And Jacob went on his way, and the
angels of God met him.
And when Jacob saw them, he said, This
is God's host, and he called the name
of that place Mahanaan.
God is beginning to deal with this man
directly in order to bring him into the
place of fruit-bearing and of real vital
service and witness for him.
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau
his brother the land of Seir, the country
of Edom.
And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye
speak unto my lord Esau, thy servant Jacob
saith thus.
I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there
until now, and I have oxen and asses,
flocks and men's servants, and women's servants, and
I have sent to tell my lord that
I may find grace in thy sight.
This boy Jacob is still clever, isn't he?
He just can't let go, even after his
experience with Laban now, and he's returning back.
And he remembers now the last time, 20
years before that, why Esau was breathing out
threatenings against him.
And notice now he sends servants, and he
says to the servants, says, When you get
to Esau, my brother, you say to him,
My lord Esau of all things.
And then he says, Thy servant Jacob.
Well, that's not the way Jacob had done
it.
He'd stolen the birthright, and he didn't steal
the birthright, but he manipulated for it, and
he stole the blessing.
He'd been a rascal, but now his talk
is different.
He'd learned a few things, I guess, from
Uncle Laban.
My lord Esau, thy servant Jacob.
And so he sent the messengers, and the
messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to
thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to
meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
And that absolutely frightened poor Jacob, because he
didn't know what all that meant.
And Esau didn't indicate to the servants at
all.
I suppose Jacob quizzed them rather thoroughly and
said, Did you detect any note of animosity
or bitterness or hatred toward me?
And I think the servants said, No.
Said, He seemed to be glad to get
the information that you were coming to meet
him, and now he's coming to meet you.
But the fact he was glad didn't mean
anything to Jacob.
It could mean he'd be glad for the
opportunity of getting revenge.
Well, anyway, poor Jacob's upset.
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed, and
he divided the people that was with him,
and the flocks and herds and the camels
into two bands, and said, If Esau come
to the one company and smite it, then
the other company which is left shall escape.
He's in a bad way, he thinks.
Here he is with this brother of his
coming to him, and so he divides up
the group.
He's being clever, and he says, If this
boy, my brother, if he strikes one, then
the other one can escape.