Jacob - Pt. 5

 

Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?” (Genesis 27:41-45 ESV).

 

Jacob’s deception got him his father’s blessing. But it also damaged the relationships he had with the people around him. Today’s reading drives home the tragedy of Jacob’s deception. Jacob’s brother, Esau, now plans to kill him after their father has died. Again Rebekah steps in to advise her younger son. “Run!” she says, in effect; “go to live with my brother’s family far away.” She even offers a rationale to Isaac: there are no potential marriage partners here (cf. Genesis 26:34-35). This is an attempt to make it sound like she is concerned about maintaining the family’s faith in God, but Rebekah is using this as an excuse to avoid dealing with the deadly breakdown in her sons’ relationship.

 

It is important, of course, to have a marriage founded on a shared love for God. And we don’t know what violence Esau might have done if Jacob had stayed. But even legitimate concerns should not become an excuse to run from the effects of our own sins. We all have a tendency to devise “cover stories” to keep up appearances and make ourselves look better than we are. Thankfully, God’s Spirit can work in us even when we try to run away. God pursued Jacob, and he will pursue us until his redeeming work in us is complete.

 

Running from God creates a scenario where we are forced to deal with even more difficult circumstances. Jonah learned this truth. He tried to run from the truth and ended up taking the side road of the belly of a fish for three days. Perhaps you are in the unenviable position of having run. Change your direction. Run to God, not from Him! He is not far away. He is near enough to restore and set you right again.