GENESIS
September 16, 2017
By Pastor Kim Hickcox
(All Scripture taken from One New Man Bible unless otherwise noted)
Jacob is now returning to his homeland with his family, having made peace with his father-in-law, via God’s omniscience. So we continue with Genesis 32:4-24.
“And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, the country of Edom.” (vs 4: The country of Edom was where Esau’s family settled and was known throughout ancient history, and the cousins became less and less friendly as time passed.) As he approached, his scouts come back to tell him that his brother Esau was on his way with 400 men, which led him to believe that he was probably not in a good mood.
Now this is where Jacob’s faith should have instantly kicked in, because he already had God’s promise that all would be well and he would be able to return safely and prosperously to where he spent his childhood. Plus he had just seen divine protection from Laban. However, fear gets the better of him, as it does all of us from time to time.
One of the most wonderful things, I think, that the Bible shows us throughout is the whole character or aspect of the men and women we read about. I mean this is Jacob! This is Israel himself, the very man to whom the nation of God was named after! The man who fathered the founders or patriarchs of the twelve tribes that became the nation of Israel! One would think that he would be portrayed wearing a red cape and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
But our loving, wonderful, merciful God allows us to know that we ALL have flaws. His Word is NOT filled with superheroes whose shoes we could never hope to fill. How devastating would it be to be told on the one hand, that we need not preoccupy ourselves with our faults because after all, we know that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”? (Romans 3:23 & 1 Kings 8:46) And yet, be confronted with nothing but perfect examples of Godly men by all those whom He chose to use, help, speak through and bless?
I find it very comforting to actually see that imperfection is not a disqualification for being used by my God! Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 12:9, that after begging the Lord to fix something for him three times in prayer, He told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made complete in weakness.” But how much louder do examples speak to us? This could be seen as a very sad fact of our human nature, but a fact none the less. John Hagee once said that the Lord always remembers that we are just anointed dust bunnies. Puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
So now we see Jacob’s faith falter for a bit. He cheated his brother not once but twice out of a LOT, his entire heritage actually, and could very well have been feeling a bit unworthy of God’s promises and total protection, especially in light of his brother’s approaching with a small army.
So he prays, repeating God’s promise to him, and this is where we see that reminding God of what He said to us (either personally or through His Word) is not an insult or sign of disrespect to Him, but rather endearing to Him – almost like He’s honored that we would remember and have to holy boldness to remind Him. (At least, that’s my take.) So Jacob prays and prophetically (we now know) says, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, LORD Who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I shall deal well with you.’ 11I am not worthy of the least of all Your loving kindness, and of all the truth which You have shown to Your servant, for I crossed this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two bands. 12Rescue me, please! From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him lest he will come and strike me and the mother with the children. 13And You said, ‘I shall surely do you good and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Genesis 32:10-13)
Then he sends a goodly portion of each of his flocks and herds ahead as an appeasement to get on Esau’s good side. In chapter 33 we see that, true to God’s promise, he and Esau meet and all is well. Esau is glad to see his brother and actually doesn’t even want to take his gifts. After 20 years, the wounds seem to have healed; they are both doing well, and have a very amicable reunion.
“And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children and said, ‘Who are those with you?’ And he said, ‘The children whom God has graciously given your servant.’ 6Then handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7And Leah also came near with her children and they bowed, and afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed….16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17And Jacob journeyed to Sukkot, and built a house for himself and made sukkot for his cattle. Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkot.” (Genesis 33:4-17) Sukkot is Hebrew for booths or shelters.
His message to Paul in 2ndCorinthians 12:9 that we read earlier is His message to us too: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made complete in weakness.” When we can no longer hold on, we need to reach out to Him! Confess whatever it is you are battling with or against: weakness, unforgiveness, disobedience, feeling unworthy of His help, lack of faith, hopelessness, lack of provision, seemingly unanswered prayers…it doesn’t matter! God’s shoulders are wide enough to carry any problem we have and His love is deep enough to handle any doubt we have! “And without trusting it is impossible to please God: for it is necessary for the one who comes to God to believe that He is, that He does exist, then He becomes a rewarder to those who seek Him out.” (Hebrews 11:6) ALL we have to do it believe He exists and ask for help! Remember, He knew it all from the beginning, and chose you anyway!! We can never blindside Almighty God!
And please don’t be swayed by the stigma popularly taught about not having enough faith, being the cause of ANY of your battles! Hebrews 11:6 clearly says that He is pleased when we believe that He exists. Y’shua told us in Matthew 17:20, “…for truly I am saying to you, if you would have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘You must immediately go from this place to that place,’ and it will go: then nothing will be impossible for you.”We need to remember and focus on Who we have put our faith in – nothow big our faith is! Have you ever seen a mustard seed? They’re all over the place now, so you probably have, but if you haven’t: a mustard seed is about the size of the head of a straight pin. Pretty tiny! But our God isn’t tiny no matter who or what He is compared to!
If you are battling something now, face it (if it’s within you, go to a mirror) and say to it: My God lives in me and His power is made complete in my weakness! Therefore you will NOT prevail over me because I belong to the God of Abraham, to the God of Isaac, to the God of Israel! I prevail with God! I triumph with God! I WILL triumph over you! No weapon formed against me shall prosper, because anything against me is against my God and NOTHING is more powerful than my God! It is in HIM that I place my trust, my confidence and my worth! (Name your problem) leave NOW in the mighty name of Y’shua Messiah Who lives in me, died for me and has already healed me!
SHALOM dear friends. Fight your battles with the holy boldness of the One Who lives within you. Because He is the Triumphant One! Jehovah Nissi, our Victory!!
“Now to the One Who is able to keep you without stumbling and to stand before His glory blameless in extreme joy, 25to the only God, our Savior through our Lord Y’shua Messiah, be glory, majesty, strength, and power before every age, both now and forever, amen.” (Jude 24-25)
SHALOM
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