TOPIC: Jacob is the founder of Israel most closely associated by the sages, with CONSCIENCE, TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS (Gen 27:11,12; 30:33)
For many, that will be hard to accept, even though Jacob did say:
“So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come…” (Gen 30:33).
But that’s only because satan reserved his most intense propaganda, to discredit the Hebrew grandson declared a PRINCE (Gen 32:28) to lend his name to the Household of God which is forever the church and holy nation of prophecy (Ex 19:5-8; Is 66:22; Lk 1:33; Acts 7:38; Eph 2:11,12,19; Heb 12:23).
No individual other than Moses, king David and the Messiah, has received the weight of the honour conferred upon Jacob.
Let’s consider the testimony to Jacob’s righteousness which the following scenarios paint.
Jacob’s righteous character is evident under the great strain of the trial of his faith in his encounter with Esau.
Jacob’s division of his household into “two bands” wasn’t just a prudent decision for self-defence and survival, even though his reasoning in Gen 32:8 and his appeasement strategy with lavish gifts, make that seem to be the case (Gen 32:7,8,13-23).
His reminding YHVH of His prophecies promising Jacob success, deliverance, protection, favour and great multiplication (Gen 32:9,12) showing that Jacob’s FAITH WAS STRONGER THAN HIS REASON, prove that (Gen 32:9-12).
While of course he was fearful of what the outcome of setting up the rendezvous with Esau would be (Gen 32:3), his Fear of God was stronger.
His actions show care, considerateness and kindness towards his dependents, not the desperate scheming of a fugitive and underdog, of which he was neither, having just been exalted to PRINCELY rank by the Angel of the LORD (Gen 32:28).
Esau, the cunning hunter and hands-on adventurer, had done well for himself, both in Canaan, and in Mnt Seir, after leaving the paternal home, which evidently made the crisis that arose over the birthright a distant memory, increasingly irrelevant to his new, apparently happy and contented married life, to Hittite and Ishmaelite stock (Gen 32:3; 33:9; 36:2,3,6-9).
There seems no trace of sibling envy and rivalry in the description of the reunion in Gen 33, especially verse 4, which must have allayed Jacob’s fears that Esau’s four hundred strong ‘household cavalry’ was an ominous presence (Gen 32:6).
In a prophetic twist, Rebekah’s hopeful prediction that Esau would somehow reform (“UNTIL thy brother’s fury turns away”) to allow Jacob a safe return, ON HER CUE (“THEN I will send and fetch thee from hence/Laban’s household” (Gen 27:43-45), is fulfilled by Jacob courageously taking the initiative to ‘test the water’ to “find grace in thy sight” (Gen 32:5) by sending messengers to let Esau know his plan to return to his father’s household (Gen 28:20,21; 32:3-5).
Rebekah could never have anticipated that her expectation of Jacob being TEMPORARILY ‘exiled’ from credible danger, “And tarry with Laban a FEW DAYS” (Gen 27:43), would stretch to TWENTY YEARS, due to Laban’s incessant demands (Gen 31:41) creating the ideal time and space, it seems, for Esau’s soul to be cured of its furious, murderous intent (Gen 27:41-44).
Reminds us of Rom 8:28
“And we KNOW that ALL things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called, according to His purpose,’ as Jacob surely was, and as we are, grafted into his household as his grandfather’s, father’s, and his seed, in the Messiah (Gen 12:2; 28:14; Lk 1:33; Rom 9:7; Gal 3:29).
From the very beginning, the Divine purpose and vision for mankind has been for the Presence and power of the risen Christ slain before Creation for our salvation from our sins through the redemption which is in His Blood (Matt 1:21; Rev 13:8), to inform, charge and pervade everything we think and do, in every season of our lives, in both the good times and through the inevitable testing times, through His merciful provision of “grace for grace” (one grace/measure of favour after another) from one act of faith in believing and trusting Him, to the next (Jn 1:16), to REVEAL HIS righteousness through His FAITHFULNESS to His promises bringing us hope, comfort, courage and victory (as “more than conquerors”), and thereby, glory to Father and Son, by the Holy Spirit (Rom 1:16,17).
The goal of Divine Instruction (‘the law’) in the righteousness of “the Way of the LORD” to which pious (‘plain’) JACOB was no stranger (Gen 18:18,19; 25:27; Lk 20:31; Rom 3:31; 2 Tim 3:14-17), is ‘Christlikeness,’ perhaps most neatly summarized in Lk 6:40, as “The disciple is not above his Master, but everyone who is PERFECT, shall be AS his Master.”
