Jacob – Learning To Cling

Feature 3 – September 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Jacob – Learning To Cling

The names Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are found throughout in Scripture. Each is an important link to God’s earthly people Israel.

Readers of the Bible know Abram’s wife Sarai was barren, and that having a child in her old age was a miracle of God. When God changed their names from Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah (see Gen. 17:5,15), He reminded Abraham of the seed promised in Genesis 12:1-7. Abraham looked at the natural circumstances of himself and his wife and doubted: “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’” (17:17 NKJV). God, of course, kept the promise.

Later, the promised seed, Isaac, had to wait 20 years for the birth of his sons: “Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife … Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren, and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived” (25:20-21). We read in the same chapter: “Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them” (v.26). They had twins: Esau was the firstborn, and Jacob followed. Jacob, as he was born, took hold of Esau’s heel.

It was Jacob and his wives who built the house of Israel. As we will see, he was deceitful, cunning and industrious. Even though the LORD was with him, Jacob lived much of his life unto himself. But one night as the LORD wrestled with him, Jacob learned to cling to the LORD. We need to learn that same lesson. Much can be gleaned, or learned, from Jacob’s life, so let’s take a closer look!

The Birth, Birthright And Blessing
Rebekah was thrilled and very thankful to be pregnant, but there was a concern: “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” (v.22). It would be wonderful if we all would inquire of the Lord concerning our problems. The LORD answered her prayer. He told her that two nations were in her womb and that the older would serve the younger (v.23). Jacob’s taking hold of Esau’s heel was part of this struggle, and since then he has been called the Supplanter. Indeed, he would be the one whom Esau would serve. Jacob would be the seed and continue the line that God had promised Abraham: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yet, it is interesting that the character of Jacob is revealed at his birth.

The children grew into young men. Isaac loved Esau because he was a hunter; but Rebekah loved Jacob (vv.27-28). The first recorded deceitful act of Jacob’s surfaced concerning the birthright. The birthright was very important as it allowed the head of the family to exercise priestly rights and recognized him as the heir. Before the twins were born, the LORD had declared Jacob would be the heir; nevertheless, Jacob used schemes and carnality, or fleshly ways, to secure the birthright.

The opportune moment for Jacob came when Esau was hungry. “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?’” (vv.30-32). Two major dynamics were occurring: Jacob capitalized on a situation for his benefit, and “Esau despised his birthright” (v.34).

We will receive what God has for us. Jacob should not have used carnality to secure what God had for him. Yet, it was equally egregious, or blatantly bad, for Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew. He was not about to die. Christians need to be careful. We should be like neither Jacob nor Esau in our circumstances.

Jacob’s second deceitful act concerned the blessing. Rebekah conceived a plan, and Jacob went along with it. Genesis 27 gives the details of the plot. Isaac was old and his eyes were dim. He wanted Esau to hunt for game and make him a savory dish. Isaac, not knowing when he would die, desired to bless his oldest son while he still could. But, Rebekah heard the request and plotted. As to this scheme, Jacob had only one concern: the plan might fail. “Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I will bring a curse on myself and not a blessing’” (vv.11-12).

Jacob did not try to talk his mother out of the plan or declare that it would be wrong to deceive his father. Even if Rebekah was trying to help God, He did not need her help; He is the omnipotent One. Jacob complied with his mother, and his very words became true: he became a deceiver to his father. In verse 19 Jacob lied by stating that he was Esau. He lied again in verse 20, this time bringing in the LORD. In verse 24 he lied again, stating for a second time that he was Esau. In verse 27 he kissed his father.

Christians should not use deception. Our spiritual blessings are fixed in Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Our daily needs are also met: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). Israel’s blessings and the Church’s blessings are certainly different, for Israel comprises God’s earthly people and the Church is made up of His heavenly people. The principle, however, is important: believers should not use deception, even to try and advance God’s counsels. In the end Jacob had to flee from Esau, who threatened to kill him. Rebekah used more deceit to have Jacob sent to her brother Laban (Gen. 27:41-46).

