3rd.: Help Me from Brother Esau
After putting Laban behind him, Jacob continued home.
Later, messengers came to him, saying that his brother Esau was coming to meet him.
Oh no. Jacob had left home, because of threats from Esau (Gen 27:41).
Jacob became scared (Gen. 32:6-7).
Upon hearing of Esau’s approach. Jacob divided his family into two groups,
to allow one party the chance to escape, if the other was attacked.
Then Jacob went to God for help, reminding God of God’s promises to protect him.
“And Jacob said, ‘O God of my [grand]father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac,
which said unto me, ‘return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee.’
I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, …, which thou has showed unto thy servant,
for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands.
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him,
… And thou said, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea,
which cannot be numbered for multitude.” (Gen. 32:9-11).
Jacob first called to God, as God had introduced Himself to Jacob, i.e. the God of Abraham, and of Isaac.
Jacob then said that he was doing what God told him to do (i.e. return to Canaan, see Gen. 31:3,11-13).
Jacob then admitted that he was not worthy of God’s mercy’s, but that he remembered and
appreciated what God did for him. He then reminded God of His promises to protect him.
When we get scared, this is a good approach to take.