Jacob
How did Jacob fail?
Jacob had a way of taking messy situations and making them worse while trying
to fix them. When his brother was hungry and wanted a bit of food, Jacob forced
him to surrender the birthright in exchange (Gen. 25). Later when it seemed
that his father was about to die, Jacob participated in a deceitful scheme in
order to receive the blessing intended for his brother (Gen. 27). When his
brother vowed to kill him, he had to flee his family and home. He had children
by the maidservants of his wives (Gen. 30). His original plan to stay away from
home for a few days (27:44) turned into fourteen years, and then he decided to
stay even longer in order to gain more possessions (30:25-43). When he did
finally leave, he sneaked away (31:20). He then had great fear to meet his
brother again (32:7). Jacob also compounded the tensions among his children by
having a favorite son (37:3-4).
What was Jacob's
heart response? It seems that it took a while for God to really get Jacob's
heart. His early life was filled with plans, schemes, and deceit. There was no
lack of drama in his life, drama often brought on by his own choices. Not only
did Jacob have his own ideas about how to handle life, but he also manipulated
in order to achieve his plans. For the most part, he was pretty successful at
getting what he wanted. Jacob's important heart change came in Genesis 32, when
he finally recognized that he needed something that he could not produce on his
own; he needed God's blessing. After this encounter with God, his body and will
were broken, but his spirit had a strength it had never had before.
How did Jacob's story
end? Even Jacob's later years do not reveal a perfect man. There are times that he still knew what he
wanted (in particular regarding Joseph and Benjamin), and he did all that he
could to protect those desires. He was, however, a changed man. Much of the
selfishness was gone, as he involved himself in meeting the needs of his family.
In his old age, he made another trip away from home, but this time it was at
the command of God (46:3). God took Jacob to a place where his family (the blossoming
nation of Israel) could be protected and provided for and where they would be
able to flourish and expand into a great nation. Jacob was by this time settled
in God's promises and faithfully looking for the fulfillment of them. His faith
was clearly expressed in his interactions with his children and grandchildren
(Gen. 48-49). He was confident that God would bless them and bring them again
into the land He had promised.
Application: Jacob was a man of ups and downs. His failures came when he tried to arrange his own life, and his blessings came when he looked instead to God in faith and in recognition of his need. Christians often have an idea of what they think is best in their lives. They have ambitions for position, wealth, and family just as Jacob did. Those ambitions are often self-driven. Even if they are in God's plan, man's schemes to achieve those goals through his own personal design will only result in greater chaos. Too often people fight to achieve things that God does not even intend for them. The world instructs people to dream big and fight for their dreams; God intends for His children to allow Him to create the dreams and to rely on Him to bring them about in His way. As with Jacob, the peace and stability come when one is trusting in God and resting in His promises and His care. God's desires for His children are achieved far better through His own personal intervention than through the self-sufficient endeavors of His children.
"By faith Jacob,
as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on
the top of his staff." Hebrews 11:21 (NASB)
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