Scripture Reading: Genesis 36:1-8 & 37:1-36

“These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.)” (Genesis 36:1–8, ESV)

“Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully:  to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.’ His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, ‘Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ And he said to him, ‘Here I am.’ So he said to him, ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.’ So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, ‘What are you seeking?’ ‘I am seeking my brothers,’ he said. ‘Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.’ And the man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’’ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.’ But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ And Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers and said, ‘The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?’ Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, ‘This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.’ And he identified it and said, ‘It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.’ Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard” (Genesis 37, ESV).

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.] 

Introduction

Before getting to the beloved story of Joseph which begins in Genesis 37:2, I would like to say just a few words about Genesis 36, of which we read only a part. 

In Genesis 36 we find the generations of Esau. This is the ninth of the ten main sections of the book of Genesis, therefore. In verse 1 we encounter that very familiar phrase “These are the generations of…”. This phrase functions as a heading over the ten sections of Genesis. And who whose descendents are listed here? We are told that “These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). ”

As you know, Esau was the older of the twin boys born to Isaac and Rebekah, but he was not the elect one. Contrary to the custom of the day, the younger son, Jacob, was elect of the Lord. According to the reveled word of God, he would be the one to receive the birthright and the blessing. He would be the one to inherit the promises of God made to his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. 

Paul, when teaching on the doctrine of unconditional election used these two historical individuals to illustrate his point, saying, “when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated’” (Romans 9:10–13, ESV). When we read that God “hated” Esau we should not think that God hated him with a human kind of hatred, which is imperfect and impure. The meaning is that God set his love on Jacob, but passed over Esau. He chose to bless Jacob and to bless the nations of the earth through him, but he determined to leave Esau in his sin and guilt. 

Friends, if this is troubling to you — if upon hearing that God loved Jacob and hated Esau you think, “that’s not fair!” —  then I would suggest that you have not grasped what the scriptures have to say concerning the majesty of God and magnitude of our sin. Truth be told, all deserved to be as Esau (passed over by God and left in their sin — hated), and none deserve to be as Jacob (chosen and pursued by God, having the love of God set upon them). This precisely what Paul said when he anticipated the objection of “unfairness” or “injustice”. Verese 14: “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:14–16, ESV).

Jacob was elect of the Lord; Esau was passed over. This is  made clear in the narrative of Genesis in three ways:

One, this was announced to Rebekah before the children were born, before they had done good or evil. The Lord spoke to her saying, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23, ESV).

Two, the narrative of Genesis also demonstrates that Jacob was the blessed and chosen one. The Lord reiterated his promises to him time and time again. The Lord persued Jacob and was present with Jacob to preserve him. The Lord even wrestled with Jacob, and having humbled him, he blessed him. And finally after serving Laban for all of those years Jacob reentered Canaan, and — take special note of this — Esau left. Think of the significance of this fact. At the end of the day it was Jacob who was brought safely into the the land of promise, while Esau left.  

Look again at Genesis 36:6: “Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob…. [Verse 8] So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom)” (Genesis 36:6–8, ESV). And in 37:1 the text says that it was Jacob who “lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 37:1, ESV). The narrative of Genesis emphasizes this development, for it is very significant. Jacob was chosen one — the one to whom the promises of the Lord were given. 

This really is a surprising development. Jacob was the one who was sent away from the land as he fled for his life from his brother Esau, while Esau remained in the land. From a human perspective it seemed as if Esau had won. It seemed as if Esau had retained the birthright and his father’s blessing. But it was the will of the Lord that Jacob possess the land. And who can possibly resist the plans and purposes of God? If it is the will of the Lord that such and such a thing happen, then it will happen, even if it is against all odds, humanly speaking, for who can frustrate his will? 

What I am saying is that not only was Jacob’s election announced to Rebekah before the children were born, but the stories of their lives show it to be true. Jacob, though he clearly was undeserving, was chosen of the Lord. He was called, pursued and kept by the Lord. The promises of God were given to him. And he was brought safely into the promised land, while Esau was expelled. 

Three, the structure of the book of Genesis also shows that Jacob was the elect one, whereas Esau was passed over. 

Notice how brief this section is which tells of the generations of Esau (only chapter 36) and compare it with the length of the section which will tell of the generations of Jacob. That section will begin in 37:2 and run all the way through to the end of Genesis, which has 50 chapters. The “generations of Jacob” occupy 13 chapters of Genesis. That is more space than was devoted to the entire time from Adam to Abraham. But Esau’s generations are described in only one chapter. 

