God’s Grace displayed in the life of Jacob

Genesis 27:1-36:43

Scene 1:  Life takes some unexpected twists & turns; often these events leave us uncertain about the future.

One man had a difficult childhood.

He had less than one year formal schooling

He failed in business.

A year later he was defeated for political office.

The year after that he failed in business again

The next year he was again defeated for political office

The year after that his Fiancée died.

Three years later he was again defeated for political office.

Two years later he was again defeated for political office

Two years after that he married and his wife was a great burden.

They had four sons, only one of them lived past 18

The year after he was married he was again defeated for political office

Two years later he was finally elected; but in the next election two years later, he lost.

7 years later he sought election to the Senate and was again defeated.

The year after he tried for the position of vice president and lost.

2 years later he again tried for the Senate and lost, again.

2 years later in 1860 he sought election as the president of the United States of America and won.

Abraham Lincoln is regarded as the greatest leader in the history of the USA and his life had more twists and turns than most. [1]

Throughout our lives things will happen that we didn’t expect; we will make decisions that we regret.

Because life is full of twists and turns.

The Chinese Christian Christiana Tsai suffered from a debilitating disease much of her life.

In her book, Queen of the Dark Chamber, we find these words:

“Once a great scholar in China said, ‘A sage seeks opportunities in difficulties, and a fool finds difficulties in opportunities.…’ We are born to overcome difficulties through the power of the Holy Spirit.”*[2]

Scene 2:  The Patriarch Jacob’s life was full of twists & turns and intrigue, at times even his life was in great danger.

From before the time of his birth there was competition with his brother Esau.

Jacob tricked his brother out of his birthright and his father’s blessing and therefore the inheritance.

Jacob had to run for his life because his brother was going to kill him.

He ends up at uncle Laban’s place, who allowed him to marry one of his daughters Rachel, in return for seven years work.

Uncle Laban tricked him and on the wedding night gives him Leah, the other daughter.

So he agrees to work for another seven years to get Rachel, the wife he actually wanted.

He ends up with two wives competing with each other for his loyalty.

As well as two concubines; which his two wives use as leverage over him.

He does a deal with his uncle in order to get rich and his uncle deceives him, so he outwits his uncle in return.

He finally runs away as his uncle’s sons have taken a strong dislike to his wealth which they think is at their expense.

His uncle goes after him and things get a little tense.

Then Jacob meets up with his brother Esau and fears that Esau is going to kill him, and take everything he has.

But his brother warmly receives him

Jacob’s sons end up fighting each other.

His wives die and then his sons get rid of his favourite son Joseph, the child of his favourite wife Rachel.

Then he has to leave the land he has been promised because there is a great famine.

Finally he discovers the son he thought he had lost is alive and well and ruler of Egypt.

Then he dies.

Scene 3: There are some lessons for us to learn from the life of Jacob.

The first lesson is don’t talk your big scary brother out of what is his.

In Genesis 25:29-34 we find that Esau has come home hungry, as big scary brothers tend to do.

Jacob sees an opportunity and does the typical thing that siblings do.

You can’t have what I have and you want; unless you give me something I want in return.

But in this case it isn’t a toy.

It is a birthright, the inheritance as the firstborn.

Now Esau thinking of his immediate wants; food!

Is willing to give up his birthright to get it!

But it is a trick, a bargain of the smarter son to get what the other one has.

And that never ends well.

The second lesson is don’t let your mother talk you into deceiving your Father, it won’t end well either.

In Genesis 27:5-45 we find that Isaac; Jacob & Esau’s Father has decided that it is time to give his blessing to his oldest son.

In ancient culture this signified the passing on of the headship of the family.

The life of the entire tribe revolved around this act of passing headship from generation to another.

And once given it cannot be reversed!

So letting your mother talk you into deceiving your aging and blind Father to give you the blessing instead of giving it to your brother is only going to bring heartbreak.

And it does; Brother Esau is outraged.

Dad Isaac is devastated & Jacob ends up having to run for his life

The third lesson from the life of Jacob is don’t enter into a deal to acquire a gorgeous bride from a scheming relative.

In Genesis 29:16-25 we find that Jacob hasn’t done his homework well.

When a man finds a girl he takes an interest in, it is always a good idea to look into her background and understand how her relatives operate.

You will save yourself a lot of grief.

Jacob doesn’t do this and uncle Laban decides he is going to keep the local custom of marrying the oldest daughter first.

Almost certainly he had already worked out that if he gives the oldest daughter Leah to Jacob first then he can talk him into another seven years of work to have Rachel the one he wants.

So in 29:22 -23 uncle Laban organises a big feast and while the Scriptures don’t say so he probably also makes sure that Jacob has had plenty to drink.

And then in the dark of the evening he brings Leah to Jacob’s tent.

