Lessons From Jacob

Intro:

Jacob is a man like any of us. His life is a story of a transformed man, who, from a deceiver became a believer.

Early Life: we note him being an opportunist, conspirator, manipulative, and liar. Jacob and Esau are twin brothers. Through deceit and trickery, Jacob acquired not only the birthright of Esau but also his blessing.

Later: He is mentioned in Hebrews 11 for his strong and unshakeable faith to God. Jacob means supplanter and God changed his name to Israel, meaning, the prince that prevails with God. Today is the lets learn lessons from his life.

Hebrews 11:21 ESV

By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Lesson no. 1: The examples of parents make a great impact on their children

The story of Jacob illustrates the classic trend that children tend to repeat the errors of their parents.

We have seen that Jacob’s parents, Isaac and Rebekah, had their own favorites. Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob. This fatal error has led to the growing rivalry between Esau and Jacob.

Jacob showed favoritism on a larger scale:

two wives, sisters Leah and Rachel. However, he loved Rachel more than Leah.

This led to sibling rivalry and fierce competition for the love of Jacob. And it extended to the next generation.

Children:

favored Joseph more than his other sons.

Because of this favoritism, the children of Jacob grew up to hate Joseph.

The brothers of Joseph eventually sold him to the Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28).

Even after this, Jacob did not learn the lesson and still chose his youngest son to Rachel, Benjamin, as his new favorite child.

Parents, we possess the great power to mold our children’s future. Use this power according to God’s will and purpose.

We must recognize the importance of our example as parents. We must ensure we are setting a good example.

Many of the most valuable lessons are caught not taught

Whether we like it or not, our actions will speak louder than words.

We serve as an example to their children and the future of these children greatly depends upon the effectiveness of their parents’ child-rearing abilities.

Become a good example

first develop our own character.

Then constantly seek God’s wisdom, will, and purpose

Lesson no. 2: Don’t underestimate the law of cause and effect

Galatians 6:7 ESV

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

This is applicable to everyone, and Jacob is no exception.

We easily see in the life of Jacob how this law of operates.

Jacob has planted the bad seed that will later yield a bitter and unpleasant crop.

God has already determined that Jacob will rise higher than his elder brother, Esau (Genesis 25:23). That was declared before they were born.

Jacob did not wait upon the LORD to fulfill this prophecy, but he took it upon himself and dealt deceitfully.

He made Esau sell his birthright to him and through a cunning acquisition,

He deceived his father, Isaac, to also got Esau’s blessings.

As cunning as Jacob was, he met his match in the person of Laban, his mother’s brother.

For about 20 years, Laban has outwitted Jacob and turned him into a servant. Just like Jacob who used deceit to take advantage of his father Isaac and Esau, Laban also used craftiness and trickery to take advantage of Jacob.

Remember that Isaac was “old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see” (Genesis 27:1). For this reason, Rebekah and Jacob were able to steal Esau’s blessing.

We can see later that Jacob was also “blinded” by the darkness of his wedding night. Instead of Rachel, whom he loved, Laban gave him his older daughter, Leah, to Jacob.

In addition to this, Jacob was also deceived by his own children when they faked the death of their brother, Joseph.

Never ever commit the mistake of believing that you will be able to cheat the law of cause and effect.

These are just some of the instances that Jacob’s earlier actions led to bitter consequences. This should serve as a lesson to all of us.

Christians are also subject to the law of cause and effect.

Every action you take is a seed being planted for the future.

That see will germinate and grow and will eventually yield an effect. The effect would greatly depend on the actions you take.

We could see that Jacob later repented and had a converted heart.

That doesn’t necessarily erase all the seed we planted.

Often consequences of our bad decisions remain in our lives even after we have remorsefully repented and regretted our actions.

Forgiveness comes. Punishment ends, but there are often lingering consequences.

BTW: That is a GREAT reason not to keep demonstrating God’s grace by sinning. Yes, He forgives, but consequences are real and lasting.

IL: I can cut off my finger and later regret it and repent, That won’t guarantee and new finger in this life!

So the next time you do something, remember this one thing holds true:

sow goodness and you will reap goodness. Sow evil, and you will reap evil.

Lesson no. 3: God has a plan for each of us

In Genesis 28:10-22 , we have seen how God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob. He said:

[read text]

Genesis 28:10–22 ESV

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

We can see from these verses that God has a plan for Jacob. He has a plan for Abraham and Isaac. And we can be certain that God has a plan for all of us as well.

