The life of Jacob as he relates to the title that our Lord claimed to be when He said "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
JOH 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers."
JOH 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
HEB 2:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
In MAR 12:26, our Lord also Identifies with the fact that all of His people including those who lived like Jacob, if they are truly saved, will be raised from the dead and have resurrection life.
1CO 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1CO 3:12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
1CO 3:13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.
1CO 3:14 If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward.
1CO 3:15 If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
It's interesting that when it comes to the doctrine of Resurrection that Jacob is used many times in the Bible as an illustration of the kind of people that God raises from the dead, Luk 20:37; Exo 3.
In Act 7:32, the Lord identified Himself as the Deliverer of the people of God as He used Jacob as an illustrator of the deliverance.
We see our Lord identifying Jacob with Himself as an illustration of how God can take a weak man or woman and make them great spiritually, not because of their ability but because of their AVAILIBILITY.
Over and over again, this man Jacob, who appeared to be filled with so many shortcomings is being used by the mighty hand of God.
Notice here that identification with a person like Jacob was given to Moses by the Lord as proof that Jehovah Elohim, or the Lord God, was with him.
- The first failure was in his manner of meeting Esau, verses 1-11.
- The deceit to which Jacob resorted to, to free himself from Esau's company, when Esau offered him the protection of his armed men, 12-16.
- The third failure was in settling at Shechem, a place which he will totally regret which represents going only half way with the Lord.
"bowing down to the ground" was an honor and a tribute that you would do in the ancient world toward a king or someone you would highly respect.
PRO 25:25 Like cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land.
JER 49:23b For they have heard bad news; They are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea, It cannot be calmed.
Do not lift up your eyes and look for the Esau's, the bad news of life.
MAT 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
HEB 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Those who have seen the face of God, as believers in the church-age do through the intake of doctrine, they do not need not fear the face of man.
As with Jacob so with us, To have power with God is to have power over all the evils that threaten us.
LUK 15:20 "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.
PSA 127:1-2, Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
ECC 2:11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
The point being is that not only are all of our fleshly planning and efforts dishonoring to God, but they are uncalled for and unnecessary.
The acceptance of the gift of the person giving it was considered to be the absolute proof that all was well.
It's incredible that Jacob practiced a deception on his generous brother in order to get rid of him by promising what he never meant to fulfill which was to visit him at Seir.
- The first failure was in his manner of meeting Esau, verses 1-11.
- The second failure was in the deceit to which Jacob resorted, to free himself from Esau's company, when Esau offered him the protection of his armed men, 12-16.
Do not think for a single moment that Jacob really meant to go to Seir; for as soon as he had seen the rear of Esau's retiring forces, he journeyed in the contrary direction to Succoth.
All such deceitfulness and lying were utterly unworthy of the man who had seen God's angels face to face and then God Himself.
Esau suggested that some of his own army should stay behind with Jacob to afford protection for Jacob and his herds while passing, through a wild and dangerous country.
Jacob politely refuses to travel with Esau, but he does say that he will follow at a slower pace behind him until he meets him in Seir.
Jacob, contrary to his word, moves westward toward the Jordan Valley and stops at Succoth and never goes to Seir.
Prin-Note that Esau kindly accepted the presents of Jacob to make Jacob feel better about his wronging Esau.
- Sometimes the unbeliever has a lot more integrity then the believer.
- Esau kindly received the wives and children of Jacob.
- Esau goes on the way before Jacob to make the way clear.
- Esau acts as his brother's guide and vanguard.
- Esau shows his forgiveness by deeds as well as by words.
- Esau is pictured in this chapter as a noble and with a chivalrous character.
Jacob, however, is still mistrustful of the one whom he had betrayed and he gives Esau the slip by going toward Canaan instead of following him to Seir as he had promised.