It follows that the goal of FAITH is the salvation of our souls BY REFINEMENT TO PERFECTION of our CHARACTER (1 Peter 1:2-9; 5:6-12), to once again mirror the Divine Nature, shattered by our iniquity which separated us from God (Gen 1:26; Rom 3:12; 8:29; 2 Peter 1:1-11).
The goal of that REFINEMENT like gold and silver, is the sanctification of the reborn ‘temples” of our Holy Spirit-filled bodies by the Father’s Glory, just as the Glory fell in the Tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex 29:43), when it was perfectly ordered in every part in conscientious service to God, to reflect the perfection of the covenant itself (something David desired for his household – Ps 101; 2 Sam 23:5) and which was the ideal at which JACOB aimed by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, long before the nation of Israel and the Tabernacle, existed (Gen 30:33).
His integrity, measured by righteousness, was his preoccupation.
It was the salvation from sin which would come out of Zion and be of and from the Jews (through the Tribe of Jacob’s son Judah), to which Jacob’s prudent life decisions led him, like Isaac and Abraham who also walked before God aspiring to perfection (Gen 17:1; Matt 5:48; 8:11,12), because throughout history, anyone who has longed for the righteousness of God by faith, as their urgent necessity (including Job – Job 1:8; 23:10-12), was credited with the eternal benefit of the saving power of the Blood of the Lamb of God (Rev 13:8), even as Israel received mass deliverance and healing on the merit of the PROPHECY of the Crucifixion which had not yet taken place to ratify the New Covenant (Is 53:4; Matt 8:16,17).
That includes Noah, the “preacher of righteousness” whose faith “condemned the world” for NOT believing warnings about the Flood Judgment, his sensible childlike trust in God rewarding Noah, by making him an heir of the righteousness which is of God, by faith (Heb 11:6,7).
There’s no higher human goal than being sanctified by God’s own Glory, the Sh’kinah, God’s visible Presence (Ex 29:43), for yielding to sanctification by the commandments through the Presence and power of His Spirit.
It is through REPLICATION of YHVH’s Character in us by our imitation of the perfect sonship of the Messiah, that the REVOLUTIONARY RESTORATIVE PURPOSE of the Gospel will be fulfilled.
When human nature, transfigured by Christ, has removed the last trace of impurity, the obstacle to the renewal of the face of the earth (Creation’s repair), in anticipation of the glories of a New Earth (Is 66:22-24; Rom 8:4,14,28-22)
The flow of revelation knowledge to which we have been made privy in these notes, is valuable background information to the AUTHENTIC Gospel of grace, which is the resurrection power offered in this life (pre-Resurrection power – Jn 1:12), to be “wholly sanctified, spirit soul and body,” for the transfiguring of our souls to prepare the Way of the LORD for Him to return for a worthy remnant, to LIBERATE CREATION from its bondage to rapidly increasing deterioration under the burden of its defilement by man’s Torahlessness (Is 24:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4), by “renewing the face of the earth” by His Spirit through the MANIFESTATION (revealing the existence) of accurately discipled, true-worshipper-material as covenant-keeping sons (Rom 8:18-22,29; 2 Cor 3:18; 7:1; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13,14; Heb 12:14,28).
Which brings us to Isaiah 29:22-24, the fitting CLIMAX of any serious study of Jacob, proving that his rôle in the drama of reconciliation and restoration of mankind to God AS HIS SONS AND HEIRS, as co-heirs “in Jacob” (Gen 28:14; Rom 8:17; 11:17-29; 1 Jn 3:1-3), is nothing short of profound and deserving of high honour (Rom 13:7) because it is as “King of JACOB” that God the Son will rule “in Jacob” and reign over Jacob (as the Seed of Abraham, God’s Friend), to the ends of the earth, forever (Ps 59:13; Is 41:8; Lk 1:33; Rom 11).
The Holy One “given to Jerusalem to bring Glad Tidings” (Is 41:27) makes it known to us that He shall be known as “King of JACOB” (verse 21).
Like Job, whose recommendation by God as a superlative human being was comparable to Godly Noah (Gen 7:8,9; Job 1:8), and whose suffering for righteousness may, for all we know, have gone on as long as Jacob’s (who had a very different set of trials), Jacob had integrity from the start (Gen 25:27).
Job reaped a double- portion (Job 42) for “holding faith” all the way through to victory over a dreadful ordeal as an object lesson in patience and longsuffering to us all (Job 23:10-12; Rom 5:3-5; James 5:10,11); and Jacob became synonomous with the ‘unbounded’ blessing (Is 58:14) for likewise enduring to the end for the glory set before him, by consistently ‘sowing to the Spirit’ (remaining “dead to the law” i.e. walking lawfully) which brings with it, assurance of eternal life (Gen 32:28; 1 Tim 6:11-15; 2 Tim 2:5; Gal 6:7-9 ).
