JACOB ENCOUNTERS ESAU (again) GEN 32:3 - 36:43
PARASHA: VaYishlach (and he sent)
GEN 32:3-36:43.................OBADIAH 1:1-21...................MATT 26:36-46
Jacob is at the crossroads, ahead of him, his brother Esau, whom he had wronged so many years ago. That is one thing about being human. We seem to forget trivial things, but when we wrong someone, especially a family member, it stays with you, and it bothers you, deep inside, and will continue to do so until you make things right.
Jacob graduated uncle Laban's school of Hard knocks, but HaShem had not forgotten him, and blessed him with cattle and a large family, made uncle Laban a bit jealous I believe. During this time, he learned a thing or two, you trick someone, someone will trick you, he learned that in the wedding tent, he pretended to be the oldest, when he was the youngest (when he deceived his father Isaac) then in the wedding tent, he thought he was getting the youngest (Rachel) when he got the oldest (Leah). That must have brought back memories.
But during this time of work, experience, disappointments, mixed with blessings, Jacob had time to think, and he thought of his brother Esau, Yes, he would make things right, and it is biblical, it is called the Law of restitution. Jacob is in the mode of "Teshuvah" which is true repentance, and a change of mind.
we see that he learns that Esau is coming to meet him, with 400 men! that sends shivers up Jacob's spine, Will he come to wipe him out? kill him and take his wives, children, and cattle as captives? this must be going through his mind, yet didn't he receive the promise from Adonai that he would be blessed? and that his descendants would multiply? yet he is fearful, fearing death at the hands of Esau, who would want to get even with him for cheating him out of his birthright, like, "payback time bro Jake, now you're going to get yours!"
That seems like all of us at times, we know that the LORD wants to bless us, and will provide for our daily needs, yet we still worry about things, about circumstances, that many times, never come to pass. To worry is to cease trusting in God's provision for our wellbeing.
We read that Jacob has en encounter with the Angel of God, during that night, some commentators say that it was Satan, (yeah right) I don't know how they come up with that, because Jacob asked for a blessing, Satan does not bless, he brings destruction, lies, and curses, others say it was the guardian angel of Esau, But I think most of us believe it was the Angel of the LORD, God in the flesh, just like He appeared before Abraham,
How do we "wrestle with God and prevail?" interesting question. One could say that Jacob started out on his journey a fearful man, a deceitful man, yet he was God's man.
he left the wrestling match a broken, and humbled man, resigned to follow God without question, I guess we could say that " wrestling with God and prevailing" is when we want to do things our way, and finally come to the understanding that God wants to do HIS way in us, and when we go through a bit of pain, sweat, tears, we finally understand, and say "OK LORD, have your way with me" I'll submit, that's when we prevail. Jacob got a new name ; Israel, and that land bears his name even today, and for ever more.
The encounter with Esau is wonderful, but first he sends Esau gifts of cattle, to "right" the "wrong" Esau doesn't need them, yet he still accepts them, Jacob (Israel) feels better, they meet, fall upon each others necks and weep. Now hear this, This is what is in the "Midrash" ( a Jewish commentary) it says that the reason Esau wept was because he tried to bite Jacob in the neck (maybe he thought he was a vampire) and Jacob's neck turned to iron, Esau broke teeth on Jacob's iron neck, and that is why he wept (maybe he was thinking of the dental bill)
But, we can allude to this, It reminds us of "Israel" as a "stiff-necked people" (an iron neck can not bend, it is indeed stiff) so, we can get that little bit of reason out of that commentary. We need to "bend" to the will of God in our lives, we are HIS instruments to work mitzvoth on this earth, we are clay in the potter's hands, We can be used by Him, or He will use someone else.
____________________________________________ _______________________________
OBADIAH 1:1-21
Edom, descends from Esau, and as Esau's descendants went against Israel, became Israel's enemies, God cursed them, Seir/Edom, is no more, only ruins remain, where the city of Petra is (In Jordan, we were there in 1999) Is where the Edomites lived, and now, the caves where they lived are bathrooms/toilets for tourists visiting the city. Esau gave rise to Amalek, then to Haman, and finally Rome, the first two are no more, and Rome is now a city that makes good pizza and entertains tourists, but no more world power.
____________________________________________ _______________________________
MATTHEW 26:36-46
The disciples were tested, right there in the garden, Yes, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, which reveals our sin nature. They wanted to obey Yeshua, to stay awake and watch, but they still fell asleep, We can use that in a spiritual sense, our spirit can become dull and sleepy, when we ignore Torah study, and stop becoming involved in Adonai's work, when church/synagogue just becomes another thing we "just have to do" or are "just accustomed to do" our love for the LORD falls asleep, What does HE have to do to awaken it?
Shabbat Shalom.....rabbi Ben Avraham
