Genesis 32: 1-9

JACOB AND ESAU

"But Esau said, I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself." Genesis 33: 9

Last Sunday we examined the story of Jacob, the man known to have wrestled with an angel til the break of dawn. Jacob was transformed by this all night wrestling match. We learned that like Jacob, the blessings that really matter will not be received unless we yield ourselves to God's will. Some blessings God has for us cannot be received until we have been

transformed. Amen. Jacob held on until the angel blessed Him. "I will not let you go until you bless me." And so the lord's message to us last Sunday was Hold On.

God blessed Jacob. "And your name shall be called Israel, for you have struggled with God and prevailed." But what about Esau? What about the one who has faded from view, what about the life of the one who had been tricked out of his birthright and whose blessing had been stolen. What about Esau the one whose heart had become embittered by betrayal and trickery. What about the one whose trust in his own blood had turned to ash?

As we discovered last week after twenty years of separation and estrangement Jacob was about to meet his brother Esau who had vowed to kill him the next time the met, following the death of their father Isaac. Well, following his experience with the Angel, Jacob sent messengers before him to meet Esau. And he commanded them saying, "You shall speak unto my Lord Esau," (notice how Jacob now refers to his brother as his Lord).

"Thy servant Jacob has sojourned with Laban, and I have oxen and asses, flocks, and men servants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my Lord Esau, That I may find grace in they sight." And the messenger returned to Jacob saying, "We came to thy brother Esau, and Jacob Esau is coming to meet you with 400 men." You recall from last weeks message that as they neared Cannan, as Jacob returned to his homeland, Jacob became all the more anxious in meeting his brother. Old memories began stir up fear in his heart. And he had prayed for God's protection.

As we pick up with the text, Genesis 33, what historians tell us is that during the 20 years of their estrangement, Esau had become a mighty ruler in the region. These 400 men represented his military guard. Much like our own special forces: Green Beret, Delta Force, Navy Seals, or Army Rangers. When he heard that Esau was coming Jacob could not predict what Esau was going to do. All he could remember was 20 years earlier his brother had vowed to kill him over a stolen blessing.

So that even while Jacob had a spirit of reconciliation in his heart, he wanted to make amends for his past wrongs to his brother. If given the chance he wanted to tell his brother how sorry he was, how this memory had haunted him for the past twenty years. It takes a humble soul to admit their mistakes. Even while reconciliation was in his heart, Jacob was not certain how this reunion with his brother was going to turn out.

In preparing to meet his brother Jacob did three things. First he prayed about their meeting, that God would protect him. Secondly, He divided his family into 2 companies thinking that if Esau did come to destroy them one might possibly escape. Thirdly, he prepared gifts from his accumulated wealth to give to Esau upon their meeting. The gifts would be given as presents to symbolize his respect and love for his older brother.

Before they had come within arms length, Jacob bowed seven times before his brother. The Tell El Amarna Tablets record that when one approached a king as a sign of reverence and respect they bowed seven times. And so in bowing seven times, Jacob was giving a sign of respect to his elder brother as to that of a king.

And so when at last they meet, after twenty years of separation, Esau ran to meet Jacob, he threw his arms around his brother, hugging him, and kissing him on the neck in an open display of brotherly love and affection. And the two brothers wept tears of joy at each others appearing.

Verse 8-9 of the text says, "Esau asked, "what do you mean by all these droves I met?" In others words, why have you come with all these gifts? And Jacob responded, That I might find favor in your eyes. My Lord." But Esau said, "I already have plenty, I have enough, my brother, keep what you have for yourself."

Jacob had stolen the birthright and his brother's blessing. God had prospered him with two wives, twelve sons, one daughter, gold, silver and a multitude of earthly possessions. During years of service to his uncle Laban, Jacob had become a man of wealth and prosperity.

The importance of this text is that is demonstrates God's impartiality. His love has no boundaries. For while Genesis chapters 28 - 32 give primary attention to the life of Jacob, Genesis 33 brings to surface the wonderful reality that God had also been blessing Esau in what appear to be years of biblical obscurity from the holy text. God did not forget Esau.

