The Hmong have a proverb saying,“If it is torn, sew it; if it is dirty, wash it.” Ecclesiastes 1:1 says, “There is a time for everything and a season for everything under the sun.” Verse 8 adds that there is “a time for war and a time for peace.”

Jacob stole the birthright from his brother Esau and later stole the blessing that his father intended to bless Esau. For these reasons, Esau planned to kill Jacob after their father Isaac had died. Fearful of this, Jacob escaped and spent many years with his uncle Laban in a foreign land.

The fact is this: those who are not our siblings, even though we call them “brothers” they cannot become our siblings. And those who are our siblings, even though we deny them, they are still our siblings. Therefore, if there is a problem between siblings, the one who is wrong should ask for forgiveness and the one who has been hurt should forgive. Restoration should be made, the sooner the better.

1. When Jacob did something wrong for his brother Esau, he escaped to live in a foreign land according to his mother’s advice (Genesis 27:42-46). But at the end, what did Jacob have to do with Esau? (Genesis 33:1-3).  add answer

2. When Esau was angry at Jacob, he made plan to kill him (Genesis 27:41). But many years later when his anger subsided, what did he do with Jacob? (Genesis 33:4).  add answer

3. According to verses 8-11, what was the reason for Jacob to present those animals to Esau, and what did Esau do?  add answer

4. Jacob bowed down seven times to Esau (verse 3), but thousand years later, when the Apostle Peter entered the house of a Roman military leader, he bowed down to Peter, what did Peter do and say? (Acts 10:25-26).  add answer

5. Think and try to remember an occasion when you had problem with someone that broke your relationship with that person, but later the two of you were able to reconcile. How did you feel? This kind of experience will help you understand how Jacob had felt after he was forgiven by his brother Esau.  add answer