Do You Know What Your Face Reminds Me Of?

Growing up with two brothers close to my age gave us ample opportunities to make fun of each other…and we took advantage of them. During our time in elementary school, we would often tease each other’s faces, and too frequently we would begin a sentence with the following: “Do you know what your face reminds me of?” Then we would proceed to mention pigs, cows, goats, garbage cans, etc. Ah yes, clear statements of brotherly love.

Speaking of brotherly love, the Bible discusses two brothers who failed to have a good relationship with each other: Jacob and Esau. So, what’s important about these two? Well, we must keep the big picture of the Book of Genesis in mind to understand these brothers’ importance. Remember that God has promised Abraham descendants that would live in Canaan and bless the entire world (Genesis 12:1-4). Abraham has two sons that receive a lot of attention, but only his son Isaac (and not Ishmael) would carry on this promised lineage (Genesis 22:1-2, 15-18). Isaac then has two sons as well, Jacob and Esau. So, which son would continue this promised lineage of Abraham and Isaac? Or would they both? God provides the answer by telling Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, that they would have twins and that the younger son Jacob would be stronger and rule over the older Esau (Genesis 25:22-23).

How does this play out between the two boys? When they become old enough, Jacob convinces Esau for a bowl of stew to exchange his right to be Isaac’s heir and to continue Abraham’s promised lineage (Genesis 25:29-34). In addition, Jacob also deceives Isaac into blessing Jacob when that blessing should have gone to Esau (all of Genesis 27). When this happens, Esau becomes so angry with his deceiving brother that he swears to kill him (Genesis 27:41).

Let’s fast forward several years. Jacob now has a large family and a lot of livestock. He has left his father-in-law Laban’s farm and is headed back to where he grew up (Genesis 31:1-14). On his return, he sends messengers to Esau asking that Esau would not harm him but rather show him mercy and favor (Genesis 32:1-5). The messengers return saying that Esau is coming to Jacob with enough men who could destroy Jacob and his family (Genesis 32:6-8). That evening, Jacob begs God to spare his life so he can carry on the line of Abraham’s promised descendants, and he ends up wrestling a mysterious man the whole night. After the wrestling match, Jacob calls that location “The Face of God” because he believes he wrestled with God (Genesis 32:9-12, 22-32).

The next morning, Jacob sees Esau, and Jacob starts bowing to him so that Esau will spare his life (Genesis 33:3). Esau embraces him, kisses him, and they both start crying (Genesis 33:4). After this reunion, Esau asks what all the presents are for, and Jacob states that they are to find favor in Esau’s sight (Genesis 33:7). But Esau refuses the gifts and states that he has enough material wealth. Jacob then turns to Esau and says that Esau’s face reminds him of God’s (Genesis 33:10). Wait…Jacob had just wrestled with God less than twelve hours ago and had seen God’s face. Now he looks at his brother, who he thought would murder him, and says that Esau reminds him of God’s face. How so? Because both God and Esau dealt graciously with Jacob (Genesis 33:11).

Friend, do you want to reflect God to others? I hope so. I hope the same for me as well. But what is one sure way we do that? According to Jacob, we do that by being gracious and forgiving to those who have wronged us. Jesus came and died for our sins when we never deserved his gracious sacrifice (Ephesians 2:8-9). Consequently, we reflect Jesus and the Gospel when we do the same for others through the Holy Spirit’s power, and I pray that God will use that Spirit-filled testimony of ours so that we can point others back to Jesus and their need for Him. So, through God’s grace and for His glory, may all the “Jacobs” who have wronged us say one day, “Do you know what your face reminds me of?”