Village Schools of the Bible

Genesis: A Devotional Study
by Max Frazier, Jr

We are ready for a couple of very interesting chapters in our saga with Jacob. In the first chapter (chapter 32) we see a total change in Jacob's heart as he wrestles with God. He even gets a new name. And, in the second chapter (chapter 33) we see a forgiveness by his brother.

Genesis 32

Key Words: "Jacob"; "Israel"; "Peniel"

Key Verse: Verse 10 shares with us the fact that Jacob began to understand the faithfulness of God to him.

Purpose Statement: I think the main thrust of this chapter is to share not only a change in Jacob's name - to Israel, but to begin to show us a change in his character - from recognizing what he has done to what God has done (note the key verse).

Outline: Jacob Wrestles with God

I. Jacob prepares to meet Esau (vs. 1-21)
A. Jacob's message to Esau (vs. 1-5)
B. Esau's response (vs. 6)
C. Jacob's reaction (vs. 7-21)
1. He divides his possessions in two (vs. 7-8)
2. He prays to God (vs. 9-12)
3. He prepares gifts for Esau (vs. 13-21)

II. Jacob wrestles with God (vs. 22-32)
A. He wrestles a man at Jabbok and prevails (vs. 22-25)
B. His name is changed (vs. 26-28)
C. He recognizes God's presence (vs. 29-30)
D. His physical condition (vs. 31-32)

Questions to Probe: Who was it that Jacob wrestled with? How did Jacob overpower Him? Do we dare to ask God for a blessing? (compare verse 26)

Thoughts to Ponder: Oh to wrestle with God and prevail as did Jacob! But is this not the beauty of prayer? God gives us that rich privilege in prayer of wrestling with Him until we are assured that an answer has been sent to us. Perhaps our wrestling is not as exciting as was the scene at Jabbok, but it can be as powerful as was Jacob's.

Jacob is still Jacob. He prays to God for protection from Esau, yet he develops his own plans to appease his older brother. Jacob was still a conniver. He was still looking out for Jacob. The reason for his conniving: Jacob still felt guilt over the way he had deceived his brother over twenty years previously. Jacob felt guilt because he had not sought his brother's forgiveness. Reconciliation needed to occur. Twenty years is a long time to harbor animosities. To his credit, I think Jacob wanted to be reconciled; he just wasn't sure how to do it. He wanted to be forgiven. He wanted to feel like a brother again. The Bible tells us that God has given us a ministry of reconciliation. Isn't it great to help others be forgiven and restored as brothers? Let's follow Jacob's heart but not his strategies.

Genesis 33

Key Words: "favor"

Key Verse: Oh the beauty of a restored love as found in verse 10.

Purpose Statement: This chapter records a reuniting of Jacob with his brother Esau.

Outline: Jacob Meets Esau

I. Jacob meets Esau (vs. 1-16)
A. Preparation of his family (vs. 1-3)
B. Meeting with Esau (vs. 9-11)
C. Esau's request and Jacob's answer (vs. 12-16)

II. Jacob arrives in Canaan (vs. 17-20)

Questions to Probe: Did Jacob still have some misapprehensions about his brother even after the meeting?

Thoughts to Ponder: The scene here is a moving one. Two brothers, separated because of hatred and deceit for twenty years, are found confronting each other. There were no harsh reminders of the past. No words accusing each other of wrong doing. They embraced each other. They shared their hearts with each other. Healing occurred. Praise God for His ability to mend broken relationships. Let us allow the wrongs done in the past to be forgotten. If we practiced this our troubles in the church would be greatly diminished.

There is an interesting comment in verse 10. Jacob states that seeing Esau is like seeing the face of God because Esau had received him favorably. Jacob, just hours before this encounter, had wrestled with a man at the Brook Jabbok and had named that place Peniel because he had seen God face to face and his life had been spared. Jacob, the man who carried the guilt of past deceptions, equated his survival with seeing God's face both literally and figuratively.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king. (Jordan Grooms)

Genesis 30-31 Return to Table of Contents Genesis 34