Genesis 32

Jacob's fearful reunion Esau

Jacob had to take courage that on his journey away from Laban, he met up with angels sent by God. I'm sure many of us wouldn't mind encountering something similar, but we have to remember, we have the Holy Ghost and the wonderful Gospel message which is something Jacob could only pray and hope for. 

When Jacob left his home, Esau had vowed to take his life. Now after all these years later, Jacob has more than just himself to worry about. Jacob has the safety and security of all the children God has blessed him with . He decides to make a peace offering and send it ahead to Esau to appease him and that he might know his intentions. 

In one of those moments where the good news is overshadowed by the bad news, the servants return and Esau has heard them. Esau is also coming with 400 men, and that is rightfully upsetting to Jacob. Jacob then does what we should all do in times of need and uncertainty; he cries out to God. First though, he prepares to separate his party into groups so that in a worst case scenario, he might save some. Then, Jacob cries out to God and reminds God of his covenant with his offspring. Does God need reminded? Of course God does not need reminded, but I believe God does want to hear from us and know that we remember His promises. 

So as Jacob cries out to God for deliverance (don't we all need deliverance from death, hell and the grave) he wrestles with a man or angel or Christ himself, the Bible does not say specifically. We can learn from Jacob here, that when something needs and answer, when nothing but God's deliverance will do, we should stay in prayer until we have an answer. 

For our edification, thank God that Jacob kept trying till God blessed him. Oh to go through live with the assurance of God's deliverance!

Genesis 27

Isaac blesses Jacob

God said that the elder would serve the younger. He told that to Isaac and Rebekah when the children were born. Even so, when God may enlighten us as to his will, it is God who is to carry it out and we are not to do God's part for him. Isaac asks his son to fix him a last meal so to speak. He favored Esau and he loved fresh venison. So off Esau goes to do the will of his father and Rebekah plots with Jacob behind Isaac's back. If we let God work in our lives, he will work things out, we don't have nor can we do God's will for him. 

Rebekah tells the plan to Jacob and even Jacob thinks it is too risky. Many times in our life our first thought about a situation is probably the wisest. Rebekah convinces her son that it will work and goes about to go to great lengths to deceive her husband. So they  dress up Jacob to look like Esau. We know the Esau's marriages troubled his parents and that he was on the wrong path. Imagine Christians dressing up like a sinner to receive a blessing from God! We probably see this more often than we think if we will look past the surface.

Isaac, even though he is mostly blind questions and knows that something is up. Unfortunately his eyes and senses fail him in the deception. The only real way we can see the sins and trials that might stumble us in life is to cling close to God or we can be tricked by the deceptions of the Devil. Isaac after some crying gives Esau what blessing he can and now Esau hates Jacob for it. Beware not to make enemies ever, we are commanded to love everyone, but especially not to make enemies out of our own capable brother and sisters. Esau rightly had hard feelings for Jacob and it would take God to later cool his rage. The chapter closes with Rebekah giving Jacob good advise. We would do well to make it right with God and always speak sound advise even after we sin. 

Genesis 26

God reaffirms his covenant with Issac and blesses him

A new famine comes to the land of Canaan just as it did in Abraham's day. Unlike Abraham's day, God asks Isaac to stay and not go to Egypt and God will care for him. He also tells Isaac that if he follows God like his father, he will bless him like his father, and not just because he is Abraham's son. 

Just like his father, Isaac tells those around that Rebekah is his sister and not his wife. After Abimelech spies that Isaac and Rebekah are friendlier than brother and sister should be, he accuses Isaac of trying to bring mischief to the Philistine people. Abimelech, who may be the son of the Abimelech of Abraham's day, commands all his people not to harm or touch Rebekah. 

God not only blesses Isaac in a time of famine, but allows him to receive a hundred fold from his crops and flocks. Nothing is impossible for God if we will put our faith and trust in him. All these blessings though cause jealousy with the Philistines. After fighting over wells and flocks, Abimelech approaches Isaac and asks him to leave and go further away so that there are no wars or fighting between them. This is good for us to do as Christians that we would be peaceable with all people and rather go somewhere else than let the name of God suffer. 

Notice that Isaac digs up the wells that his father dug up. It is well to follow after the example of our forefather if there example is just and holy. If our parents or mentors were Godly, it is always good to follow after their example so that we might have the same relationship and success with God. After God reaffirms the covenant with Isaac, he again does what his father would do and builds and altar and sacrifices to God. 

When God blesses your life and the things that you do for his name, people will take notice. Even though Isaac was further away from Abimelech, they still heard and saw what God was doing for them. It worried them so much that if God was going to bless Isaac to become a mighty ruler, they wanted a peace treaty between them so that they would have peace and not have to fight against God. Oh that the world would have the same respect and fear for God's church because they see how he blesses it.