“Facing the music”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday, February 18, 2022

Genesis 32:22-33:17 (Forward, p. 20) CEV p. 33

“Facing the music”: we don’t know the origins of this phrase; they are lost in the dim mists of history, but we do know its meaning. It means to ‘face the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions’, usually ones that are negative in nature.

This certainly is the case in today’s passage. Jacob is having to ‘face the music’ for his past rather questionable behaviours. Jacob was returning home and was dreading a ‘fateful’ meeting with his wronged brother Esau. Jacob was truly, and rightfully, frightened by such a prospect, for Esau had previously vowed to kill his brother (Genesis 27:41)—and for good reason! He had tricked Esau out of his birthright and his father’s blessing. And now Esau was heading out to meet Jacob but was not alone. He was also accompanied by some four hundred of his own men. This did not seem to bode well for Jacob.

Jacob therefore took some steps to try to appease Esau. Firstly, he sent messengers bearing peaceful messages ahead of himself to Esau to try to pave the way for a friendly encounter. These messengers were rebuffed, returning instead with the information that Esau was heading this way with all the fore-mentioned supporters.

Jacob, somewhat cannily, then divided his entourage into two groups, with various of his people and livestock into two groups. That way, if one group was attacked, the other would survive. Furthermore, he sent at least three herds of goats, sheep, camels and cattle ahead of him as gifts for Esau. And throughout all this, he referred to himself as Esau’s ‘servant’ and Esau as his ‘master.’

After doing all this, sending everyone else, Jacob got up in the middle of the night and sent his wife, children and everything else, ahead of himself. Jacob then stayed in his old camp on the other side of the River Jabbok and spent the rest of the night there alone. This is where today’s narrative picks up on the matter.

It was here, and in the middle of the night, that Jacob encountered an unnamed, unknown stranger and was forced to wrestle with him. This continued until just before daybreak. When this stranger realizes that he could not win this wrestling match, he struck Jacob on the hip and threw it out of joint. They kept on wrestling until the man said, ‘Let go of me! It is almost daylight.’

Much has been legitimately said about this encounter, and much more speculated. What can be said, almost for sure, was that Jacob was facing a severe crisis in his life, one where none of his previous tactics and stratagems would work. He was literally and figuratively ‘in the dark’, facing the unknown and facing his darkest fears. He was literally at his wit’s end, having tried everything, and not knowing whether any of it would ‘work’. And so the stranger, whom Jacob belatedly names as God (though perhaps he was an angel), could well symbolize everything that he was unsure of, everything that was unknown or fearsome to him. Or, perhaps, that stranger represented all that he had hitherto avoided, his deep dark past, his nefarious dealings with his brother Esau. Maybe it was a case of ‘the chickens coming home to roost’, a case of his finally ‘facing the music.’

And then, Jacob did meet with Esau, did finally ‘face the music’, much to his utmost surprise everything did go well. But, even then, perhaps Jacob was not quite so sure, turning down Esau’s offer to either accompany them himself or have some of his men do so. (On the other hand, it may have been that Esau wasn’t totally sure, either). Anyway, it appears that the two brothers then went their separate ways, at last being reconciled to each other.

While this story takes place in a far-off time and place, it reminds me that we are indeed accountable for our actions, if not with each other, then at least with God. Jacob could not avoid ‘facing the music’ for his deeds and neither can we. But fortunately, we have a God that, though wronged by our sin and misdeeds, still chooses to forgive us and restore the severed relationship. May we, as followers and imitators of Him, do likewise with each other. Amen.

Forward notes: “[Jacob] himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept” (verses 3-4).

“There is no shame quite like the shame of knowing that you have hurt a loved one. It’s bad enough to face a painful conflict or estrangement when you are sure you’re in the right; it is even worse when you realize that you were in the wrong. Asking for forgiveness is incredibly hard, especially when you know well that you don’t deserve it.

“When Jacob asks Esau’s forgiveness after years of estrangement, Jacob tries to show humility and regret. But Esau doesn’t care about all his careful displays of remorse. Instead, he runs to hug his younger brother, just happy to see him again.

“In our own families, we will sometimes be the ones with the power to graciously grant forgiveness. At other times, we will be the ones who have to humble ourselves and hope mercy will be shown to us. No matter which place we occupy, God rejoices every time we show compassion to the people we love most.”

Moving Forward: “Offer forgiveness, without strings or conditions.”