Tag: Jacob

Posted on

Prominence set in perpetuity.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked. And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” Genesis‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As we read through the story threads of God’s great plan, we realize something – these high moments were planned before time began! Even the novice reader knows about the famous big-three players in the Old Testament. Abraham, Isaac and who? That’s right – Jacob. These historical story is not remembered as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Esau! It would be and always was Jacob – the second born.

This plan was in place BEFORE Issac pleaded and prayed to God for an heir. Issac knew his own story well. His own mom and dad, geriatricaly had him l-a-t-e in life. Isaac didn’t want that to be his story with his beloved Rebekah. He saw what his mother, Sarah, had gone through and did not want that to be Rebekah’s experience. So yes he PLEADED, begging God, on behalf of his wife, to give them children. We think infertility is hard today! Infertility then meant the erasure of the family name and the vast wealth that had been passed on through each generation.

Rebekah became pregnant with twins! Double answer to prayer, but the children began fighting within her womb. Sibling rivalry started well before birth! In our current cultural war of women’s rights over their bodies, these two “not quite human until birth,” were obviously behaving like humans within Rebekah’s protective womb. This sibling squabblery prompted Rebekah to pray as well. “Why?” She asks! Rebekah simply asked the creator of all things, “What is going on in here?” pointing to her own swollen belly.

God tells Rebekah about her future, the boys future, and the future of the nation of Israel! You don’t just have twins Rebekah- you have NATIONS within your womb! Wow. They are fighting now because they will be rivals for the rest of their lives. One will be stronger and your first born will serve your second born. Whoa – that’s a lot of information to share with a momma pregnant with twins that are already tangling within. Oh, and by the way, Issac wouldn’t be much help because he was SIXTY when the boys were born! It would be up to Rebekah to maintain civility in the home and steer the future according to what God shared with her in those moments of desperation.

True to what God had told her, Esau certainly was a twisted pickle – “He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.” Question: Is it possible that the boys’ character was already evident in their womb story? It even showed up at birth, when Jacob grabbed at his brother Esau’s heel as they were coming out! Our job as parents is to steer the strong qualities of our children best we can. Esau was a difficult child, youth and young adult! He purposely married Hittite women, against his father’s wishes and just to give his parents grief! One of those women was a daughter of Ishmael, his father, Issac’s half brother and sworn enemy of Israel. “Esau’s wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:35).

Parents, don’t beat yourselves up too badly, some of you will have an Esau! And some of you will birth and raise a Jacob who will take their prominent place in the future and in history!

Prayer

​Dad,
Oh how powerful are the origin stories of our lives and the lives of our children! To think that Rebekah bore the beginning of nations who would forever be at war. This is such a fascinating story to read as we come into this Christmas season, this advent, when Mary brings the Messiah, Your son into the world. Just as Rebekah bore waring twins, Mary bore the Savior who would end all wars. The Son of God who embodied hope, peace, joy and love! What a fantastically beautiful story with the “red-thread” of history that culminates in victory! Thank you for Your grace and fulfillment of every promise to us. Amen.

Posted on

Rocks mark the spot.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.” Then God went up from the place where he had spoken to Jacob. Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil. And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him there.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭11‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God, El-Shadddai (Shadday: Almighty), meets with and speaks to Jacob (sounds like aqeb – heel grabber or deceiver) and there changes his name to Israel (Yisrael -yisra + El – God strives or God fights).

God lays out the promises to Jacob even using the name He had used to introduced himself to Abram. Notice this is somewhat of a title of what God does. Later God tells Moses His actual name name – not Elohim, but hayah – I am (Yahweh YHWH).

After God meets and speaks with Jacob, Jacob sets up a stone pillar, a memory stone or altar. He even poured wine and oil on the stones, signifying both an offering and anointing. Have you had significant moments and specific places where God met with you?

I have! Before I even knew about this custom or these types of memory-stone moments as a new believer, I built a small pile of stones just like Jacob. I marked the place where it happened, I seared the spot in my heart and mind. Of course I only did this when theses places were outdoors 😂. I’ve never built a memory-stone inside a building. Here’s what’s so powerful about those moments. I still remember EXACTLY where those spots are! A couple of them are in the mountains up in Big Bear or Crestline, California. The other was in Vista, Ca in the hill above Green Oak Ranch. God spoke to me in these places and I listened. That place became a holy place for me and I wanted to signify it’s importance by building something with my own hands. I didn’t have wine or oil, and honestly, didn’t even know about that yet.

Isn’t this interesting for us as humans? That we would want to mark places of significance to remember them? For Jacob/Israel these places were talked about with their children. At one point, in the book of Joshua, Joshua explains this after he had 12 tribal leaders stack stones on the riverbank, ‘In the future your children will ask, “What do these stones mean?” Then you can tell them, “This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.”

Whether your outside, meeting and hearing from God in the spectacular beauty of creation or your sitting in your favorite couch or café, it’s important to make or mark a memory. Maybe someday you can tell the story to your own children or grandchildren saying, “you see that rock, that spot? – that’s where God spoke to me!”

Prayer

Dad,
I remember you meeting with me in the great outdoors. The first one was the most significant because it was just a few hundred yards from where I gave you control of my life, committing to follow Jesus. One of them was a place of decision and the last place was a time and place of sadness. I was so thankful to return to those spots and remember what had happened. These places and memories of experiences are so powerful and wonderful to me. I can see why so many stories of significance are permanently recorded in the Bible. Also, I am thrilled to know that you still meet with people, even people like me. Thank you.