We can be sure Abraham, God’s friend, is absolutely delighted with the favour his God has chosen to shower on his grandson Jacob (of whom YHVH says, “I have taken and called thee from the ends of the earth from the chief men thereof,” which includes from amongst Abraham and Isaac) in the matter of election by grace (Is 41:8,9; 44:2,3; Rom 9:13-21; 11:25-29).
In Hebrew culture, the firstborn mantle is deemed to have passed from father to firstborn consecrated son, at bar mitzvah, when the father’s responsibility for his son expires. This is great incentive for the father to unselfishly champion his son’s success because the well-being, wisdom and competence of the CURRENT firstborn in a family materially affects the well-being of all other members of the family.
Where a firstborn is envied and/or diminished/obstructed rather than honoured and unselfishly encouraged, a curse plagues the family.
So like any proud father, granddad Abraham and father Isaac inwardly crow over the high personal calibre and accomplishments of their firstborn seed (which reflects well on THEM), no matter how far forward in their lineage, hence Jacob’s vested interest in US, as HIS seed in Christ, as described in the VERY DEEP Messianic prophecy in Is 29:22-24, where it is OUR sacrificial, uncompromising conformity to the Way of the LORD (Gen 18:18,19; Prov 16:3; Rom 12:1,2; Eph 5:10,15-17) in the midst of the House of JACOB (Lk 1:33; Rom 11; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6) which is what will “sanctify My Name” (the concept of ‘kiddush HaShem’) by showing by our willing obedience, that we not only love God but hold Him in reverence and Godly Fear (Is 29:23; Heb 12:28,29; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17; Rev 14:6,7,14).
Of all three fathers, it seems that from his two major prophecies (Gen 28:10-14 & 35:9-15), Jacob had the clearest idea of YHVH’s vision of the Abrahamic household of God which would bear his (Jacob’s) name, as a commonwealth as “one new man” (Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6).
Notice in Is 29:22 how God refers to Abraham prophetically in asserting the function and stature of the coming House of Jacob as final status quo for His definition of the Household of God.
JACOB (whose name must remain – Is 66:22), is henceforth the supreme identity of the body of Christ (Lk 1:33) just as David’s coming ‘second’ Kingdom (Micah 4:1-8; 7:8-20; Mk 11:10) becomes the Kingdom of the Son of David.
YHVH bypasses mention of the House of ISAAC.
This is in no way a subordination of grandfather and father to Jacob (Gen 27:29 does not refer to Jacob’s FATHERS).
Jacob’s Godfearing forbears’ Houses are SUBSUMED in the House of their seed, Jacob, THROUGH their salvation through their Seed, the Messiah (Matt 8:11,12; Gal 3:16).
In other words, although, as believers grafted into the natural olive tree (the New Covenant of the House of Jacob [Judah & Ephraim]), WE are defined as being “in THEE (Jacob)” (Gen 28:14), by being in Christ, technically speaking, because we’re born agaIn by a faith-promise, not by law, we are “reckoned (“called”) in Isaac” (Rom 9:7) IN ORDER TO BE Jacob’s seed, AS Abraham’s seed! (Gal 3:29).
That’s a brain twister, but it stands to reason, since it’s one and the same DYNASTIC LINEAGE, there being no competition between the incumbent patriarchs.
For interest, Deut 4:10; 5:29; 17:19 & 31:12 describe the rôle of the Fear of YHVH in learning the covenant (reflected in learning righteousness in 2 Tim 3:14-17 & Heb 5:11-14; 6:1-11).
Jacob is assured in Is 29:22 that unlike future insolence and contempt for God’s precepts causing grievous backsliding (which the Exodus exposed and judged decisively), the Messianic commonwealth OF HIS (Jacob’s) PROPHECIES would not “fail the grace” to be made available to it to attain the Holiness (devoutness and virtue) of the Messiah, for the fullness of Deity to fill the body of the Messiah (Rom 8:4,29; Eph 3; Col 1&2; Heb 12:14,15,28 KJV; 1 Peter 1:2,13-17), Who would be the Seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gal 3:16).
That would ensure that the promises given to Abraham would be fulfilled (Gen 18:18,19).
He (Jacob) will ‘see’ his Messianic household, the ingrafted “one new man,” sanctifying His (YHVH’s) Name by accepting correction, to “establish Torah” by obeying His will on earth, as it is in heaven (Is 29:23,24; Matt 6:9,10; Rom 3:31)
Even as you read this, the immortal spirit of Jacob must be observing us from amongst the great cloud of witnesses, to watch HOW WE’RE DOING on the “path of LIFE” (Ps 16:11) which we know from Matt 7:13,14 IS NOT THE BROAD PATH.
