The Crow's Nest

Sunday, July 9, 2023

“Wrestling With An Angel.” The Story of Jacob Part VI

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”(Gen 32:24)

Jacob had sent his wives, sons and all of his belongings to the other side of a brook. Jacob stayed behind and sat alone. He wasn’t sleeping, or having a dream. He was obviously praying about the fear he had.

Prayer is not confined to asking God for something, or praising God for something. We can speak to God as in a conversation. God had already told Jacob that he would be protected but, just as someone saying they will give you something, we always want more detail. Jacob would have been in the same prayer. He had faith that he would be protected but, what about his family? What about his livestock? What exactly would Esau do to him? And this is where the mysterious man appears to Jacob.

Jacob wrestles with the man all night long. Wrestling is a tough fight. They grappled to achieve dominance over each other. Jacob discovered that this man had put Jacobs hip out of joint. A painful way to win. As day break was near the man asked Jacob to let him go. Jacob refused to let the man go unless he gave Jacob a blessing.

“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Gen 32:28)

Had Jacob just beaten an Angel? No, Jacob had prevailed over fear and doubt. He was faithful that God would provide him the power to prevail over men with the power of God.

Jacob wanted to know the man’s name and the man refused to give it. Jacob didn’t need his name. Jacob already knew that this was God in the flesh. Jacob had met God face to face.

Jacob and Esau Meet. The Story of Jacob Part V

“And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.” (Gen 32:1)

The story of Jacob, as with many stories in the Bible, uses terms that can confuse people. When Genesis 32:1 says “…the angels of God met him.” it is not just an accidental meeting, or Jacob said “Hi guys”. It is more like the angels joined with Jacob to protect and prepare a way for him. Jacob is being used by God to prepare away for the future messiah. And that brings us to the meeting of Jacob with Esau his brother.

Jacob knew that Esau was angry with him and in Jacob’s mind Esau would probably kill him. Jacob, under God’s guidance came up with a two pronged defense.

Firstly, he sent out messengers to to tell Esau that Jacob had been living and working with Laban and now he had oxen, asses, livestock men servants, and women servants. And Jacob wishes to find grace with you.

This message has two meanings. The first was Jacob’s worth, in terms of goods. The second is that Jacob wishes a friendly meeting and he will provide gifts to placate Esau.

The second part of Jacob’s plan is to divide his people into two groups. If either group meets Esau, then the other group can escape. In many military operations dividing your forces often meets with disaster. However, there are times when leaving a force behind buys enough time to live another day.

God gave Jacob a plan. But God’s plan is not for Jacob to win a delaying battle with Esau, but to see the power of God’s will and protection. Jacob will meet a much more difficult battle.

Friday, July 7, 2023

The Chase. The Story of Jacob Part IV

“And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.” (Gen 31:1)

Jacob knew that Laban didn’t want Jacob to go anywhere. No matter what Jacob did Laban would work to keep him. It has been 20 years that Jacob has worked for Laban. Now it is time to go.

“And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.” (Gen 31:3)

Jacob explained the problem to Rachel and Leah. God had protected Jacob from the deception of Laban and now they had a path to return to Isaac in Canaan.

“Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;” (Gen 31:17)

As is expected Jacob has every right to take his wages. They were promised to him by Laban. Laban didn’t see it that way. To Laban, just packing up and leaving is not your right.

To make things worse Rachel had stolen Laban’s “images”. These “images” are idols to other gods. There is an inequity in Rachel’s behavior. The images were not hers and she had no right to take them. She didn’t bother to tell Jacob of what she had done.

The original distance between Jacob and Laban was three days to travel. We do know that Jacob brought his wives, children, livestock, and goods. They were not racing, as much as crawling across the plain toward Canaan.

It took three days for Laban to find out Jacob had left. Laban didn’t take his entire household to chase Jacob. He only took the number of men to recapture Jacob and force him to return. God had another plan.

After seven days of chasing Laban catches up to Jacob. However, the night before he catches Jacob, God warns Laban.

