses and ten foals and gave them to his servants, commanding them to take them, each drove by itself, to his brother, when they should meet him, and to say: “Behold thy servant Jacob is behind us for he said; I will appease him with the present that goeth before me and afterward I will see his face.” So the present went before him, and that night he rose up and took his wives and women servants and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok, and sent them over the brook with what he had. When he was left alone, a man came and wrestled with Jacob until the breaking of the day. It was the Lord Himself, who wanted to teach Jacob to cease to trust in self, and to count on God alone for blessing, and to see that he was nothing but a poor feeble man. When Jacob held out, God touched him on the hollow of the thigh and the sinew dried up, and Jacob was left a lame man.
When morning broke, Jacob would not let the Lord go till He had blessed him. So the Lord blessed him, saying: “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, (the supplanter) but Israel (a prince of God).” What a lesson that was for Jacob to learn! When he becomes lame, when he is helpless, then he becomes a prince! The apostle, Paul says, “For when I am weak, then am I strong.” That means that, once we see we cannot do anything for ourselves, and trust the Lord fully, then He acts, and delivers us. Did Jacob learn that lesson? Not entirely, for when he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Esau and the four hundred men, he arranged his household to meet him—those he cared least about, the handmaids, and their children, first; then Leah and her children, and last, his beloved Rachel and her son Joseph. Then he passed before them and bowed to the ground seven times before his brother. And God touched Esau’s heart, and he ran to meet and embrace him, falling on Jacob’s neck and kissing him, and they both wept.
Then Esau saw the women and children and inquired who they were. Jacob told him the Lord had given them all to him. So the handmaids and the wives and the children all came and bowed to Esau. And Jacob gave Esau the camels and cows and sheep and goats. Esau refused at first to take them but Jacob urged him and he took them. Then Esau would have remained with la cob, but he told him he could not journey fast because of the children, and the young cattle, who would die if he did, but he told Esau to go before him and he would follow slowly to Seir. So the brothers parted in peace and Jacob once more proved how faithful God was in keeping His promise to him.
ML 06/13/1909