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Bible Stories (43): Remorseful Jacob - Religion - Nairaland

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Bible Stories (43): Remorseful Jacob by Nobody: 2:27am On Dec 17, 2017
Away from Laban, Jacob's next assignment was to sort himself out with his brother, Esau. On his way however, he met with angels of YAHWEH, curiously we aren't told that anything worthy of note happened between both parties, save for the fact that Jacob named the place where they met, "Mahanaim", which means "TWO CAMPS". I suspect that they may have arranged themselves in two camps while Jacob feted the angels from his camp, or something of the likes, if one can infer that the naming of that place had something to do with his accosting the angels.


From there, "... Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom (now synonymous with Esau and his descendants), and he commanded them saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my master Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now. And I have oxen, and asses, flocks and menservants, and women servants: and I have sent to tell my master, that I may find grace in thy sight."(Genesis 32:3-5). If you remember how it ended been Jacob and Esau, it won't be difficult for you to understand why the former is referring to his twin brother like the latter was Lord over him. He must've also learnt how big his brother had become while he was with Laban (more like exile in servitude, the most time for loves' sake). In humbling himself before his brother, it will also appear that he was acknowledging him over himself, in spite of his father's blessings which he cunningly usurped, which at that point in time hadn't seemed to have impacted that much in his life, in comparison to his brother Esau, who could be said to have been on top of his game.


When Jacob's servants returned to inform him, that they indeed met with his brother, and that he was also on his way to meet Jacob, with four hundred men, "... Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands" (v.7), thinking that should the one group come under the sword, the other may advisedly scamper to safety. So scared of Esau was Jacob that he, in prayer, reminded YAHWEH that it was in fact HE who instructed him to return "... to thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee" (v.9), thanked him for increasing him, before asking that YAHWEH deliver him from his brother Esau. Afterwards, Jacob set aside "two hundred she goats, twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals" (v.14 & 15), as "present" for his brother Esau, which his servants must deliver to him, should he ask whose they are, and also to tell him that Jacob himself isn't so far behind.


This was how Jacob felt he could express remorse to his brother for the way he'd tricked and treated him in the past. He considered himself not worthy of most of all the worldly goods at his possession, if at the end of the day his brother still feels hurt by his actions. It was his turning point, regardless of the love of YAHWEH towards him, which he could've certainly ridden roughshod on, over his twin brother, and proudly continued on his way with the thinking that even if he hadn't tried to secure his brother's blessing his own way, YAHWEH would still have found a way to make it his, unless HE hadn't willed it to be so, in the first place. Many of us, do not consider how often we hurt our fellow man, talk more to show remorse and attempt to right things with those we may have hurt, because of pride, especially when we feel we're doing right before YAHWEH because (we feel) he continues to bless us, forgetting that we can't really love HIM, without loving our neighbour.


The lesson here therefore is that beyond asking forgiveness of sins we may have committed against our neighbour at the hands of YAHWEH, we must also seek to make it right with the particular individual we might have wronged, regardless of whether we are to come to harm (as was with Jacob who was sorely afraid) or not, by their hands. This will ensure that there's no ill will even after divine forgiveness has been sought and procured. I would say it was a reformed Jacob that later that night, after his servants left with the present ahead of the company, "took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok", and sent them over the brook", (v. 22-23) with all that he had, and he was left alone.


'kovich


PICTURE CREDIT:
- https://www.pinterest.com/RobertCrumbs


REFERENCES:
- Genesis Chapter 32 Verses 1 – 23, THE WORD OF YAHWEH, © 2000



BIBLE STORIES (43): REMORSEFUL JACOB https://madukovich./2017/12/17/bible-stories-43-remorseful-jacob/

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