Does God bless the deceivers?:- what lesson do we learn from Jacob’s life?
The story of Jacob, the fraternal twin brother of Esau is found in the Book of Genesis starting from Chapter 27 through 35. This is also known as the story of Jacob and Esau in Christianity. Within the Semitic religions’ spiritual traditions, Jacob has a special place and he is one among the forefathers. Abraham the Patriarch is an influential person both in Judaism and Christianity to this day. In Christ’s time, the Jews felt proud to proclaim that they were of his ancestry. We find in the Gospels how the Jews celebrated him in Jesus’ time. During his earthly ministry when Jesus admonished the Pharisees that they should know the truth and that only the truth will set them free, how they had answered Jesus is found in John 8:33; “They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” In verse 39 they answered, “Abraham is our Father”, in vs.53 they questioned, “Are you greater than our father Abraham?…..This is how Abraham was kept in high esteem by the Pharisees.
In the same manner, Jacob equally commended the respect and honour among the Samaritans of Jesus’ time. In the episode of Jesus’ dialogue with Kannamma at the well (Don’t be baffled, I know no name is mentioned in the Bible for her and she is simply called as the Samaritan woman. I prefer to give her this name.) Evangelist John mentions about a well that is known as Jacob’s well. John 4:6; “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from Journey, sat down by the well.”
In verse 12 we find the woman asking the question; “Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” This question indicates the standard of significance Jacob commended among the Samaritans as well as the woman’s search for spiritual fulfilment. There are passages elsewhere in the Bible that gives even greater significance to Jacob over Abraham. In Isaiah 44:1 we read; “But now listen, O Jacob, my servant, Israel whom I have chosen.” (Please be reminded that the word ‘Chosen’ used here is not to be taken as an important biblical reference for Calvin’s idea of predestination and to get stuck with this doctrine) Vs. “21 reads; “Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you.”
Oh! what an awesome picture of Jacob we get from all the above passages. Does he deserve it? How did he manage to get this special place in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the Christians”? However, we find the flip side of his story in Genesis 27. How he had obtained the special blessings of Esau that rightfully belong to him, in a deceitful manner? Does God bless deceivers? Can Jacob’s strategy be taken as an encouragement to gain wealth in an unfair and unethical manner? Does God approve this? Where is the justice of God?
The simple answer to this question that baffles a bulk of Christian believers and pastors alike is, ‘NO’ God never rewards the deceitful persons, nor does he approve of any unlawful means of gaining wealth. On the contrary, the story of Jacob reveals the underlying theme of ‘Repentance and reward’. The story tells us how a penitent sinner is restored and blessed, and how such persons find a special place in the sight of God. Repentance of a sinner is celebrated in heaven too, is clearly spoken by Christ himself in his teachings. In the parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15 vs.7 we read; “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents…..” The story of Jacob in Genesis reminds us of the story of the ‘parable of the Lost son’ narrated by Christ in the same chapter of Luke. In verse 24 we read; “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. Perhaps the story of Jacob formed the basis for Christ to tell this parable?
The deceiver Jacob and the repentant Jacob:
Where do we find Jacob repenting for his actions in his life? Here is the story:
Part I – The deceiver
Dialogue between Jacob and his father:
The three lies of Jacob to obtain the blessings from Isaac:
1. Isaac asked…. .’ who is it?’ Vs.19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn.”
2. Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success, he replied” – Vs.20 (such a daring lie using the name of God, just as many evangelists these days lie to the people even though God has not spoken to them)
3. Vs 24; “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked. “I am”, he replied.
Based on these lies, Isaac blesses’ him. In verses 28-29 we find that he gives five blessings to him:
- May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness- and abundance of grain and new wine.
- May nations serve you peoples bow down to you.
- Be lord over your brothers.
- May the sons of your mother bow down to you.
- May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.
The blessings so obtained through deceitful manner did not have the approval of God from day one. The proof is that none of the above blessings was fulfilled in his life. The blessings three and four were fulfilled in Joseph’s life and not in his life. The fifth one is not Isaac’s own blessings, but it is the one that God had given to Abraham, transferred to Isaac, and he, in turn, transferred it to Jacob. Jacob never tilled the land and grew vineyard for the first blessings to be fulfilled in his life. Alas! instead of a blessed person, he became a fugitive.
Part II – Life in exile and the repentance:
Under advice from his mother Rebecca, he flees to Paddan Aram to save his life and takes shelter in his uncle Laban’s house. He spends the next 20 years in his uncle’s employ under harsh conditions, despite marrying two of Laban’s daughter. The life in these twenty years had been an experience of spiritual enlightenment that leads to his repentance and ultimate gaining of God’s favour and blessings from him. He becomes a new person in his soul and mind. God then, tells him to go back to his place and promises him his protection and blessings. (Gen. 31:3)
The transformed Jacob, reveals his faith statement first to his two wives; “He said to them, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me”. This statement clearly shows that he is not the person who was when he cheated his father trusting in his own abilities and skills, but we see hear a new Jacob who puts his trust on God. He then flees from Laban with his wife, children and all his belongings without bidding goodbye to his uncle.
Genesis 31 gives a vivid account of Laban’s hot pursuit and his confrontation with Jacob. We also find Jacob’s testimony and his statement of faith in powerful way verses 38-39 testify to his honesty in dealing with what has been entrusted to him. Verses 40-42 testifies to his repentant heart and a changed life:
“This was my situation; The heat consumed me in the day time and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. IF THE GOD OF MY FATHER ABRAHAM AND THE FEAR OF ISAAC HAD NOT BEEN WITH ME YOU WOULD SURELY HAVE SENT ME AWAY EMPTY-HANDED.” What a profound testimony!
It was to this twice-born Jacob the Lord said; “For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.
In a desert land, he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye” – Deut. 32: 9-10
Of this new Jacob Isaiah writes; “But you, O Israel my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “you are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you” – Isa. 41: 8-9
It was this changed Jacob, who commended such respect in the belief system of Semitic religions and not the unbeliever, unrepentant and scheming Jacob.
The life of Jacob changed drastically when he came to his senses during his hard labour in Laban’s household, Just like the lost son’s repentance in Christ’s parable found in Luke 15: 11-31. Vs. 17 reads; “When he came to senses,….” s
I want to close this reflection with the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; “I tell you in that same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” – Luke 15:7
============================
