The Scarlet Thread                                                        February 2003
Jacob


I don't know about you, but some days I feel like a complete and utter failure.  I do things I'd rather not, put things off that I know should be done, and worst of all I know I disappoint God.  How could He ever use me, let alone bless me, after being so downright rotten?  But just when I'm starting to feel hopeless, I remember Jacob - the supplanter, the deceiver, and a forefather of the Messiah.  You have to admit that there's quite a colorful cast of characters - and I do mean characters - in Yeshua's lineage.

In Genesis 25:22, we are introduced to Jacob, not yet by name, but he makes a strong first impression anyway - especially to his mother, Rebekah.  She is finally pregnant after twenty years of marriage, but is in a bit of physical distress due to high levels of in-utero activity.  So she inquires of the Lord.  In verse 23 we read the Lord's reply:

“The Lord said to her, [The founders of] two nations are in your womb, and the separation of two peoples has begun in your body; the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.”

This struggle, which began in the womb, continued throughout the lives of these two men and is still evident today in the Middle East.  Here is an interesting, and enlightening, footnote from the Amplified Bible regarding this from Genesis 27:34.

Here began a feud that was to cost countless lives throughout succeeding centuries. Esau's descendants, the Amalekites, were the first enemies to obstruct the flight of Jacob's descendants from Egypt (Exod. 17:8); and the Edomites even refused to let their uncle Jacob's children pass through their land (Num. 20:17-20). Doeg, an Edomite, all but caused the death of Christ's chosen ancestor David (I Sam. 21, 22). Bloody battles were fought between the two nations in the centuries that followed. It was Herod, of Esau's race (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 14:1, Section 3), who had the male infants of Bethlehem slain in an effort to destroy the Christ Child (Matt. 2:16). Satan needs no better medium for his evil plans than a family feud, a "mere quarrel" between two brothers.

It was evident from the time of their birth that these twins were not identical by any stretch of the imagination.  Esau, the firstborn, was red and hairy.  He grew to be a skilled hunter and a real outdoorsman.  He was Isaac's favorite.  Jacob, on the other hand, was quiet and a homebody, being content to hang out around the homestead.  I suppose you could say he was a mama's boy.  It's no surprise that he was Rebekah's favorite.

The first deliberate act of conniving we see Jacob perpetrate on his brother is when Esau returns from the fields.  Esau was ravenous and when he caught a whiff of what Jacob was cooking all he could think about was filling his stomach.  So he begs Jacob to give him some of the stew.  (This incident also indicates the deep animosity between the two.)  Rather than willingly give his brother food, Jacob took complete advantage of the situation and tells Esau that he'll give him a bowl of stew in exchange for Esau's birthright.  Esau agrees and the animosity deepens.

In chapter 26 we see the Lord reaffirming His covenant with Isaac.  It is interesting to note that during a great famine, Isaac, just as his father before him, claims that his wife is really his sister in order to save his own skin.  In Isaac's case, Rebekah is not taken by another man since the king discovers Isaac's deception.  It is immediately following this incident that the Lord favors Isaac with blessings.  It is beyond my human comprehension as to why the Lord chose such imperfect vessels to be in relationship with Him, except to show forth His great mercy and grace.  How wonderful an example is this of our not being able to do anything to curry favor with God!  Now, back to Jacob!

In Genesis 27 we are once again privy to Jacob's less than honorable ways.  Yes, this time Rebekah is instigating things, but Jacob doesn't seem to mind being prodded in the least.  Apparently it was not enough that Jacob had duped Esau out of his rightful inheritance as the firstborn; Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive the blessing of the firstborn as well!  Rebekah helped Jacob deceive Isaac in order to secure the firstborn's blessing.  When Esau found out he was infuriated and swore to kill Jacob once his father had passed away.  When Rebekah caught wind of this, she sent Jacob to stay with her brother, Laban, in the land of Haran.  But before Jacob leaves, Isaac blesses him again, asking that the Lord would give to Jacob the blessings of Abraham and the land promised to Abraham.  Isaac also told Jacob to take a wife from among Laban's daughters.  This further inflamed Esau who then purposely takes another wife from among Ishmael's descendents just to spite his father.  Talk about your dysfunctional family!

As for Jacob, on his way to Haran he has a night vision from the Lord.  It is during this visitation that the Lord confirms the Abrahamic covenant with Jacob, despite Jacob's shortcomings.

In Genesis 29 Jacob finally arrives in Haran and meets Rachel.  He falls madly in love with her and agrees to work for his uncle for seven years in order to win her hand in marriage.  But the morning after his wedding night, Jacob realizes he had been had.  Laban gave his oldest daughter, Leah, to Jacob instead of Rachel.  Jacob finally got a taste of his own medicine!  Laban agrees to give Rachel to Jacob if he will work an additional seven years.  He agrees and takes Rachel for his second wife prior to the second seven year term.  We then see Jacob lavish his affections on Rachel, treat Leah like dirt, and go on to have children by not only his two wives, but by their maidservants as well.  But even with all the deception and trickery on Jacob's part, God continues to be faithful to him and does indeed fulfill His promises through Jacob and his offspring.  What an encouragement for us!

Jacob's life is yet another example of the imperfect people that God chose to work with to bring about His promised Messiah.  For us, living on the other side of the cross and the work Yeshua accomplished on it, we have the assurance that we are accepted by God, through the Messiah, just as we are.  I like to think that God chose some of the most questionable people around to be included in Yeshua's lineage simply to show us that without God and His Salvation we are each just as helpless and hopeless as Yeshua's ancestors.  But through the salvation that Yeshua brings, God overlooks our imperfections and accepts us just the way we are.  And that is definitely Good News!





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