“…the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest Him of the evil. Who knoweth if He will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him?” Joel 2:13,14
When Jacob was returning “home,” after being in Padan-aram, where some of Abraham’s kinfolk had remained after his departure, a good many years had passed. Jacob had become prosperous as a herdsman, and owner of a large flock of sheep. His family had grown, and now the time had come to return to the “promised land” where Isaac his father lived. However, on his way, he would have to face Esau, his brother who had vowed to kill him at one time. It was during this return voyage that Jacob is brought, in the will of God, face to face with the fear of losing all that he had that was precious to him, even his own life. Though God had commanded him to return, and promised to keep him, it was imperative for him to meet God, or rather, to be met by God. Jacob had to be brought in his heart and mind to the end of himself and his resources to meet his need. Only God could do this. So, Jacob sought God intensely, the Scriptures telling us that, “Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” (Gen. 32:24) It was when time and strength had expired, that Jacob said to God: “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.” (v.26) It is then that the Lord told Jacob something he was not expecting. He said, “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with men, and hast prevailed.” (v.28) The blessing that Jacob sought resulted in much more than he had anticipated. There was no question that he sought God for the blessing of His protection, and preservation, but God looked much further down the corridor of time, even into eternity, when the God of Jacob would send His Son into the world to die for mankind. Jacob was brought by circumstances, in fear and trembling, and yet in the certainty of finding the faithfulness of God to intervene in his life, to the point where God would indeed bless him, but in a manner that would leave him somewhat crippled, yet dependent upon Him. That weakness would turn out to be his strength, for in dependence upon the God of his father, and of Abraham, he would find eternal blessing, a new life and perspective, a new hope. Jacob had anticipated being saved from Esau. God would bring him to helplessness and to faith. God had anticipated much more than the saving of his family. He saw the beginning of a nation, one in which His glory would be revealed by a monumental deliverance from Egypt over four hundred years later, and then the return to the land of promise, there to see the temple built in Jerusalem, and the glory of God revealed in power. This was the blessing of greatest worth, and it far exceeded what Jacob could have even thought. What about us today? Is there hope in our circumstances which in and of themselves, which seem hopeless?
It was in Joel the prophet’s day that Israel was brought face to face with her helplessness in the face of enemy armies, in particular those in nature. Physical armies of locusts, cankerworm, caterpillars and palmerworm, were that sent among them by God Himself. (2:25) This was to bring the people of Israel to helplessness, turning them back to God. These armies had left devastation, and an overwhelming hopelessness. It is Joel who then speaks of the Lord your God, who does not willing afflict, unveiling afresh just who He is, “…gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.” (2:13) He speaks of God’s restoration work, dealing wondrously with His people. The blessing He left behind was primarily a promise of the Spirit’s outpouring.
Dear Father, Bless us in mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.