From Struggle to Reconciliation: Jacob’s Journey of Faith
- Be God's Glory
- Jan 10
- 8 min read
Welcome to The Glory Team Bible Reading plan. In Chapters 31-33 Jacob flees Laban, wrestles with God, and reconciles with Esau. God’s protection and Jacob’s transformation are evident.
Genesis 31: Jacob's difficult departure from his father-in-law, Laban, after working for him for twenty years, where Jacob feels mistreated and cheated; following a divine dream, Jacob secretly leaves with his family and possessions, leading Laban to pursue him and accuse him of theft; despite the tension, they eventually make a covenant of separation, with Jacob swearing by the God of his ancestors, marking a peaceful parting and Jacob's return to the land of Canaan as God commanded him to do.
Genesis 32: Jacob, fearing his brother Esau's potential revenge for stealing his birthright, prepares to meet him by sending a large herd of livestock as a gift and dividing his family into two camps to ensure survival if attacked; while alone, Jacob wrestles with a mysterious man, later revealed to be God, who changes Jacob's name to "Israel" signifying his struggle with God and marking a pivotal moment of transformation in his life as he seeks forgiveness and reconciliation with Esau; this chapter highlights themes of repentance, prayer, and God's intervention in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Genesis 33: Narrates the long-awaited reconciliation between Jacob and Esau, brothers who had been estranged for 20 years after Jacob deceived Esau out of his birthright; upon seeing each other, Jacob humbly bows down to Esau, who surprisingly welcomes him with open arms, leading to a tearful reunion and a renewed bond, with Jacob expressing gratitude for Esau's forgiveness and the brothers parting on good terms, with Jacob eventually settling near the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan.
From Struggle to Reconciliation: Jacob’s Journey of Faith
The purpose of the book of Genesis are to record God's creation of the world and His desire to have a people set apart to worship Him. The author of the Book of Genesis is Moses. There is plenty of evidence that leads to this conclusion:
The Talmud (The Hebrew Bible, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law and Jewish theology.) attributes this book to Moses.
Citations from Genesis show that the Old Testament is part of the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 1:8; 2 Kings 13:23; 1 Chronicles 1:1)
Jesus and the New Testament writers attribute Moses as the author of as an essential part of Scripture (Matthew 19:8; Luke 16:29; 24:27)
The original audience of the book of Genesis are the people of Israel and it was written in the wilderness during Israel's wanderings. The setting is primarily the region presently known as the Middle East.
The Key People we will learn about are Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Joseph.
What is God's Name in these Chapters?
In this portion of our journey we want to dive deep into the character of God described in His name. By identifying who God is, we can further relate to Him personally and build a stronger relationship and connection with Our Father.
Names are important. They give significance to places, people, and things. We identify with so much based off what it's name is. This is considerably notable when it comes to the names of God.
The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God, including His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption.
Elohim - God, The Strong Creator
Jehovah - Lord, The Self-Existing One
El Elyon - The Lord God Most High
Adonai - Lord, Master
El Roi - God who sees me
El Shaddai - God Almighty
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will provide
In Genesis Chapter31, God’s character God is portrayed as a protector, a covenant-keeping God, and a provider, with the primary names used in this chapter being "The God of my father" (referring to Isaac), "The Fear of Isaac" (a specific title emphasizing reverence), and "The God of Bethel" (highlighting God's presence at a significant place in Jacob's life). Elohim emphasizing His sovereignty and power as the Creator and supreme ruler. For example, in Genesis 31:24, God is referred to as "Elohim" when He speaks to Laban in a dream, warning him not to harm Jacob. The God of Bethel in Genesis 31:13, God reminds Jacob of His earlier revelation at Bethel, where Jacob had a vision of a ladder connecting heaven and earth (Genesis 28:12-19). Here, God identifies Himself as "the God of Bethel," connecting His promise to Jacob with His ongoing guidance and faithfulness.
In Genesis Chapter 32, God’s name and character are revealed through His faithfulness, grace, and transformative power. Jacob prays to "the God of my father Abraham and the God of my father Isaac," recognizing God's covenantal promises and pleading for deliverance from Esau. Later, in a mysterious encounter, Jacob wrestles with a divine being and receives a new name, Israel, symbolizing his transformation and the intimate relationship he shares with God. This chapter underscores God’s character as both a covenant-keeper and a transformative presence, shaping Jacob into the leader of His chosen people while demonstrating His grace and power to protect and fulfill His promises. Elohim: This name is used in Genesis 32:9 when Jacob addresses God in his prayer, acknowledging His supreme authority as the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac.
YHWH: The covenantal name of God, translated as "LORD" in most English Bibles, appears in the same verse, emphasizing God’s faithfulness to His promises.
In Genesis Chapter 33, (Genesis 33:20), Jacob builds an altar and names it El-Elohe-Israel, which means "God, the God of Israel." This name signifies Jacob’s recognition of God as his personal God, reflecting his transformed identity after his wrestling encounter in Genesis 32. God's character in Genesis 33 is revealed through His faithfulness, reconciliation, and provision. After years of estrangement, Jacob and Esau reunite peacefully, a testament to God’s work in softening hearts and fulfilling His promise of protection to Jacob. Jacob’s worshipful act of building an altar and naming it "El-Elohe-Israel" highlights his acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty, grace, and personal relationship with him. This chapter emphasizes God’s power to reconcile and His faithfulness to His promises, guiding Jacob to safety and restoring familial bonds.