This pattern has already been observed in the “genealogies” or “generations” of Genesis. The non-elect lines are minimized, whereas the elect lines are emphasized and expanded. Remember Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was the older son of Abraham, but he was not the son of promise. Isaac the younger was. The generations of Ishmael are recorded in Genesis 25:12-18  — only seven verses! —  whereas the generations of Isaac occupy 25:19 through to the end of chapter 35 — ten and a half chapters. 

Mind you, it is not that Ishmael and Esau were not blessed. Both men prospered greatly and against  all odds. Both men became great nations. The Ishmaelites descended from Ishmael, and the Edomites descended from Esau. Clearly these men were blessed. They were blessed in the things of this world. But notice this — they were pools of God’s blessings, and not rivers. They were cul de sacs God’s blessings, not thoroughfares. They were recipients of God’s earthly blessings, but they were not the conduits through whom the blessings of God’s salvations would come to the world. 

The Christ would not be born from Lot, Ishmael or Esau. Instead, the Christ would come into the world through Abraham, Isaac and Israel. And in him — that is, in the Christ — all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

Here in Genesis 36 we see that Esau was clearly blessed. But notice that he was blessed only in an earthly way. He had many offspring. A nation and kings descended from him — Esau would become Edom! This is really incredible to think that little Esau would become a nation. But he was not the chosen one. Jacob, his younger twin brother, was blessed of the Lord spiritually. Jacob knew the Lord. And through Jacob and his offspring all the nation of  the earth would be reconciled to God through faith in the Christ that would descend from him in the fulness of time. 

Having now briefly considered the generations of Esau, let us now turn our attention to tenth and last section of the book of Genesis. In 37:2 we read, “These are the generations of Jacob.” The rest of Genesis will tell the story of Jacob’s offspring. Jospeh, who was the firstborn of Rachael, Jacob’s favorite wife, will be the central figure of this story. 

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I. Joseph’s Brothers Hated Him

The story of Joseph, which is one of the most loved stories in all the  Bible, begins with a description of the hatred that his brothers had for him. 

By the way, anyone who thinks that Israel was chosen and blessed of the Lord because of some inherent goodness or worthiness within them has not read the story of scripture very carefully. Time and time again Genesis highlights the sin of Abraham, Issac and Israel, and the same is true here. The children of Israel were plagued by sin. Clearly, any grace shown to Israel was by God’s grace.  Any favor bestowed upon them by God was unmerited. 

Three reasons are given for the hatred of Joseph:

One, in verse 2 we learn that Joseph brought a bad report to his father Jacob concerning his sons born to Bilhah and Zilpah. “Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father” (Genesis 37:2, ESV). 

It is unclear whether the report that Joseph brought to Jacob concerning his half brothers was true. Some commentators suggest that Joseph either lied or exaggerated when he brought this bad report to his father, and that is why his half-brothers hated him. I suppose that is possible. I could be that Joseph, desiring to have first place in his father’s house, slandered his brothers before his father. But narrative of Genesis leads me to think otherwise. It is more natural to see that Jacob’s half brothers were indeed bad men. Consider what has been said about them previously, and consider what will be said about them in just a moment. These were not good people! The hated Jacob, not because his report was untrue, but because he dared to tell Jacob of their bad behavior, whatever form it took. If Jacob erred in some way, perhaps he erred in telling his father. But even that is questionable. Sometimes we are wise to keep our mouths shut and to refrain from sticking our noses into the business of others, but sometimes the only right thing to do is to tell. This is especially the case when some evil thing is being done that will bring harm to others. Jacob told on his brothers, and they hated him for it. 

[APPLICATION: This scenario reminds me of what Peter says in 1 Peter 4:2-5. There he exhorts the Christian “to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. [And then he makes this observation:] With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:2–5, ESV). Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised if these who are worldly hate you when you refuse to live as they do. They will “malign” you, Peter says. That means they will speak evil of you. It is quite natural to want others to like you. Who doesn’t want that?! But we cannot be driven by this desire. Sometimes doing what is right, and refusing to do what is evil, will mean that those who do evil will hate you. The Christian must come to terms with this. This must be a burden that the Christian is willing to bear.] 

Not only did Joseph refuse to run with his half-brothers in their evil ways, he even opposed them by informing his father of their bad behavior. It is  not surprising to learn that they hated him for it.   

Two, Joseph’s brothers hated him because their father, Jacob, showed favoritism to him. This provoked them to jealousy.

Verse 3: “Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him” (Genesis 37:3–4, ESV).

One lesson that we can learn from the life of Jacob is that we should not show favoritism. Jacob showed favoritism to Rachel over his other wives, and this contributed to the division within his family. And Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph over his other sons, and they resented him for it. They resented Jacob and they hated Joseph.