“And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.” (Gen 31:24)

Laban starts to cry about how Jacob had left without saying goodbye. Both Laban and Jacob knew that if Laban knew they were going Laban would have used force to keep them. Laban had no love for the God of Abraham, our God. But to deceive he will say that he does while worshiping idols.

Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his idols. Jacob was unaware that the idols had been taken. He invites Laban to search the tents for his stolen idols. Laban doesn’t find them, because Rachel was sitting on them. Literally.

Laban could find no fault with Jacob, so they made a pact of friendship. And Laban departed back to his country.

It is the great problem of the world, even in ancient times. People will tell you they love and respect you, while working behind your back to destroy you. God protected Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God will protect you.

Haran. The Story of Jacob Part III.

“And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.” (Genesis 29:4)

Isaac had told Jacob to travel to the house of Laban. This is where he would find his wife. Along the trip Jacob slept under the stars with a rock for his pillow. It was in the middle of a desolate plain Jacob had a dream.

In his dream there was a ladder that ascended from Earth into Heaven. On the ladder he could see Angels climbing up and down the ladder. At the top of the ladder was God.

God said, “…I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;” (Gen 28:13)

This was the same covenant God had with Abraham and Isaac. God will protect you and make you strong.

Haran is a desolate place, located in southern Turkey along the Syrian border. There is a modern city of Haran and just east of the city is the plain of Haran. There were no beautiful gardens, fruit trees, or rivers. There was a well and grasses, think of it as the Great Plains of Kansas. It was not all you wanted, but all you would need.

Jacob had lived in Haran for 14 years working for his Uncle/Father-in-Law Laban. When Jacob arrived Laban had very little. That all changed when Jacob had grown into a multitude of people, crops, and livestock.

Jacob’s family has grown and it is time for him to go his own way. “Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.” (Gen 30:26)

Laban was not willing to let Jacob’s family leave. A negotiation begins. Laban is willing to give Jacob a better wage, but he wants Jacob to tell him what the wage will be.

Jacob is not dumb. He knows Laban will attempt to keep him as labor to increase Laban’s treasure.

Jacob said, “Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?” (Gen 30:29-30)

In short, Jacob said that God had multiplied me and by doing so, increased your wealth.

Laban had a short attention span. He asked Jacob directly, “What shall I give thee?” (Gen 30:31)

Jacob’s response is directly from God, “Thou shalt not give me anything. if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:

I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.” (Gen 30:31-33)

Jacob will only take the cattle, sheep, and goats that are not the best looking. Appearances can be deceiving. A speckled cow does not produce speckled milk. Jacob picked the cattle’s appearance as a way to determine which ones are his and which ones are Laban’s.

Laban agreed and moved himself 3 days away from Jacob.

Jacob separated the livestock based on their appearance. Not just in terms of outward appearance, but in terms of strength. The feeble were given to Laban’s flock.

Jacob’s livestock, servants, and family increased exceedingly according to God’s promise.

The Wives. The Story of Jacob Part II

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.” (Gen 30:1)

A tale of envy and jealousy. Of course, you can go back to Cain and Able, but the wives of Jacob create a picture of greed, envy, and jealousy.

It begins with Jacob at the well of Haran. Jacob met Rachel, the daughter of Laban Jacob’s uncle. It was love at first sight for Jacob. Jacob agrees to work 7 years for Laban to marry Rachel. Time flies by for Jacob and the time comes to wed Rachel.

Laban deceived Jacob on his wedding night (see part I). Instead of marrying Rachel, he married Leah. Jacob agrees to work another 7 years for Laban so he may marry Rachel.

God watched and saw how hated Leah was. So, God gave Jacob his first son, born to Leah. Reuben, which means “See a Son”. Leah believed that now my husband will love me.

Leah gives birth to three more sons. Levi, which means “joined”, Leah believed that now Jacob and Leah would be joined in flesh and spirit. Leah’s fourth son is called Judah, which means “praise”. Leah said I will now Praise God. Leah bears four children, while Rachel remains barren.

