Bible Study - Redeemed (2) - Redeemed from Broken Relationships - Genesis 27:41; 33:1-11 - April 24, 2016

Bible Study – Redeemed (2) – Redeemed from Broken Relationships – April 24, 2016

This is lesson two (2) in our series entitled “Beauty from Ashes: Redeeming Your Broken Moments.”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 27:41; 33:1-11.

Showing humility is critical to restoring relationships.

Some background for our focus scripture.

In last week’s lesson, we studied Abraham and Sarah. GOD gave them a son of promise, Isaac, in their old age. GOD waited to give them the son of promise until they were beyond the age it was considered impossible by human standards for them to conceive a child but with GOD all things are possible. 

Their birth son was Isaac, through whom JESUS’ ancestral line would come.

Isaac married Rebekah and she birthed twins, Jacob and Esau. It is recorded in scripture that even in the womb of Rebekah, the twins fought. Esau was the first born and Jacob was second born with a firm grasp on Esau’s heel.

Esau was a man’s man and became an expert hunter. Jacob was more of a mama’s boy.

Esau came back home from a hunting trip and was famished. Jacob was cooking some lentils and Esau was very hungry and asked Jacob for a bowl of lentils. Jacob said sure if he would give him his “birthright.”

Esau’s logic was that if he died from hunger, which was an exaggeration, his birthright would be of no value to him, so he agreed to forfeit his birthright to Jacob. But the “birthright” would not be official until Isaac pronounced the “blessing” very near his death. Until the father died he could choose another son. 

The “birthright” was a special honor that went from the father generally to the eldest son. I say generally, because the father could another son if the eldest son did not measure up to the father’s expectations.

An eldest son or the chosen son receiving the “birthright” meant that he would receive a double portion of the family’s inheritance and would become the family’s leader at the death of the father. The double portion was intended to give the eldest son or the chosen son the means to care for the father and the family. As the father drew closer to death, the father would “bless” the son receiving the “birthright.” This “blessing” was like sealing a contract and once the blessing was given it could not be revoked.

The eldest son or the chosen son could sell his “birthright” or give it away. That was his choice. That meant he would lose his leadership position and extra material goods. The fact that Esau was so quick to give his “birthright” away revealed his disregard for the responsibility, both spiritual and physical, that keeping his “birthright” entailed. Esau acted on impulse and wanted what he wanted immediately.

This sounds like many people today; e.g. they use their credit card to get what they want now and worry about paying for it later or rob someone or deceive someone to get what they want now and the list goes on.

In the case of Esau and Jacob, Jacob’s mother was making sure that Jacob received the blessing from Isaac because that made the “birthright” given to Jacob by Esau binding and irrevocable.

Rebekah, with Jacob’s involvement, developed a deceptive scheme for Isaac to pass the “blessing” to Jacob instead of Esau.

This is recorded in Genesis 25, 26, 27 and 28.

When the day of reckoning comes, we often are disappointed in the choices we make in the heat of the moment. When Esau learned that his father, Isaac, had passed his blessings to Jacob instead of him, he was devastated. Rebekah and Jacob had deceived Isaac into believing that Jacob was Esau. Esau begged his dad to bless him, which he did, but it was not the same as the original binding blessing passed to the first born.

Genesis 27:41 captures the results spawned from deceit as we read in our focus scripture. When families have a rift, it often spans years and possibly a lifetime.

Let’s read Genesis 27:41:

Esau's Anger

41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau determined in his heart: "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Esau planned to take revenge on his brother Jacob after his father died. Esau planned to kill Jacob after Isaac died. But GOD has HIS ways of preserving those in HIS plans and purposes. Rebekah sent Jacob away to live with her uncle Laban.  Jacob was deceived by his uncle Laban. What goes around comes around but that is for another study. Plus Isaac lived 40 years longer after he passed his blessing to Jacob. Usually the blessing was given when it seemed that death was imminent.