This is demonstrated throughout the covenant lineage. God is at work!

God has a plan for you and me

The plan of God for Jacob spans for many generations.

Today, the promise of God is fulfilled through the modern-day descendants of Jacob. All who believe in Jesus and repent are spiritual descendants of Abraham.

No matter who you are, God has a plan for you. This plan has already been laid out even before the foundation of the world. God created human beings because He is reproducing Himself!

You are not an accident. God has a plan for you.

God created human beings to expand His family and include many sons and daughters.

we will be like Jesus Christ when He returns here on earth

1 John 3:2 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

We are “partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4).

This is the ultimate plan that God has for each of us.

Lesson no. 4: God will humble you

Jacob is a man who uses people to further his own ends.

The bible described Jacob as a “mild man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27). This statement’s purpose is not to demean Jacob’s personality, but rather it shows us that Jacob was a more refined and civilized man compared to Esau who was a “skillful hunter, a man of the field” (same verse). Jacob is more interested in taking care of the family business.

Throughout the early life of Jacob, we have seen how Jacob relied on himself to obtain physical blessings.

Jacob would even later make a vow to God. He said in

Genesis 28:20–21 ESV

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,

This vow is conditional.

Jacob vowed that he will make God his God if God will keep him and give him bread and clothing. This shows the character of Jacob. He even sees God as someone whom he can use to become physically blessed.

Little Jacob did know that God is about to start a long process of humbling himself. Through Laban, a man who is more cunning and shrewd, Jacob has found his match.

God needs to humble you before He can use you.

At first, Laban tricked Jacob by giving Leah as his wife, instead of Rachel. This has forced Jacob to serve Laban for 14 years.

Over the course of time, Laban has not fairly dealt with Jacob. In every turn of event, little by little, Jacob has eventually humbled himself down in the mighty hand of God. He had learned to rely on God instead of relying on his own abilities.

After another six years, Jacob finally decided to leave the house of Laban and he has this to say:

Genesis 31:41–42 ESV

These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

This statement is an evidence of Jacob’s dramatic character development.

Jacob attributed the success of his life to God and he considers God as the judge between him and Laban. Later, we will also read the prayer of Jacob when he was about to meet his brother Esau:

Genesis 32:10 ESV

I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.

Jacob finally realizes that God’s goodness does not rely on his righteousness.

He is not entitled to God’s mercy just because he has started in following Him. Jacob now saw himself as someone who is entirely dependent on God’s mercy and goodness.

Just like Jacob, God will humble us and make us realize that we are NOTHING apart from Him.

1 Corinthians 10:12 ESV

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

God is the source of all the blessings we enjoy today. We must recognize that we are completely dependent on Him. Thus, it is imperative for us to become humble and see how insignificant we are without the grace and love of God.

Lesson no. 5: We must persevere until the very end

Jacob is the man popularly known as the man who wrestled with God. The Bible said that a “Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day” (Genesis 32:24). We know this Man will later be known as Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ could have easily won the match. However, the point of the whole wrestling match is not about who will win or not, but to test the faith of Jacob.

At this point in time, Jacob now recognizes that he can’t continue on relying on his own ability and wit to acquire blessings. He knows that it is only God who will be able to give him genuine blessings.

God or Jesus Christ wanted to know how bad Jacob wants the blessing. They wanted to see how far the perseverance of Jacob will take him and see his limit.

To further test Jacob, Jesus “touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him” (verse 26). So in pain and tear, Jacob wrestled with God (Hosea 12:3-4).

The Christian race is not a sprint, but a marathon.

So keep going. The price is never found in the beginning, but at the end!

Finally, when the day was dawning, Jesus Christ said to Jacob to let Him go. Jacob responded, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” This is where Jacob finally obtain God’s blessings. His “name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel”.

It is true that following God and keeping His commandments are never easy. As a matter of fact, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). However, this must not discourage us, but rather inspire us. We know that something is worth it when it is difficult.

The road from here to eternity is not an easy path to take. There are a lot of challenges and obstacles. But we can be assured that it will be all worth it when we have already finished our Christian race. For it is written;

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Conclusion:

These are some of the lessons we can derive from the life of Jacob. There is no doubt that his life can have many similarities in our modern Christian walk. Though he had lived for thousands of years ago, the lessons from Jacob’s life are as valid today as it was during his time.

Therefore, we need to realize that God is working with each of us today. He deals with us according to the areas in our lives that we still need to develop. May we have the courage, strength, and faith to persevere until the end!