God has been slowly changing Jacob during the 20 years away, but Jacob still had some things to learn. Through encountering Esau, God will drive home a lesson that Jacob has started to learn - that Jacob is totally dependent on God's grace.
Every follower of Christ needs to learn this lesson as well. God helps us learn this lesson as we begin to see God's hand active continually in our lives so I have framed Jacob's encounter with Esau around three descriptions of God's presence. 1) God is with Jacob – 32:1-21 Angels met him when he left the land. Now as Jacob comes back close to the land, the angels are there again. Like a bookend to these 20 years, God sends His angels to give him encouragement. He needs it.
Jacob gets the message – He names it two camps – God's camp of angels is with my camp. 2) God confronts Jacob - 32:24-32 This is God wrestling with Jacob. God condescends to engage Jacob up close and personal in order to teach Jacob an important lesson. God loved Jacob too much to leave Jacob the way he was. With Jacob's strength gone, he can no longer wrestle with God, but merely cling to him. Jacob desperately clings to God desiring a blessing. What is this great blessing God grants his people? A = to learn that we are totally dependent on Him – which causes us to desperately seek and cling to Him. God would not allow Jacob to enter the land still relying on his own wits. Jacob enters the land limping. He carries in his body a token of God's goodness to him – a thorn in the flesh – a badge of dependence. 3) God Goes Before Jacob – 33:1-17 When he comes to meet Esau – God of grace has gone before him –
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Jathan Newton was born and raised in Indianapolis. God saved Jathan at a young age through the preaching of the gospel and instruction of his parents. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering at Purdue University where he met and married Melissa. During Jathan’s college years,...
