Jacob

Feature 4 – September 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Jacob

Did you know that about half of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is somehow linked to Jacob? A few centuries after Noah’s flood, God caused the construction of the Tower of Babel to be stopped (Gen. 11:1-9). Later, He called Abram to leave that area, Ur of the Chaldees, located in present day Iraq. An important center of commerce and culture, it was committed to idolatry instead of serving the only true God (consider Rom. 1:18-32). Abram obeyed God and left his country, people and father’s house to become a worshiper of the living God (Gen. 11:31, 12:1-5). In time, this man built four altars (12:7-8, 13:18, 22:9) to honor and worship the God who had called him and promised him seven things (12:2-3), including that He would make of him a great nation and he would become the father of many nations.

After many years of waiting, God appeared to the patriarch and asked him, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (18:14 NASB95). “Difficult” can also be translated as “wonderful” (JND). Prior to this, upon Sarah’s suggestion, Abram had taken her servant Hagar as his concubine and fathered a son with her, whom he called Ishmael (16:15). However, God’s plan for Abram, later called Abraham, was to come through Sarah. It defied all odds, for Abraham had become too old to father a child; Sarah had been unable to conceive; and they both were passed the age for procreation (Rom. 4:16-25). Nevertheless, God did a great miracle: Sarah, at the age of 90 while Abraham was 100, gave birth to their only child, a son whom Abraham called Isaac (Gen. 21:3). Isaac means “laughter.”

Later, Abraham was put to the test: God instructed him to sacrifice his son (Gen. 22:1-19). The patriarch went in obedience and true faith, as he considered that “the God of glory” (Acts 7:2) would fulfill His promises and provide. Even if he had to offer up his son, Abraham believed God would resurrect him. God honored Abraham’s faith (Gen 22:16-18). Do we put our trust in God even in seemingly impossible situations?

Scripture tells us that Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca (Gen. 25:20). He dug four wells at different stages of his life (Gen 26), honoring God. Waiting and praying, Rebecca conceived and gave birth to twins: Esau and Jacob (Gen. 25:19-26). Every birth is a miracle, but this was the result of several miracles. Rebecca prayed when noticing that the twins were fighting in her womb. The LORD answered that the first one to be born, Esau, would serve the second, Jacob, a theme developed more in Scripture, and which we will discuss later.

The twins had different skills: Esau hunted, and Jacob cooked. Jacob – a name meaning “supplanter” – fooled his father and brother. Esau wanted to take vengeance, but their mother arranged for Jacob to be sent far away to her brother Laban. On his journey, Jacob met God’s angels at Bethel (Gen. 28:10-22), where he later built an altar (Gen. 35). For now, he set up a pillar (28:18) to mark this special event; it was his first of four pillars (31:45, 35:14,20). These pillars highlighted important events in Jacob’s life which were part of God’s discipline and instruction. We tend to see discipline as something negative, but we should realize that God has in mind our spiritual well-being and growth, as He uses trials and challenges to build us up.

Jacob’s Experiences
Jacob arrived at Laban’s home and stayed there. Laban fooled Jacob, and Jacob married Laban’s two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Their two maids became Jacob’s concubines. God blessed these four women, giving Jacob children (Gen. 29–30). God continued to discipline Jacob over many years (Gen. 31–32). Eventually, Jacob was reconciled with his brother Esau (Gen. 33).

Despite some sad developments among his children (Gen. 34), God’s continuous work in Jacob’s life caused him to become a spiritual leader, leading his family to worship God at Bethel (Gen. 35). God had moved Jacob, a name which also means “one who takes by the heel” from a supplanter to a true worshiper.