Because contextually speaking, Is 28:9-13 is closely related to 29:22-24, we are given a profound prophetic reminder by Isaiah the Prophet of salvation (Is 45:17-25), in 28:9-13, that eternal life is only for those whose baptism was sincere, as proved by their having submitted to the Spirit to be “weaned from milk, to know doctrine.”
If we’re to believe Y’shua and Paul, doctrine and the commandments respectively, are literally everything, whether one is circumcised or not, because it is a Biblical axiom that love is obedience, and obedience is a prerequisite to sanctity without which no-one will see the LORD
1 Jn 5:2&3; 2 Jn vs 5&6,9-11
1 Cor 7:19
Heb 12:14,28
Hundreds of texts and passages confirm that the Way to life and immortality is indeed narrow, and cannot even be ‘found’ (Matt 7:13,14) without acquaintance with the ways and laws of God “from His Mouth,” by abiding in His Word and by waiting on Him regularly for intimate fellowship and Instruction, about which both Abraham and Job are well qualified to testify, LONG BEFORE SINAI (Gen 26:5; Job 22:21,22).
For the same reason, Y’shua as Eternal Father (Avi Ad – Is 9:6,7), the Incarnate King of the Universe, Jesus-Y’shua being “the I Am, the First and the Last” (the Alef and the Tav, the Beginning and the End, the Amein) DECREES our recognition of Himself as “King of JACOB” both “IN Jacob” and “OVER Israel” (Ps 59:13; 68:34; Is 7:13,14; 44:6; 45:21; Lk 1:33; Rev 1:7,8,17,18), just as He decrees that we offer thanksgiving for the Father’s mercy in adopting us “in Jacob” despite His not having covenanted with us (Jer 31:31-34; Rom 11; 15:8-12).
Creation is not safe while the soul of mankind is defiled (Is 24:3-6; Rom 8:18-22).
Everything related to the condition of the Creation is rooted in the conduct of man.
God has intentionally created causality between the ebb and flow of righteousness, and degradation OR stabilization and recovery of Creation.
The New Covenant is our only Hope of Conservation and Improvement of the Universe and therefore of continuity of mankind, through the glory of Christ in US (sharing the mold of HIS Character), because the Gospel of salvation from our sins is the prerequisite for Israel’s exaltation to chief of nations to save Creation from its corruption by the curse of our sins (i.e the curse of the law of sin and death) (Rom 8:18-22).
The hope of the Gospel (life and immortality) is why He is returning to destroy those who despise Israel and “destroy the earth” (Is 60:12; Rev 11:18b)
The Bible is essentially the Gospel of Creation and Redemption of man and the Creation.
Tanach prophecy of the New Covenant shows what working parts of the Bible it is still necessary to fulfil to consummate the complete Plan of Redemption.
The shalom-shalom of the world as it ought to be, is what the true, Holy seventh day Shabbat, the call to sanctification, signifies.
This is why Judaism sums up the mission and calling of Jacob/Yeshurun as YHVH’s witness nation (Is 44:1-8), as “the mission of SANCTITY” (i.e. “everlasting Jewish salvation” to perfect the soul by sanctification by the commandments, for election for eternal life, because “many are invited but few are chosen” – Is 45:17-25).
Jesus is in full agreement (Matt 28:20; 1 Jn 3:3-10)
THAT in short, will be JACOB’s LEGACY on behalf of Abraham and Isaac.
We are participating in it, amongst JACOB’s eternal household, the dynasty of Abraham and David (Lk 1:32,33; Jn 10:16; Rom 11; Eph 2:11,12; Rev 21:12).
There’s no getting away from the fact that YHVH has exalted Jacob for attaining the crown of life as an exemplary overcomer.
He “apprehended,” to have a place reserved in the Kingdom of heaven (Matt 8:11).
Now must we (Phil 3:12-17).
His rôle in the “everlasting covenant” as the patriarchal titular identity of “the general assembly and church” of YaH’s elect-firstborn through Rebekah (Ex 4:22,23; Gen 25:23; Heb 12:23) has been largely underrated (Lk 1:33; Heb 13:20,21).
In Messiah, his family owns the Gates of the New Jerusalem.
We don’t gain access to the tree of life, except by entering in through those Gates into the Eternal City (Rev 21:12; 2:14,15).
Our identity in the end will be determined by which of HIS Twelve Tribes our adoption into the House of Jacob is attributed to.
Safeguarding the original innocence we’ve regained through the gift of the righteousness of YHVH, by abiding in the Vine through faithfulness to do His commandments, is our incomparable holy vocation (Matt 12:50; Jn 15:3-15; Eph 4:1-6).
Hallelu YaH
