Welcome to 10 minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life.

In the time it takes to get to work.

I'm Patrick Miller.

Right now we're going through the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

In TV books and movies there is a very very simple way to make the audience hate a

character. Even think of that character as a villain. You do this. You create a

dangerous situation and simply have that character put other people in danger for

the sake of his own safety and self-interest.

You show a bank heist where the character hides behind a child to save his own skin.

You show an intense argument where the character blames someone else for a problem to save himself.

You show a business negotiation where a character lies about someone else to land the big deal.

The so-called heroes of Genesis, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, they actually look a lot like the villains I just described.

Abraham and Isaac both offered their wives to foreign kings to save their own skin.

Jacob lies about his identity to get the big blessing, the big deal from his dad.

But perhaps the darkest moment in Jacob's life comes in Genesis 32.

This is right before Jacob wrestles with God,

and we've already looked at this moment,

but we need to revisit it, to understand what happens next.

Jacob, he's just found out that his older brother,

Esau, is coming towards him with hundreds of men,

probably armed men who are coming to kill him, to execute him.

You've got to remember, when Jacob left Esau decades ago.

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