Reflections on Genesis 33

Genesis 33 (Contemporary English Version)
1. Later that day Jacob met Esau coming with his four hundred men. So Jacob had his children walk with their mothers.
   
2. The two servant women, Zilpah and Bilhah, together with their children went first, followed by Leah and her children, then by Rachel and Joseph.
   
3. Jacob himself walked in front of them all, bowing to the ground seven times as he came near his brother.
   
4. But Esau ran toward Jacob and hugged and kissed him. Then the two brothers started crying.
   
5. When Esau noticed the women and children he asked, "Whose children are these?" Jacob answered, "These are the ones the LORD has been kind enough to give to me, your servant."
   
6. Then the two servant women and their children came and bowed down to Esau.
   
7. Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down, finally, Joseph and Rachel also came and bowed down.
   
8. Esau asked Jacob, "What did you mean by these herds I met along the road?" "Master," Jacob answered, "I sent them so that you would be friendly to me."
   
9. "But, brother, I already have plenty," Esau replied. "Keep them for yourself."
   
10. "No!" Jacob said. "Please accept these gifts as a sign of your friendship for me. When you welcomed me and I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God.
    
11. Please accept these gifts I brought to you. God has been good to me, and I have everything I need." Jacob kept insisting until Esau accepted the gifts.
    
12. "Let's get ready to travel," Esau said. "I'll go along with you."
    
13. But Jacob answered, "Master, you know traveling is hard on children, and I have to look after the sheep and goats that are nursing their young. If my animals travel too much in one day, they will all die.
    
14. Why don't you go on ahead and let me travel along slowly with the children, the herds, and the flocks. We can meet again in the country of Edom."
    
15. Esau replied, "Let me leave some of my men with you." "You don't have to do that," Jacob answered. "I am happy, simply knowing that you are friendly to me."
    
16. So Esau left for Edom.
    
17. But Jacob went to Succoth, where he built a house for himself and set up shelters for his animals. That's why the place is called Succoth.
    
18. After leaving northern Syria, Jacob arrived safely at Shechem in Canaan and set up camp outside the city.
    
19. The land where he camped was owned by the descendants of Hamor, the father of Shechem. So Jacob paid them one hundred pieces of silver for the property,
    
20. then he set up his tents and built an altar there to honor the God of Israel.
    
    

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    Jacob demonstrated in the events of this chapter a mixture of faith and fear with which I have no difficulty identifying. Jacob had come from a personal encounter with God that had given him faith and confidence to move forward on his journey back to his homeland. In the knowledge that Esau was coming toward him with 400 men and the strong possibility that he desired revenge, Jacob was taking a big step of faith to continue moving forward in the direction of his brother. He risked losing everything, including his family, by doing so.
    
    As his brother and the sight of the 400 men came into view, Jacob reverted to fear, splitting up his household into groups according to their importance to him, and putting one group behind the other, a manuever designed to provide the greatest protection to those who were furthest in the rear. Jacob took the lead ahead of his household in approaching Esau, bowing to the ground "seven times" (33:3) as he approached. In blessing Jacob, his father Isaac had said that Esau would serve Jacob: "Be master over your brothers; may your mother's sons bow down to you." (27:29) But in this event it was Jacob who was playing the subservient role. Not only did Jacob bow to Esau, he referred to him as "lord" and himself as "your servant." Although feeling subservient when overpowered by a supposed opponent is understandable, it is not a demonstration of faith that God will protect. On the other hand, neither is it good to act arrogant. In contrast, Esau did none of these things. Though he did not act hostile, he either felt in control or confident in Jacob's reception of him. He simply embraced Jacob and referred to him as his brother.
    
    A proper mixture of faith and fear is natural and can be expected. The important thing is that Jacob did not shrink from being obedient to God's instruction to return to his homeland in spite of fear. The problem arises when fear trumps faith.