Bible Study Lessons — Genesis 32:1-21
Jacob was afraid of Esau. And, with good reason.
Jacob had stolen just about everything Esau owned.
He (Esau) promised to kill Jacob twenty years ago as we studied in Genesis.
All Jacob had left was to pray.
Jacob Waits for Esau – and Prays ..
The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.” – Genesis 32:6-8 NASB
Jacob prepares to meet Esau and is afraid for his life
Would you be scared? Boy, I would!
Here is a fearsome warrior coming at me with four hundred men. I’m the one who stole his birthright and his blessing. You’d better believe I’d be afraid for my life too!
The very last time Jacob and Esau were together his brother had promised to kill him for what was done to him.
The only thing holding Esau back from killing Jacob was their father, who now was dead.
The buffer zone was gone and Jacob fully understood the gravity of the situation.
Turning It Over to God
It had been 20 years since Jacob had seen his brother and fear had overcome him. But, do you know what Jacob did after he gathered his thoughts? He prayed.
Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies.
Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. – Genesis 32:9-11 NASB
Pray – Let God Worry – Martin Luthor
The next time you find yourself in what you feel is a desperate situation, take the time out to pray to God.
He does listen and you’ll find that many times things work out for the best if you’ll just ask God to step in and take over your problems.
Help for the Worried
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”0781414199″ locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/51LIBYBeXEL.SL160-1.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”107″]Will He always answer in the way you expected?
No, but just turning problems over to God will help relieve the worry and stress.
Stay tuned for how this story ends and remember, nothing is too big for God.
Love in Christ
– Bob
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