Old Testament Personalities #11 - Jacob Part 2 "Usurper No More!'

 Last week we talked about Jacob and how he stole his brother’s birthright and blessing.  Jacob was a liar, cheater and thief.  We wondered how God could use someone like him.  Jacob became one of the patriarchs of the nation of Israel.

So, today I want to take a deeper dive into that.  I want to look at what made Jacob someone that God could use.

The Dream

Genesis 28:11-15  NKJV

So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

In the dream God reiterates His promise to Abraham that his descendants would receive the land of Canaan as their own, and that in their lineage all of the families of the earth would be blessed.  But there is more to this.  Look at Genesis 28:12 again:

Genesis 28:12 NKJV

Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

This verse describes Jacob's dream of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. This vision is a picture of the connection between God and mankind, symbolizing divine communication and access to heaven. It reassures Jacob of God's presence and guidance.

It’s God’s way of telling Jacob, that this is coming from me and you can call on me anytime.  Angels are messengers from God.  That’s what an angel is literally. But the messengers are going up and down, symbolizing a two-way communication link.  The ladder in this verse can be a representation of prayer; seeking guidance and direction from God (Angels going up) and receiving it (Angels coming down).   Here’s where this gets really interesting, though.

1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

That word mediator means go-between.  Someone who links two people.  For example, If I have an argument with someone and we cannot agree, we might go to a mediator to help us resolve the issue.  In this verse, Paul is telling Timothy that Jesus is the mediator between God and man.  Look at the following verse that ties this together:

John 1:51 NKJV

And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

So, in Jacob’s dream, once again, we see a foreshadowing of Jesus in the Old Testament.

What can we say about this that relates to us as believers:

1)      We can come to God for Guidance and Direction.

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

              God invites us to seek Him for wisdom and guidance, and He will be responsive.

2)       Jesus is that bridge between God and man.  This is why we pray in Jesus’ name.

John 16:26-27 NKJV

In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

The Cross is Mediation

Jesus became the mediator through His death on the cross.  He asked for forgiveness for us:

Luk 23:33-34 NKJV

And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

When He died that work of mediation was completed.

John 19:30 NKJV

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

In this mediation all the families of the earth are blessed.  The question in this is that in order for us to receive that blessing we must do two things.  1) Repent, and 2) Confess Jesus as Lord and savior.

One final interesting thought in all of this is this is this:

Genesis 28:16-19 NKJV

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

In Israel in those days, people would stand up a stone and anoint it with oil to signify that God had moved in that place. It was a reminder for them of the power and blessing of God.  These stones would become a reference point in their lives.

 Genesis 28:20-22 NKJV

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Jacob is making this a reference point in his life.  This moment marks the moment when Jacob stopped being a usurper, liar and cheat.  He from this point on acts honorably and with integrity with his uncle Laban.  Laban cheated him on his promise to give Rachel for seven years of work, by giving him Leah instead.  Then, he required another seven years for Leah. In all of this Jacob acted honorably, no longer a usurper.

Jacob becomes Israel

Next, I want to look at one more aspect of Jacob’s life.

Genesis 32:7-9 NKJV

So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape." Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':

Genesis 32:10-12 NKJV

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.' "

Jacob has received word that Esau is approaching wth four hundred men.  When Jacob left his father’s house to go to find a wife, he did that in a hurry because he knew that Esau had decided to kill him after his father died.  Now he’s afraid for his family because of Esau’s wrath.  So he cried out to God for what?  Salvation, which literally means to be saved.  Then he sends his family on ahead, and sits alone to wait for Esau to show up.

That night, as he sits alone something happens:

Genesis 32:24-28 NKJV

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

The Struggle

We see Jacob wrestling with a “Man”.  But look at what he says later about with whom he wrestled:

Genesis 32:30 NKJV

So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

Jacob recognizes that he has wrestled with God.  Really, it is the “Angel of the Lord” whom we know is Jesus. (A Biblical declaration that Jesus is God.) 

This battle is taking place, and Jacob grabs a hold of the man and will not let Him go until he receives a blessing.  Finally, the man blesses him by changing his name from Jacob to Israel.  Look at the reason why

Genesis 32:28 KJV

And 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.

His name was changed from Jacob, the usurper; the liar; the thief to Israel, the “Prince of God.”  That is literally what Israel means.  One who prevails or overcomes.  This is a picture of what happens to us in salvation as well.  We are changed, no longer are we what we were, but now have a new name in Jesus:

Revelation 2:17 NKJV

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it." '

So now Israel has become, through these experiences someone that God can use.  Just like us.  We came from backgrounds full of sin, just like Jacob, but we’ve overcome. We’ve been changed.  Our testimony is something that can be used to help others come to Christ.  We can be used by God, just like Jacob (Israel)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Testament Personalities #10 - Jacob and Esau "Jacob the Usurper and Profane Esau"

 Today, I want to start looking at Jacob’s life.  He was born when Isaac was sixty years old.  Abraham was one hundred sixty years old. Isaac had a twin brother named Esau.  Esau was considered the oldest because he came out first.  Rebeckah, Isaac’s wife had a difficult time during her pregnancy:

Genesis 25:21-22 NKJV

Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the LORD

She must have been very uncomfortable, because she went to God and said, “If all is well, why am I like this?”  She’s like us isn’t she?  When things in our lives are difficult and uncomfortable we all say, “Why is it like this God?”  She may be thinking “God, you gave this blessing to me when Isaac cried out to you for me. If this is from You, why is it so hard?”  We think if it came from God, it should be easy, with no difficulty, don’t we?  But it isn’t always like that.  Life sometimes intrudes on the blessings of God in our lives.

