I started a Beth Moore Bible study last night at First Baptist Church.....she rocks! She is so real and so down to earth and makes ME want to do more Bible reading!! If you ever get a chance, just do a Bible study....its all on video and she is just precious!!!!! Precious!!! She says things about the Bible that make you laugh out loud! May I only be remotely as inspiring as she is! :)
Chapter 32 finds us going with Jacob to meet Esau. A pretty easy chapter to understand but seems like a big ol' bribe on Jacob's part. Remember, several chapters ago (or 20 years in the story) Jacob asked Esau to give him his birthright and he did. Esau was the older brother and should have had the birthrights....but he gave them up. So now Jacob is going home, because he's leaving the land where he's been with Laban, he knows he'll see his brother.
Jacob is really nervous I think about seeing him again. He prays about how his brother will receive him and how he will be treated once he's home again. Jacob wants to give Esau a gift when we meets him....actually, he wants the gift to arrive BEFORE Jacob does. THe verses say that Jacob has selected Esau a gift. As I'm reading it I"m thinking, "one nice cow..." or a golden egg, or the best lamb he had. I was thinking "one" gift.....but nooooooo. Listen to the gift Jacob gives him: 200 female goats and 20 male, 200 ewes and 20 rams, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, and 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys. Now THAT's a gift! He must REALLY be feeling guilty for having taken his birthright!!! Jacob sent his servants ahead and told them to tell Esau that his servant, Jacob, was coming soon. Jacob was in hopes that these gifts would pacify him and that Esau would receive him. That night, while the herds all went ahead, Jacob wrestled with God.....hopefully to be humbled in the morning. I'd say that if you've been wrestled with by a faceless man, and your hip is wrenched....you'd better cry "uncle" and give in....it's God you're wrestling with!
Chapter 33...they finally meet...not too suspenseful of a meeting . Esau wasn't too impressed with all the gifts that he was given. Esau said he already had plenty....to keep his stuff. He was nice about it.....and Jacob INSISTED that he take the gift and he did. They were very gracious to each other....evne after all that had happened over the years. They had forgiven each other and didn't hold a grudge. That is what the story is about ........forgiveness and being gracious to one another.
"Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah".....chapter 34 is the Dinah incident. Shechem was man that thought Dinah was beautiful but then he ended up raping her. This obviously ruined her life. This left her with no possibility of marriage, no identity, and no social status. Her brothers tried to get back at Shechem and with vengeance. But do nothing to help her and actually end up putting the entire Hebrew community at risk.
It's crazy stuff that is in these chapter so far. Last night we were watching "Desperate Housewives." Sounds like a crazy show to be watching, but it does have good lessons learned at the end of the show. It is a bit crazy and we don't let JJ in the room while we are watching it. Last night he said, whatchu watching? Dusty said...the Bible. I looked at him with a question. He said, we'll its no worse than what happens in the Bible! I said, ya! And its all in Genesis!!! :) haa!
I thought that chapter 33 was so neat where Esau and Jacob met each other. They were so happy to see each other. All was forgiven. It was such a God thing and maybe even a twin thing!
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