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VAYISHLACH (And He Sent)

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VAYISHLACH (And He Sent) VAYISHLACH (And He Sent) GENESIS (B‟RESHIYT 32:3 – 36:43) INTRODUCTION: 1. Jacob‟s flight from Esau now comes full circle. a. He had left to flee Esau‟s anger and vengeful plan to kill him. b. As Jacob approached Canaan, Esau approached him with a 400 man army. c. However, Isaac was still alive at this time. “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, „The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.” – Genesis 27:41 2. It seems inevitable that Jacob was going to have to confront Esau in order to enter land. a. Prophetically: Israel under Moses/Joshua had to confront Esau as well as giants. b. To possess the Land (fulfill purpose) requires confronting the obstacles. 3. Also see how and when Jacob became Israel. a. From “hand on heel” to “prince of God.” 4. Some rabbinic writers consider this even to have been a prophetic vision. a. Many see it as symbolic – each person has to struggle with God to become whole. b. In face of crisis, Jacob was left alone with God. 5. Yet, in the haftarah it says: “In the womb he took his brother by the heel [literally occurred], and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel [literally occurred], and there God spoke with us.” – Hosea 12:3-4 6. Jacob had struggled with men and overcome through persistency, morality and wit. a. i.e. Laban 7. Here it makes it clear that Jacob strove with God (angel); sought his favor. a. Important because some commentaries state the angel is a wicked angel; Esau. b. Why then would say, “I have seen God face to face” – Gen. 32:30. 8. I believe that Jacob encountered the “Angel of the LORD” who is the LORD. CHAPTER 32: JACOB PREPARES TO MEET ESAU 1. V 3: “Then Jacob sent (Heb.vayishlach) messengers before him to Esau his brother.” a. The messengers were sent to Mount Seir, also known as Edom. 2. Based on instructions given to his messengers, concern at the very least if not fear is revived. a. The Hebrew word “messengers” is malakhim, typically translated “angels.” b. Context determines if supernatural messengers or human. 3. V 4: “Speak unto my lord Esau, „Thus says your servant Jacob.” a. Conciliatory speech intended to soften Esau‟s heart toward him. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1 4. V 4: “I have sojourned with Laban” – Heb. is gerti from ger or “alien.” a. In this manner of speech, Jacob hints to Esau, “I have not become your lord.” b. The blessing of Isaac has not come to fruition; I am not a prince. c. After this message and before meeting Esau, he will be called such, i.e. Israel. 5. V 6: “The messengers returned saying, „Your brother Esau is coming to you with 400 men.” a. V 7: Then Jacob was “greatly afraid and was distressed.” b. If Esau‟s intention were peaceful, why was it necessary to bring 400 men with him? 6. Jacob, though distressed, takes certain measures; a three-pronged strategy. He prays to God for His protection (v. 9-12). Tries to turn Esau‟s anger to good will by sending gifts (v. 13-21). Prepared for the last resort, to stand and fight. (Ch. 33: 1-3). 7. This episode demonstrates that when faced with a crisis, we must first turn to God. a. Still we have responsibility to make practical and wise decisions in a human response. b. e.g. coming food crisis: trust in God but do what we know to do. 8. V 7: Jacob‟s tactics - “He divided the people that were with him … into two companies.” a. Hebrew word “companies” or “camps” is machanot. b. Interesting because shares same root with machanaim – two camps of V. 2, i.e. angels. c. Did this have anything to do with his plan? 9. V 8: “If Esau comes to one and attacks it, then the other which is left shall escape.” a. This tactic is prophetic (I cover it in “Hidden Ones.”) b. Israel divided, in part, to hide and survive the attacks from Edom. 10. Hints at fact that Israel would be divided into two camps or kingdoms. a. Northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah. “And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, „Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.” – 1 Kings 11:29-32 11. Later, in response to Rehoboam‟s tyranny, the 10 tribes split off. “And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, „What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.‟ So Israel went to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah….And the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: „Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.‟ So they listened to the word of the LORD and went home again, according to the word of the LORD.” – 1 Kings 12:16-17, 22-24 12. It suited God‟s purposes for Israel that the nation should be divided in two. a. Life begins with division – a cell divides in two. b. Can‟t have a mature body unless there is division. c. Woman taken from man; necessary to propagate life. 13. Was always intended that the two camps would reunite and become one. a. That is what Jacob had in mind when the threat had passed. b. That is what God has intended for Israel at large. “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, „For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him‟; then take another stick and write on it, „For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.‟ And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. And when your people say to you, „Will you not tell us what you mean by these?‟ Say to them, „Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand.” Ezekiel 37:16-19 14. When does this happen? – in the end of days when Esau is encountered. 15. This principle – restoration of all things – is hinted at throughout Scripture. Man and woman Joseph and brothers 16. In fact, this is why Messiah came to die (John 11:45-52, Eph. 2:11-19). 17. Some teachings that deal with this subject. Unto One Flesh That the Two May Be One 18. This concept is hinted at when Jacob divided those with him into two camps. a. While Esau fights Jacob and one camp, the other with his family would escape. 19. In midst of Jacob‟s prayer to God he says: “I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children.” – Genesis 32:10-11 20. He recognized the goodness bestowed upon him and confessed to being unworthy. a. Those who strive for righteousness recognize the responsibility that goes with it. b. Also recognize how easy it is to fall short of God‟s standards. c. This humility is an indicator of those drawing closer to God. d. Jewish commentary declares: “The truly penitent come nearer unto God than even those who have never stumbled or fallen into sin.” 21. An interesting statement given that Jacob is about to come face to face with a man with the face of God. 22. Still, notice that he fears Esau in spite of God‟s promise of being with him. a. “Mothers with the children” literally “upon the children.” b. Images of mothers covering their children to shield them from Esau‟s sword.
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