Thursday 10 December, 2015

12 Then Esau said, “Let’s be on our way. I’ll go with you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “You know that the children are young. You also know that I have to take care of the cows and female sheep that are feeding their little ones. If the animals are driven hard for just one day, all of them will die. 14 So you go on ahead of me. I’ll move along only as fast as the flocks and herds and the children can go. I’ll go slowly until I come to you in Seir.” 15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.” “Why do that?” Jacob asked. “I just hope I’ve pleased you.” 16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 But Jacob went to Sukkoth. There he built a place for himself. He also made shelters for his livestock. That’s why the place is named Sukkoth. 18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan. He camped where he could see the city. 19 For 100 pieces of silver he bought a piece of land. He got it from Hamor’s sons. Hamor was the father of Shechem. Jacob set up his tent on that piece of land. 20 He also set up an altar there. He named it El Elohe Israel.

After Jacob arranged the contingent (put Rachel and Joseph in the last section) and made sure Esau accepted his gifts, Jacob told Esau that if he followed him straight away the children and animals would die as the pace would be too quick.

Jacob did not want to go to Seir/Edom, after Esau left he went to Succoth and settled in Shechem instead where he setup an altar and called it: El Elohe Israel (The God of Israel is God). But staying in Shechem leads him to big trouble in the future (next chapter).

Actually the place Jacob should go is Bethel (Gen 28) where God revealed Himself to Jacob in his dream and Jacob made a vow.

But, when Jacob returned from Paddan Aram (escaped from his father-in-law) and found that Esau did not hate him or want revenge, he cheated his brother again by all means…

How forgetful can we be? We stick with God tightly when we are in dangerous/hopeless situations but once the situation changes, our heart changes too!

Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy and love. I am not better than Jacob. I am not better than anyone else. I am the worst of sinners and forgot your teaching and did the wrong thing all the time. But you always forgive my sin and bare my soul. Help me and give me strength to be a righteousness man in many ways Amen.

Written by Allen Leu