18,19 Mar -- Some Questions I Have
The readings for Sun 18 and Mon 19 March are -- Gen 32:1-33:20; Ps 10:13-18; Prov 3:1-2; Mt 12:9-37.
Gen 32 & 33 tell the touching story of the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau. Here are a few of the questions I've been thinking about. You might like to ponder them too (and even post a comment).
1. Jacob's message to Esau is "I have been staying with Laban and have been delayed until now." A 20 year delay! Does he give a pathetic excuse or a valid reason?
2. Is Jacob acting out of fear, pragmatism, guilt, sorrow or what?
3. Esau acts so graciously. See Gen 33:4. This is very similar to what the father does in Jesus' story of the Lost Son (Luke 15:20). Did Jesus have this incident in mind as he told the parable?
4. Esau wants Jacob and his tribe to go back with him. Jacob says he will, but then heads in the opposite direction. He settles in Succouth and then Shechem. God had actually told him to go back to Bethel (Gen 28:15; 31:3,13). Has he really changed? In his devotion, Selwyn Hughes says the old Jacob was dead. Really?
5. Who should I be re-connecting with?
posted by Ps John @ 9:51 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
Well, Jacob was at least delayed for 14 years all because of one girl. But as for the remainder of the years ... well, the story gives me some sort of impression that he had some sort of obligation to stay longer upon his father-in-law's request. I don't know much about the social etiquette of their day and culture, but it seems to me that even when he took off when he did, it was quite rude of him. Sort of like if you were invited over to someone's place for dinner these days, and you left before dessert. So, even though Laban seemed quite unreasonable at times regarding Jacob's stay, it sounds as though Jacob was under some sort of obligation to comply with his father-in-law's bidding.
As you say, Lisa, Jacob is certainly not beyond criticism here. After 20 years you would think he could have said goodbye in a more appropriate way. Especially when he was taking Laban's daughters with him. Once again he takes things into his own hands without relying on God. He is more cunning and devious than faithful.
On the other hand, Laban had been pretty greedy and devious himself. And he was becoming more and more jealous of Jacob and more antagonist toward him (31:2,5,7). Even Laban's daughters recognise this and side with Jacob (31:14-16). This was a great escape. Besides all this, God told Jacob to return to Canaan (31:3) and told Laban not to harm him (31:24).
I think the sad part about this story is that Jacob relied once again on his own cunning and as a result, he doesn't (neither do we) get to see how God could have worked if he had have trusted in him. God could have gotten them out of there without all the deception. (After all, God was able to get his people out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery there, even after telling Pharaoh and giving him opportunities to co-operate.) There are some indications that Laban may have understood and co-operated eg v29 & v30. As it turns out, Laban is not left with memories of an all-powerful God but of someone who claims to worship that God while being a devious sneak.
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