Genesis 33
In anticipation of crossing the River Jordan after his long stay with Laban , the burden of guilt upon the life of Jacob was in respect to the bad he did to Esau in the past.
Jacob connived with his mother to rob Esau of the blessings that was worth of him as a first born child.
Esau was never pleased of such a fraudulent act.
And by the mother’s advice Jacob left to go stay with his uncle-Laban in order to escape the wrath of Esau.
However, when it was time to leave Laban’s home, Jacob knew that In going back home he was predestined to face the wrath of Esau.
Thus the fear of the wrath of Esau gripped Jacob when it was time for him to cross the river Jordan.
He sent his family across the River Jordan ahead of himself; and he stayed behind out of fear in regards to what Esau would do to him.
While Jacob had stayed behind after his family had crossed the river Jordan, contemplating his next strategic move, an angel came and started wrestling with Jacob.
They wrestled from midnight to the break of dawn and they did not stop wrestling till Jacob was blessed by the angel.
The angel blessed Jacob by declaring,”You will nolonger be called Jacob but you will be called Israel from henceforth; because you have fought both God and man and you have overcome.”
In retrospect the purpose of the blessing was to reinforce Jacob into understanding that he will overcome his confrontation with Esau despite his past astrocities towards Esau.
Overcoming the wrath of Esau should never be an issue for Jacob because it’s on record that he has wrestled with both God and man and yet still Jacob has overcome.
Upon crossing the river Jordan, Jacob sent Massagers with gifts to offer unto Esau, inorder to measure Esau’s reaction.
This was vital because it would inform Jacob about the thoughts and the attitude of Esau towards Jacob.
In order to be prepared for whatever reaction that Esau possessed in his mind.
Jacob anticipated a conflict , a war and a diabolical wrath upon confronting Esau.
But God turned it around and the confrontation ended up being a peaceful and joyous reunion between two brothers.
In other wards God has the propensity to turn a situation of conflict into a peace making occasion.
And for that very reason you are about to receive favor from that which you thought would reject you.
The thing that you fear the most is about to be conquered by you because of the word of God over your life.
The name Jacob loosely means a conman. And the name Israel loosely translated a righteous nation.
So in the encounter with Esau, Jacob is no longer a conman with a track record of cunningly taking Esau’s blessing but Jacob is Israel-a righteous nation chosen by the Almighty God.
So essentially the blessing that Jacob received from God after wrestling with the angel of God, was to take away the burden of guilt so as to face Esau burden free.
Once the burden of guilt was taken off Jacob, he was blessed to obtain favor from whose who would ordinarily accuse him of wrongdoing.
As much as those who would find it appropriate to persecute him with evidence.
In otherwards the blessing of God made Jacob come before Esau as a righteous nation that cannot be accused, persecuted and killed by conflict.
Even with evidence Esau would not reject Jacob nor fight him
Because of the blessing of God upon Jacob.
A blessing that facilitates one to overcome persecution, accusations, criminality and conflict.
At this juncture, it does not matter what you have done to get by and by.
Some of the things you have done are criminal and unworthy as much as unpleasant to those above you and to those around you.
And you are in constant fear of the repercussions and the consequences that may come from those above you.
But don’t be afraid because the mercy of God endures all things forever.
The grace of God is sufficient and more than enough.
By the blessing of God that consists of the mercy and grace of God you have been made free from the burden of guilt.
The next time you meet those above you and those in authority instead of being accused , rejected, and persecuted ; they will favor you, bless you, honor you, protect you, and celebrate you.
Jacob overcame the burden of guilt over his life after begetting a blessing from God.
A blessing called a righteous nation that overcomes all things.
And in his encounter with Esau, Jacob found favor in the eyes of Esau who would have accused, persecuted and killed Jacob with evidence.
Thus you will also find favor in the eyes of those who would have accused , persecuted and killed you for evil doing.
This favor that you will find in the eyes of those that pose a threat to your destiny and purpose , will be by virtue of the blessing, and the anointing of a righteous nation that has come upon you.