Christ in Every Book of the Bible
Christ is the theme throughout the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ is the Seed of the woman Genesis 3:14 , He is the Passover Lamb Exodus 12:3, The Atoning Sacrifice Leviticus 17:11, The Smitten Rock Numbers 20:8, 11, The Faithful Prophet Deuteronomy 18:18, Christ is the Captain of the Lord's Host Joshua 5:15, The Divine Deliverer Judges 2:18, The Kinsman Redeemer Ruth 3:12, Christ is the anticipated as the Anointed One,1 Samuel 2:10, The Son of David 2 Samuel 7:14, The Coming King 1 & 2 Kings, Builder of the Temple 1 & 2 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 28:20), Ezra represents Christ as the Restorer of the Nation Ezra 6:14, 15, Nehemiah shows Him as the Restorer of the Temple Nehemiah 6:15, and Esther portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation Ester 4:14, Christ is seen as the Living Redeemer Job 19:25, The Praise of Israel Psalm 150:6, The Wisdom of God Proverbs 8:22, 23, The Great Teacher Ecclesiastics 12:11, The Fairest of Ten Thousand Song of Solomon 5:10. Christ is the Suffering Servant Isaiah 53:11, The Maker of the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31, The Man of Sorrows Lamentations 3:28-30, The Glory of God Ezekiel 43:2, The coming Messiah Daniel 9:25, The Lover of the Unfaithful Hosea 3:1, The Hope of Israel Joel 3:16, The Husbandman Amos 9:13, the Savior Obadiah 21, the Resurrected One Jonah 2:10, the Ruler in Israel Micah 5:2, the Avenger Nahum 2:1, the Holy God Habakkuk 1:13, the King of Israel Zephaniah 3:15, the Desire of Nations Haggai 2:7, the Righteous Branch Zechariah 3:8, and the Sun of Righteousness Malachi 4:2.
The King of the Jews Matthew 2:2, the Servant of the Lord Mark 10:45, the Son of Man Luke 19:10, and the Son of God John 1:1. Christ is the Ascended Lord Acts 1:10, the believer's Righteousness Romans 1:17, Sanctification 1 Corinthians 1:30, Sufficiency 2 Corinthians 12:9, and Liberty Galatians 2:4. He is the Exalted Head of the church Ephesians 1:22, the Christian's Joy Philippians 1:26, and the Fullness of Deity Colossians 2:9. In the Thessalonian epistles Christ is the believer's Comfort 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 and Glory 2 Thessalonians 1:12. The Christian's Preserver 1 Timothy 4:10, Rewarder 2 Timothy 4:8, Blessed Hope Titus 2:13, and Substitute Philemon 17. He is the High Priest Hebrews 4:15, the Giver of Wisdom James 1:5, the Rock 1 Peter 2:6, and Precious Promise 2 Peter 1:4. John represents Christ as the Life 1 John, the Truth 2 John, and the Way 3 John, Jude portrays Christ as the Advocate and Revelation shows Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revelation 19:16. The whole Bible is literally all about Christ!
Questions: Let's expand how these chapters expanded your faith and your relationship with God.
Questions About God’s Character (Genesis 31–33):
How does God’s faithfulness to Jacob in Genesis 31 encourage us to trust Him in times of uncertainty?
In what ways does God’s protection of Jacob from Laban and Esau reveal His role as a protector in our lives today?
How does Jacob’s acknowledgment of God as “the God of Bethel” (Genesis 31:13) reflect the importance of remembering God’s promises? How can we apply this in our lives?
How does God’s intervention in Laban’s dream (Genesis 31:24) demonstrate His justice? How does this assurance of justice comfort us today?
What does God’s willingness to engage with Jacob personally in Genesis 32 (through wrestling) teach us about His desire for relationship and transformation in our lives?
Questions About Themes:
Faithfulness: How does God’s faithfulness to Jacob across these chapters mirror His faithfulness to us through Jesus Christ?
Reconciliation: How does the reunion between Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33 illustrate God’s power to restore broken relationships? What does this teach us about forgiveness?
Transformation: How does Jacob’s name change to Israel in Genesis 32 reflect the transformative work of God in a believer’s life?
Worship: How does Jacob building an altar in Genesis 33:20 demonstrate a heart of worship? How can we cultivate a similar attitude of gratitude today?
Trust in God’s Plan: How do these chapters encourage us to trust God’s timing and provision even when situations seem uncertain or dangerous?
Reflective Application Questions:
How can you actively trust God’s promises in your current challenges, as Jacob did in his prayer in Genesis 32:9-12?
Are there areas in your life where you need to seek reconciliation like Jacob and Esau? How can you take steps toward forgiveness and restoration?
How does your personal identity in Christ compare to Jacob’s transformation into “Israel”? What does living in this new identity mean for you?
What "altars" (moments of worship or acknowledgment) can you create in your life to remind you of God’s faithfulness?
How do you see God’s protection and provision in your life? How can this encourage you to trust Him more fully?
What does Jacob’s wrestling with God teach you about perseverance in prayer and surrender?
For Personal Reflection and Group Discussion:
What does Jacob’s struggle with God (Genesis 32) teach us about wrestling with our doubts and fears in prayer?
How does Esau’s forgiving attitude challenge us to let go of grudges and embrace others with grace?
How can we relate God’s justice in protecting Jacob from Laban and Esau to injustices we may face today?
What practical steps can you take this week to live boldly for God as Jacob did in declaring “El-Elohe-Israel”?
How does God’s hand in the events of Genesis 31–33 inspire you to rely on His sovereignty in your daily decisions?
Reference Guides:
Life Application Study Guide
A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman L. Geisler
The Power of God's Names by Tony Evans
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