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GENESIS 33 JACOB & ESAU REUNITED

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February 18

GENESIS 33

And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So, he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus, he urged him, and he took it. – Genesis 33:1-11

GENESIS 33 JACOB & ESAU REUNITED

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As Jacob prepared himself to meet his brother Esau

There were concerns for him so he positioned servants

He made sure the servants and their children marched first

Then his wives and him and their children last.

In this account of the reunion of Jacob and Esau, we witness Jacob’s wise strategy to ease himself to meet the brother that he had cheated on. After being cheated himself for twenty years by Laban, he knows how Esau must have felt after he tricked him. We also see the hand of God in this reunion, as he reassured Jacob that he is not alone. All of Jacob’s fear was appeased when his brother came running towards him and hugged him and wept. It is a picture of God’s grace and mercy that Esau forgave his younger brother.

REFLECTION

  • How was it possible that Esau forgot and forgave his brother after twenty years?

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S GENEROUS GIFTS FOR ESAU

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February 16

GENESIS 32

13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease himwith the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp – Genesis 32:13-21

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S GENEROUS GIFTS FOR ESAU

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Jacob’s fervent prayer to God, he prepared his gifts

He wanted to share as much wealth as he had for Esau

So, he asked his servants to lead 400 animals ahead

This way, Esau will see all these gifts before he saw Jacob

This was Jacob’s way of appeasing his brother

So, he can make up for what he did to him in the past.

It was such a generous act that Jacob did in this account. He planned to appease his brother Esau with these gifts. He longed to go back home to his family and make amends with Esau so that he can be forgiven for what he did. It truly shows what God has done in Jacob’s heart. He acknowledged his sin and wanted to make things right with his brother.

What is also remarkable here is Jacob’s generosity. He shared all the bounty he received from the Lord. God prospered him and he shared it with his brother.

REFLECTION

  • Does generosity come second nature to us humans? Why or why not?

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S HUMBLE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

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February 15

GENESIS 32

9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

                                                                                                                        – Genesis 32:9-12

GENESIS 32 JACOB’S HUMBLE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Jacob was confronted with the fear of Esau

He bowed down in humility and prayed to the Lord

He recognized God’s steadfast love and faithfulness

And acknowledged his undeserving heart for his grace

He pleaded God to deliver him from his brother’s wrath

He also prayed for the sake of all the women and children.

When we are faced with fear and danger, we can pray the most ardent prayers. When Jacob was confronted with such fear for his life and the lives of his family and the two camps he came with, he was pleading to God for deliverance and protection. We witness here the transformed heart that God granted Jacob after twenty years since he left his homeland to flee from his brother’s wrath and to find a wife from his mother’s kin.  He wasn’t just afraid for his life now but also for the lives of those who came with him and his entire clan.

What is interesting here is that Jacob recalled he only had a staff when he crossed the Jordan and now, he has two camps coming back home. He acknowledged how God has multiplied him in offspring and wealth. He not only became humble, he also learned to be thankful and totally dependent on the Lord.

REFLECTION

  • Why is humility and dependence on God very important when we pray?

GENESIS 32 JACOB CONFRONTED WITH FEAR OF ESAU

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February 14

GENESIS 32

Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’ 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape. – Genesis 32:1-8

GENESIS 32 JACOB CONFRONTED WITH FEAR OF ESAU

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After twenty years of absence, Jacob comes home to his homeland

On his way towards it, the angels of God showed themselves to him

And he called that place Mahanaim for he knew it was God’s camp

Now he is confronted with fear of Esau, so he sent advanced message

He used all his possessions to protect himself from possible attack

After learning Esau had four hundred men with him, he got more scared.

After being away from his parents for over twenty years, Jacob longed so much to see them again. I couldn’t imagine what might have gone into his mind and how he felt after Laban pursued him and claimed he stole from him. But now, he also is probably so apprehensive that he now has to confront the stealing he had done to his older brother Esau. We see how God has truly been with him, growing him in humility and also in wealth. He planned to pay off his brother with most of what he owned.

When he found out that Esau was meeting him with four hundred men, the fear was debilitating. If I were in the same predicament, I would probably faint from anxiety and fear of what Esau could do to him to retaliate for what he had done to him.

REFLECTION

  • What should believers do when we are confronted with fear?

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GENESIS 31 JACOB REBUKES LABAN

February 12

GENESIS 31

36 Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? 37 For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. 38 These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. 39 What was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it myself. From my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”– Genesis 31:36-42

GENESIS 31 JACOB REBUKES LABAN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After twenty years of service to Laban, he didn’t appreciate Jacob

When Laban pursued Jacob and accuse him of stealing his gods

Jacob finally spoke and rebuked Laban for all that he did to him

Without God on his side, he would have been empty handed.

Finally, Jacob speaks up to Laban about all that he had abused him for. It was amazing how God was always on his side and prospering Jacob despite all the dishonesty and cheating that Laban did to him. At this rebuke, Jacob points out that his silence all those years was God’s way of growing him into endurance and hard work. Those twenty years paid off because Jacob grew the little that he had when he came to Paddan -Aram. He was empty handed when he arrived, but he worked hard to grow whatever little he had. Now that he had prospered and also made Laban’s flock grow, he had to speak up and rebuke him already. All those years, Jacob kept quiet and let God deal with Laban’s dishonesty and all the tricks he had played on him. God had already rebuked Laban and yet he did not follow God’s warning.

REFLECTION

  • What were the proofs that God was always with Jacob all those twenty years?