Esau may have foolishly traded his birthright of a bowl on lentils and had his blessing stolen, but in spite of this, God blessed Esau in equal proportion with Jacob's prosperity. For Esau himself became a great leader and patriarch of the Edomites (Genesis 36). He himself was blessed with several wives, sons and daughters. Esau as well, was a man of great wealth and prosperity. God had not forgotten Esau.

When we fell that life has cheated us; that circumstances beyond our control have robbed us and denied us of untold blessings and happiness; God has a way of making up the difference. Because He knows and He cares, God has a way of balancing the scales of life. God has a way of making the crooked places straight. God has a way of adding to one side, what life has subtracted from the other. "I already have plenty, my brother, keep what you have for yourself."

During these twenty years of estrangement and sibling separation, God had been working in Esau's life to bring forgiveness and reconciliation. God was blessing Esau not only in material prosperity, but God had been working in Esau's heart with a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness. The scene of their meeting, of two brothers showering each other in warm embrace, heartfelt joy and tears of joy is indicative of the fact that God had been working in both their lives to bring reconciliation. God had been working in both their lives for transformation.

Yes, God makes up the difference because He knows and He cares! Some have never been nurtured under warmth of loving parents, but God is able to make up the difference. Some have not had the fortune of a life free from physical pain and discomfort, but God is able to make up the difference. Some have had to bury their own children who preceded them in death, but God can make up the difference in a heart that has been filled with grief and despair.

Yes, for some, life ain't been no 'crystal stairs', but God can make up the difference. Because He knows and He cares, God is able to make up the difference. Some have lost loved ones in natural disasters or acts of terrorism or in wars on foreign soil, but God can make of the difference in our loss.

Genesis chapters 28 - 32 gives no record of Esau's life during this interim period between the brothers separation and reconciliation. Esau fads into the background of obscurity. Yet, God was working behind the scenes. When the spotlight neighborly concern has moved beyond us. When the phone calls of compassion stopping ringing, when it seems that everyone has forgotten about our situation, God is yet working behind the scenes in our lives, mending, binding up our wounds, wiping away our tears, bringing peace to our hearts and minds where there has been toilsome care.

God in the midst; making crooked places, offering new beginnings in the midst of what appear to be dead ends. We may not feel him but He's there. We might not see evidence of His work but He's working in all things for our good. "But Esau said, I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself."

Some mistakenly got through life blaming God, people or events for what has happened to them, for what they don't have. For what has been taken from them. Because of this they are never able to move beyond their sense of loss or lack. God worked in Esau's life to move beyond the loss of a foolishly sold birthright and a stolen blessing. Esau did not allow the loss of his birthright and Father's blessing to so embitter him to the point that God could not heal is wounded heart, and sense of being cheated.

Some will say that old wounds are hard to heal, but if we give them to God, He can make up the difference as He did in Esau's life. After more than 20 years of estrangement, what life and the days of youth had subtracted, Jacob discovered God had restored. He was reconciled with his brother! God worked in both brothers to restore them in their relationship.

Where life subtracts God will in time make an addition. If you've seen the movie Ray starring Jamie Fox it chronicles the life of the late-great Ray Charles. While loosing his eyesight as a young boy to may have in part be due to poor medical treatment for his eyes, God blessed Ray Charles with the gift of a musical genius. He began to see life with all its challenge and beauty through his music. When circumstances dictate negative outcomes, God is able to compensate with positive additions. He makes up the difference!

A final word on this text is that, God loved both brothers. Surely Jacob becomes the promised seed through which the spiritual genealogy of Jesus will one day become manifest as the Word made Flesh. Surely Jacob is the one who will become the patriarch of the twelve sons, whose families eventually become the twelve tribes, who in time become the nation of Israel.

Yet, God blessed Esau because he loved Esau. Esau while not being the chosen seed through whom the nation of Israel would come, was nevertheless of the chosen seed of Abraham. He was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac, the twin of Jacob, how could God not love Him, as much as he did Jacob? His love is impartial. His love will never let us go. His love will never let us down. He loves us too much. His love for us will never allow him to deny us the blessing of His care and concern for our well being.

"O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee,

I give Thee back the life I owe, That in Thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be."

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