“Reconciliation: Jacob and Esau”

Sunday, March 16, 2025

The last thing Jacob remembered was his father Isaac trembling at the moment he realized he had not blessed his firstborn and favorite son. Jacob also had the echoes of Esau’s “exceedingly great and bitter cry” [Genesis 27:34]. Jacob knew, Rebekah knew and warned him with these words, ““Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.” [Genesis 27:42] There was no doubt in the mind of mother or her favorite son, Esau hates you and has nothing but revenge on his mind.

As Jacob fled to Haran, these were the deep and lasting memories of home and family. In Rebekah’s mind this fleeing to safety would be but a few days but the separation lasted years.

Such is the case many times in life, dramatic events in many different ways create seismic shifts in the course of life’s pathways, twists and turns of fate. This was for Jacob, Esau, Rebekah, and Isaac such an event and fork in the road.

The few days for Esau’s anger to subside may have taken place but because of the separation each brother’s life took on a new life of its own. Time and chance happened differently for them both and led them to entirely different circumstances.

For Esau, it appears from the story, did calm down, the secondary blessing he received from his father turned out to be “enough”, more than enough and over time Esau did move on from his foolish decision, his intense hatred and anger and his vow to kill his brother.

For Jacob though, the lingering threat, the intensity of Esau’s hatred, the echoes of his father’s trembling anxiety over the deception, betrayal and bestowing the birthright to the second born son, stayed fresh in Jacob’s mind. Time had passed but to Jacob, he had no way of knowing for sure that the same was true for Esau and his rage. It was still a very real possibility he would face.

As Jacob got word of his brothers approaching along with 400 men, it could only mean one thing is his “guilty as charged mind”. This would be the day of reckoning he had fled from and was dreading for a long time He could run no more. Jacob needed a plan…fast.

Here is where this encounter takes a prescient, almost prophetic turn in events, for Jacob and for Joseph. The parallels and life lessons are eerily connected.

1. Jacob had tricked, betrayed his father in an act of deception that caused his father tremendous grief. Joseph knew this story. And would later relive and revive in his own way an act of deceptive treachery.
2. Now Joseph saw his father facing the consequences of those actions. His uncle was coming with 400 men and his father was, “greatly afraid and distressed.” [Genesis 32:7] Joseph would see this same fear in the eyes of his brothers many years later.
3. Joseph witnessed his father “hat-in-hand” in humility, submission, and contrition make plans and preparations for the unavoidable necessity to face someone he had long ago wronged. Years later Jacob would again send gifts and provisions with his sons as a sign of humility and contrition to the same son who witness these acts before his uncle. [Genesis 43:11-14]
4. Joseph saw his father and his mother bow before his brother. We know he would later dream that not only his brothers, but his father as well would bow before him. [Genesis 33:1-7]
5. Joseph saw his uncle, Esau, who had been wronged, tricked and betrayed, magnanimously forgive and forget such a significant loss. [Genesis 33:8-12]
6. Joseph witnessed in his uncle’s story, demeanor and graciousness an aggrieved man who had in spite of setbacks and betrayal, moved on, prospered and realized that God had still blessed and prospered him. Esau saw in these blessings and circumstances, the obligation to forgive and be equally gracious to his brother.
7. Joseph saw his uncle Esau embracing his father in tears, with sincerity and kindness. This highly emotional reconciliation obviously stuck with Joseph, not only in his memory but as an example to follow.
8. Years later Joseph would face his brothers as the aggrieved, the wronged, and yet the one how had prospered. He would see his brothers bow before him, not only fulfilling his teenage dreams but recalling to memory this dramatic moment between his father and uncle.
9. Joseph would relieve the fear and trembling he saw in Jacob only now in his brothers before him as the one in authority. Joseph would remember the mercy and magnanimity of Esau in this moment as well.
10. Joseph would also recall the tearful, emotional embrace between Jacob and Esau as was overwhelmed by the sight of his family, their acts of repentance, humility and contrition.
11. Lastly Joseph could see not only from the lesson he learned from Esau, but in his own life, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good, and I have prospered…all is forgiven.

Repentance, reconciliation, compassion and mercy are powerful spiritual concepts to grasp and to emulate. God provides healing, time does its work if we are willing to see God’s hand, hold fast to what is good, forgive those who have wronged us and prepare ourselves for restoration.

Our children are always watching how we handle life’s good moments and those that are dramatic and hard. They will draw from these lessons when they face moments such as these as well.

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