Exploring Humility - Genesis 32:3, 6-12; 33:1-11 - April 27, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – Exploring Humility – April 27, 2008

This is the last lesson in this series of study.

Our scripture is Genesis 32:3, 6-12; 33:1-11.

Being humble at the right moment is a powerful weapon. Being humble is not being a coward. JESUS said if a person strikes you on one cheek then turn the other cheek to that person. Of course, that may be like a story my father told me about a pastor who also worked in the cotton mill. During work a man struck him on one cheek and he turned the other cheek to that man. The man struck him on that cheek. The pastor then proceeded to give the man a licking. My father asked him about him being a pastor and JESUS’ statement about turning the other cheek. The pastor responded, “I did turn the other cheek but JESUS did not say what to do after you turned the other cheek, so I defended myself.”

Being humble is not rolling over and playing dead but it is putting aside your prejudice, hard feelings, selfish nature, ego and a number of characteristics that our flesh brings to our minds. Our flesh can cloud good judgment. Our flesh often gets in the way of trying to settle an issue. Our flesh wants to win and have victory. It is part of our inherent nature for survival. A wild animal needs to be tamed, if it lives in a tame environment, so does our nature.

Bad feelings can run very deep among friends and certainly family.

Let’s explore briefly some history so we can understand why fraternal twins, Jacob and Esau, had deep seated rivalry and conflict. It all begins in the womb. Even when their mother was carrying them they were very active in her womb. Esau was born first and was the elder brother. When Esau was born, Jacob followed grasping Esau’s heel. Esau was red and very hairy thus the name Esau or Edom. Jacob means grasping the heel or he deceives. Later GOD changed Jacob’s name to Israel which means struggles with GOD. Esau was the hunter and his daddy, Isaac, loved wild game and he loved Esau. Esau had been hunting and came back home starving for something to eat. Jacob was cooking some lentil stew and Esau desperately needed food. Jacob said he would give him food in exchange for his birthright. Since Esau was the oldest the blessings of Abraham would be passed to Esau. Jacob wanted the birthright. Esau agreed to exchange his birthright for the food. Esau’s rational was that he was about to die, or so he thought, so what good would his birthright do him if he was dead. Bottom line, Esau did not care about his birthright.

Time goes along and Isaac became blind and feeble. It came time for Isaac to pass along his blessings to the eldest son. (Genesis 27)

Rebekah overheard Isaac tell Esau to go hunting and prepare him a meal. Then Isaac would give him the blessing. Rebekah swung into action because she wanted Jacob to receive the blessing. She devised a plan to deceive Isaac into thinking that Jacob was Esau since Isaac was blind. Her plan worked and Jacob receives the blessing. Soon after Isaac received the blessing, Esau entered the presence of his father with his savory meal. Isaac realized that he had been deceived. Esau realized that Jacob had deceived their father and received the blessing. Esau was ticked and decided after their father died, he would kill Jacob. Rebekah knew Esau’s plan to kill Jacob, so she again swung into action. She built a case why Jacob should leave home and go to live with his uncle some 400 miles away. She told Isaac that she did not want Jacob to marry a Canaanite woman. She wanted him to go far away to her brother Laban who lived in Haran to choose a wife. Jacob left with Isaac’s blessing. When Esau found out what had happened, he tried to please his parents by marrying Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham. Jacob married his cousins Leah and Rachel who lived in Haran. Jacob fled from his father-in-law to return home after being gone for twenty (20) years.

Jacob was naturally nervous about returning home because he did not know if Esau still wanted to kill him. Let’s read our scripture.

There was a lot of history about Isaac, Jacob and Esau between Genesis Chapters 25 and 36.

Let’s read Genesis 32:1-8:
3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He commanded them, “You are to say to my lord Esau, ‘This is what your servant Jacob says. I have been staying with Laban and have been delayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves. I have sent [this message]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. to inform my lord, in order to seek your favor.’ ” 6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau; he is coming to meet you—and he has 400 men with him.” 7 Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; he divided the people with him into two camps, along with the flocks, cattle, and camels. 8 He thought, “If Esau comes to one camp and attacks it, the remaining one can escape.”[3]

Jacob was returning home. So he sent messengers ahead of him to check things out with his brother Esau. The message to Esau was that he went to their uncle Laban and he was returning with animals and slaves. This could have been a way of telling Esau that he was not returning to be a burden but that he was self supporting. Therefore, he was returning to mend their broken relationship. This was an expression of humility. It is difficult to take the first step in reconciliation and often the person taking the first step has to swallow his or her ego.

It seems by Esau’s response that he may have thought that Jacob was returning to bring him under his authority. I think that Esau was savvy enough to ask the right questions to determine the number of people in Jacob’s group. He gathers 400 men. Esau allows the messengers to get back to Jacob in enough time for Jacob to prepare or worry a lot.

