Today’s FB reading (pgs 53-58; Gen 31-36) has a couple of standouts for me this time through. 1st, the beginning of jiujitsu was not with the Gracies in Brazil, but here with Jacob & the Lord. Rather than 5 minute rounds, it went most of the night and after it was over, Jacob felt like Tony Ferguson after Beneil Dariush had him in that wicked leg lock last year! .
2nd, Jacob was a master of persuasion and influence. What a brilliant move to send Esau gift after gift after gift before their face to face. Amazing that Esau has forgiven his brother & is so joyful to see him. I’ve always thought Jacob’s humility in this reunion helped him literally dodge a bullet, but that he carelessly disrespects Esau by not following him to Seir as promised. But Matthew Henry in his commentary assumes Jacob does so AFTER settling his family in Succoth though it is not recorded, so who knows. It still feels like a diss to me, but Henry is probably right since we find in Ch 36 Esau moving when the two family empires get too big to be close together. You have to image the brothers had many a night around the fire with some good Padron or Safari cigars (or whatever equated such pleasure in their day) during the days of living so close.
3rd, let’s just say those boys in Shechem had it coming to them.
4th, I always forget it was a later meeting with the Lord at Bethel when Jacob becomes Israel, not the PFC (Peniel Fighting championship) wrestling match mentioned above.
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