Jacob

Bellman Fellowship

11-02-07

Personal File

• Birth Place: Canaan

• Profession: Shepherd

• Families: Isaac (Dad), Rebecca (Mom), Esau (elder brother), Laban (Uncle), Leah and Rachel (wives)

• Forefather of the twelve tribes of Israel

• Third generation starting from Abraham blessed by God.

A person who “grasps”

• Grasp his elder brother’s feet when was born

• Grasp birthright by selling his brother a cup of red bean soup

• Grasp the blessing from his father by cheating

• What A greedy and crafty character! (Genesis Ch25 V21-34 and Ch 27 V1-45)

Climbs the heaven ladder

• Flee from home to Haran at the age of 77

• Meet God at Bethel (God’s house)

• First spiritual turning point: repent before God

• Receive God’s blessing and promise

• Give God a tenth

(Genesis Ch28)

A faithful lover

• Fall in love with Rachel at the first sight

• Work for Rachel for 14 years

• Suffer hardship from Laban, a man who is more shrewd and foxy than him

Wish he could love God more (Genesis Ch29 V1-30)

Makes a fortune by trick

• Increase flocks in the last 6 years of working for Laban

• Use branches of poplar, almond and planes trees to help his flocks mate

• Separate strong flocks for himself and left weak ones for Laban

• Really it’s God who helped him to prosper (Genesis Ch30V25 & Ch 31V55)

Wrestles with God

• Prepare to meet Esau

• Grasp God’s promise and to save him from the threaten of his brother

• “I will not let you go unless you bless me”

• “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome”

(Genesis Ch32)

Makes up with Esau

• Humble himself as servant to Esau

• Give all he has to Esau to beg his forgiveness

• What a moving scene!

• Esau forgives him because God forgives

• Jacob tries to “give” instead of “grasp”

(Genesis Ch33)

Returns to God’s house

• God calls Jacob to return to Bethel

• Build a altar for God

“Go up to Bethel and settle there”

(Genesis Ch35)

Gives blessings

• Move to Egypt at the age of 130

• Give blessings to Pharaoh

• Give blessings to his 12 sons

• Give blessings to Joseph’s two sons

What a change! Let’s give the glory to God!

(Genesis Ch45 - 49)

Returns to his forefathers

• Pass away in Egypt• “Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field

of Ephron the Hittite, the cave ……. In Canaan…….”

• Though there are ups and owns in Jacobs’ early life, he grasps the promise of God and draws his later life to be a beautiful picture.

Egypt is just a foreign town but Canaan is our real homeland.

• Genesis Ch49 V29 &Ch50V14