Now apparently when it is dark and you have had too much to drink it is a bit hard to tell one sister from the other.

And that leads us to the fourth lesson.

Don’t have more than one woman or your house will be full of envy & strife.

In Genesis 29:31-30:24 we read of many instances where envy & jealousy between the two sisters caused all sorts of issues.

There is a reason why it is commonly said that one woman is more than enough trouble for any man.

Throughout the Scriptures we are told of many times where Patriarchs, Kings and the wealthy have a wife or two or three or many and concubines as well.

It is never condoned by Scripture because it violates God’s command of one woman, one man for life.

Every example given is one where the problems are plain for all to see.

Abraham brought turmoil into his house, which still affects the world today.

King David brought division and civil war into his Kingdom.

King Solomon caused his people to turn their backs on the Lord because of his pagan wives and the idols they brought with them.

Even today wherever polygamy is allowed or tolerated it brings misery.

Deep down no woman likes sharing and even though it might satisfy the male ego any sensible man will recognise the pain that having more than one woman will bring.

The fifth lesson from the life of Jacob is that if you learn that your Father in law has deceived you once about which daughter you married, don’t trust him a second time when he offers you work.

Yet Jacob agrees in Genesis 30:25-31 to work for Laban.

And in Genesis 31:1-7 and 36-42 we read of Jacob’s complaint that uncle Laban has changed his wages 10 times.

And the sixth lesson is that if in return for deceit you practice deceit then you will create a pattern that will run in your family for generations.

In Genesis 30:31 -43 we read that Jacob schemes to outwit uncle Laban in the management of the flocks and herds in order to make himself rich.

But in Genesis 34:25-31 we read that Jacob’s sons deceive the men of Shechem in revenge for violating their sister Dinah.

And then in Genesis 37 we read of the deceit of Jacob’s sons against their own Father when they sell their brother Joseph into slavery.

Scene 4: Even though Jacob’s life was full of twist and turns as well as some very poor decisions; God was at work.

In Genesis 28:10-22, God appears to Jacob in a dream.

The Lord stands at the top of a stairway to heaven and promises Jacob that he will bless him with land, descendents and that through him all the peoples on earth will be blessed.

In addition he promises Jacob protection.

Again in Genesis 32:22-32 God meets with Jacob and wrestles with him and blesses him giving him the new name Israel.

He becomes the Father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

And then in Genesis 35:9-15 God appears to Jacob again.

Once again Jacob is told that his name will be Israel.

That he is to have many descendants.

The Father of many nations.

Kings will be among his descendants.

And he will have the land promised to his Father Abraham.

Jacob made poor choices.

He deceived his brother and father and had to flee for his life.

But God used that to bring him to his uncle’s place where he found a wife, two in fact plus two concubines and through them the 12 tribes of Israel were born.

Not a recommended action, but God used it anyway.

There he schemed against the uncle who was scheming against him.

And God used that to make him rich.

Once again not a recommended action, but God used it anyway.

Jacob ran away from threats to his safety on at least three occasions.

In Genesis chapters 27 & 28 he flees his brother Esau.

In Genesis 31 he flees his uncle Laban and his sons.

In Genesis 35 he flees the slaughter his sons have committed at Shechem.

Yet in each case God uses it for his purposes.

Scene 5: Our lives lead us to unexpected places and sometimes we make some very poor decisions.

But if you look closely we will see that God is at work in our lives.

It may not feel like it at the time.

In fact the situation may seem hopeless.

Our lives may be full of grief and heartbreak.

But if we will look for it, somewhere maybe even years later we will see God is at work in our lives.

The question is which verse will you believe?

In his book A Turtle on a Fencepost, Allan Emery tells of accompanying businessman Ken Hansen to visit a hospitalized employee.

The patient lay very still, his eyes conveying anguish.

His operation had taken eight hours, and recovery was long and uncertain.

“Alex,” said Ken quietly, “you know I have had a number of serious operations.

I know the pain of trying to talk.

I think I know what questions you’re asking.

There are two verses I want to give you—Genesis 42:36 and Romans 8:28.

We have the option of these two attitudes.

We need the perspective of the latter.”

Hansen turned to the passages, read them, then prayed and left.

The young man, Alex Balc, took the message to heart.

He later enjoyed full recovery.

Every day we choose one of these attitudes amid life’s difficulties—to be beat-up, or to be up-beat.

To say with Jacob in Genesis 42:36: All these things are against me.

Or to say with Paul in Romans 8:28: All these things are working together for good to those who love the Lord.…*[3]

[1]Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed., p. 279). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

* Christiana Tsai, Queen of the Dark Chamber (Chicago: Moody Press, 1953), 12.

[2]Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed., pp. 743–744). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

* Allan C. Emery, Jr., A Turtle on a Fencepost (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1979), 110–113

[3]Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed., p. 743). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.