There would have been nothing wrong for Joseph to have a special place in Jacob’s heart. After all, he was the son of his old age, one of the sons born to Rachel. It is evident that Joseph was good boy, especially when compared to the others. But it was very foolish for Jacob to show favoritism to Joseph. Clearly he showed favoritism, for the other could see it. They knew that Joseph was the favored one. In fact, Jacob made a beautiful and lavish coat  for Jospeh to wear — it was a costly coat of many colors. That Joseph was the favored one was far from hidden. In fact, Jacob put it on full display. 

[APPLIACTION: Brothers and sisters, we should be careful to not show favoritism to any of our children. When I think of my four I give thanks to God for each one of them. Each one holds a special place in my heart in one way or another. And this is how it should be. And it is only right that each of them receive the same treatment from their father and mother. Each should be loved, instructed and disciplined equally. Time should be invested into each one. They should know for sure that they are loved. Without a doubt they will grow aware of the fact that they themselves have strengths and weakness. They will probably be able to guess that mom and dad love this or thing about me, but this they probably don’t like so much. But they should know that that won’t change our love for them, for they are our children.]

Jacob may be criticized for showing favoritism to Joseph, but that does not excuse the bad behavior of his sons, for at the end of the day, they were responsible before the Lord for their own actions. 

[APPLICATION: In our day and age it is common for people to blame their bad behavior on their parents. If only my mom and dad were better parents, I would be better, they say. Or, I am this way because of my dad. And while I do not deny that our parents have a powerful impact upon us, this also needs to be said: you are your own person. The choices that you are making are your choices. You yourself will stand before God someday to give an account, and on that day it will not do to blame mom or dad for your sins. At some point we must come to this realization and take responsibility for our own actions.] 

The scriptures do indeed teach that the decisions mothers and especially fathers make will have an impact upon their children. We see that principle here in the story of Jacob and his sons. We also see that principle in the ten commandments where we read, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Deuteronomy 5:8–10, ESV). 

This is how things work, especially in a national setting. The sins of the fathers affect the children. Read Exodus and you will see that many children wandered for a long tim in the wilderness, not for their lack of faith,  but because of the lack of faith of their fathers. Read Kings and Chronicles and see that children would offen suffer the consequences for the sins of their fathers. Many were born to Israel while in Babylonian captivity, brothers and sisters. And why were they born there? They were born there, not for their own sins, but for the sins of the previous generation. Clearly, this is how things work in a national context. Our children will pay our debts in this country, friends.    

But as it pertains to the individual, each one stands before God alone. This is especially true under the New Covenant now that the national dynamic of Old Covenant Israel has been abolished. Jeremiah, speaking of the days of the New Covenant said, “In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29–30, ESV). 

Have you ever eaten sour grapes and felt the sensations that Jeremiah is talking about — the sensation of your teeth being set on edge? In Jeremiah’s day there was a saying that the fathers eat sour grapes, but it is the children who experience the sensation of their teeth being set on edge. In other words, our fathers were idolators, etc., but were are paying for it! We are reaping what they have sown! Jeremiah is saying that it will not be so under the New Covenant. That generational principle is gone, for the New Covenant people of God are not a nation. They are not a mixed multitude as Old Covenant Israel was. To the contrary, Jeremiah says that under the New Covenant, “no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34, ESV).

Parents have a HUGE impact on their children. This I do not deny. But if you are in Christ you are “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). You cannot blame your current bad behavior on others, but must take responsibility for yourself and look to Christ for the help you need to progress in your sanctification.

Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph. In this he was wrong. But this does not excuse the sin of his other sons who hated Joseph because they allowed their jealousy to consume them. 

Three, Joseph’s brothers hated him because of the dreams he dreamed concerning his superiority over there rest of the family.  When Joseph shared these dreams with his family, he provoked them to jealously even more so.   

Jospeh dreamed two dreams. 

Verse 5: “Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.’ His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” (Genesis 37:5–8, ESV).

We know that this dream was from the Lord, for it came true! Not only would Joseph’s brothers eventually bow down to him, but they would do so because they were seeking grain in a time famine. Not only did the dream communicate that Joseph would be superior, it also hinted at the circumstances that would bring it about — it would have something to do with harvesting grain. 

Here we can criticize Joseph a bit. It was probably foolish for him to share this dream with his brothers. It would have been wise for him to keep these things to himself especially given that jealousy was already an issue amongst the brothers. It is wrong to be jealous, but it is also wrong to provoke others to jealously. 

[APPLICATION: Friends, if the Lord has blessed you in some way, don’t flaunt it. Walk humbly before God and man. Don’t put a stumbling block in front of others.]

