Ben Shiller Jacob
The Lord asked Jacob to return to his father’s place. Upon the Lord’s command, Jacob and his family returned. On his way back, he heard his brother Esau was coming towards him with four hundred men. We see an interesting fact many of us overlook in our personal walk with the Lord. When God directs us to take a different direction, many times we would encounter oppositions. Never think it will be a path with zero resistance and conflict. When He asks us to do something, He doesn’t promise us it will be easy and free of struggles and challenges. However, if there is any opposition down the line, He Himself is the guarantee to be our protection and He will be to us a wall of fire all around us (Zech 2:9) and bring us to the place He wants us to be.
15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.
Genesis 28:15
Here, the Lord was settling an unfinished business that had been bothering Jacob for almost twenty years. That was nothing but his blood brother Esau. There was an open door in Jacob’s life to the devil by which his blessings could be delayed and hindered if it was not dealt with right away.
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:23-26
So, Yahweh set up a rendezvous with both on their journey. See, the Lord was helping Jacob by bringing Esau to him because Jacob cheated on his brother twenty years ago. Jacob had to reconcile with his brother. If not, he will not reach his destiny because the adversary had been given legal rights over Jacob’s life. This was the reason Jacob was cheated by his uncle, Laban regarding his wages and Leah substituted for Rachel.
2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
Matthew 7:2
Jacob was measured back with the same measure he used for his brother years ago. We see Yahweh shows no partiality towards anyone, whether His children or not. Because He is just and righteous eternally.
Back to the story, Jacob was so frightened hearing his brother, his rival, is coming towards him with four hundred mighty men with him. Now Yahweh was using Esau to bring repentance to Jacob. To do that, Esau must have been in a stronger place than Jacob otherwise Jacob will never come to a place of total surrender before Yahweh and will never see a transformation from his old life that Yahweh desired in Jacob. In order to bring repentance in Jacob, Yahweh used Esau’s strength, that was his company of four hundred men that made Jacob to think that his brother was coming to destroy him and his family altogether. This resulted Jacob to be alone by the ford Jabbok. Jacob wrestled all night with the Lord. To my understanding, this wrestling was more than just a prayer. Jacob had no hope or time before him. He was in a do-or-die situation. He was convinced his death was at the door, in fact, in handful hours. He had to bring the Lord in this matter. No other solution. He must have sweated blood that night praying. Jacob was giving himself to the Lord in utter abandonment. I believe that Man, Jacob wrestled with none other than Yeshua Himself. Through Yeshua, Jacob found forgiveness, grace and mercy before the Great Judge, Yahweh. As a result of this encounter, the lawsuits and accusations against Jacob were settled and given him a new identity by changing title from Jacob to Israel. As a result, the person he greatly feared became his friend overnight.
7When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 16:7
Communion with a Contrite Heart
Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love and passion showed through our Lord Jesus. Today as we pray, give us a heart of repentence and enighten every area of our heart that is darkened with bitterness and strifes against anyone and admitting our rebellions to receive your forgiveness in Jesus’ precious name we pray – AMEN!