Look at God’s reply to Rebeckah:

Genesis 25:23-24 NKJV

And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger." So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.

She gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob.  Esau was born first, followed closely by Jacob, who had actually grabbed ahold of Esau’s heel.

Genesis 25:25-26 NKJV

And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

The name Jacob, literally mean – Heel Grabber.  The implication is that he is a usurper, as if he was attempting to keep Esau from being the first born. 

In Isaac's time, the firstborn son held a privileged position in the family and was entitled to special inheritance rights. This was known as the birthright, which included:

• A double portion of the inheritance: The firstborn received twice as much as the other sons (Deuteronomy 21:17).
• Leadership of the family: He would become the head of the household after his father’s passing.
• Blessing from the father: A special blessing was given, which carried significant spiritual and material implications.

But that inheritance could be lost or transferred.  Look at this interaction between the two brothers:

Genesis 25:29-34 NKJV

Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary." Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright as of this day." And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

So this is one of the ways in which Jacob’s name was a prophecy of who he would become.  Basically, he’s taken advantage of Esau and STOLEN his birthright. This gives you an idea of Jacob’s character during this part of his life.  But I want you to understand that we can change who we are during our lives.  For example, I am not the same person that I was in my twenties.  There has been a change in my personality as well as my character.  I’ve changed as a result of my encounter with Jesus.  Jacob’s character changes for the exact same reason later in his life and we will examine that in another lesson.

Esau and a Bowl of Beans

I want to look, though at this episode with respect to Esau.

Genesis 25:32-34 NKJV

And Esau said, "Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?" Then Jacob said, "Swear to me as of this day." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Esau had been out hunting, and he returned, and the Bible says he was weary.  We, in the times we live in, use the word weary to mean tired or exhausted.  But the word translated from the Hebrew carries the idea of being faint or weak from hunger.  It implies a great need for rest and nourishment.  This is the state that Esau was in when he returned and saw Jacob had cooked a stew made of Lentils. 

But remember Jacob was a usurper and an opportunist and uses this to manipulate Esau into giving him his birthright, which is his inheritance.  I want you to think about this for a moment.  Basically, his birthright had so little importance in his life that he gave it up for one meal.  He said, “Look, I am about to die, what does this birthright mean to me?”  That’s really another way of saying, “Who cares? It’s not important to me!”  The Bible says he “despised” his birthright.  So, according to the Bible he had disdain for his birthright. You could say he took that birthright for granted.

Each of us, through virtue of our salvation also have a birthright.  We have an inheritance in God:

Romans 8:16-17 NKJV

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

How many of us take that inheritance for granted.  How many of us are willing to give up the promises because of some trivial thing.  Have you seen people backslide because of some old habit that they can’t break free from? Or maybe because of some hot girl or handsome guy?  Or maybe leave the church to take a job that pays just a little more, but requires that they work during service times?  Is this much different than what Esau did when he sold out his birthright for a bowl of beans?  Not too much.

Here is the really sad part that is a warning for us:

Hebrews 12:16-17 NKJV

lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Do we really want to take such a risk with our inheritance.  Are we so willing to throw away the promise of God.  We need to guard our hearts and our thoughts.  What we care about we will do what we must to protect it.  We need to diligently seek God to protect our birthright in Salvation.

Isaac’s Final Blessing

Isaac has become blind and is very old and near death.  It’s become time for him to bless his sons with their inheritance.  He tells Esau go and hunt some game, cook it for me so that I can eat it and bless you. Rebeckah overhears this:

Genesis 27:6-7 NKJV

So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 'Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.'

Let’s leave the story for a moment and look at the relationship between all of them:

Genesis 25:28 NKJV

And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Isaac had more affection for Esau…and Rebeckah had more affection for Jacob.  In other words, they each had their favorite.  Rebeckah was determined that Jacob would receive the blessing and she gives him some diection:

Genesis 27:9-10 NKJV

Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death."

She has come up with a plan to deceive Isaac and usurp Esau’s blessing for Jacob. 

Genesis 27:14-17 NKJV

And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

Remember that Esau was a hairy man and Jacob was not.  So, she put the goat fur on his hands and neck so he would appear to be hairy to his father who was blind.  Then she put Esau’s clothes on him so that he would carry Esau’s smell. Then she cooked the meal and bread and gave it to him.

Jacob received the blessing that was meant for Esau, through this deception:

Genesis 27:22-24 NKJV

So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

Genesis 27:27 NKJV

And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: "Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.

Jacob has deceived Isaac and now receives his brother’s blessing:

Genesis 27:28-29 NKJV

Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!"

Jacob now has stolen his brother’s birthright, deceived Isaac, and usurped his brother’s blessing.  He goes on to become one of the great patriarchs of our faith.  How can God use this deceitful, lying, thief to perpetuate the lineage of Jesus and to be the father of the nation of Israel?

I’m going to dive into this next week, and you will see how God can do this.  It is a testament to God’s power to change lives and use those who we would consider to be unusable.