My Reflection on Jacob's Life - Part 1

I wrote about why I was drawn to study Jacob's life in my previous entry. And as I was reading the accounts of Jacob's life in Genesis, so many questions and thoughts rang in my head. 

For instance, have you ever wondered why Jacob was so adamant (or you may call it desperate) for a blessing, be it from man or from God? 

As I pondered on these thoughts, I found God unveiling and reinforcing these revelations and truths to me from the life of this heel-holding Prince with God, Jacob Israel. 

Source: Internet

1. If Jacob had known what God says about him.  

God has already spoken over Rebekah's twins even while they were in the womb. God told Rebekah, "the older shall serve the younger." The Bible doesn't tell nor imply to us whether Rebekah told anyone about this. But it seems to me that neither Isaac nor Jacob knows about this prophecy over Esau and Jacob. 

Isaac, in blessing 'Esau' (who was really Jacob in skins of the kids of the goats over his hands and neck) "to be master over your brethren", has contradicted God's words over the destiny of the twins. 

I wondered - had Isaac known what God had already predestined over Esau and Jacob, would he have blessed Esau the same way? 

I wondered - had Jacob known what God said about him even while he was still in the womb, what kind of man would he be? Would he still be striving and conniving? 

Often times, we do not know what God says (or has said, for that matter) and therefore, we live in bondage or in contrary to His Words. 

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. When we know the truth, the truth that we know shall make us free. 


2. Jacob was mislabelled as supplanter in spite of his destiny.  

Why Isaac named him Jacob beats me and is beside the point. But clearly, Jacob had been affected by this name and label. 

How many of us and how often times were we affected by wrong labels from men? Or worse, wrong labels we put on ourselves? 

I strongly urge you to listen to Ps Leif Hetland's preaching on Removing Wrong Labels. In this sermon, he said this - The name that God calls you by is your true name. Hallelujah! 

Recognize the wrong labels that others have put on you and remove them. Human nature sees in the natural realm, the past and the present and labels man. 

Are you a "nation", a "people", a "to be served" who has been mis-labelled as Jacob, Supplanter, Heel-holder? Take these labels off you right now! 

Are you an Israel who, not knowing or is unsure of your identity and destiny as Israel, has held on to the wrong label of 'Jacob'? Know the truth and set yourself free from these wrong labels! 


3. Jacob's hunger and desperateness for acknowledgement, recognition and blessing 

I've always thought Jacob to be quite a greedy man. He has received so much:

  • He bargained for the firstborn birthright from Esau (Gen 25)
  • He tricked the firstborn blessing from his father, Isaac (Gen 27)
  • He was blessed by Isaac as he was sent away to Padan Aram (Gen 28)
  • He was blessed by God in his dream in Bethel (Gen 28)
And yet, Jacob was still seeking for a blessing from the Man (Gen 32).  

It is as though he did not know what he already ha. And he had forgotten what God had promised him in Bethel. 

All his seeking only stopped when God blessed Jacob directly, reaffirming the Abrahamic covenant and his new name Israel, and told him to return to Bethel in Gen 35. There is no record of any such struggle in the scripture anymore after that. 

A brother in Christ highlighted that it could be because Jacob only knew about God, but he did not know God personally until he met with God at Peniel. That is probably why he could not rest in what God had spoken. So much truth in this! 

In a way, Jacob's tenacity reminds me of how we are at times, always seeking for an encounter, an experience, a word. Our seeking will stop (and can only stop) when we know God personally. 

In a lot of things, be it blessing, provision, healing and all, God has already given it to us. We need only to perceive it, believe it and receive it. 


4. God of Jacob, the God of Israel

Have you noticed or ever wondered why Jacob and Israel are used interchangeably in the Bible? 

Even though his destiny is to be a Israel and even after God gave him his new name, Israel, Jacob was still referred to as Jacob in the Scripture. And God is often times described as God of Jacob. For instance, the Bible tells us that God is the God of Abraham, God of Issac and God of Jacob. 

Maybe it is not to confuse the person Israel with the tribe of Israel, one may say. 

But as I read of Jacob, appearing in later books of the Bible and even in the NT, it reminds me of Jacob's weakness and struggle in the beginning and God's faithfulness and patience. 

Numbers 23:21 He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.

Furthermore, notice that when Hebrews 11:20 "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come" re-tells the account of Isaac blessing Jacob and Esau, it does not make mention of Jacob's trickery. God's grace covers and forgives all sins. 

God did not despise Jacob for his weaknesses and wrongdoings. On the contrary, God sees beyond his shortcomings and recognizes his tenacity and desire to seek God. 

Psalm 24:6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. 

Such is the grace and love of God towards us. 


5. Are you an Israel who still behave like a Jacob? 

A brother in Christ explains the interchangeable use of Jacob and Israel this way - God was willing to be known as the God of Jacob (God of the deceiver) so that we can always remember that when God becomes our God, it will certainly result in transformation. 

Indeed so true. One cannot remain the same after knowing who God is and who we are in Him. 

I am a personal testimony of transformation after knowing:

  1. Who Christ is
  2. Who I am in Christ, that is who God says I am
  3. Who I am not - all the wrong labels given to me by men and by myself

Having said that, sadly, at times, even when I know I am an 'Israel', I still find myself thinking and behaving like a 'Jacob'. 

I'm not saying this with remorse, rather, I say this with a recognition of the need to cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5). 

So, when the Jacob in me tries to manifest, I can now counter it with the truth. Because I am an 'Israel'. 


Dear ones in Christ, are you an Israel who, perhaps, still do not know who you truly are? 

Are you an Israel who still suffer from all the guilt and pain of your past Jacob? 

Are you an Israel who still behave like a Jacob? 

Rejoice! Glean the revelation from Jacob's (or should I say Israel's) life. Take some time to listen to the sermons that I've listed (links are all given in the blog posts). 


If you feel like you're a Jacob who has not started well, receive the revelation and truth and finish well then, because you are an Israel. 

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