A GUILTY CONSCIENCE WILL WHIP US

PROCLAMATION

“And when the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, ‘… thy brother Esau … cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.  Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed … And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father … I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies … which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant … Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, least he will come and smite me, and the mother with children.’” Genesis 32:6-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Jacob and Laban parted company, Jacob returned to his homeland and prepared to face his brother Esau.  It had been more than twenty years since Jacob left home after tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing which was meant for Esau and caused his brother to despise him and plan to kill him. (Genesis 27:1-45)  Since that time he had acquired much wealth, flocks, and herds, in addition to a large family.  Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau with a peace offering and his reply was that he was coming to meet him with four hundred men. (Genesis 32:3-6)  When he heard this, Jacob became afraid and distressed, and prayed that The Lord God would save him from his brother. (Genesis 32:7-11)  Jacob offered a lot of his sheep, cattle, goats, camels, bulls, and donkeys to Esau as a gift to soften his heart. (Genesis 32:13-20)  Later that night, Jacob wrestled an unknown man until the break of day.  As they wrestled the man said, ‘Let me go …” and Jacob said, ‘I will  not let thee go, except thou bless me.’ (Genesis 32:24-26)  The man told Jacob that he would no longer be called Jacob, but he would be called Israel, because he had struggled with God and with humans and have prevailed. (Genesis 32:27-31)  From then on he walked with a limp because of the injury he sustained as he wrestled. (Genesis 32:25)   

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God may have forgiven us of our sins, but the devil will not let us forget them and frequently reminds us of them.  Our sinful memories can rob us of our peace of mind and cause us much distress.  We need to pray that God will forgive us and restore unto us the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12) and grant us His peace. (Psalm 29:11)  The Bible teaches us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)