Jacob was afraid when he heard that his brother was coming to meet him with 400 men. So Jacob divided his group into two (2) groups, hoping that at least one (1) group would survive, if his brother attacked them.

Where was Jacob’s faith in GOD? Likely it is like many of us. When we know we have done wrong how can we expect GOD to help us? I think Jacob had a guilty conscience and GOD knew he had to deal with what he had done. Jacob realized that he can ask GOD for help. He had exhausted all he could do.

Many of us do the same thing. When we exhaust our ability then we turn to GOD. When we have the right relationship with GOD, then HE is the first we turn to.

Let’s read Genesis 32:9-12:
9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Go back to your land and to your family, and I will cause you to prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown Your servant. Indeed, I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please rescue me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise, he may come and attack me, the mothers, and their children. 12 You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper, and I will make your • offspring like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ”

Jacob was in a tough situation and he finally reached out and asked GOD for help. He realized he was not worthy of the blessings he had received and was repentant. He admitted that he was afraid of his brother. In essence this was an admission that he knew he did his brother wrong. He reminded GOD of HIS promises to him, therefore GOD could not let them be wiped out. So Jacob was bargaining with GOD.

Jacob did not realize that GOD wanted people, especially families, to reconcile their differences and be reunited in peace and harmony.

This moment was the beginning of Jacob humbling himself before GOD and his brother. But it took a frightening situation to bring him to that point of reconciliation with GOD and then his brother. GOD allows his children to come face to face with circumstances in their lives that need to be dwelt with. This matter had been festering for twenty (20) years. This was a moment when both Esau and Jacob could grow spiritually as they resolve their issues. Until we resolve issues between ourselves and our fellow man, who we can see, how can we approach GOD, WHO we have not seen, to worship HIM in spirit and truth?

Let’s read Genesis 33:1-3:
1 Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female slaves. 2 He put the female slaves first, Leah and her sons next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times until he approached his brother.
Jacob arranged his family such that the slaves would be the first ones to be attacked, then Leah and her family and last Rachel and her son. If you read the history you will see that Jacob loved Rachel and likely placed her and their son last so they would have a better chance to escape. But being the deceiver he was, he likely said to Leah since you are wife number one (1) you need to be in front of Rachel. But who knows for sure.

Jacob went out to meet his brother and bowed seven (7) times as he approaches Esau. This was an act of respect, honor and humility. It was a greeting as if he was approaching a king.

Let’s read Genesis 33:4-5, 9-11:
4 But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept. 5 When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” He answered, “The children God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the female slaves and their children approached [him]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. and bowed down. 7 Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down. 8 So Esau said, “What do you mean by this whole procession[1] Lit camp I met?” “To find favor with you, my lord,” he answered. 9 “I have enough, my brother,” Esau replied. “Keep what you have.” 10 But Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, [and it is]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me. 11 Please take my present that was brought to you, because God has been gracious to me and I have everything I need.” So Jacob urged him until he accepted.

To Jacob’s surprise Esau ran to meet and greet him. Esau gave him a great big bear hug and what a relief it must have been for both of them. Jacob was not there to confront Esau. I think when Esau saw the situation he realized that Jacob was not there to show any type of force or authority. Both men wept with unspeakable joy. Often we weep when we realize the situation is under control and is not as bad as we thought it would be. It is a relief cry. Both men cried.

Esau looked up and saw the women and children and immediately wanted to know who they were. Jacob acknowledged that the children and all possessions are blessings from GOD. Each group approached Esau with respect bowing before him. This must have reminded Esau of the gifts Jacob had sent ahead. Let’s go back to

Genesis 32:13-18:
13 He spent the night there and took part of what he had brought with him as a gift for his brother Esau: 14 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 15 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16 He entrusted them to his slaves as separate herds and said to them, “Go on ahead of me, and leave some distance between the herds.” 17 And he told the first one: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to? Where are you going? And whose [animals]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. are these ahead of you?’ 18 then tell him, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau. And look, he is behind us.’ ”

Esau said he had enough but Jacob insisted that he keep the gifts.

Jacob referred to seeing Esau was like seeing the face of GOD. Could Jacob have meant that as he found forgiveness from GOD that he had found forgiveness from Esau? We are not sure but it was an overwhelming experience for Jacob and he saw the hand of GOD in the reconciliation with his brother.

The most difficult part of reconciliation is to decide to try. Take action by taking the first step toward reconciliation. No one knows the outcome but it is vital that we pray and ask GOD to help us and guide us in the process. The ideal results are when both parties agree to reconciliation but even if only one does their part at least they have the comfort that they tried. The other party may never come around but with GOD’S help there is always the opportunity that HE will touch their heart. Believers must ask GOD for HIS help when they need to be reconciled with others and trust the results. If the need to be reconciled comes to our minds that is the prompting of the HOLY SPIRIT to take action, so that a spiritual barrier can be removed from our lives so we can grow and mature spiritually. Seek the relationship with HIM and HE will equip believers as we take steps toward reconciliation.