The Story of 2 Brothers

In today’s worlds, it’s all too common to hear about siblings squabbling for parents’ money, and brothers fighting for property.Some might feel that the world has become evil, and people have changed. The truth is, human nature has always been like this, since the beginning in the Bible. Let’s look at the true story of 2 brothers in Genesis 27-33.

How a mother can lead a son to cheat his own brother? How does the brother feel when he is cheated? What happens to the cheater? How does God deal with it? What can we learn?

Let’s take it from the dramatic account of Isaac’s 2 twins; Jacob & Esau.

*****Jacob Cheats His Brother*****

Esau was the older brother to Jacob. In those times, the father would always bless the oldest with child with the best, before he died, and these blessing would come true (the power of words by faith!). Jacob was always jealous of his older brother, but he happened to be his mother’s favourite.One day, when Isaac was old and his eyes could not see, he told his first son Esau, “I am old and don’t know when I will die. Go out and hunt. Prepare my favourite food and give me to eat. I want to give you my blessings before I die.”

His wife overheard this conversation, and quickly informed her favourite younger son, Jacob.

She told him, “Your father is going to bless Esau. He asked Esau to prepare his favourite food. Listen to me, go and bring me 2 best goats. I will cook for your father. You give it to him, and take the blessings.”

But Jacob said, “My brother is a hairy man. My skin is smooth. What if father touches me and finds out I’m not Esau? I’ll get cursed!”

But his mother was a great mastermind. She covered Jacob’s hand’s and neck with goatskin, so it would feel hairy. She made Jacob wear his brother’s best clothes, so the father will smell his first son.So, Jacob did as his mother taught him. His father was almost blind, and fell for his trick.

Jacob received his father’s best blessings!

His father said (Genesis 27: 27-29): “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field, that the LORD has blessed. May God give you of heaven’s dew and of the earth’s riches – an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and may those who bless you, be blessed.”

And when Jacob received all the blessings, he quickly left.

Now, Esau, the older brother has just finished cooking his best for his father. He came in excitedly to serve his father the food. His father got a shock!

He asked him, “Who are you?” Who came earlier with the food? I already blessed him, and everything I said will happen!”

Esau burst out with a loud, bitter cry! He couldn’t accept it – how his brother cheated his of his blessings!

Esau begged his father, “Don’t you even have just one blessing for me? Bless me too, father!”His father said (Genesis 27: 38-40), “I already blessed your brother to be master over you. What can I give you?”

Then his father blessed Esau, saying, “ You will live away from all the earthly richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.”

Esau hated his brother, and was planning to kill him after their father passed away.

When his mother heard it, she quickly told Jacob, “Your brother is planning to kill you. Quickly go to my brother’s house and stay there, until your brother is not angry with you anymore.”

This was the deceptive plans of his mother, and Jacob followed it. (*Note: She never saw her favourite son again after this. This is what she got for her deception.)

So, Jacob quickly escaped to his uncle’s house in another land.

#####Note:#####

How would we feel if we were in Esau’s place? How would we feel if our own brother cheated us? Is God letting injustice happen freely? Does the story end here?No! Far from it. Let’s look at Jacob’s life, when he goes to stay with his uncle, Laban.

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*****What Goes Around, Comes Around*****

When Jacob goes to meet his uncle, he sees that his uncle has 2 daughter’s; Leah & Rachel. Leah was not very attractive, but Rachel was extremely beautiful. Immediately, Jacob fell in love with Rachel. (Genesis 29 -30).

His uncle told him, “Just because you are my relative, you cannot work for free. Tell me how I should pay you?Jacob replied, “I will work for you for 7 years, to marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”

So, Laban agreed, and Jacob worked very hard for 7 years, and it felt just like a few days because he loved Rachel very deeply.

He learnt how to be honest and perform his best, and the LORD’s blessing were with him, just as his father blessed him.

Now, 7 years had passed and it was time to marry Rachel.

But what happened?

Laban prepared a great feast and arranged the wedding. But he switched the bride. He prepared Leah instead!So, Jacob slept with Leah, and did not realize until the morning. When he woke up, he got a shock when he saw she was not Rachel. It was her sister, Leah!

Jacob went to his uncle Laban, and said, “What have you done to me? I served you for 7 years, to get Rachel. Why have you cheated me?”

Laban coolly replied, “It’s not our custom to let the younger daughter marry, before the older one. Work another 7 years, and you can marry Rachel.”

Here, Jacob was cheated by his uncle, just as he cheated his own brother. He was paying a very high price for it. God was teaching Jacob a hard lesson, to change him. And Jacob paid the price.

He worked another 7 years, to marry Rachel! He learnt to LOVE, and do something for LOVE.

Jacob had served Laban for 14 years, before he could get his dream wife! Does the story end here?

No. Laban cheats Jacob again!

Jacob’s 2 wives gave birth to a couple of children, and Jacob wanted to leave Laban to start his own life & business.

But Laban said, “ The LORD has blessed me because of you. Ever since you worked for my, my livestock has increased. Continue to work for me. Tell me what you want and I will give you.”So Jacob agreed.

He told Laban, “Don’t pay me anything. I will continue to tend your sheep. I will remove every spotted and dark coloured sheep. That will be my pay. My honesty will speak for me. If you find I have any lamb which is not spotted, or dark coloured, then it’s considered stolen."

Laban agreed. But as time passed, he noticed that Jacob was doing very well. Jacob’s flock was becoming bigger than his!