Jacob’s second dream is found in verses 9-11: “Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, ‘Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind” (Genesis 37:9–11, ESV).

The sun symbolized Jacob. The moon signified Leah, given that Rachel had already died. And the eleven starts symbolized his brothers. This imagery of the sun, moon and stars has a national significance to it in the rest of scripture. Here it is Israel as a nation considered. But the meaning is the same — in due time his family, including his parents, would own before him. Even Jacob was offended when Joseph shared the dream with him, but instead of being jealous as the brothers were,  “kept the saying in mind.” 

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II. Joseph’s Brothers Conspired To Do Him Harm 

In the second part of this chapter we learn that Jospeh’s brothers hated him so much so that the conspired to do him harm. Notice that just as three reasons were given for their hatred of him, there are three stages to their plan to harm him. 

First, they simply conspired to kill him. You know the story. The brothers were a long way from home, out of their fathers sight and supervision, tending to the flocks. Jacob through they were at Shechem. The mention of this place should remind the reader of the awful thing that the sons of Jacob did there when they slaughtered the people of that land being enraged concerning what was done to their sister. The reader is to remember that these are not good men — they are violent men. Joseph was sent to check on the brothers and to bring them supplies. 

As Joseph journeyed towards them [verse 18] “They saw him from afar [they knew it was him because of his unique coat], and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him” (Genesis 37:18, ESV). 

Immediately we are to remember the sin of Cain who, being driven by jealously, rose up and killed his own brother, Able. Just as Adam’s sons were divided, so too Jacob’s. “They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams’” (Genesis 37:19–20, ESV). 

These are very wicked men. They desired to kill their own brother, and they were willing to deceive their own father concerning the death of his beloved son. 

Two, Ruben, the oldest of the brothers, determined to rescue Joseph by suggesting they not shed his blood, but through him into one of the pits instead, to leave him for dead. The others brothers agreed, thinking that it would be more appropriate to kill him this way. Reuben’s intention was to go away and then return later to save him. 

What it was that motivated Reuben to do this good thing is hard to say. He is not portrayed as a good man in the Genesis narrative. Perhaps this was simply too much for him. Or perhaps he felt some special responsibility for the wellbeing of the family given that he was the oldest. Latter in the Joseph story that does seem to be the case. 

In verse 23 we read, “So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat” (Genesis 37:23–25, ESV).

The depravity of man is truly great, isn’t it? These men did this wicked thing — they treated their own brother brutally and left him to die a horrible death — “then they sat down to eat.”  

The third stage of their conspiracy to do Joseph harm came when, Judah, wishing to profit from doing away with his  brother, suggested that they sell him to the Midianite or Ishmaelite (they can go by either name (see Judges 8:24)) traders who were passing by. This they did for twenty shekels of silver.

At the end of verse 28 we read, “They took Joseph to Egypt.”

The texts doesn’t say anything about Joseph’s reaction to this. Later in the story when the brothers stand before Joseph in Egypt we learn that Joseph did plead for his life before his brothers, but they showed him no mercy. And with stage is set for the rest of the Joseph story. 

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III. Joseph’s Brothers Deceived Their Own Father, Jacob 

The third and final section of this chapter describes the deception of Jacob. 

Not only did these men sell their own brother into slavery, they even lied to their father, and allowed him to mourn deeply, thinking that Joseph was dead.  

First, it was Ruben who grieved. He returned to rescue the boy but found that he was gone. Evidently he was not there when the decision was made to take him from the pit to sell him.  

Second, the brothers prepared to deceive their father by following through on the plan to dip Joseph’s coat in goat’s blood and to present it to Jacob saying that he was killed by a fierce animal. 

It is worth noticing the irony that just as Jacob used the tunic of his brother Esau and the skin of a goat to deceive his father Isaac in his old age, now he himself his deceived by his sons with a coat and the blood of a goat. Sometimes things come back to bite you, don’t they?

Third, notice that Jacob was left to grieve even though his sons could have easily relieved him by telling him the truth.  “ Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” Never did his sons tell him that Joseph was alive and in Egypt. To do so would have required that their sin be exposed, but they were not willing to let that happen. Instead they lefty their own father in a state of perpetual mourning. The callousness of the hearts of the sons of Israel is surprising indeed. 

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Conclusion

This story is a very sad story. Why then is it so beloved? 

I have three answers, and with these we will concluded. 

The story of Joseph is beloved because the people of God can relate to Joseph in his suffering. This is especially true of those who have been mistreated in this world. The story of Joseph will encourage our hearts as we see that the Lord was with Joseph and preserved him in his suffering.

