19. Back to Canaan - کنعان پر واپس جائیں۔
Grandma Ida wrote this Biblical story
Teacher Arosa told this Biblical story
Do you remember what happened last time? Jacob had made a long journey to Haran. Why did he flee? He fled because his brother Esau wanted to kill him.
Along the way, he had a wonderful dream. What did he see in that dream? And the best part of his journey was that Jacob heard God’s voice. What did God say to him? "I am with you. I will watch over you everywhere you go!"
Do you also remember the name of the girl Jacob saw by the well—the one he fell in love with? (Rachel) But her father insisted that Jacob should also marry his other daughter. Her name was Leah, and because of this, she often felt sad.
Fourteen years had passed, during which Jacob had to work without wages to pay for his two wives. In that time, Leah bore children, and eventually, Rachel also gave birth to a son, whom she named Joseph. Jacob then wished to leave and return to Canaan with his wives.
Laban understood that his sheep-farming enterprise was prospering because God was blessing Jacob’s work. However, Jacob wanted to earn an income of his own to provide for his large family.
The situation in Laban’s household became very difficult. Laban and his sons grew jealous of Jacob. They were willing to let him stay, provided he continued to generate sufficient profit for Laban. They attempted to reach an agreement, but the atmosphere in the household had turned hostile.
One day, during the night, Jacob had a dream. It was God speaking to him: "Do you remember, Jacob, when you were in Bethel and saw the ladder with angels? You promised Me then that, if I took care of you, you would return to your father and mother in Canaan. You set up a stone and poured oil over it. Jacob, the time has now come to leave and go to the land that I have given to you—the land of your father and mother."
Then Jacob left secretly with Rachel, Leah, and the children. Laban was not at home at the time; he was away shearing sheep. They set off on camels, taking with them a large portion of Laban’s flock—livestock for which Jacob had worked honestly. Jakob is happy, but also nervous. Happy because he is going to see his father and mother again. Yet, Jacob also finds himself thinking about Esau—Esau, who had wanted to kill him. Could he still be that angry? Jacob is afraid, too. The children do not know that.
The children find going on a trip fun and exciting. But if it takes a long time, they also start asking, "When will we be in that other country?" The journey is slow, however, with all those children and the livestock. There are so many animals—you couldn’t even count them. Donkeys, goats, white sheep, black sheep, and lambs.
"Take a good look," says father Jacob. "Do you see the mountains? That is the land of Canaan, where we are going." "Yay!" the children shout—Simon, Levi, Judah, and Reuben (those are their names). But Jacob does not look happy at all. It almost seems as if he is afraid—and he is. He is thinking about Esau. How big and strong he was! His red hair, and his angry eyes... What if Esau is still angry with him? He knows he did wrong; he lied to obtain the blessing. That was not right. The promise was indeed meant for him, but he should not have taken it for himself—God would have given it to him.
Jacob had sent a few servants to Esau. These servants, who travel much faster, have now returned. They reported that Esau is on his way to Jacob with an army of 400 soldiers.
Then Jacob knelt down before God and prayed: "O God of my father Abraham and my father Isaac, I come to You. I know that I can tell You everything. I am so afraid of Esau; I do not know what to do. Yet, You told me that I could return to Canaan—I was so happy! I have received so much from You. When I first set out to go to Laban, I had nothing but a staff; now, I have Rachel and Leah, my eleven children, and so many sheep and camels. Everything I have, I have received from You. You promised that You would take care of us."
Having poured out his heart to God, Jacob found peace. God also revealed to him that He commands a heavenly host—an army of angels. Jacob beheld this army in the wilderness, where he was staying with his wives and children; there were two encampments along the path he was to travel. I do not know whether the children saw them as well, but in any case, this gave Jacob the confidence that God has everything under control.
Jacob once again sends servants to Esau with a great number of goats and bucks, ewes and rams, camels with their young, cows and bulls, and male and female donkeys.
He sent gifts ahead to Esau, hoping to make peace. Then he sent his family across a river to safety, and Jacob was left all alone in the dark.
And in the dark, a Man appeared - and began to wrestle with Jacob! They wrestled all night long. Jacob would not give up. As dawn broke, the Man touched Jacob's hip and it was hurt, but still Jacob held on. “Let me go!” the Man said. But Jacob gasped, “I won't let go unless You bless me!”
Then the Man said, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. “Not anymore,” said the Man. “Your name is now Israel - because you have wrestled with God and would not give up.”
Jacob realized something amazing: he had been wrestling with God Himself! “I have seen God face to face,” he said in wonder. The sun came up as Jacob walked on - with a new name, a limp to remember the night by, and a heart that had held onto God and would not let go.
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