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1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God’s camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight." ~ Genesis 32:1-5
Today, we transition into Genesis 32 where Jacob's time of exile in Haran has ended and he is back at the edge of the Promised Land. The emphasis in today's passage is most subtle and yet it is as clear as can be. But, it is only clear to those who are growing in their hearts as servants. Jacob was being freed to rule with the heart of a servant and to serve with the heart of a king.
In v.1 of today's passage we read, "So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him."
While on his way to Canaan, Jacob was met by "the angels of God." When Jacob left Canaan 20 years earlier, the last thing recorded was his vision of the ladder and the angels ascending and descending on it. As Jacob reentered the promised land, he again had another vision of angels who were there all along, but Jacob simply didn’t know it. Of course all things created, ladders and angels serve to point us to the One who has served us best by laying down His life so that we could be made right with God.
In Hebrews 1:14 we read, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" This passage speaks of angels as ministering spirits sent forth by God. When we hear about some miracle, we find ourselves wondering about what really happened in the realm of the unseen. It is truly plausible to think that those miracles came about as the result of the intervention of the angels of God. It is clear throughout the Scriptures that God's angels do His bidding in this world and it is largely due to those miraculous moments that we experience miracles.
In v.2 of today's passage we read, "When Jacob saw them, he said, 'This is God’s camp.' And he called the name of that place Mahanaim."
Jacob saw the angels who prompted him to say, "This is God’s camp." Interestingly, before he left Canaan 20 years earlier, when he had awakened from his sleep after his dream of the ladder Jacob said, "Surely this is God’s house." What began as the house of God was now seen as the camp of God. Then he called the place Mahanaim which is mentioned 13 times in the Bible. Mahanaim literally means "Two Camps" and it reveals the convergence of the seen physical realm and the unseen spiritual realm. God’s camp always surrounds His people and we are currently being prepared for the return of Christ and the establishment of His millennial kingdom here on earth.
In v.3-5 of today's passage we read, "3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, 'Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: 'I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.'"
The word "messengers" is the same word as "angels." In other words, Jacob's servants were sent by his direction just as angels are sent by God’s direction. The messengers of Jacob were commanded to speak to Esau using the name "Adoni," my lord. Jacob, despite having stolen both the birthright and the blessing was deferring his honor to Esau. He additionally referred to himself as "your servant." Jacob was intentionally subordinating himself in order to gain Esau’s favor. He did this so that his relationship with his brother could be restored.
Esau, like Laban, was not in a personal relationship with the Lord. He knew about the Lord but he didn't know the Lord for himself. Our adventure with God is dependent upon our perceived need of Him and our awareness of His daily working in our lives. Often we miss the adventure because we are afraid of God and we are afraid to go to where He leads.
Over and over we are reminded in the Old Testament that "Your servant is coming." In fact, Isaiah 53 has long been titled "The Suffering Servant." In Revelation 7:17 we read, "The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water." And, according to Luke 12, the Lord Jesus will serve believers in heaven for eternity. There is much more to this concept of servanthood that meets the eye. I find it startling that the ultimate goal in Romans is this concept of servanthood.
According to v.5 of today's passage, Jacob accentuates the fact that he had obtained great wealth during his time away. He did this because he wanted his brother Esau to know that he would not be a burden to him. He also wanted Esau to know that he was not a threat to him, especially since his family had grown to be so large. Seeing such a large group advance in his direction would have alarmed Esau. So, Jacob served his brother by sending his messengers to him with a message of peace in advance.
In Matthew 20:25-26 we read, "But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.'"
While in Haran, Jacob learned to lose sight of himself as he served Laban for 20 years for two wives and a healthy herd of sheep, goats, and camels. As we move forward into Genesis 32 the concept of servanthood will become more and more evident. As he arrived at Mahanaim, Jacob was beginning to see that God's ultimate goal in the life of the believer is to help those arrested by the seen world to be able to connect to the unseen world. This is the case for all believers for the more we get to know the heart of the Lord, the more we will reflect the heart of the Servant.