The School Of God: Reaping What We Sow
God is faithful. Jacob had to learn to depend on the LORD and not on his own wits, and Haran was the perfect place to learn that lesson. Jacob’s uncle Laban, although unrighteous, was the instrument God used to instruct Jacob. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

In Genesis 28 Jacob had a wonderful dream. There, the LORD revealed Himself to Jacob, confirming the promise that He had made to Abraham and promising to be with Jacob wherever he would go (vv.10-15). Jacob set up a pillar and called the place Bethel (vv.18-19). But after such a magnificent experience, Jacob reverted back to who he was, by trying to bargain with God: “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’” (vv.20-21). Do not bargain with God!

Laban was more than Jacob’s match. The conflict with his uncle in Genesis 31:36-42 shows what Jacob had experienced. He had served Laban for 20 years – 14 years for Laban’s daughters and six years for his flock. Jacob did not mention how Laban substituted Leah for Rachel. He had agreed to serve seven years for Rachel when he first arrived in Haran, but Laban deceived him on his wedding night. Laban also changed Jacob’s wages ten times. Jacob stated that he suffered the loss of any from the flock that was slain by a predator. Laban made that requirement. He mentioned the harsh working conditions that he bore. In the end, they made a peace treaty, and Jacob and his household went on their way. He had fled from Esau to Laban 20 years earlier. Now he was fleeing from Laban to return to Canaan.

In all this, Jacob had 20 years to learn to totally depend on the Lord. What have you learned during your walk with the Lord? Are you learning new and wonderful things about Him? Or, do you have to unlearn some bad things? Whether one is a new convert or a well-versed, experienced Christian, we need to value our walk with the Lord and aim to please Him.

Learning To Cling To The LORD
Jacob had another powerful lesson to learn; it occurred during a wrestling match. It may have been one of the most significant lessons for Jacob.

A few things took place before the contest. In Genesis 32 we are told that Jacob feared his brother Esau and sent messengers to attain peace (vv.3-6). When the messengers returned with what seemed to be bad news, Jacob divided his company into two camps and then prayed. We often do the same thing: we act first and pray later. After praying, Jacob went back to his schemes. He sent droves and droves of presents to Esau. In a similar way we often rely on ourselves. Jacob then sent his family over the brook, and he was finally alone (vv.21-23). This is a place where we need to be often – alone with the Lord.

It has been stated that Jacob wrestled with a Man, but verse 24 states, “Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.” It was a long wrestling match. Jacob was strong. In the end, the Man dislocated Jacob’s hip, forcing Jacob to cling to Him. Jacob held on to the Man and said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me” (v.26)

There are some wonderful verses in Hosea 12 concerning Jacob: ”He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us” (vv.3-4). The experience Jacob had with the Man in Genesis 32 is where Jacob learned to hold on to the LORD. The wrestling stopped; the clinging commenced. It took a dislocated hip for Jacob to cling.

It has been said that although Jacob had a limp afterward, he never walked better in his life. Jacob still feared the meeting with Esau, and he had trouble with his children in the land. Jacob faced many more challenges, but that night he learned how to cling, to walk with a staff, to depend on God. What will it take to make us cling to the Lord? We need to understand that we are totally dependent on Him. The Lord declared, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5).

Conclusion
Even today, Jews and Christians refer to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Each of these three men led a life dependent on God. Their lives are instructive and are a link in that chain to the Lord Jesus Christ.

May we learn from Jacob to:

• Not be a heel-holder, a Supplanter. We should not trip others up to get ahead.
• Not deceive others; we should be honest with all men and with God.
• Not scheme to acquire possessions and not to bargain with God. There should never be an “if … then” relationship with the Lord.
• Not plan and then pray and then plan again. Rather, pray and follow His direction.
• Simply cling to the Lord, to cleave to Him. This is most important!
• Not let Him go!
• Lean on Him. He wants to bless us.

By the end, we see fruit from His work in Jacob’s life: “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff” (Heb. 11:21).

By Albert Stuart