Genesis 32: 3 – 12 “Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”
When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau; he is coming to meet you—he and four hundred men with him.” In great fear and distress, Jacob divided his people into two camps, as well as the flocks and herds and camels. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one camp, then the other camp can escape.”
Then Jacob declared, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me, and also the mothers and their children with me. But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.’
Jacob wants to return to Canaan; but to do so, he must pass through Esau’s territory. After twenty years of hardship under Laban, Jacob has a much clearer idea of the wrong that he has done to Esau. At the same time, Jacob remembers that Esau has a quick temper and is likely to attack first and reflect later, if at all. Jacob does the most diplomatic thing possible: he sends messengers ahead of him and instructs them to give a very humbly – worded message. It seems that Jacob’s fears are well founded, for Esau sets out with four hundred men to meet Jacob. Jacob prays an eloquent prayer, but it could be condensed into a single word: HELP!!!
v. 13 – 20 “Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”
He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”
He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him. You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esau with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me.”
What is Jacob trying to do with these gifts? Consider the fact that Jacob has had twenty years of herding Laban’s animals. Somewhere out there in the cold dark nights, Jacob has had time to realize just how badly he has cheated Esau. Each time that Laban has changed Jacob’s wages and has tried to cheat him again, Jacob has remembered his manipulations of Esau. At this point, Jacob wants to save his family and himself but he also wants to try to make things right with Esau. These gifts of animals are Jacob’s way of trying to make restitution.
APPLICATION; Many times, we are the ones who have wronged someone else. There is a saying that “The first rule of holes is that if you find yourself in one, STOP DIGGING!” When we are having problems with someone else, we need to examine the situation; it’s quite possible that the other person is the aggrieved party and that we are the offenders. Once you find yourself in such a situation, the next step is to pray and ask God what He wants you to do about it. Peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and God can bring peace to any situation. But we must be willing to pay the price of peace and sometimes that price seems high.
Perhaps you have cheated someone on a business deal; is there a way of making restitution? Perhaps you have lied about someone or jumped to a wrong conclusion and spread a vicious rumor. There is no limit to the ways in which we can offend others. But at the same time, God is a God of infinite variety and possibilities and God can lead us to the right way in which to make restitution in our particular situation. Is restitution an easy process? No. Many times restitution can be painful or embarrassing or expensive. But living a lie brings more pain and expense and can even wreck your health. Remember, God keeps the books. Even if the person you have wronged has no idea of your offense, God knows.
One day when Jesus was teaching his disciples, he told them, “Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 When we make restitution and reconcile, we are free to worship God. But when we attempt to ignore our wrong – doing and refuse to seek reconciliation, we will not be able to worship God and our prayers will be blocked. Jesus went on to say, “Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:25 – 26
PRAYER: Father God, please show us those whom we have wronged with whom we need to reconcile. Show us where restitution is necessary. Give us the courage to humble ourselves and to make things right. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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