Day 10: Genesis 31-33

Day 10: Genesis 31-33

Okay, so I understand why so many people never make it from cover to cover. We are ten days in and I think we have heard the same story eight times with four different people. Maybe it is just me, but I am getting over Genesis. The truth is, however, that Genesis holds some amazing stories, if, and I mean if, you can find them in all the inbreeding, bargaining and lists of names.

The Blame Game

In today’s passage we are still following the plot of Jacob. By this point we have seen him bargain for a wife, well, two wives, and even bargain for great wealth in the form of sheep. In Genesis 31 it seems that Jacob’s behavior is starting to catch up to him.

The sons of Laban, Jacob’s uncle whom he had taken the wealth from, had become upset about Jacob’s behavior. Scared, maybe even rightfully so, Jacob tells his two wives that their father was upset at him and that the time had come that they all leave. Jacob even goes so far as to tell his wives that their father had “cheated” him, which I think it may have been the other way around.

When Jacob and his family flee, Laban goes after them. Note that this was not because he felt that Jacob had stolen sheep or wealth but that Jacob had stolen away his daughters and grandchildren without allowing him to say goodbye. At the same time, Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter, steals possessions from her father and hides them.

Sadly I am not sure what to take from this story. If we follow Jacob, or even Rachel, as our example we see that we are to steal and bargain our way out of trouble and into wealth. I think that is where we can really learn a valuable lesson from God, and maybe even from Laban. After all of this drama, all of the lies, all of the blame, God still favors Jacob and his family. We do not hear God say that there is no favor for others, but we do hear that God will protect Jacob.

If we are honest with ourselves, we are a lot like Jacob. We bargain our way to the things we want. We deceive, in little ways, to get the bigger things we desire. When confronted we point the finger another direction. However, no matter what we do, God still protects us, loves us and calls us to be in relationship.

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

Another gem of a story is found in today’s reading. The story of Jacob wrestling with God. We all have heard this story. We all could tell this story. But have we all really read this story?

To set the stage, Jacob sends messengers to his brother Esau, the same brother he deceived and fled from just a few chapters earlier. These messengers bring news that Jacob is coming as a servant to his brother, and also mentions the wealth he has gained as an offering of forgiveness. Hearing the news, Esau and four hundred men venture out to meet Jacob and his family. Obviously scared, Jacob creates a plan to split his group, hoping to save at least part of his family.

Jacob sent ahead a gift to his brother. He also sent ahead his servants, wives and children. Left alone, on the bank of the stream, Jacob encounters a man. The passage simply says that Jacob wrestles with a man until daybreak. We don’t know if this man appeared before or after his family left his side. We don’t know if this man was bigger or stronger than Jacob. All we know is that they wrestled, and that Jacob did not prevail. After all of this, the man names Jacob Israel.

Some believe that this man was an angle, possibly even the guardian angel of Esau. This concept intrigues me. What if we all have an angle that looks over us? Maybe this could explain how someone, God, kept looking over Jacob in all that he did. Maybe this other man was doing the same for Esau, except we didn’t know that it was God in the same way that Jacob saw God in his life. Another idea is that this man was Jacob himself. The Jacob that needed to be wrestled down after all that he had done. In other words, this man was guilt.

No matter if the man was guilt or an angle, Jacob did not walk away untouched. When we wrestle with ourselves, or even with our understanding of God, we come away a different person. Our walk changes, our values change, we change. We have all been there. We have wrestled for hours and we have walked away with a limp. But in the end we are still loved and forgiven and welcomed back home.