Genesis 33: 1-3: “And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.”
We can see Jacob’s priorities in this section: he sent his handmaids first and then Lead and lastly Rachel with Joseph. He divided the other sons among the rest of his wives. Jacob before them and then was obsequious before his brother hoping to escape any fallout for himself. This is probably and appropriate time to compare Jacob with the Lord Jesus Christ and the history related in John 18: 3-5 (“Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.”) Judas was accompanied by a group of 600 soldiers (that is the meaning of the word “band”, one tenth of a legion). We also know that his disciples had two swords with them (Luke 22: 38 “And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.”) Peter also proclaimed that he was ready to die with the Lord (Luke 22: 33 “And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.”) The people who came to take the Lord Jesus Christ away were afraid of the people, that is why they took the soldiers (see Matt 26: 5 “But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”) The Lord Jesus Christ was proactive at that time, if He had let his disciples take charge there would have been a blood bath and all of them would have been killed. What else could you expect from thirteen men with two swords fighting against 600 soldiers? The Lord Jesus Christ did exactly the opposite to Jacob and He saved us all from our sins and offered the opportunity to have everlasting life.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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