After difficult lessons and serious trials, Jacob was ready to go back to the place of worship which God had shown him. Only after Rachel had given birth to their son Joseph did Jacob express his desire to go back to his own country (30:25-26). When he was finally on his way, Jacob recounted to his two wives how God had appeared to him and said, “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me” (31:13 NASB95). God reminded the patriarch of the vow he had made about 20 years earlier (see 28:20-22). The LORD told him, “Now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth” (31:13). Furthermore, God warned Laban to be careful in his actions with Jacob. The next day, Jacob and Laban both made a covenant, with God as their witness (vv.44-55). Back in the land that God had promised to Abraham and his descendants, Jacob met angels of God (32:1-2) and then prepared to meet his brother Esau. He also met the LORD in a new way, when the Angel of the LORD wrestled with Jacob (vv.24-32). These incidents taught Jacob important lessons. God had repeated the seven expressions mentioned in Genesis 28, but this time it was not in a dream, since God was speaking directly to Jacob and showed him that He had not forgotten anything of Jacob’s initial vow. What a lesson this is for us as we sometimes hastily, or even lightly, make promises to God. He does not forget anything!

God is the great Teacher who desires our spiritual growth so we will be able to bring sacrifices to Him. “Sacrifices” implies that these don’t come lightly, as they remind us of what the Lord Jesus accomplished here. Our lives and bodies should be living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1), responding to Jesus’ unique sacrifice and His work on the cross. There, at the end of the three dark hours, He said, “Tetelestai,” meaning, “Paid in full, it is finished” (see Jn. 19:30). God had positive goals in His discipline with respect to Jacob, just as He has for us (see Heb. 12:7-17).

When the LORD spoke to Jacob in Genesis 35, He said, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there; and make an altar there to God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau” (v.1). The seven instructions in this verse imply deep lessons for believers, which will lead them to be true worshipers, worshiping “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:23-24).

1. “Arise” implies getting up to do something. This specific verb form occurs seven times in the Hebrew text of Genesis (13:17, 19:15, 27:19, 28:2, 31:13, 35:1, 44:4). The first time the verb occurs, but not this form, is when Cain rose up against his brother Abel (4:8). In God’s school, however, this verb refers to action taken according to God’s instructions.
2. “Go up” is the right direction in worshiping God (consider Acts 3:1).
3. “To Bethel,” the “house of God,” may be applied to us today for finding the place of worship according to God’s thoughts (Mt. 18:20).
4. “Live there” means to dwell at Bethel, implying God’s guidance in matters concerning Jacob’s lifestyle, which he put into practice in Genesis 35.
5. “Make an altar” uses the Hebrew word literally meaning “place of sacrifice.” This leads our thoughts to Christ’s sacrifice, which was needed for our redemption.
6. “There” emphasizes the close link between the altar and Jacob’s dwelling, which implies for us an exercise to link our temporal dwelling on earth with the place of true worship.
7. “To God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau” recounts Jacob’s personal history and God’s dealings with him.

By the time God told him to arise and go up to Bethel, Jacob was ready to appreciate God’s interests instead of seeking his own. For this reason, Jacob called that place “El-Bethel” (v.7), which means “God of the house of God.” In the writings of the apostles Paul, Peter and John, we are taught what these things mean for us and how to practice them.

A New Development
In Genesis 37 Jacob was back in the land where his father had sojourned. The focus is now on Jacob’s son Joseph, whose love toward his brothers who hated him is a beautiful type of our Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter also describes Joseph’s love of and obedience to his father, pointing again to the Lord Jesus, who was the only One to live in perfection, even when surrounded by all kinds of opposition and evil. Joseph’s experiences described in Genesis 39–40 typify how the Gentiles treated the Lord Jesus, and chapter 41 shows His present supreme glories at God’s right hand (read Phil. 2:8-11). The LORD’s earthly people did not, and still do not, recognize Him as the Savior of the world and the Revealer of secrets (consider the name Pharaoh gave Joseph, Gen. 41:45).

God has entrusted all authority in heaven and on earth to Him (Mt. 28:18), and He has given Him a Bride – the Church – as Pharaoh did to Joseph. In this, we need to understand the difference between the pharaoh of Genesis, who pictures God’s supreme power, and the one of Exodus, who illustrates Satan’s power of wickedness. The seven years of plenty, together with Joseph’s wife Asenath and the two sons they had (Gen. 41:47-52), typify our present age in which God has glorified the Lord Jesus at His right hand and blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. The seven years of famine that followed illustrate the tribulation period, after which the nation of Israel and the whole world will submit to the Lord Jesus in the world to come, “Go to Joseph” (v.55).

