10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. FOR TO SEE YOUR FACE IS LIKE SEEING THE FACE OF GOD, NOW THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED ME FAVOURABLY. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, FOR GOD HAS BEEN GRACIOUS TO ME AND I HAVE ALL I NEED.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it. Genesis 33
We can almost feel how relieved Jacob was that Esau had accepted him and perhaps still felt guilty at what had happened between them. He also testified to his brother of God’s goodness to him and because of this he insisted on blessing Esau. The former Twister/Deceiver showed generosity in the reconciliation.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”
The following verses are interesting and confirm the renewed relationship between the two brothers. Esau offered to accompany Jacob, but his offer was declined.
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
Esau was ready to get up and go at once, but Jacob the shepherd knew he couldn’t push his herds without dire results.
Then Esau made a further offer of help, to leave some of his men to escort Jacob and his family and herds.
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock.
Jacob, although greatly blessed at having just won back his brother’s friendship did not accept his offer to travel with him, nor the help of his men. Before his meeting with Esau, Jacob had come through a major test alone with God. Jacob was cautious in accepting the help of his newly reconciled brother as he returned to the land of God’s Promise!
ONE QUESTION FOR ALL OF US TODAY IS WHO SHOULD WE BE TRAVELLING WITH ON OUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE?
It would have been easy for Jacob to have accepted his twin brother’s offers, but he did not. In our own journey we’d be wise to be led by the Spirit and not walk with others just to please them. God’s plan for Abraham did not include his nephew Lot, again someone close to him. ONCE THEY SEPARATED God promised Abram all the land of Canaan. Genesis 13:14-17 Brothers and Sisters we need to seek God for those whom we should walk with in this life, wrong relationships may be a stumbling block to receiving our God ordained inheritance!
May God bless and keep you today.