This week we looked at keys to growing into the next season of our life. We looked at the story of Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. My encouragement for this year is that we deal with the junk that continues to hold us back and see God break us through to a new level.
Jacob had some junk in his life. His name meant “deceiver.” In the day, children were born and were watched and then were named later. There is rivalry between dad and mom regarding favor and love for their children. Jacob then displays favoritism with his own sons as well. His mom, and Jacob, worked consistently to make the prophecy that Jacob would rule his older twin brother become true. Jacob deceives his brother and father out to get the birthright and blessing Esau has right to. God wants to bring blessing to our lives without sorrow attached to it, but when we try to do it ourselves there is sorrow and fear attached. Jacob got all he wanted, but now Jacob immediately has to run for his life (Genesis 27). Any time we try to make God’s plan happen by means of our own (not necessarily deceptive, but just not God’s way), we end up with these kind of results.
God doesn’t punish us when we sow junk, but we do reap what we sow. Jacob sowed deception, and then he reaped it when he was given the wrong woman in marriage by Laban’s deception. Now Jacob finally in chapter 32, over 14 years later, goes back to Esau. In verse 22 he wrestles with God. He puts all his family and all his possession to the other side of the river and THEN wrestled. He finally realized it was God’s blessing (and not anyone else’s) that he needed. Jacob’s name is now changed from Jacob (deceiver) to
A quick side note on Hebrew—the Hebrew language is made up of characters (aleph bet), all of which have a meaning of their own, as well as being put together to form words. Also, while other languages have past, present and future tense, Hebrew tenses are complete (future) and incomplete (past). The ancient Hebrew for this word comes from two Hebrew roots: Ishra and el (part of the name God). For the first part Ishra, there are 3 characters. The first character is symbolic of man’s works. The second symbolizes man’s destruction. The third symbolizes mankind. Works (in the flesh, doing it our own way or by our own hands) bring destruction to man. The first character in the el part symbolizes the power of God. The second means to lead and looks like an upside down shepherd’s crook. The picture hidden in this reveals how God can prevail in our lives—let God lead rather than trying to make it happen on your own.
