Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Friday, September 23, 2016
"bowing down to the ground" was an honor and a tribute that you would do in the ancient world toward a king or someone you would highly respect.
Two ways of meeting troubles: the one is the way of the flesh; the other, of the Spirit.
The flesh compromises and anticipates terror; prepares against trouble with fear; prays in a panic, and then cringes before trouble as Jacob, who bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.
The way of the Spirit is faith-rest and doctrinal application which is far better.
Do not lift up your eyes and look for Esau's.
MAT 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
HEB 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Those who have seen the face of God, as believers in the church-age do through the intake of doctrine, need not fear the face of man.
LUK 15:20 "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.
In GEN 27:7, Isaac said to Esau, 'Bring me some game and prepare a savory dish for me, that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the Jehovah before my death.'
ECC 2:11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
Prin-Not only are all of our fleshly planning and efforts dishonoring to God, but they are uncalled for and unnecessary.
The acceptance of the gift of the person seeking reconciliation was considered to be the dogmatic proof that all was well.
He has recorded just what did happen, and shows us Jacob distrusting God and yielding to the fear of man.
Abraham in obedience to the call of God went out "not knowing where he was going" but after his arrival in Canaan he seeks refuge in Egypt.
Elijah displayed tremendous courage on Mt. Carmel, as he alone confronted the four hundred priests of Baal; but immediately we hear of him he is fleeing from Jezebel.
David dares to meet Goliath, but later, he runs away from Saul.
That's what we have here with Jacob, what a change from clinging to the Divine Wrestler to prostrating himself before Esau.
Prin - It is one thing to be privileged with a special visitation or manifestation of God to us, but it is quite another to live in the power of it.
The next day a father brought his lunatic son to the disciples, but they could not cure him and they asked the Lord the cause of this.
Unless faith remains active, we will cease to live in the power of God.
Notice all the needless fears and the late night worrying that Jacob had done......tossing and turning, tossing and turning, all night
How needless are our worries, fears, anxieties, as we in many cases, conjure up things to alarm us.
Have you ever looked forward with great anxiety to something that was coming, and then, when it came, found out that all your anxiety had been needless?
MAT 13:22 "This is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
MAR 4:19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
LUK 8:14 "These are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of {this} life, and bring no fruit to maturity."
LUK 10:41, when doctrine is being taught, they're too busy worrying about the details of life, But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
It's incredible that Jacob practiced a deception on his generous brother in order to get rid of him by promising what he never meant to fulfill which was to visit him at Seir.
1. The first failure was in his manner of meeting Esau, verses 1-11.
2. The second failure was in the deceit to which Jacob resorted, to free himself from Esau's company, when Esau offered him the protection of his armed men, 12-16.
Do not think for a single moment that Jacob really meant to go to Seir; for as soon as he had seen the rear of Esau's retiring forces, he journeyed in the contrary direction to Succoth.
Jacob politely refuses to travel with Esau, but he does say that he will follow at a slower pace behind him until he meets him in Seir.
But Jacob, contrary to his word, moves westward toward the Jordan Valley and stops at Succoth and never goes to Seir.
1. Note that Esau kindly accepted the presents of Jacob to make Jacob feel better about his wronging Esau.
2. Esau kindly received the wives and children of Jacob.
3. Esau goes on the way before Jacob to make the way clear.
4. Esau acts as his brother's guide and vanguard.
5. Esau shows his forgiveness by deeds as well as by words.
6. The point is that Esau is pictured in this chapter as a noble and with a chivalrous character.
Jacob, however, is still mistrustful of the one whom he had betrayed and he gives Esau the slip by going toward Canaan instead of following him to Seir as he had promised.