Jacob's Deception and Blessing

Intro

magic eye book

its difficult to see the first time

at a glance you wouldn’t even know that it is there

but with some patience and maybe even with some difficulty, there is an image in there

even if you can’t see it you can believe its there because other people see it

or you can choose not to because you don’t see it the first time you look at it

Birth of the Twins 25

every pair of brothers or brother-like characters involves some sort of conflict in their life in scripture

much like their predecessors, one is at home and one is away

the scenario of favor is different this time from the first time though

a birthright, your right to inherit the largest portion from your father

usually goes to the first born

in this case it seems to be everything not just most

Stolen Birthright 27

a bowl of soup and the hair of a goat are enough to get the words out of brother and convince blind dad

Rebekah takes the blame of this on her self

Jacob simply listens to his mother but it will seem throughout his life that all of this will come back around to him

Laban’s Daughter’s 29

Jacob listens to his parents and leaves Canaan for many reasons

he finds Laban, his uncle and falls in love with his second daughter

he works for a complete amount of years and is tricked into taking the first one instead

he then works another complete amount of years and is given Rachel

then they stay and work a little longer before he has to plan an escape and is pursued by his father in law

they finally make it away only to run into the many people of his brother pursuing him

Wrestling With God 32

Jacob and Esau did not leave off on good terms

Jacob sends a message to try to make peace, as he is tired of running

Esau answers with 400 men, which is cryptic

he tries to put space between them with another gift and message and sends all of his people away in two directions

then as he is alone, a man appears and wrestles with him until daybreak

Jacob, despite the odds and despite a dislocated hip, hangs on

likely just a man who wants the peace that only the one he is clinging to can offer

and so God gives it to him

he goes to meet his brother and all is well

Application

the story of Jacob’s life is often easy to pass over in the narrative of the people of God

he is the one they are all named after though and his sons make the first set of twelve in scripture

something important about the nature of God is shown in these stories

Matthew 6 idea- rain on the just and the wicked mercy and peace offered to both as well

the truth is that very few people are all one or the other

most of us, like Jacob and Esau and their fathers, have moments of both

God does not bless or curse based on our lives and our circumstances

however, he is living and working in and through those who follow him with all of our lives, whether you choose to see it or not

most importantly, he offers love and grace and mercy to everyone, regardless of circumstance, if only we will endure with him to the end

if only we too will wrestle with God no matter what comes our way and whether or not we think we can see him