There was no express command from, God that a man could not marry more than one wife. Lesson’s from God are much more powerful.

Rachel wanted a child. Either from Jacob to her, or from Jacob by Rachel’s handmaid. Rachel’s handmaid bore two son’s to Jacob, and Rachel proclaimed, “And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed…”(Gen 30:8)

It is obvious that there is a cat-fight based on greed and jealousy. As is the way of the world. A love triangle exists when two people fight each other over the love of another. Jacob is caught between his love for Rachel, and his responsibility to Leah. Rachel uses children that are not hers as a weapon against Leah. Even at this point it is complicated. It gets worse.

Leah considered herself barren and following Rachel’s lead she gave her own handmaid to conceive for her. The handmaid provided Jacob two more son’s. Consequently, Jacob has four wives to deal with.

Reuben, Leah’s first son was working in the wheat harvest and found mandrakes. Mandrakes were extremely important in ancient times, it is a plant. Mandrake is used as topical ointments. Reuben gave his mandrakes to his mother Leah.

Rachel badly wanted some of the mandrakes, she offered the services of Jacob to Leah in exchange for the mandrakes. Rachel was willing to exchange the love of her husband for some mandrake. Leah willingly accepted. Leah has three more son’s, for a total of six son’s.

Look at how wickedly they competed with each other. Leah and Rachel fought each other to the point of bringing their handmaidens into the fight. All for control of Jacob’s heart. Yet God continued to bless Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and through Judah by Joshua the seed of Jesus continues.

The Story of Jacob. Part I

“Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.” (Gen 29:1)

Jacob saw a well that was covered by a large stone. All around the well were sheep, goats, camels, etc… As the shepherds would remove the stone to water the flock and then return the stone.

Jacob began to talk to the shepherds. He wanted to know where they were from, if they knew a man called Laban. The shepherds told him that they were from Haban and they knew Laban. They then pointed out Laban’s daughter Rachel was bringing her father’s sheep.

Jacob helped Rachel water her father’s sheep and told her that he was her kin. When Rachel heard his story she ran back to tell Laban about Jacob.

Laban ran out to greet Jacob. Jacob stayed with Laban for a month and asked to marry Rachel. If Laban accepted, he would work for Laban for 7 years and they marry Rachel.

Laban didn’t exactly agree, he said, “And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.”(Gen 29:19)

The 7 years passed quickly for Jacob and when his time was done he asked Laban to give him Rachel to marry. Laban had a feast for Jacob. Laban brought his daughter Leah and Jacob went in to her.

In the morning Jacob saw that this was not Rachel, it was Leah. Jacob asked Laban, why did you lie to me. I worked for Rachel.

“And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.” (Gen 29:26)

Laban had deceived Jacob. Instead of launching into a rage, Jacob accepted the deception and would serve Laban an additional 7 years to win the hand of Rachel.

God saw that Leah was hated. So he opened her womb so that she would conceive the first born of Jacob.

One of the best descriptions of God giving his favors to the righteous, are the children next born to Leah, while Rachel is barren.

“The names Leah gave her children, expressed her respect and regard, both to God and to her husband. Reuben, or See a son, with this thought, Now will my husband love me; Levi, or joined, expecting, Now will my husband be joined unto me. Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of the married relation; and yoke-fellows should study to recommend themselves to each other, #1Co 7:33,34|. She thankfully acknowledges the kind providence of God in hearing her. Whatever supports and comforts us under afflictions, or tends to our deliverance from them, God must be owned in it. Her fourth son she called Judah, or praise, saying, Now will I praise the Lord. This was he, of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. Whatever is the matter of our rejoicing, ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. Fresh favours should quicken us to praise God for former favours; Now will I praise the Lord more and better than I have done. All our praises must centre in Christ, both as the matter of them, and as the Mediator of them. He descended after the flesh from him whose name was “Praise,” and He is our praise. Is Christ formed in my heart? Now will I praise the Lord.” (Matthew Henry 1710)