Introducing Jacob
Sunday, Sept. 27
Genesis 25:1 – 26:35 Read it here Listen to it here

Three generations of this family are critical to understanding God’s people, Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In fact, God’s people aren’t really identifiable as a distinct nation until these three patriarchs. Jacob will later become known as Israel—it is his name that will forever be attached to the family line. (Later, his 12 sons will have their names attached to the 12 tribes of Israel.)
It was to Abraham that God made his covenant: “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”
While Abraham was the recipient of God’s promise, it wasn’t until the life of his grandson Jacob/Israel that it begins to be fully fulfilled. God is faithful, but his timeline is not always as rapid as we would like it to be.
Two characteristics we quickly see in Jacob will be significant: he is competitive, and he turns situations to his advantage. His strength is in his tenacity.
Jacob’s struggles with his twin, Esau, begin even before their birth, and Jacob will use his wits to gain the advantage over his slightly older brother.
Once again we see God working to fulfill his promises through the use of someone who is not our ideal of completely godly.
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While all three of these patriarchs were polygamists in line with their culture, it’s worth noting that each of them is strongly identified with one particular wife: Abraham with Sarah, Isaac with Rebekah and Jacob with Rachel. Each of these women appear in the story as significant people in themselves, not just as instruments to produce children.

Sunday meditation

Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Prayer focus
Keep me humble with a healthy fear of God and of evil.

-Rev. Mark Fleming