Exploring Humility ~ Genesis 32:1-33:20
Tuesday July 15, 2008
Biblical Truth
People of faith humble themselves before God and
others.
Assess the Situation ~
Gen. 32:3, 6-8
v.3
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother
Esau in the land of Seir,the country of Edom.
v.6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said,
“We went to your brother Esau: he is coming to meet
you—and he has 400 men with him.” v.7 Jacob was
greatly afraid and distressed; he divided the people
with him into two camps, along with the flock,
cattle, and camels. v.8 He thought, “If Esau comes to
one camp and attacks it, the remaining one can
escape.”
Humble Yourself Before God ~
Gen. 32:9-12
v.9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Go back to your land and to your family, and I will cause you to prosper,’ v.10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. v.11 Please rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise, he may come and attack me, the mother, and their children. v.12 You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”
Humble Yourself Before Others ~ Gen 33:1-3
v.1 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves. v.2 He put the female slaves first, Leach and her sons next, and Rachel and Joseph last. v.3 He himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times until he approached his brother.
Acknowledge God’s Role ~ Gen 33:4-5,9-11
v.4 But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept. v.5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” He answered, “The children God has graciously given your servant.”
v.9 “I have enough, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what you have.” v.10 But Jacob said, “No please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me. v.11 Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need.” So Jacob urged him until he accepted.
v.3,6-8 When Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing, Esau sought to kill Jacob. Jacob fled to Haran where he served his uncle Laban for 20 yrs. As Jacob journeyed back toward his homeland, his fear of Esau resurfaced. He did no know exactly what he was facing, so he sent messengers ahead of him to access the situation. Esau, Jacob’s older twin, was entitled to the birthright, an arrangement whereby the oldest son was the principal heir of the family’s fortunes. But Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some bread and stew. Later, in conspiracy with his mother Rebekah, Jacob stole the family blessing from Esau. In the intervening 20 yrs., Esau had moved to Seir, the country of Edom, a mountainous area located to the south and east of the family home in Beersheba. As Jacob assessed the situation, he feared the worst, so he took measures to minimize his losses. He divided the people with him into two camps. Jacobs two camps included people and the flocks, cattle and camels. If Esau attacked one camp, the remaining one can escape. By dividing the livestock in addition to his family members, Jacob assured the survival of at least some of his livestock and family. If Jacob’s assessment of the situation was correct, Esau would be only half as destructive as Jacob feared.
v.9-12 Twenty years under Laban’s treachery gave Jacob the necessary humility to realize how much he needed the Lord. Jacob humbled himself before God as he prepared for the encounter with his brother. He addressed God as the God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, a reference to his grandfather and father respectively, the first 2 recipients of God’s covenant promises. Jacob reminded God of His command for him to go back to your land and to your family. This command included the promise that the Lord would be with him. Jacob paraphrased the promise that the Lord would be with him by saying I will cause you to prosper. Jacob humbled himself before the Lord proclaiming, I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Jacob spoke to God with gratitude. He acknowledged that he began with nothing I crossed over this Jordan with my staff –the staff was all he owned in the world and that now he has more than he ever expected to possess—now I have become two camps. Jacob asked God to rescue him from Esau, for I am afraid of him. He also mentioned he was not the only one in danger, observing that the mothers and their children were at risk. Jacob reminded the Lord again of His promise I will cause you to prosper, thus supporting his request for help with reminders of the divine promises. Jacob clarified God’s blessings in terms of the multiplication of his descendants who were to become like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted. Jacob understood the contradiction between the Lord’s promise of great descendants and the impending threat of Esau destroying his family.
The only thing he could do was humble himself before God and rely on His promises.
v. 1-3 If the mere verbal report about Esau and his troops terrified Jacob the day before, what must he have felt when he saw Esau and his 400 men approaching? Following the tactic he devised the previous day, Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves, Zilpah and Bilhah. He then sent them toward Esau’s approaching hoard in order of least to most favored. Therefore, the female slaves went first, followed by Leah and her sons. Since Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife and Joseph was her son. He put them in the very back of the pack, thus hoping for their escape if Esau attacked. Upon approaching Esau himself, he bowed to the ground seven times. This was an act of great humility and even of remorse. It acknowledged that in spite of Jacob’s purchase of the right of the firstborn, Esau was in fact the elder brother and therefore worthy of respect.
Humility means that we value reconciliation above our pride!
v.4-5,9-11 No doubt Jacob was surprised to Esau’s greeting. He feared an attack from his older brother, but Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Esau’s running conveyed his joy in seeing Jacob and his desire to be near him. The hugs and kisses surpassed mere formality and demonstrated Esau’s genuine pleasure that his twin had come home. After their embrace Esau saw the women and children who were trailing behind Jacob. His question “Who are these with you? reflected his eagerness to meet Jacob’s family. Jacob had increased in number & wealth and God was the sole reason. God had also blessed Esau, so he declined Jacob’s gifts saying, “I have enough, my brother.” and “Keep what you have.” Jacob was so pleased Esau rec’d him as a brother instead of attacking him as an enemy that he insisted Esau accept his substantial gift consisting of 550 animals. Jacob recognized that God had prospered him materially and insisted that Esau accept part of that abundance for the gracious way he accepted him. Jacob equated seeing Esau’s face to seeing God’s face, and he realized his encounter with God the night before had led to a peaceful reunion with his brother.