Two, the story of Joseph is beloved because it answers some of our deepest questions regarding the relationship between sin and sovereignty of God, our suffering and God’s purposes. The truth that will be pressed upon us through this narrative is that God is able to use that which is evil for good. Paul says it this way, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).  That sounds a lot like what Joseph will say to his brothers after many years of suffering. To them he will say, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20, ESV).

Three, the story of Joseph is beloved because Jesus the Christ is typified in him. It is not difficult to see that in the life of Joseph the redemption that we have in Christ was  foreshadowed. Just as Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob was rejected by his own brothers, was mistreated even to the point of death, was delivered from pit of death and raised up to power so that through him many might be saved, so too Jesus Christ our Lord was rejected by his own kinsmen, was mistreated even to the point of death — death on the cross, was raised up from the grave and was seated high above all poweres, so that through him — through faith in his name — many son and daughter may be brought to glory. Amen.  

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without proofreading.] 

Introduction

You will notice that I am once again covering a large narrative section of the book of Genesis  — Genesis 32:1 – 33:20. Here we find the story of Jacob’s preparations to meet his offended brother, Esau, his wrestling with the LORD, and his eventual reconciliation with Esau. I will not read the entire text at the start of the sermon today, as is our custom, but will read the three parts of the text as we come to them. 

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I. Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau  (32:1-21)

Let us consider, first of all, Jacob’s preparations to meet his offended brother, Esau, as described in 32:1-21. 

Hear now the word of the Lord: “Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, ‘This is God’s camp!’ So he called the name of that place Mahanaim. And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, instructing them, ‘Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’’ And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, ‘We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.’ Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, thinking, ‘If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.’ And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’’ So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, ‘Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.’ He instructed the first, ‘When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’’ He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, ‘You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’’ For he thought, ‘I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.’ So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp” (Genesis 32:1–21, ESV).

I have five observations to make about this section.

One, we should recognize from the outset Jacob’s unpleasant situation. No sooner had Jacob escaped the grasp of Laban than his mind was troubled by another threat — he would now have to face Esau, his older brother whom he has swindled out of his birthright and blessing many years earlier. 

The last we heard about Esau was that he planned to comfort himself by killing Jacob for stealing his blessing. Rebekah, Jacob and Esau’s mother, told Jacob to go away to Laban and that she would send for him once Esau’s wrath had cooled — never did Rebekah send for him. And so Jacob was right to assume that his brother was still angry and desired to do him harm. Jacob was in a predicament. He had escaped from Laban, but he was heading towards Esau. He was stuck in between two enemies, both of whom were much stronger than he. 

By the way, this is very similar to the situation that the people of Israel would find themselves in after their exodus from Egypt and prior to their conquest of Canaan. They, for a time, were in a very vulnerable place — a wilderness place — with strong enemies on every side. Their vulnerability must have pressed them to rely upon their God. 

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, you and I can relate to Jacob and to Israel here, for we have been redeemed by Christ Jesus. We have been freed from bondage to Satan, sin and the power of death. But we are not home. We are sojourners in a wilderness place. We are at once in this world but not of it. We see that there are enemies that threaten on every side. But we are to take courage knowing that God is with us. And because God is with us, we are able to sojourn in this place — yes, even in California — confidently, as we trust God to fulfill his promises and bring us safely into the heavenly land of promise.]

That leads me to my second observation about this section. Notice how the LORD comforted Jacob by reminding him of his presence. Jacob had escaped Laban and as he was entering the land of promise,  “the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, ‘This is God’s camp!’ So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.” God was always with Jacob, this we know. But as Jacob was obedient to go again to the land promised to him  and  to his descendents, he was shown this vision. Mahanaim means “two camps”. Jacob was alone, but here he was reminded that he was not really alone — the Lord and his army camped with him. 

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, neither are you and I alone. With our eyes we see only one camp here, but really there are two camps. The LORD is present with us along with the heavenly hosts, for “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22–24, ESV). You and I are reminded of the Lord’s presence each Lord’s Day as we assemble together in the name of Christ.  It is here in this place that we hear God’s word. It is here  that we sign and pray to God. It is here that we see his kingdom manafest as we set our eyes upon others who also say,  “Jesus is Lord”, and it is here that Christ’s broken body and shed blood is represented before us, as if the Lord were  saying through the elements, did I tell you, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, ESV). Do not neglect the assembly, brothers and sisters, for it here that we are reminded that there are two camps — ours, and the heavenly camp of the God who will never leave us nor forsake us.]

