God gave Jacob this command in a recent daily reading. At the best of times, this wouldn't have been an easy project to undertake - Jacob had amassed flocks and herds during his absence, along with four wives, twelve sons and at least one daughter. However, obedience for Jacob was even more difficult in this instance, because returning to his kindred meant returning to his brother, Esau, from whom he had fled at his mother's direction. Jacob the deceiver had swindled Esau from his birthright (in which Esau had seen little value) and from the blessing that their father Isaac had intended for him. Esau determined that he would wait until Isaac was dead and would then kill Jacob as an act of vengeance. Jacob knew this and was fearful. However, a lot of water had gone under the bridge for him since he had left home all those years before. The Lord had met with him, changing his name from Jacob to Israel and Jacob had devoted his life in service to the Lord. God had renewed to Jacob the promises He had first made to Abraham and then to Isaac about possessing the land He had promised, about the vast numbers of Jacob's descendants and (importantly) about the blessing that would come to all the families of the earth through them. He was not the same person when God commanded him to return home as he had been when he fled for his life!
So Jacob obeys God and sets out on the journey with all his possessions, his wives and children. We find the account in Genesis 31-33. However, although Jacob had changed over the years, he had no idea whether Esau still nursed a grievance, and he is fearful. Along the way, we see God going to great lengths to assure Jacob that He really is with him. First, He protects him from his wicked father-in-law, Laban, in a remarkable way. Second, Jacob is met by the angels of God.
Soon after, Jacob reaches out to make contact with Esau and the response is alarming - his brother is coming out to meet him with 400 men! As the meeting draws near, Jacob prays to God, acknowledging his own unworthiness and all God's goodness to him, and he pleads the fact that he was obeying God's command to return and "reminds" God of the promises He had given concerning Jacob's descendants. Jacob sends about eight groups ahead of him on their route, one after another, servants charged with taking costly gifts to Esau in an attempt to turn aside any anger he may still have.
That night, God gives Jacob a third, and most amazing, assurance. He comes to him in human form and wrestles with him. As day is breaking, Jacob clings to Him to receive a blessing. Jacob's new name, "Israel," is confirmed and all God's blessings to him are underlined.
And then, finally, Jacob sees his brother. Far from commanding the 400 men who came with him to attack Jacob, Esau runs to meet him, embraces him, falls on his neck and both men weep. God was faithful to His promise to be with Jacob, and he had worked forgiveness for Jacob in the heart of Esau.
We are living in a time when there are differences of opinion over forgiveness - what it means and how it operates. Some see it as a unilateral act on the part of the one offended, which has nothing to do with a sense of wrongdoing or a troubled conscience on the part of the offender. It is, they say, unconditional - an act on the part of the forgiver that is totally independent of the one forgiven. They may not feel the need to be forgiven and may not ask for forgiveness but the offended person "forgives" them anyway. Then there are those who say that forgiveness in the Bible is indeed conditional upon some indication of repentance in the offending party. There is a recognition of the offense given and an acceptance of wrongdoing. There is a seeking for reconciliation. Over and above this, there are those who say that they may forgive an offense, but they will certainly never forget it, and there are others who assert that forgetfulness is an inherent part of true forgiveness. The Bible will be our guide as we try to navigate through these contrary views.
Perhaps it is stating the obvious, but it is worth remembering that forgiveness operates in relation to sin. As we study this topic in more detail, we'll see that sin has two primary effects. First, it places the offender in a position of indebtedness to the one sinned against. Second, and also important, sin causes a breach in relationship between the offender and the one(s) offended. Both of these outcomes can be seen in the account of Jacob and Esau that we considered. Having first obtained Esau's birthright (which he should not have attempted) Jacob then stole his blessing. Esau was robbed of all the privileges and blessings that should have been his as the firstborn son so Jacob "owed" Esau what he had sinfully taken from him. As a result of Jacob's acts, Esau hated him and planned to murder him, so Jacob fled for his life. The two were separated for many years until the reunion we described above (where it is clear Jacob still feared Esau would carry out his threats against him).
Biblical forgiveness deals with both of these issues of indebtedness and broken relationship. We are going to try and unpack this subject over the next few posts to see how this works. We'll look at a range of Biblical material to help us, including accounts like the one of Jacob and Esau, to understand what was going on and what we can learn from it. This is a really important study, given the commands that come to believers actively and liberally to practice forgiveness; indeed, to forgive as they have been forgiven:
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:12)
Full and free forgiveness of sins is at the very heart of Biblical Christianity. It comes to all who will turn from their sins as a way of life and rest in Christ and His finished work as the only ground for their eternal salvation. They find that their debt to God's justice has been blotted out, and their broken relationship with God has been abundantly restored. So as we close this meditation, we must ask you, reader, whether you know that your sins are forgiven?
