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History Repeats Itself - Genesis 33:1,2

When Jacob was returning from Paddan Aram, where he had spent about 20 years working for his uncle Laban, and was approaching Canaan, he was told that his brother Esau was on his way with 400 men to meet him.

Jacob got so desperately anxious for his life and the lives of his family, that he spent the whole night fighting in prayer for a solution about what to do. If we remember, when he had left Canaan, his brother had promised to kill him for having stolen his blessing of the firstborn.

As Jacob looked up and saw his brother from afar off, he decided to divide his family in three groups. The only thing in his mind was that Esau would kill them all in revenge for what had happened 20 years ago.

So, in the first group, Jacob set his maidservants with their children, so that in case they got killed, the others behind could have a chance to escape. In the second group, he set Leah with her children, perhaps to safeguard the lives of Rachel, Joseph and himself, just in case.

Fortunately, for everyone's luck, Esau had changed his mind in the course of those 20 years and nothing drastic happened to anyone. However, everyone with the minimum of commonsense can see that this attitude of Jacob's was everything but fair.

But let's see how different Jesus did to prevent History from repeating itself. The text is in Matthew 26:36-39.

Soon after the Last Supper, as he sensed arrest, he took his disciples and fled to a hiding place in the Gethsemani. At the entrance of the Garden, he left eight of the disciples and told them to watch, and took farther inside the other three disciples: Peter, James and John. Perhaps he thought, if there was a fight, at least the second group would have a chance to escape. In another place farther in, he told the three disciples to stay put and watch, while he would go deeper inside to spend some time
in prayer.

Now, I have been wondering how much of these two cases have in common. One thing we can all be certain of: Both men, Jacob and Jesus were going through the same kind of anxieties in fear for their lives. Bear in mind that the parallel between the facts within the cases is astounding. Would it be appropriate to think of the eight disciples at the entrance of the Garden as the facsimile to the maidservants of Jacob with their children? How about the three disciples in the second group meant to represent Leah with her children? And scary of all, Jesus himself for Jacob with Rachel and Joseph? Luke does say that Jesus was indeed so anxious as to sweat even drops of blood. Anyway but... I don't think either case justifies the measures taken. Both sound too unfair. Any idea out there to set my mind at easy?

Ben

I wrote in another post; HIStory repeats itself. That is the basis of the whole New Testament , and why the scriptures must align and be interpreted so. Jesus knew His fate , as Jacob did not. Yeshua knew He must rise to the Father, and the only way was through death, and the death of sin the Father had prepared Him for!The whole Bible ;from Old to New overlays itself with Prophesy, and that is where Judaic believers are veiled in thier understanding. Joseph with a coat of many colors foretells the story of Jesus, as well as many more. I thank G-d we are so blessed that He has opened our eye's in these final day's before His restoration of His kingdom on earth!

Ben Masada says:  "Soon after the Last Supper, as he sensed arrest, he took his disciples and fled to a hiding place in the Gethsemani. At the entrance of the Garden, he left eight of the disciples and told them to watch, and took farther inside the other three disciples: Peter, James and John. Perhaps he thought, if there was a fight, at least the second group would have a chance to escape. In another place farther in, he told the three disciples to stay put and watch, while he would go deeper inside to spend some time in prayer."

This is incorrect.  If you read the whole narrative carefully, you will see that what Jesus told the disciples to do was to take up a spiritual watch so they would not enter into temptation.  It was not to watch for Jesus.  Jesus went to the garden as a spiritual retreat, knowing that Judas would soon lead the soldiers there.  When the soldiers came, he gave himself up willingly.  If you don't accept the gospel accounts in their entirety, you might as well discard them altogether.

Ben,

Do you actually think God allows successive generations to die a physical death just to teach us what He says is truth?

Included in the Gospel is the truth that God can take the dust of the earth and make life.

In Luke Jesus walked through a crowd who was going to throw him over a cliff near his home town as I recall.

I don't think we should discourage Ben Masada for wanting to see paralells between Yeshua and patriarchs.

But honestly I think this one isn't the best arguement when you think of the Gospel portrayals of Jesus knowing everything and also their predestination type talk.

[quote=Robert]
I wrote in another post; HIStory repeats itself. That is the basis of the whole New Testament , and why the scriptures must align and be interpreted so. Jesus knew His fate , as Jacob did not. Yeshua knew He must rise to the Father, and the only way was through death, and the death of sin[ Should I say taking our sin upon Himself!] that Father had prepared Him for!The whole Bible ;from Old to New overlays itself with Prophesy, and that is where Judaic believers are veiled in thier understanding. Joseph with a coat of many colors foretells the story of Jesus, as well as many more. I thank G-d we are so blessed that He has opened our eye's in these final day's before His restoration of His kingdom on earth!
I revised a sentence that Jesus took our sins upon Himself , and not a death of sin. I guess that is where History won't repeat itself because by believing in Him, and accepting that gift; We will live forever in the Fathers Kingdom; free from sin, and never to repeat that mistake again! Amen. [The Holy Spirit seems to always have a reason to my errors!]

Jesus was Jewish, and Jews do not believe in predestination. We believe
in individual freewill.

Ben:

Jesus could not have taken our sins upon himself because he knew the Scriptures that it's against the Law for a man do die for another. Read
Deuteronomy 24:16; II Kings 14:6; Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18;4.

Ben:

Jesus could not have taken our sins upon himself because he knew the Scriptures that it's against the Law for a man do die for another. Read
Deuteronomy 24:16; II Kings 14:6; Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18;4.

Ben:
[/quote]Ben, I will read your verses and respond again. While you wait , maybe you can answer me a question? If this is true, why does Israel have an army?[ Joshua, and David,and today]because it's against the law?,when G-d ordered to take by sword the land of your forefathers] and how would Israel be now, if men Israel would  not fight? Was it the law when the the Priests demanded Christs execution, and stoned the prophets? Perhaps not? But does not G-d's will always prevail?, except for men who freely choose not to obey the Father?and by the way; Jesus is not dead!

"Jesus could not have taken our sins upon himself because he knew the Scriptures that it's against the Law for a man do die for another."

What the New Testament teaches is:  "... For we have judged this, that if one died for all then all died." (II Corinthians 5:14)  In the salvation of Jesus, every man dies for his own sins, through Jesus, so every man who dies for his sins in Jesus can rise again with Jesus.

"Jesus was Jewish, and Jews do not believe in predestination."

Rather, you should say, Jesus was Jewish and he believed in predestination, so Jews who don't believe in predestination are grievously mistaken.