The Story

Primary and Junior

Tell me about Jacob's leaving Haran; why did he leave hurriedly and without telling Laban that he was going? Jacob had come to Haran alone walking with his staff; how was he leaving? Find on the map the land of Gilead where Laban overtook Jacob. There were fine pastures and large groves of trees and deep valleys with brooks running to the Jordan. One of the large brooks was the Jabbok. They were near to this brook Jabbok, which Jacob soon crossed. A name given at this time, which we find afterward in the story of Joshua and in the story of Saul and David was Mahanaim, "the two camps." (Josh. 13:26, 30; 2 Sam. 2:8; 17:24, 27) The two camps were Jacob's own and the camp of angels who appeared to him. He had seen angels in the vision at Bethel as he set out on his journey; it was as if they came again to welcome him on his return to the Holy Land.

What were the feelings between Jacob and his brother Esau when they parted twenty years before? Now Jacob was afraid to meet his brother, and he did everything that he could to gain his favor and to protect himself in case Esau were still angry with him. Where was Esau's home? In Mount Seir, the mountainous land of Edom south of the Dead Sea. Jacob sent to tell Esau of his coming. The message was very polite, calling Esau "my lord" and Jacob his "servant." The messengers brought back word that Esau was already coming with four hundred men. Was he coming to welcome Jacob kindly or to fight with him? Jacob did not know; he was "greatly afraid and distressed." He divided the people and the flocks with him into two companies. This was in case Esau came as an enemy; if he took one company, the other might escape. Then he chose goats and sheep and camels and cows and asses as a present for Esau, and sent them forward in separate droves. "Ewes" are the mother sheep, "kine" are cows, and "foals" are colts. Esau would meet the droves one by one and would hear each time Jacob's polite words, calling him again, "my lord Esau" and Jacob his "servant." Jacob hoped that these presents would make Esau feel friendly. We shall learn in the next lesson about their meeting.

The flocks for Esau had gone forward and Jacob's family had crossed the Jabbok, Jacob himself last of all. He passed a night alone, and he seemed to be wrestling with an angel; he seemed to conquer but was lame in his thigh from the struggle. He was also given a new name, Israel, which means "soldier of God," or perhaps "he that striveth with God." Abraham's name and Sarah's had been changed from Abram and Sarai by adding "h," a letter from the Lord's own name Jehovah. So Jacob's new name had in it "El" which means God. You find the same in Samuel, Elijah, Bethel, and many other Bible names. It meant that Jacob should be the Lord's in a new and fuller sense, and that he should have new strength from the Lord.

1. Where was Gilead where Jacob was? Which way must the messengers go to Esau? Where was his home?

2. What were Jacob's feelings on hearing that Esau was coming? Why was he afraid? What did he do to make Esau feel kindly?

3. What polite words did Jacob use in speaking to Esau? What present did he make ready?

4. What happened to Jacob in the night before meeting Esau? What new name was given to Jacob? What is the meaning of the last syllable of the name?

Spiritual Study

In the promise made to Esau, in Isaac's blessing, it was said that he should some day have the dominion and break his brother's yoke from off his neck. (Gen. 27: 40) We may regard it as at least a part fulfillment of the promise when Jacob made Esau large presents and called Esau "lord" and himself "servant." (A. 3603)

You remember the deeper meaning in Jacob's taking the birthright and the blessing from his elder brother. Esau represents goodness in natural life, and Jacob understanding. Goodness is the more important of the two, the thing to be most desired, but for a time understanding must take the lead. We must learn what is right and do it faithfully before we can do it spontaneously from love. But afterward, if we are faithful, we shall love what is right; goodness will take the lead and understanding will be its servant. These are the steps of progress in any kind of work, as in playing an instrument. At first we learn and do it with careful thought; afterward we do it easily because we love to. It is the same in forming good habits, at first with careful thought, afterward with love. The happy change when love takes the lead is pictured in Jacob's submitting to Esau, giving him rich presents. The several gifts which Jacob sent, one after another, to his brother, suggest that the change takes place gradually, little by little, and in regular order. (A. 4242, 4266, 4267)

The submission of Jacob to Esau, the return into the Holy Land, and the giving of a new name to Jacob all took place at the same time, and they all represent a step upward to a more heavenly state of life. (A. 4286)

Connected with this step of progress there is an experience of temptation, represented by Jacob's night of struggle. No one ever passes from the state of doing right from knowledge to the state of doing right from love except through something of temptation. This is suggested also by Jacob's terror at the approach of Esau and his men, his fear of meeting them. (A. 4249, 4274) What is represented spiritually by the fact that the struggle was in the night? It seemed to Jacob that the man with whom he contended was the Lord, or at least an angel. Really the struggles of temptation are never against the Lord but against evil spirits and evil things in ourselves. (A. 4287) Jacob's lameness after the struggle suggests that while there is victory, with the Lord's help, we may not be able, at least at first, to make the victory complete. (A. 4278)

Jacob's struggle and lameness have a special meaning as applied to the Jewish people. They represent the urgency of the Jews to be the chosen people, and at the same time the lack of real connection between their representative forms and the spirit of heaven. (A. 4281, 4293)

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