It is amazing how the Spirit of God brings important elements together, literally as we see in Jacob’s family (Gen. 42–50) and spiritually with many lessons for us today. We learn how God restored the relationship between Joseph and his brothers, and between them and his father. Joseph recognized his brothers when they came to buy grain, but they did not recognize him. His God-given wisdom led him to keep his identity secret and put them in custody. Joseph’s brothers realized their wrong past actions (42:21), but Joseph secretly wept (v.24) – afflicted in their afflictions (Isa. 63:9).

The LORD also gave Joseph wisdom to find ways to have his brothers restored with him, including Benjamin and their father Jacob. On their way home, his brothers, except for Simeon who was held in Egypt, opened their bags full of corn and found the money they had paid in their sacks (Gen. 42:25-28). They were afraid, asking, “What is this that God has done to us?” (v.28). The brothers reported all to their father, who was not willing to allow his youngest son to go with them to Egypt (vv.29-38).

The famine continued and was “severe in the land,” and their supplies ran out (43:1). Judah took the initiative and promised his father that Benjamin would be brought back. Jacob responded, “If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved” (v.14). This was a turning point we all must learn: we are to surrender all to God – everything we are and have.

The brothers traveled to Egypt, taking their youngest brother Benjamin along. There, they were brought to Joseph’s house to eat with him, although Joseph still had not revealed himself. To their surprise, they were seated in the order of their birth (43:33). They were sent back home with their sacks full of grain, but Joseph ordered his house steward to go after them, accusing them of stealing his master’s cup, used for divination. Of course, they denied this, but Joseph’s cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! The brothers returned with the steward, baffled.

Judah pleaded for his youngest brother, in defense of them all and of their father (44:14-34). Then Joseph, whom they thought was dead, revealed himself, to their great surprise (45:1-3)! Joseph calmed their concerns and then asked them to move to Egypt with their father, for the famine would continue. Jacob was overtaken by surprise when he saw the brothers arrive with the wagons, food and a message Joseph sent to him (45:21-28). God then showed Jacob that He wanted him to go to Egypt with the families and goods (46:1-7). What an encounter this was when Jacob, having arrived in Egypt, saw his lost son again (46:29)! This story shows that God’s wisdom and love is victorious despite our failures and sin.

Joseph then presented his father to Pharaoh (47:7). Jacob blessed Pharaoh twice (vv.7,10). The lesser is blessed by the higher (Heb. 7:7), meaning at least from God’s perspective that Jacob, the 130 year-old humble shepherd from Israel (Gen. 47:9) was higher than the mightiest man on earth at the time! Furthermore, as a great administrator, Joseph took care of his brothers and their families (vv.11-12) as well as the people of Egypt (vv.13-17), Pharaoh’s interests (v.14) and the whole country (vv.18-26). Joseph’s people were now called “Israel” (v.27).

Jacob lived in his son’s presence for another 17 years (v.28), which was the same period that Jacob had Joseph with him before his brothers sold him as a slave (37:2). In addition to what we have just considered, Genesis 47 illustrates conditions that will exist worldwide, as summarized in verse 27, when the whole world will be subject to God and to His Son, who is greater than Joseph.

Genesis 48 describes Jacob’s blessing on Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. At this special occasion, Jacob manifested the wisdom he learned in God’s school. Guided by Him, Jacob put the younger son before the older one, with the blessing of the firstborn, and put himself and his family in the presence of the God before whom his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, had walked. The LORD had been, and still was, shepherding Jacob (v.15). This Shepherd had been God’s “Angel” who had redeemed Jacob “from all evil” (v.16 JND). Now Jacob asked his God to bless Joseph’s two boys, whom Jacob adopted as his own sons. He prayed, “Let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,” asking God to make “them grow into a multitude in the midst of the land” (v.16). Joseph did not realize that this extraordinary action of blessing the younger showed what Jacob had learned in God’s school. The Lord Jesus, who came after 4,000 years of human history, nevertheless is the Firstborn, and will forever have the highest place. Praise God!