Three, notice how Jacob took action to protect his camp. At first he sent messengers to Esau to inform him that he was coming. Undoubtably the purpose was also to get a sense of Esau’s disposition towards Jacob. The news was not good. Esau was coming out to meet Jacob and his camp with 400 men. People do not travel around with 400 men unless they intend to fight. Jacob understood this to mean that Esau intended to do him harm, and he was probably right. “Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed”, and so he took this approach —  he divided his camp into two. If Esau attacked one camp, the other might be able to escape. 

[APPLICATION: Throughout this narrative it is apparent that Jacob was walking by faith. He went forward trusting in the promises of God. But he also took action. Brothers and sisters, I have said it before and must say it again — trusting in the Lord does not mean that we are to sit idly by. If we  are in Christ we are to walk by faith. Notice that the Christian  life will always involve  these to things walking and  believing. Have faith in God, but do not forget to walk. Trust in him, but also take action. Believe upon the Lord, but also be obedient.]

Four, notice that after Jacob divided his camp, he prayed. Some might criticize Jacob for dividing his camp first and then praying second. Those who are exceptionally pious might say that Jacob should have started with prayer and then moved on to action. But in Jacob’s defense, I think you would agree there are some circumstances that require action first, and prayer second. If your house is burning you ought to take action first and pray later, for example. We should refrain from being too critical of Jacob given the pressing circumstances. In fact, when we come to the prayer of Jacob we find a beautiful prayer — one that is permeated with trust in God and faith in his promises. 

The prayer is found in 32:9-12 and it may be divided into five parts. One, Jacob addressed God as the “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac…”  Some have wondered, didn’t Jacob coincided God to be his God too? And the answer is clearly, yes. But here Jacob refers to God as the God of Abraham and Isaac because his mind is  set upon the promises of God given first to them, and then also to  him. Two, Jacob emphasized what the LORD had commanded him to do when he referred to God as the “LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good…’” (Genesis 32:9, ESV). It is not that God needed to be reminded of this. Jacob prayed this way to remind himself of the promises of God.  When he prayed in this way it was as if he said, LORD I need your help if I am to obey your command in regard to returning to the land! Three, notice the humility and utter brokenness of Jacob when he said, “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps” (Genesis 32:10, ESV). Here Jacob confesses what you and I have known to be true all along — that he  was not worthy to be loved steadfastly by God; he did not deserve the Lord’s faithfulness. Fourthly, Jacob asked for the LORD’s provision, saying, “Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children” (Genesis 32:11, ESV). Fifthly, and lastly, Jacob based  his prayer upon the promises  of God that were previously given. Verse 12: “But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude’” (Genesis 32:12, ESV).  What a wonderful prayer this was! It seems to be, judging by the content of this prayer, that our friend Jacob has progressed significantly in his sanctification over the past 20 years. Jacob addressed God as father. He prayed, not for selfish gain, but out of a desire to be obedient to God. He knew that he was unworthy and he readily admitted it. He humbly asked the Lord to help him. And this he did boldly as he believed upon the promises of God given to him previously.   

The fifth  and last observation that I have regarding this first section is that Jacob was very eager to appease Esau’s wrath.  Certainly this was due, in part, out a desire for self-preservation. Jacob didn’t want to die, nor did he want any harm to befall his family. But there also seems to be a desire to make things right with Esau regarding their past. 

Jacob sent a large gift to Esau ahead of the family. He  sent 530 animals with his servants. These he sent in waves or droves. And he instructed his servants to greet Esau with the same words so that he would hear them again and again. When Esau asked the servants, “To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?” They  were  to reply saying “They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’’ Notice that Jacob referred to himself as Esau’s servant, and Esau he called lord. This is quite a change of attitude from the last time Jacob and Esau were together. It seems to me that Jacob had been humbled, softened and sanctified during those years with Laban. Having been tricked and taken advantage of by Laban for those 20 years, it seems that Jacob now understands how awful it was to take advantage of Esau and trick him as he did  all those years ago. He seems very eager to appease Esau’s wrath, to cover his sins, and to have the relationship restored. 

[APPLICATION: It is interesting how the Lord disciplines and instructs his children. He instructs us by his word and Spirit, but often he will discipline us through sufferings. The Lord will sometimes teach us to hate sin by giving us over to it and it’s bitter consequences for a time. I do not  think that any Christian will have real victory over habitual sin until he or she comes to see and believe that the sin is truly vile, dark, destructive and deadly. Some are wise see sin for what it is by believing the word of God. We might say that these learn the easy way. But others are more foolish. They toy with sin. Over and over again they indulge. And over and over again they reap the destructive consequences of sin. These, like Jacob, learn the hard way. But thanks be to God, in his mercy and grace he does also teach to hate that which is evil and cling to that which is good even if we must learn it the hard way.] 

Jacob seems to get it now. What he did to his older brother all those years ago was wrong. Now he is eager make amends. More than anything he desires peace.