GENESIS 31 LABAN CHASES JACOB FOR HIS IDOLS

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February 11

GENESIS 31

25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. 35 And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods. – Genesis 31:25-35

GENESIS 31 LABAN CHASES JACOB FOR HIS IDOLS

Laban chases Jacob and finally catches up with him. His intention was not to stop him from taking his daughters and their children, but to accuse him of stealing his household gods. This account tells us that Jacob had no idea that Rachel took those gods and hid them in her camel while her father was searching for it. So, it wasn’t discovered.  Why Rachel stole these gods was not mentioned in the story, but there was a commentary saying that those household gods can serve as property deeds. Laban stripped Leah and Rachel of their inheritance. The reason for taking it may be to get back at her father for not justly treating them. We hear Laban’s relentlessness to malign Jacob’s character, a manipulation tactic that he is an expert on.

REFLECTION

·       What character trait of Rachel was revealed in this account?

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S ATTEMPT TO PURSUE JACOB

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February 10

GENESIS 31

So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob trickedLaban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”– Genesis 31:17-24

GENESIS 31 LABAN’S ATTEMPT TO PURSUE JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob took his wives and set his sons for the journey to Canaan

He decided to flee and tricked Laban without telling him

Since Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Jacob took that break

His livestock, sons and wives were all crossing the Euphrates

Laban learned that he and his daughters had fled

He pursued them but God came to stop him in a dream.

Perhaps Jacob knew that Laban would find a way to trick him again and stop him from leaving Haran, so he decided to flee when Laban had gone to shear his sheep. It had been on the third day that Laban pursues Jacob for seven days when God stopped Laban and warned him to be wary of what he is going to say to Jacob. We witness once again how God was constantly with Jacob and how he protected him from Laban.

Why Rachel stole her father’s household idols have many different commentaries on it. Some say that idols were used as deeds for property. Since Laban stripped them off their inheritance, that’s her way of getting back at him. Other’s say that she may not want Laban to continue with his idolatry. Other’s say that she may have been idolizing them.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God himself manifested the warning to Laban in a dream?

GENESIS 31 INSTRUCTION FOR JACOB TO LEAVE HARAN

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February 9

GENESIS 31

10 In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” – Genesis 31:10-16

GENESIS 31 INSTRUCTION FOR JACOB TO LEAVE HARAN

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob saw a vision that the goats were striped and spotted

Then the angel of the Lord said in the dream to leave Haran

It was time for him to leave Laban who had constantly cheated him

He called his wives to tell him of his plan to leave their land

Because Laban stripped them off their inheritance

Leah and Rachel agreed to follow wherever God is taking Jacob.

It is interesting how Rachel and Leah’s decisions to go with Jacob’s plan were caused by Laban’s greed and dishonesty. Even though Jacob knew after seven years of serving Laban how deceitful he was, he continued to serve him just so he could marry Rachel whom he loved. Jacob’s patience is remarkable in this story of his journey going to Haran to find his uncle and marry Rachel and Leah. He didn’t devalue Leah even though he loved Rachel more. He honored her as his first wife. He was also very patient with Rachel when she was very frustrated not to have a child. Jacob was clearly operating in the Spirit of the Lord when he endured all these adverse situations. He always did the right thing. His journey there was in obedience to his mother’s request to find a wife from her family and to flee from Esau’s wrath. Jacob was an obedient, patient, honest and hardworking man.

REFLECTION

  • How do you know God was present during Jacob’s challenging life with Laban?

GENESIS 30 JACOB’S METHOD OF INCREASING WEALTH

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February 7

GENESIS 30

37 Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, 42 but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys. – Genesis 30:37-43

GENESIS 30 JACOB’S METHOD OF INCREASING WEALTH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When Laban agreed for him to go back to his country

Jacob continued to increase Laban’s wealth through breeding

He worked hard, dedicating himself to his uncle’s success

By doing so, God blessed him with much increase in his riches.

Jacob’s method of breeding Laban’s and his animals was blessed by God not just because of Jacob’s efforts, but because of God’s faithfulness to fulfill his covenant promise to Abraham. We clearly see how blessed he was with many offspring from his wives and also how the Lord has continually increased his wealth as God’s promise to his grandfather.

At this point, he didn’t yet know how Laban was cheating him with the flock. It shows his dedication and faithfulness to honor his word. He didn’t even want Laban to give him a wage, but he actually asked for what he already had been blessed with. His focus was not on getting rich but to go back to his country and be responsible for his own family. He didn’t want to stay at Laban’s place forever. It just shows how he longed to be back with his own people as well.

REFLECTION

  • How did Jacob manifest God’s blessing and favor on his life in Paddan-Aram?

GENESIS 30 LABAN’S COVETOUSNESS

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February 6

GENESIS 30

As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination thatthe Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: 32 let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. 36 And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock. – Genesis 30:25-36

GENESIS 30 LABAN’S COVETOUSNESS

In Genesis 25, Jacob was 77 when he got his birthright and left for Paddan-
Aram. He was tricked by Laban for 14 years to serve him. He was about 91 when he married Leah and Rachel and the following years, bore their sons and daughter. When he asked Laban’s permission to go back to his family of origin, he must be close to one hundred years old.  He saw how important it was to provide for his own family so he asked Laban to let him go and go back to his own family. Laban’s covetousness was stirred by the fact that Jacob will leave him as he had been very prosperous those years that Jacob served him. Jacob only wanted the speckled sheep and goat as his wage. Even this, Laban cheated Jacob and manipulated removing those sheep and goat, exposing Laban’s greed.

REFLECTION

  • Contrast the traits of Jacob and Laban in this account.