Day 12. 12th January Bible Commentary And Summary With Dr. Toyin Taken From Genesis Chapter 32, 33, 34 And 35.
EL - EL - O - HE - IS - RA - EL!
Some Events, Encounters, and experiences from today's study:
- A REQUEST FOR FAVOR❗️From Jacob to Esau
- MIGHTY IS THE GOD OF ISRAEL!!!
- EL-SHADDAI, 3511.
- I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD
- MAHANAIM; (Two camps)
- This is God’s host.
When Jacob continued his journey (from Paddan Aram) the angels of God met with him.
When he saw them he said "this is the host of God" 322, he named the place MAHANAIM {Meaning two troops; (his and God's)}.
He sent some of his servants to Esau.
A REQUEST FOR FAVOR. 324-5,13-21, 333,10,15.
v.4-5. Jacob then sent gifts to Esau requesting his favour. (v.4-5). With strict instructions on their wordings:
“Thus shall you say unto my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now I have cattle and donkeys sheep and goats male and female servants. Now I am sending this message to my lord that I may find favour in your eyes”.
FEEDBACK FROM ESAU;
Jacob’s servants informed him as they return from Esau: 'we went to your brother and he is now coming to meet you with four hundred of his men. v.6.
This threw Jacob into panic, he became afraid and distressed, so much so he divided his people into two groups, and his flock and herds as well! ‘He thought if Esau comes attacks one group the other group may escape’ v.7-8
v.9-12. Then he prayed .. recounting God’s promises back to him and at the same time expressing his emotions to God in prayers how he fears so much what could happen ‘ O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac Lord who said to me go back to your country and your relatives and I will make you prosper I am not worthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. ..... save me, I pray from the hand of my brother Esau, I am afraid he will come and attack me and also the mothers with their children but you have said I will make you prosper and will make you descendants like the sound of the sea which cannot be counted”
He sent gifts to his brother “200 female goats and 20 male goats, 200 ewes and 20 rams, 30 female camels, with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys”(v.13-16). This symbolises real fear, genuine repentance and willingness to truly honour his older brother.
Again he instructed them on specific words; saying if Esau meets you and ask who do you belong to and where are you coming from and who owns all these animals? Say: "They do belong to your servant Jacob they are a gift sent to my lord Esau and he is coming behind us'.
He continued to emphasise ESUA as his lord in all his communication. To pacify him and save his life.
He thought ‘ I will pacify him with his gifts I am sending on ahead later when I see him perhaps he will receive me’. Jacob demonstrated a progressive hope, faith and action.
A CHANGE OF NAME FOR JACOB: (3228, 359-10).
Jacob wrestled with God and he received a change of name from Jacob to Israel.
v.23-30. Jacob was alone at night and a man wrestled with him till daybreak, but could not overpower Jacob, he touched the hollow of his hip, and the hollow of Jacob's tight was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said let me go it is daybreak and he said I will not let you go unless you bless me (v.26). And he blessed him.
God said to Jacob “your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” 32:28
Jacob names the place PENIEL (meaning face of God). He said I have seen God face to face and my life is spared! (v.28).
RECONCILIATION.
Jacob when he saw Esau bow down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother, Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him and they wept (333-4). And his family bowed down greeting Esau too (v.5-7).
v.8. Esau would not accept the gift, he asked 'what meanest thou by all this drove which I met?. He answered; ' It is to find favour in your eyes my lord'.
but Jacob persuaded him. He insisted say '... if I have found favor in your eyes Accept this gift from me, for to see your face for to see is like seeing the face of God now that you have received me favourably. And he accepted it. (v.10-11)
THE RAPE OF DINAH and REVENGE AGAINST SHECHEM.
At Shechem Dinah Jacob’s daughter was raped. And Jacob’s sons her brothers revenged..
Shechem ( he is named after the city for he is an influential and well honoured prince the bible states that he is the most honoured of all his father's family. But we can conclude that as a ruler he did not act honourably towards Dinah (342) ) son of Hamor, of the family Jacob bought the land he settled in from (3318-19) , loved Dinah when he saw her and raped her. He afterwards asked for her hand in marriage because he loves her. Her offended brother answered deceitfully: Giving their decision to be circumcised (all the males in Shechem) as the ONLY CONDITION TO INTERMARRY. They agreed. 3413-23
A NEGOTIATION TOO LATE!
Hamor and Shechem the Hivite's willingness to pay Dinah's Bride Price and marry her was too late. Shechem's rape of the girl was wrong! In fact sleeping with a girl before marriage is wrong - she has been defied - he had put the cart before the horse. The invitation to Jacob and his sons to stay in Shechem, Intermarry with them, trade freely, and buy possessions in the land was a negotiation too late.
WAKE UP O ISRAEL (people of God)! Think promptitude and act timely! Arise!
ANGER, PAIN AND RETALIATION!
Simeon & Levi smote all the men in Shechem and looted the city. Their brothers (the other sons of Jacob) joined in. (3425-29). Jacob feared for his (v.30). For the Canaanites and Perizzites could join forces and attack them. He expressed anger but they replied "should he have TREATED OUR SISTER LIKE A PROSTITUTE❓
Women resist such treatment and or advances. We must continue to fight for women's rights.
Men of 'timber and calibre' in our societies today, must appreciate that their wealth does not stripe another individual of his or her value and rights
GOD told Jacob to return to BETHEL. 351
And Jacob prepared his household; ' get rid of your foreign gods, purify yourselves and change your clothes. COME LET US GO TO BETHEL, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and ...' v.2-6. He buried all the gods submitted and the rings in their ears, which gave to him under the oak in Shechem (v.4).
They all left for Bethel in Canaan. And he built an altar; he called the place EL BETHEL.
Genesis 356-7.
The nemesis of retaliation could have caught up with Jacob's household but for God who refrained the people. God's intervention was timely and significant: 'the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them as they left' (v.5).
EL-BETHEL meaning GOD OF BETHEL.
Rachels nurse died and she was buried under the oak outside Bethel - and the place was called ALLON BAKUTH (means oak of weeping).
GOD APPEARED TO JACOB AGAIN STATING HIS CHANGE OF NAME TO ISRAEL 359.
Israel means he struggles with God.
EL-SHADDAI
God said to Jacob " I AM GOD ALMIGHTY ( EL-SHADDAI) be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you and I will give this land to your descendants after you". v.11-12. Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him' v.13.
Rachel died as she had her second son, she named him Ben-Oni ( The son of my trouble ) but Jacob named him Benjamin (the son of my right hand). 3518-20. Jacob continued to express love for Rachel even at death , he set up a pillar over her tomb.
Reuben slept with Bilhah his father's concubine. This evil happens in polygamous homes, with sons sleeping with the younger wives of their dad. (v.21)
Jacob had 12 sons, the sons of his concubines were counted v.23-26.
v.27. Jacob moved to Hebron in Mamre where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.
NIGHT: A QUEST AT PENIEL
JOB WANTED TO KNOW GOD, LIKE MOST OF US.
What do you require? A change of name or perhaps a second name?
All can be resolved with El-Elohe Israel because mighty is He. Or you want to know him as
El-Shaddai so as to be enabled to yield bountifully and increase! Genesis 3224-28,30, 359-11
© 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Dr. Oluwatoyin Emiola Ojo.
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Dr. Toyin
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