[APPLIACTION: Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18, ESV). Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, ESV). And in Ephesians 4:1-3 Paul urges the Christian “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV). I wonder, are you eager to be at peace with all men? Are you striving for it as Jacob did  with Esau, against whom he had sinned?]

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II. Jacob Wrestles With God (32:22-32)

Up to this point in the narrative Jacob’s primary concern is his relationship with Esau. His preparations and prayers were about Esau and the reconciliation of their terribly broken relationship. But as the narrative unfolds we learn that this wasn’t God’s primary concern for Jacob. Even more important than Jacob’s relationship with Esau was Jacob’s relationship with God.  Though it is evident that by this time Jacob had faith, and that his faith was growing, it appears that there was some unfinished business.

Here in 32:22-32 we learn that Jacob wrestled with God. Here now the word of the Lord: “The same night he [Jacob] arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ And he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.’ The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.” (Genesis 32:22–32, ESV).

This story is one of the more mysterious stories found in the pages of holy scripture. Jacob was left all alone after sending his family and possessions across the Jabbok river. Why did he remain alone as the others journeyed onward? The text does not say. I think it is safe to assume that Jacob needed to be alone to do business with God. And while he was all alone he was assaulted by, what he at first thought was, a man. Evidently the wrestling lasted a long time until the “man” touched Jacobs hip to put it out of joint. 

Who was this “man” that Jacob wrestled with? Well, as the event unfolded Jacob became aware that this was no mere man, but that he was wrestling with God himself. More precisely, he was wresting with the angel of the LORD, a physical manifestation of the investable God. 

As daybreak drew near the “man” spoke to Jacob saying, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” Jacob’s reply was, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” It is clear from this reply that Jacob knew that he was wrestling with the LORD. This would have been a very strange request for Jacob to make if he thought that he was doing combat with a mortal enemy. Why would he say to an enemy, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Jacob was wrestling with God himself, and more than anything he desired the LORD’s blessing. The blessing of the LORD had already been pronounced upon Jacob by his father. Jacob had also received the promises of the LORD. But in this moment of trail, Jacob wanted the blessing of the LORD more than anything else. 

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, I wonder, do you have the same desire? Do you desire to be blessed of the LORD more than any other thing? Put differently, if you had to choose between great wealth, great health and all worldly pleasures, and being blessed in the LORD, what would you choose? To be blessed of the LORD is to belong to him and to have your sins forgiven. To be blessed of the LORD is to be in a right relationship with him. Psalm 32:1: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1–2, ESV). Romans 4:7: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin” (Romans 4:7–8, ESV). Which would you choose? The riches and pleasures of this world, or the blessing of being in right relationship with the LORD?]

Jacob would not let the “man” go until he blessed him. By this point in his life this was his leading desire — to know the LORD, and to be known by him. 

Jacob prevailed. In verse 27 the “man” spoke to Jacob saying “‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed’” (Genesis 32:27–28, ESV).

Jacob was in this moment given the name Israel as a memorial to the change that had occurred within him. From birth Jacob was a heal snatcher. He was one who took advantage of others, his name meaning, “one who seizes”, or “one who supplants.” But here he is called Israel indicating that over time his character had changed. Instead of being a deceptive cheat, he was one who wrestled with God and prevailed. 

This is the first time that the word “Israel” appears in the pages of holy scripture. Etymologically the world means, “he who struggles with God”. But it is this story that clarifies the significance of that name. It is true that Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed, but we must pay careful attention to the way in which he prevailed. 

One, he prevailed — that is to say, he got the blessing — because God condescended. God pursued Jacob. God came to him to engage him and to reveal himself to him in the flesh. It is a ridiculous thought that a man would be able to wrestle with God at all, let alone for a long time so as to prevail over him. But God made himself low for Jacob. As a father wrestles with his toddler child and gives him the upper hand, so God permitted that Jacob wrestle with him for a time. The wrestling was prolonged, not because God was weak and Jacob strong, but because God condescended to Jacob’s capacity. 

Two, he prevailed — that is to say, he got the blessing — only after being defeated by God. This sounds ridiculous at first, but it is true. Jacob prevailed by being defeated. 

Three, he prevailed — that is to say, he got the blessing — only by crying out to God and pleading for his grace. “I will not let you go unless you bless me”, Jacob said. 

In other words, Jacob “prevailed” with God, not because he pursued God and conquered him, but because God pursued him, wounded him, and brought him low. God brought Jacob to that place of utter humility so that the only thing he could do was to cry out to the Lord and say, do not leave me, but give me your blessing. 

