WEEKEND Edition 14,15 August 2021 “A Fresh Start” (Genesis 33)

Click To Download and Print Document or PDF

Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends, welcome to the weekend!

Do you like FRESH starts, New Beginnings? This time of year school is beginning for millions of students around the world. Sadly, with COVID, this fall semester will again be abnormal for many, but still, it’s a new school year, new teachers, new studies, new schools. Think about all the new relationships, new partnerships in learning, being formed in schools around the world with teachers and students. In our journey with Jacob lately we’ve come to a Fresh Start, a New Beginning. Join me please in Genesis 33.

Yesterday we watched one of the most remarkable reconciliations in all of history as Jacob and Esau embraced and wept over each other rather than attacking and killing each other. 20 years had passed since they last had seen each other. In those 20 years much had changed, including their broken hearts and anger toward each other. Now with their broken relationship experiencing some reconciliation, it was time to move forward to a new future with unlimited potential.

The record says “Then Esau said, ‘Let us be on our way, I’ll accompany you.” (Gen. 33:12) In my mind’s eye, I see Esau stepping to Jacob’s side, putting his arm around his twin brother, and saying those words, pointing to the road ahead. Jacob was incredibly grateful, but felt he had to travel very slowly, caring for the youngest of the animals and young children. Esau had large flocks of animals too, so he understood and offered to leave some of his 400 men to travel along with Jacob, providing safety in this rugged land. Jacob was grateful but didn’t see the need. Reconciliation rather than conflict was more than enough for Jacob! So after a farewell, Esau and his men turned around and headed back to their home in Seir, while Jacob and his caravan continued on, moving south, slowly, a few miles each day.

Can you imagine what these days were like for Jacob and his family as they replayed in their mind their reunion they had experienced with Esau and his 400 men? It was almost too good to be true! Finally Jacob’s caravan arrived at a place called Succoth, and for some reason he chose to settle there, at least temporarily. The record says “Jacob built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock.” (Gen. 33:17)

Sometime later, Jacob felt led to move his family west, across the Jordan river, into Canaan, to a place called Shechem. Do you recognize that place? It is where Jacob’s grandfather Abraham had first arrived when he had made this very same trek from Haran to Canaan, about 150 years before. (Genesis 12:9) Remember Jacob was 15 yrs old when his grandfather died, so I presume Abraham told his twin grandsons many, many wonderful stories about the journey of life he had walked as he tried to follow God, including his first arrival at this place, Shechem. The record tells us Jacob bought some land here, pitched his tents, and then did one other, very important thing. He did what his grandfather Abraham had done several times. The record says: “There Jacob set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.” It’s a rarely used name of God which means “God, the God of Israel”. You’ll recall Jacob’s name had been changed to Israel when he wrestled with a man not many days before. As Jacob was worshiping the God of Abraham, his grandfather, I think Jacob was saying “You, O God, the God of my grandfather Abraham who worshipped YOU in this place, I declare today, in this place of Shechem, that You are my God.”

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to return to a place which has meant a great deal in your family heritage, perhaps you know some of the emotions Jacob was likely feeling. While we have no record of it, I would imagine Jacob worshiped often at this altar he made. His grandfather Abraham had developed a unique relationship with God that was so personal, so powerful that Abraham’s legacy is defined by that God relationship. In fact, did you know James 2:23 in our New Testament says this: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.” Here, in this place of Shechem, Jacob’s relationship with God began moving to a new level, a deeper, more powerful, stronger relationship than Jacob had ever had before. Proverbs 9:10 says “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

At Shechem, I believe Jacob often walked out under the stars at night, looking up at the majestic evidence of the power and precision of God. I believe Jacob was overwhelmed with what God had done in uniting he and Esau again after 20 years. Now Jacob had reason to hope that maybe he could settle in this land which had been promised to his grandfather Abraham and his descendants. And so he worshiped… often, and God was doing a deep change work in Jacob. Oh there was so much that needed changing if he was going to be the husband to four wives, and God honoring dad to 11 sons and one daughter that he needed to be! Oh how he wanted to know God like his grandfather had known God. May I ask, do you, my friends, have a deep desire to know God in such a way that your entire life and legacy are defined by your relationship with God?

Let’s pause here and worship with Jacob. Reconciliation has taken place between he and Esau, far beyond anything he could have imagined. Jacob has arrived peacefully, with all his family and his abundance, to the very same Shechem place where Abraham first set up camp in Canaan so many years ago. And now worship… life changing worship. Jacob had so much to thank God for. And so do you and I, my friends, wherever you are in the world. Let’s make this a focus of our weekend and gain a fresh start with God this weekend!

I wonder if this song was very much like what Jacob sang, out there in the open place called Shechem, where he worshiped, in the place his grandfather Abraham had worshiped… let’s worship my friends:

Today’s Scripture is Genesis 33.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).

Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.