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14. Jacob's return home and reconciliation with his brother.

When peace could no longer be maintained, Jacob returned to Canaan with his wives and children and numerous flocks and probably remembered what he had once done to his brother. For conscience knows no time.

Esau lived in the land of Seir and was a rich and powerful man there. So Jacob sent a message to him, saying that he was coming home now so that he could find out what his brother's attitude was towards him. But the kind-hearted brother had long since forgotten all grief and resentment; indeed, out of sheer joy he wanted to do his brother a great honour and went to meet him with an escort of four hundred men.

But Jacob was worried about this and feared that his brother would want to attack him. For this is the torment of a wounded conscience, that it has no confidence in men and can look forward to nothing. But he sent many gifts to his brother, sheep, oxen and camels, and divided his flock and herd in two so that he could escape with one if Esau attacked the other. He also prayed that day: ‘O Lord God of my fathers, I am too little for all the mercy and faithfulness you have shown your servant. For I had nothing but this staff when I crossed the Jordan, and now I am returning with two large flocks. Deliver me from the hand of my brother!’

It is to be believed that this moment was the beginning of the mending of his heart. For he who thinks of God's goodness and of his own unworthiness and helplessness, and his heart is moved so that he must pray and can never do otherwise, has found the way to recovery. God also gave him a new name and called him Israel, which means, as it were, that he was now a different person than he had been before.

The next morning he opened his eyes and saw his brother coming with four hundred men. He went out to meet him with his wives and children and bowed himself to the ground seven times before him until he came to him. But Esau, the noble-hearted man, took a shorter view. He approached his brother, hugged and kissed him, and they both wept with sadness and joy. Afterwards he also greeted his brother's wives and children - and at first he did not want to accept the gifts at all, for he had had enough and was content just to have his brother Jacob back.

Jacob called Esau his master and himself his servant, indicating that he never wanted the firstborn or dominion over his brothers. But Esau said one thing after another: ‘My brother’ and asked for nothing in return, but honoured his father's word. So the brothers were reconciled, and God blessed Jacob and confirmed to him the promise of his fathers.

O Lord God, merciful and gracious and patient, and of great kindness and faithfulness, who showest grace and mercy in a thousand ways, and forgivest iniquity and sin and transgression, and before whom no man is innocent.

Esau later became a mighty ruler in the land of Seir and is the progenitor of the people of Edom. Jacob, however, remained in the land of Canaan. But the descendants of Esau and the descendants of Jacob lived at enmity with each other from then on. For many things that God forgives, men do not forgive, and yet there are so many reasons for reconciliation and peace.