“I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.”
I did this before here, and I’m going to do it again. In Genesis 33 Jacob is returning home after his years of being outcast. And although he has acquired wealth and wives, Jacob is nervous about reuniting with his twin, Esau. And by nervous, I mean Jacob is afraid Esau is going to kill him for having taken away his birthright and blessing.
So Jacob organizes his troop such that not all will be killed if there is an attack, and sends numerous gifts to Esau before the main group arrives. Time, it appears, has cooled Esau’s anger, and he wholeheartedly welcomes his twin back home.
So, let’s tell this story again, but change the names. As before, we are all Jacob. We have all offended our Older Brother who is Jesus, for we are all sinners and come short of the glory of God. We want to come back home, but that is only possible if our Brother recognizes and acknowledges us, knowing that He has the power to bar our return home to God.
Esau is Jesus.
We have all offended God at some point with our mistakes and rebellions. So on our journey home we start to repent, to send gifts, sacrifices, giving abundantly that we may assuage the wrath of God towards us. And when we enter His presence we do like Jacob did: “and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near” (Gen.33:3).
And, like Jacob, we are going to be astounded when the Lord responds as Esau did:
“And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.”
Can you imagine meeting your Savior, who bleed and died because of your weaknesses, and He runs to meet you? Can you imagining Him embracing you, falling on your neck with joy at your return, kissing you? Will you weep tears of joy together at such a reunion?
I pray that I might meet my God like that. I pray that when I get to heaven, all my family reunions might be like that. All enmity and division will be forgotten, and we will all be swept up in the joy of being together again at last.
And this was Esau’s forgiveness, and his love of family. I cannot imagine how much greater will be my reunion with God, whose love and forgiveness are perfect, and everlasting.
Outcast of Israel 