This, friends, is the only way for man to wrestle with God and prevail. If man is to prevail with the Lord, he must by humbled. He must be brought to the end of himself, and to that place of utter despair. If man is to prevail with the Lord, he must be brought low and to that place where the only thing he can do is to cry out for mercy. 

Remember, this was Paul’s experience. Before his name was Paul the Apostle, he was Saul the persecutor of the church. He was arrogant in his opposition to Christ and his church, but the Lord humbled him, struck him with blindness, “and when we had all fallen to the ground, [he] heard a voice saying to [him] in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads’” (Acts 26:14, ESV). Saul the persecutor of Christ became Paul the Apostle of Christ, but only after being brought low. 

The only way to prevail with God, is for him to first prevail over us. The way for man to conquer God (if I may speak in this way) is to be first conquered by him. 

 [APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, all who rightly and truly bear the name, the Israel of God, have had this same experience. Like Saul and Jacob before, all who have God as their God and Father know what it is to wrestle with God, to be overcome by him, and thus, to prevail with him, so as to receive his blessings. The is why Jesus said, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24, ESV). Gaining Christ and the heavenly blessings that are found in him r requires that we first  give up. We must tap out.  We must come to the end of ourselves and say, Lord, I am nothing on my own. I have no strength — no hope. Save me.]

After Jacob was given the Israel as a memorial to the grace of God that was bestowed upon him, he then asked the “man” to reveal his name. And to maintain the mystery,  the “man” said, “Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him.” But Jacob knew the truth of the matter, “So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Not only was Jacob given the name Israel as a memorial, but he went on walking with a limp from that day forward. And so it is for all who have been subdued by Christ Jesus. They too walk with a limp. Having been humbled by God, they continue on in humility, being ever mindful of their inadequacy and the grace of God shown to them in Christ Jesus. 

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III. Jacob Meets Esau (33:1-20)

 In the third and final section of our text for today we hear of Jacob’s meeting with Esau. We will spend the least amount of time on this section, so listen very carefully now to the word of the Lord: “And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, ‘Who are these with you?’ Jacob said, ‘The children whom God has graciously given your servant.’ Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, ‘What do you mean by all this company that I met?’ Jacob answered, ‘To find favor in the sight of my lord.’ But Esau said, ‘I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.’ Jacob said, ‘No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.’ Thus he urged him, and he took it. Then Esau said, ‘Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.’ But Jacob said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.’ So Esau said, ‘Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.’ But he said, ‘What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.’ So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:1–20, ESV).

Three things should be noted. 

One, take notice of Jacob’s humble disposition. Clearly, something changed in this man over the past 20 years. Notice how he humbly bowed before Esau, calling him lord. He gave him gifts as if restoring unto him the birthright and the blessing that he had stolen those many years ago. As I said before, those who have wrestled with God and have been subdued by him, walk with a limp. They walk humbly before God and man. 

Two, notice Esau’s tenderness to Jacob. This is surprising given that Esau came out to Jacob as if prepared for war. Could it be that Esau intended to do Jacob harm at first, but had a change of heart while on the way? Could it be that the prayer of Jacob and the gifts that he sent had an affect? I think they did! Brothers and sisters, not only should we be concerned to have a right relationship with God, but also with man.  We are commanded to “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, ESV).

Three, notice that while Esau vacated the land, Jacob entered it and took possession of it. This is a very important part of the story of redemption. Jacob, the younger of the two brothers, was the one who received the promises made to Abraham and to Isaac. To him it was said, “May [God] give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” (Genesis 28:4, ESV). Now all these years laters we see the beginning of the fulfillment of this promises. Esau vacated the land, and Jacob entered in.  “From the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel”, which means, “God, the God of Israel”. Clearly Jacob’s faith had matured. More than anything he desired God’s blessing, and above all he was devoted to the worship of his God in the land that was promised to him and to his offspring forever.

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, may the Lord bless you with the faith of Jacob. May you desire above all earthly things to be blessed in the Lord. May he humble you so that you bow the knee before him. May he conquer you so that you might have him as your God. May the aim of your life be to glorify him in all things. And may you sojourn well, until the Lord brings us into the promised land, the new heavens and earth earned by Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let us stand and sing the hymn, O God of Bethel.

O God of Bethel, by whose hand
thy people still are fed,
who through this weary pilgrimage
hast all our fathers led;

Our vows, our prayers, we now present
before thy throne of grace;
God of our fathers, be the God
of their succeeding race.

Through each perplexing path of life
our wandering footsteps guide;
give us each day our daily bread,
and raiment fit provide.

O spread thy covering wings around
till all our wanderings cease,
and at our Father’s loved abode
our souls arrive in peace.