It is interesting that Esau’s first two wives were Hittite’s (Genesis 26:34) In Genesis 27:46, Rebekah stated that she was disgusted with living among Hittite women. Esau took this as his cue to add another wife to his collection but this time he would marry someone pleasing to both Isaac and Rebekah as we read in Genesis 28:6-9:

6 Esau noticed that Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to get a wife there. When he blessed him, Isaac commanded Jacob not to marry a Canaanite woman.

7 And Jacob listened to his father and mother and went to Paddan-aram.

8 Esau realized that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,

9 so Esau went to Ishmael and married, in addition to his other wives, Mahalath daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son. She was the sister of Nebaioth.

Ishmael is the half-brother of Isaac, Abraham being their father. Here we get a glimpse into the ancestral foundation for continuing the old covenant of the Law through Ishmael (Arabs) and the new covenant of faith in JESUS through Jacob (Jews).

GOD still had a work to do in Jacob’s life to prepare him to be the father of Israel through whom the ancestral line of the promised Messiah would come. In Genesis 28:10-22, GOD confirms the covenant HE made with Abraham and in turn Jacob. In Genesis 32, we learn that Jacob wrestles with GOD and GOD gives Jacob a new name, Israel. GOD was teaching Jacob humility as he was on his way to reconcile with his brother Esau.  

Life goes on for both Jacob and Esau and the time came for reconciliation. Jacob took the first step. One party in a broken relationship must make the first move toward reconciliation. It is a very unsettling moment as we continue to read. Jacob was about 100 years old. Sometimes it takes us a long time for us to get around to doing what GOD desires for us to do.

Do you have a broken relationship that needs to be mended? If so, confess it to the LORD and ask HIM to give you the strength and resolve to take the necessary steps to bring about healing. That takes humility. Jacob had to learn humility.

Let’s read Genesis 33:1-4:

Jacob Meets Esau

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.

That had to be a sobering sight. Jacob/Israel took action to protect his family.

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.

The fact that Jacob bowed showed humility toward his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept.

What a relief it must have been when Esau hugged Jacob. Hugs communicate so much that mere words fail to communicate. Restoration is sweet. “We are never more like GOD than when we forgive.” (Advanced Bible Study, spring 2016, page 88, LifeWay.)

Do you recall the parable of the prodigal son? The father RAN to his son. How wonderful it is to be restored in fellowship with family. GOD runs to all who will accept JESUS as their Savior. All of us have been prodigal sons or daughters but our heavenly Father waits for that moment when HE sees us coming to HIM.

If you have not given your life to JESUS, why not do that at this very instant and enjoy the rights and privileges as HIS child through the miracle of rebirth in your spirit. Our first step toward reconciliation is to be reconciled with GOD through faith in CHRIST and then other broken relationships have the opportunity to be restored. Even as Christians, the choice is still up to us. GOD may have to teach us humility.

Let’s read Genesis 33:5-11:

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] and bowed down.

7 Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.

Notice Jacob’s slaves, wives and children followed the example set by Jacob and bowed to Esau. The head of the family sets the tone for reconciliation. Are you that example? If not, why not?

8 So Esau said, "What do you mean by this whole procession 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] like seeing God's face, since you have accepted me.

What was the gift? The Bible recorded it in Genesis 32:11-21:

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.' "

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] 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.' "

19 He also told the second one, the third, and everyone who was walking behind the animals, "Say the same thing to Esau when you find him.

20 You are to also say, 'Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.' "For he thought, "I want to appease Esau with the gift that is going ahead of me. After that, I can face him, and perhaps he will forgive me."

21 So the gift was sent on ahead of him while he remained in the camp that night.

We continue with Genesis 33:11:

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.

GOD had blessed Jacob and GOD led Jacob to give to his brother as a sign of his sincerity and Esau’s acceptance of the gift was Esau’s sign of forgiveness. Reconciliation was achieved by GOD and ended with Jacob building of an altar to confirm that GOD had brought this reconciliation about as we read in Genesis 33:20:

20 And he set up an altar there and called it "God, the God of Israel."

Has GOD led you to reconcile with someone? Do not ignore HIS prompting. GOD has forgiven each of us graciously, we are to follow HIS example and forgive as HE has forgiven us. Do what needs to be done and take the first step toward reconciliation. Blessings!!!