Laban again cheated Jacob and changed the terms of agreement a few times. But every time, the LORD blessed Jacob. Jacob always prospered, just as his father blessed him. Laban’s own sons were not satisfied because their wealth was going to Jacob.

Jacob became very afraid, and the LORD told him, “Go back to your father’s land. I will be with you.”

#####Note:#####

From this, we can see that God’s ways are different from ours.

We always want people to pay for their mistakes, but the LORD has a greater plan.He wants them to CHANGE.

He blesses, and teaches at the same time. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. God keeps his promise.

He blessed Jacob, to keep his father’s word. Yet, he taught Jacob a lesson for cheating his brother.

God taught Jacob honesty and made him work very hard, by allowing Laban to cheat him many times.By now, Jacob had changed and become a better man. God loved him and took care of him, through it all.

A lot has been happening with Jacob for years, but what about his brother Esau? Does God have a plan?

Yes, the LORD makes them meet again

#####Note:#####

*****Jacob Prepares to Meet His Brother******

By now, Jacob had realized his mistake. God has changed his heart. Jacob wanted to make right with his brother. Jacob travelled to his father’s land, and sent messengers to meet his brother Esau. (in those day, they didn’t have hand phones or internet! They had to pass a message through a person).

He told them to say this to his brother (Genesis 32:4-5) : “Your servant Jacob say “I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, and servants as gifts to you. I hope you will be friendly with me."

But the messengers returned to Jacob with bad news! They said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is bringing 400 men with him, to meet you!”

Jacob was terrified. He divided his servants into groups and sent them in different directions. He picked the best goats to give as gifts to his brother and sent them. He told each herd to go ahead of him.

He said, “When you meet my brother, tell him, “All this belong to your servant Jacob. This is his gift you. He is coming behind us.”

Jacob prayed to God. Jacob was so afraid his brother will attack him, his family and his servants. Jacob was not selfish anymore. He cared for the people with him. He asked God to help him. He humbled himself, and realized that he was not worthy of God’s kindness to his life, all this while. (Genesis 32: 9-21)

*****Jacob Wrestles with God*****

Jacob spent that night alone in the camp, and suddenly a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When it was daybreak, the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”So, the man touched Jacob’s hips. The man told Jacob, “Your name will not be Jacob anymore. You will be called Israel, because you struggled with God and men, and you have overcome.”

When the sun rose above, Jacob was limping because of his hips.

#####Note:#####

Jacob asked God for blessing, and God touched his hips. He became injured instead and started limping! Sometimes in life, we don’t understand God’s ways, and see unfortunate things as disasters, but God always has a plan! Read on!

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*****Jacob Meets Esau*****

Jacob saw his brother coming with 400 men! (Genesis 33)Jacob arranged his wives, children and servants to stand. He went in front of them, and bowed down to the ground 7 times to Esau, as he got nearer to his brother.

Jacob was so scared whether his brother will accept him.

But guess what?

The Lord has melted Esau’s heart, just as He had changed Jacob.

Esau was filled with compassion as he saw his brother limping. He ran to meet Jacob. He hugged him and kissed him. Esau had forgiven his brother for cheating him. He still loved and accepted his brother.Both the brothers cried.

Imagine, they were meeting each other after more than 15 years!

Esau did not want to accept the gifts, because God had also prospered him with plenty. He was happy to have his brother back.

And that was the day, the 2 brothers were reconciled. Their relationship was restored. LOVE WON! (as the Bible says in I Corinthians 13; LOVE always WINS in the end.)

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LESSONS for us to learn:

1) Don’t cheat others. What you do to others, will happen to you in other ways, in life. Remember, what happened to Jacob, for cheating his brother. Follow God’s rules for living, and you won’t go wrong. When you realize your mistake, quickly make right.

2) If you’ve been cheated, learn to FORGIVE & LOVE. God has his own way of dealing with the cheater. God will teach them a lesson & make them change. That’s God’s role. It’s not your job to teach people a lesson. So BE PROFESSIONAL, & leave the rest to God. Remember, how God handled Jacob.Don’t revenge. Revenge belong only to God. See how Esau never purposely went after his brother. See how he loved and forgave his brother.

3) God’s way is always LOVE. Even the lesson he teaches, is because He loves us and wants us to change. While we are going through the lesson, he still loves and protects us, just like he treated Jacob. Follow God’s example. You WIN when your ENEMY CHANGES & REALIZES HIS MISTAKE, NOT when he suffers and you fight for your right. You WIN when LOVE WINS.

4) When people realize their mistake, change and come back to you, accept them with LOVE. Just like Esau accepted his brother.

5) When we ask God for help or blessing, sometimes it might look that things turn into a disaster instead. But don’t worry! God has a plan. We might not understand, but God knows what he’s doing! Just like he made Jacob limp, to melt his brother’s heart.

6) Remember, the LORD is the GOD of JUSTICE & FAIRNESS. At the same time, GOD is LOVE. His ways and time frame is different from ours.God kept his word to the father's blessings. It took Jacob & Esau more than 15 years to meet! He made justice for Esau, by allowing Jacob to be cheated time and again. He taught Esau to LOVE & FORGIVE, by allowing him to be hurt. God blessed them both. And it turned out so touching & beautiful! God is always in CONTROL. Just BELIEVE IT.

7) Read your Bible & pray everyday. You can get timeless wisdom from God. Everything we experience in life already happened in the Bible. Learn the right way to handle it. Learn to understand & trust God.

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-JJ-