Seeing the Face of God

The story of Jacob and Esau is a roller coaster. These twin brothers started fighting before they were even born (Genesis 25:21-23)! Jacob’s name literally means “trickster,” and he lived up to it: he stole Esau’s birthright (the unique privileges Esau had as the firstborn) and later tricked their dying father into giving him Esau’s special blessing (Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-45). No wonder Esau wanted to kill his brother! Jacob had stolen Esau’s inherited property, power, and prestige. Because of Jacob’s wrongdoing and Esau’s anger, their relationship was broken, and Jacob feared it would never be fixed. But, twenty years after Jacob stole Esau’s blessing, God did something amazing: He reconciled Jacob and Esau—He brought them back together. Jacob was terrified to meet with his brother, and the night before he was to reunite with Esau, Jacob wrestled all night with God, who changed Jacob’s heart. Then, when the brothers saw each other the next day, Esau ran to Jacob, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. They even wept together. Jacob told Esau, “To see your face is like seeing the face of God” (Genesis 33:10). Of course, this doesn’t mean Esau looked like God. It means Jacob recognized how deeply he had wronged his brother and how little he deserved Esau’s forgiveness. So, when Esau forgave Jacob, it was a reminder of God’s undeserved forgiveness. Our God is a reconciler. We, like Jacob, committed wrongs against God that we can never hope to make right. So, from the time Adam and Eve first sinned, God has been reconciling His people to Himself, first through the law, priests, and prophets, and later through Jesus’ death and resurrection. And someday, Jesus will return, resurrecting the dead and permanently reconciling His people to Himself for all of eternity. Every time we reconcile with someone, we get a glimpse of that ultimate reconciliation. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we get to participate in the work of our God of reconciliation. And if He reconciled Jacob and Esau, He can reconcile anyone. • Taylor Eising • Reconciliation doesn’t always happen overnight. It took twenty years for Jacob and Esau! When you are waiting on reconciliation, how can you hold on to the hope you have in Jesus? Why does God care about our broken relationships with other people? And through him [Jesus] to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Genesis 27:41-45; 32:3-6; 33:1-11