Face of God

DEVOTION

GENESIS

FACE OF GOD

Gen 33:8-20

8 Esau asked, "What do you mean by all these droves I met?" "To find favor in your eyes, my lord," he said. 9 But Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself." 10 "No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it. 12 Then Esau said, "Let us be on our way; I'll accompany you." 13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir." 15 Esau said, "Then let me leave some of my men with you." "But  why do that?" Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord." 16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.   18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.  

NIV

Surely this is an act of graciousness by Esau to want to accompany his brother on his journey, and having been refused, offering some of his men as an escort. But first let us look at this gift giving of Jacob. It would seem he is very pleased to have had a very friendly encounter with the brother who have vowed to kill him forcing him to escape their father’s household. Yet when we think about that, was it the providence of God all that happened? Because of his escape he found Laban and married both Leah and Rachel and now has eleven sons and one daughter with one more son to come. He has become an extremely wealthy man. Surely he must know by now God has protected and provided for him all along. So he insists that Esau keep all the gifts he sent ahead of him in an effort to appease Esau. He makes this strange, but yet very profound statement about the face of Esau looking like the face of God. What did he mean by that? This was the man who carried a grudge, who vowed to kill him, yet now he was hugging and kissing him, accepting him favorably with forgiveness. Jacob, with all his gifts, and with his advancing toward Esau bowing seven times showing true repentance, as it were, and Esau showing grace, mercy and forgiveness we have our story with God. If we live as Jacob did, trying to deceive God, trying to steal a blessing so to speak, living outside his grace, being self-reliant, we are at war with God, and thus we will perish. In so many words, he has vowed to kill us, we will experience the second death. But if like Jacob here, we come with a repenting heart, bowing down as we greet him, he will forgive our sin, and greet us with hugs and kissing, throwing his arms around us, welcoming us home. This is why Jacob tells Esau looking upon his face is like seeing the face of God. Esau also is showing us another trait of God, he wishes to accompany Jacob on the rest of his journey. When Jacob gives some excuse why he should not, he offers some of his men. We see God wanting to accompany us on our journey through life. Of course we do not refuse him, but in addition perhaps he sends some of his messengers, his angels to travel along with us. We certainly have the protection and provision of God as we travel through this life. But we too should offer him gifts, a portion of all we have, as we see Jacob did to Esau. We do not know the exact percentage these gifts were of his whole wealth, but he offered them. It is not so critical the percentage of our wealth we offer to God, in fact we are to offer him ourselves as living sacrifices. That would be one hundred percent of our self. We are told a house divided cannot stand.

Luke 11:17

17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.

NIV

He was refuting those who accused him of driving demons out by the power of Satan. Yet the truth is still the truth. If we live divided within ourselves we will fall. If we try to serve God while attempting to serve ourselves we will fall. As Jacob offered gifts to Esau we offer God the gift of our self. We give him all of it, bowing down not just seven times, but continually, humbling ourselves before him. This is the story of repentance at its finest, and the act of mercy as a response. Let us always have a heart bent toward God and not toward self, then we shall see the face of God.