Jacob’s soul seemed flooded with the realization that God had delivered him from Esau. He viewed his family, his livestock, and his brother’s warm reception as gifts from God. Therefore, he determined that Esau share in God’s blessing. Jacob’s entreaty please take my present is significant because it reverses what he had done to Esau 20 yrs earlier. Jacob urged him until he accepted.
v.9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Go back to your land and to your family, and I will cause you to prosper,’ v.10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. v.11 Please rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise, he may come and attack me, the mother, and their children. v.12 You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”
Humble Yourself Before Others ~ Gen 33:1-3
v.1 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves. v.2 He put the female slaves first, Leach and her sons next, and Rachel and Joseph last. v.3 He himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times until he approached his brother.
Acknowledge God’s Role ~ Gen 33:4-5,9-11
v.4 But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept. v.5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” He answered, “The children God has graciously given your servant.”
v.9 “I have enough, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what you have.” v.10 But Jacob said, “No please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me. v.11 Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need.” So Jacob urged him until he accepted.
v.3,6-8 When Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing, Esau sought to kill Jacob. Jacob fled to Haran where he served his uncle Laban for 20 yrs. As Jacob journeyed back toward his homeland, his fear of Esau resurfaced. He did no know exactly what he was facing, so he sent messengers ahead of him to access the situation. Esau, Jacob’s older twin, was entitled to the birthright, an arrangement whereby the oldest son was the principal heir of the family’s fortunes. But Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for some bread and stew. Later, in conspiracy with his mother Rebekah, Jacob stole the family blessing from Esau. In the intervening 20 yrs., Esau had moved to Seir, the country of Edom, a mountainous area located to the south and east of the family home in Beersheba. As Jacob assessed the situation, he feared the worst, so he took measures to minimize his losses. He divided the people with him into two camps. Jacobs two camps included people and the flocks, cattle and camels. If Esau attacked one camp, the remaining one can escape. By dividing the livestock in addition to his family members, Jacob assured the survival of at least some of his livestock and family. If Jacob’s assessment of the situation was correct, Esau would be only half as destructive as Jacob feared.
v.9-12 Twenty years under Laban’s treachery gave Jacob the necessary humility to realize how much he needed the Lord. Jacob humbled himself before God as he prepared for the encounter with his brother. He addressed God as the God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, a reference to his grandfather and father respectively, the first 2 recipients of God’s covenant promises. Jacob reminded God of His command for him to go back to your land and to your family. This command included the promise that the Lord would be with him. Jacob paraphrased the promise that the Lord would be with him by saying I will cause you to prosper. Jacob humbled himself before the Lord proclaiming, I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Jacob spoke to God with gratitude. He acknowledged that he began with nothing I crossed over this Jordan with my staff –the staff was all he owned in the world and that now he has more than he ever expected to possess—now I have become two camps. Jacob asked God to rescue him from Esau, for I am afraid of him. He also mentioned he was not the only one in danger, observing that the mothers and their children were at risk. Jacob reminded the Lord again of His promise I will cause you to prosper, thus supporting his request for help with reminders of the divine promises. Jacob clarified God’s blessings in terms of the multiplication of his descendants who were to become like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted. Jacob understood the contradiction between the Lord’s promise of great descendants and the impending threat of Esau destroying his family.
The only thing he could do was humble himself before God and rely on His promises.
v. 1-3 If the mere verbal report about Esau and his troops terrified Jacob the day before, what must he have felt when he saw Esau and his 400 men approaching? Following the tactic he devised the previous day, Jacob divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves, Zilpah and Bilhah. He then sent them toward Esau’s approaching hoard in order of least to most favored. Therefore, the female slaves went first, followed by Leah and her sons. Since Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife and Joseph was her son. He put them in the very back of the pack, thus hoping for their escape if Esau attacked. Upon approaching Esau himself, he bowed to the ground seven times. This was an act of great humility and even of remorse. It acknowledged that in spite of Jacob’s purchase of the right of the firstborn, Esau was in fact the elder brother and therefore worthy of respect.
Humility means that we value reconciliation above our pride!
v.4-5,9-11 No doubt Jacob was surprised to Esau’s greeting. He feared an attack from his older brother, but Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Esau’s running conveyed his joy in seeing Jacob and his desire to be near him. The hugs and kisses surpassed mere formality and demonstrated Esau’s genuine pleasure that his twin had come home. After their embrace Esau saw the women and children who were trailing behind Jacob. His question “Who are these with you? reflected his eagerness to meet Jacob’s family. Jacob had increased in number & wealth and God was the sole reason. God had also blessed Esau, so he declined Jacob’s gifts saying, “I have enough, my brother.” and “Keep what you have.” Jacob was so pleased Esau rec’d him as a brother instead of attacking him as an enemy that he insisted Esau accept his substantial gift consisting of 550 animals. Jacob recognized that God had prospered him materially and insisted that Esau accept part of that abundance for the gracious way he accepted him. Jacob equated seeing Esau’s face to seeing God’s face, and he realized his encounter with God the night before had led to a peaceful reunion with his brother.
Jacob’s soul seemed flooded with the realization that God had delivered him from Esau. He viewed his family, his livestock, and his brother’s warm reception as gifts from God. Therefore, he determined that Esau share in God’s blessing. Jacob’s entreaty please take my present is significant because it reverses what he had done to Esau 20 yrs earlier. Jacob urged him until he accepted.
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