Another solemn lesson we learn from Jacob’s story is: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7 NASB95). Man is responsible before God, who always has full control and the last word. Jacob experienced God’s discipline and learned to accept God’s ways, displayed in Genesis 49. God’s dealings with Jacob led him to a deep spiritual understanding. Details about Jacob’s sons and their futures are skillfully woven throughout the details of Jacob’s assessment of their history, abilities, failures and futures, including their place in the world to come. Generally speaking, Genesis 49 describes God’s ways with Israel’s past, present and future, while providing details about the spiritual development of Jacob’s sons. At the same time, this chapter includes applications for our lives as believers, with many lessons for the Church. Most of all, the Spirit of God led Jacob, even though he did not know it at the time, to include beautiful features of the Lord Jesus, who is the “Shiloh” of verse 10 and the “salvation” of verse 18. This last point clearly links salvation with His name Jesus, or Yeshua, the Savior.

Reuben, Simeon and Levi (vv.3-7) represent human failure, even though God overruled this to bring blessing. Judah, despite his failures (Gen. 38), became the ancestor of the Messiah (read Mt. 1, 2:3-6; Lk. 3:21-38), and Jacob described some beautiful features of the Lord’s coming reign (Gen. 49:8-12). Zebulun and Issachar show us some details about Israel’s history among the nations (vv.13-15). In Dan we have a phase of Israel’s future when, back in their own land, they will be under Satanic control, for which reason Jacob cried out, “For Your salvation I wait, O LORD” (v.18). Some elements of Israel’s history are linked with developments at other times, as summarized in Gad (v.19), Asher (v.20) and Naphtali (v.21).

In connection with Joseph (vv.22-26), God’s Spirit led Jacob to mention details that highlight Joseph’s personal faithfulness and skills, while also illustrating beautiful aspects of the Messiah, “the true Joseph,” as we sometimes say. Jacob emphasized God’s role in Joseph’s history, speaking of “the hands of the mighty One of Jacob,” from whom is “the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (v.24). He also said the “God of your father” will be the Helper, and the “Almighty” will bless Joseph (v.25). These blessings will surpass those of Jacob’s parents, and they will be a crown on Joseph’s head as being a true Nazirite (Num. 6), a type of the Lord Jesus, as well as anticipating the blessings of the world to come (Gen. 49:26). Finally, Benjamin represents the rule and irresistible power the Messiah will manifest in the coming millennial reign (v.27).

Jacob, inseparably linked with the Promised Land, asked to be buried there (vv.29-32). Genesis 50 details how Joseph fulfilled his father’s desires, supported by Pharaoh (49:33–50:14).

The God Of Jacob
This special name of God indicates how He identified with Jacob despite his failures, because God had a plan for Jacob and his people. This is not the same as His plan for the Church, foreseen from before the world’s foundation, according to His eternal counsel (Eph. 3:9-11). The God of Jacob deals with His earthly people, and He will bring His plans to fruition despite Israel’s many failures.

Moses referred to God as being “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6,15, 4:5), whereas David, reviewing his own history as God’s anointed king, mentioned Him as being “the God of Jacob” (2 Sam. 23:1). This reference emphasizes God’s dealings in discipline with His own to bring them in tune with Himself, whereas with Moses the emphasis is on what God has worked out for Himself and His own glory. Despite and throughout all kinds of troubles that David experienced, he learned who the God of Jacob really is (Ps. 20:1-5, 46:7,11, 75:9), as will the future remnant of Israel when they will put their trust in Him throughout the great tribulation (76:6, 81, 84).

Psalm 146:5 summarizes in beautiful terms the help that comes from Him, who is also their hope and ours. In the coming millennial reign, Jerusalem will be the God-given center, where the nations will honor the God of Jacob in the place David wanted to build for Him (Acts 7:46). Solomon carried out these plans for the glory of God (v.47). God’s greatness and majesty was not respected by Israel, even though they were the people of Jacob’s God. They rejected their own Messiah, the Son of the living God. But “the God of Jacob” will bring them to repentance. His plans will be fulfilled!

By Alfred Bouter