A New Beginning: Jacob & Esau Reconciled

Text: Genesis 33:1-20

Introduction

It is important that we see the events in Genesis 33 as a sequel to Jacob’s wrestling with God and thus being broken, renamed, and blessed. We are meant to see the humbled, limping, drastically changed outcome of Jacob’s wrestling with God in Jacob’s interaction immediately after with Esau!

We will see evidence in Genesis 33 of Jacob’s new-found courage, humility, repentance, holiness, and worship as a maturing believer. And perhaps most remarkably, we will see Jacob’s willingness to reconcile with his estranged brother Esau. And so we will see marks of genuine repentance and victory which characterize every believer who has been broken to the point of thorough submission to God, all those who have by God’s grace experienced a new beginning…

I. Reconciliation with the Wronged (vv.1-11)

1. vv.1-3 As Esau draws near w/ his 400 men, Jacob again formulates the best plan of action he possibly can: he arranges his wives and children in order of importance, w/ his beloved Rachel & her biological son Joseph (the only child named here!) given a place of special preeminence, protection.
   1. Jacob’s special affection for Joseph will of course become a major motif later.
   2. But in v.3 we see Jacob is now acting courageously on behalf of all his family as he
      sets himself in front of them all, as the target for Esau’s possible wrath.
2. In v.4 Esau runs to meet Jacob, and they hug, kiss, and weep together.
   1. It might be easy to think, ‘All of Jacob’s fears were for nothing! Esau was actually just
      going to welcome Jacob back all along!’
      1. But remember, Jacob had sent gifts ahead of himself, 550 animals dividing into 5
         groups, each w/ the declaration,‘These are a present from Jacob, coming behind us.’
      2. Then, as we just read, Jacob approached Esau bowing down to him 7x.
   2. It is entirely possible, even likely, that Jacob’s prayerful plan to bring about a peaceful
      reconciliation – with the very brother that had threatened to kill him – was divinely
      blessed with success!
3. vv.5-12 show just how genuine and heart-deep Jacob’s change is, as Esau attempts to return the 550 animals to him, yet Jacob insists upon giving them.
   1. In v.10, Jacob uses a strikingly comparison, describing his previous encounter w/
      God and his present encounter with Esau in similar language. Jacob clearly senses that
      he is the recipient of mercy from both.
   2. In v.11, in which he – who had stolen Esau’s blessing thru his own dishonest scheming
      – now says to Esau, ‘please accept my blessing.’
   3. In v.11, Jacob presses his gifts of penitence on Esau with the explanation: ‘God has
      dealt graciously with me, and I have enough.’
      – The grace and sufficiency you have found in God’s free forgiveness equips you – not
      to duck out of all your personal responsibility – but to freely give to others from the
      overflow of what you have yourself received so freely from God!

II. Separation From Unbelievers (vv.12-17)

1. Though Esau invites Jacob to travel and return together, Jacob actually refuses to do so. Just as persistently as Jacob had pressed his gifts upon Esau before, Jacob now insists upon traveling separately.
   1. This part of the story, although less moving and emotionally charged than the
      tearful reconciliation of Jacob & Esau, is nonetheless just as important!
   2. Although Jacob has sought and accomplished a real reconciliation between himself
      and his brother Esau, Jacob is not at all interested in mingling their flocks, their
      families, or their futures.
      – Jacob still addresses Esau with humility, calling him ‘my lord’, and referring to himself
      as Esau’s ‘servant’.
2. However, at the same time, it seems clear Jacob is purposefully keeping his unbelieving, cursed brother Esau at a certain distance from his own family and future.
   1. And this is just as scriptural, just as wise, just as much a mark of repentance as
      Jacob’s seeking reconciliation w/ his brother in the first place.
      – Remember, Esau had settled in Edom, while Jacob had vowed (Ge 28:21) to
      return to his father’s house, the Promised Land of Canaan.
   2. There is a reason why God had prophesied to their mother Rebekah in Ge 25:23,
      concerning Jacob and Esau before they were even born, ‘two nations are in your womb,
      and the two peoples from within you will be separated.’

III. Sacrificial Worship of the One True God (vv.18-20)

1. Rather than following his brother Esau to Seir, in Edom, Jacob decides to travel to Succoth, & then to Shechem.
   1. ‘Shechem’ is the first place specified by name upon Abraham’s arrival in the
      Promised Land, many years before.
   2. It seems clear that Jacob is more and more following in the footsteps and faith of his
      forefathers Abraham and Isaac.
2. This commitment is made explicit in v.20, as Jacob builds an altar – which was also a hallmark of Abraham’s journeys in the Promised Land – and sacrifices to the one true God.
   1. In fact, the language may suggest Jacob ‘re-built’ the altar that Abraham had earlier
      built in Shechem: Ge 12:6-7.
   2. Now Jacob gives the altar a name that plainly reflects the nature of his worship:
      El-Elohe-Israel, meaning “God is the God of Israel.”
      – Jacob is identifying this altar, and his own worship, as being centered upon the God
      who had appeared to him in Bethel, then again at Peniel, and who had given him a
      new name, a new beginning!

Conclusion

1. How do we see the gospel in Gen 33?
   1. We see the gospel in the unmerited favor of God to undeserving sinners.
   2. We see the gospel in the supernatural desire of pardoned sinners to turn to God in genuine repentance, which includes a desire to turn to other people in reconciling relationships.
      – The gospel is not just abt God’s forgiveness, but about God’s power to change self-centered sinners into humble/loving humans.
   3. And we see the gospel in the new beginning that any person, no matter how much a scoundrel in the past, can experience when they cling to God for the blessing and life-change that only He can provide.
2. Do you need a new beginning?
   1. Perhaps you have never before trusted in God’s grace and forgiveness, found through his Son Jesus Christ alone.
   2. Or perhaps you are a long-time believer, who has for years now experienced the chastening, training hand of God in your life. But there are still areas of your life where you do not have spiritual victory b/c these areas have not been unreservedly submitted to Christ.
      – If so, there is a new beginning for those who look to Christ! Surrendering to Him means forgiveness, healing, and victory you never knew was possible.