As amazing as it may sound, we as human beings are always in one form or another bent
on either disagreeing with, or changing, or restructuring what The Almighty GOD
has set forth as formidable and correct in The Word of GOD. Let me give you a few
examples; in The Holy Bible at the very outset, in The Book of Genesis 1:5, "...And the
evening
and the morning
were the first day.
" Please notice how clearly The LORD sets forth the measure of a day - "evening
and the morning", yet we, almost without fail, almost always, relate to a day in this fashion - the
morning
and evening.
Did you notice how shrewdly, we switched 'the format' that GOD established in HIS
WORD from evening
and the morning,
to, morning
and evening
? I hope you don't think of this as being insignificant or minor, for you see, changing
what GOD has set in HIS WORD, constitutes nothing short of either, adding
or subtracting
from the WORD OF GOD (see: Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18-19).
It was in Jerusalem, Israel that a very misguided young man, turned to me, and accused
me of being a BIBLIOLATRIST; that is, a worshipper of every word recorded in The Holy Bible: I told this young
man I was a Biblicist; that is, that I believe, The Old and New Testament to be The Final authoritative Word from GOD to man!
My position as a Biblicist infuriates many, and yet, how can some of these so-called
'Christians' accept GOD and not
accept in total The Word of GOD, which speaks from Genesis to Revelation about GOD
Himself?
It is simply understood that as human beings, we are always bent on either, changing, adding, subtracting, detracting,
etc., from what GOD has so wonderfully set forth in His WORD. In Genesis chapter
three (3), you have another classic example, namely, the woman adding to The Word
of GOD (see: Genesis 3:3), which eventually brought 'spiritual' death to her and
to her husband!
In my opinion, the greatest tragedy of changing what GOD has said, deals, with the
man Jacob. The LORD said, "...Jacob have I loved" (Romans 9:13), AND MANY, over the centuries have intimated and even insinuated that,
GOD hates Jacob! This hatred comes out in writing as well as in speeches, orations,
and even in messages that deal with the man Jacob. First, they make either an insinuation or an outright statement about what the name of Jacob means. Some will write
or say that Jacob means conniver, others, that it means scoundrel, and still others
call him a cheater, and on and on. The fact of the matter is, that the name Jacob
actually means, 'heel'
. This word is first found in Genesis 3:15, where The LORD Himself made a pronouncement
dealing with and as a result of the very first recorded sin found within the pages
of Holy Writ; "And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman (Eve),
and between thy (Satan) seed and her (Eve) seed; it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise
thy (Satan) head, and thou (Satan) shalt bruise his (seed of the woman) 'heel'
." The word 'heel'
in the Hebrew language is the root word for, the name of Jacob.
Not only do we find in Genesis 3:15 the first mention of the glorious Gospel, that
is, the death, burial, and resurrection of the Seed of the Woman, WHO is The LORD
Jesus Christ: It also sets in motion, the premise, from whom, The MESSIAH was to
come through, namely, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who was so named at the very moment of his
birth, (see: Genesis 25:26), clearly showing us that his name means 'heel'
. In Genesis 25:23, we are told, even before his birth, that, he (Jacob), would be
served by his eldest brother Esau, whom GOD hated. The very life pattern of both
Esau and Jacob show forth, according to The Sovereignty of God, that The LORD not
only knows all things from the beginning to the end; but also that He makes no mistakes; and
He knows the very heart of men and women, and all of their deeds, even before they
are thought of or performed. In Deuteronomy 32:12, we are told that Jacob had, "...no strange god with him". He is also called 'perfect'
; in Genesis 25:27. Some translations use 'plain', but the original Hebrew uses the word 'Tam', which should be properly translated 'Perfect'. On the other hand, Esau is called
a 'fornicator', or 'profane' person in Hebrews 12:16. Therefore, the description
of GOD's estimation of both Esau and Jacob are set forth clearly in His WORD. The
problem with many that denounce Jacob, is that rather than uphold him, they believe and accept
a fornicator, and his words, 'about'
Jacob, found in Genesis 27:36, calling him, a 'supplanter', instead of accepting and believing what The Almighty GOD said, "...Jacob have I
Loved."
One must remember, that previous to the lies Esau spoke about Jacob, we properly,
read the actual truth in Genesis 25:29-34, "And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came
from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, feed me, I pray thee, with
that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said,
Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright
do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and
rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright."
Please notice the words, "...and he (Esau) sold his birthright unto Jacob."
Not only did he sell his birthright, but The Scriptures remind us, that, "...Esau despised his birthright."
He despised his birthright because, he was ungodly and unruly, as well as being an
unjust person. His whole life demonstrated this very attitude; to his parents, to
his brother, and most of all to GOD! It is therefore, this very individual that assaults
and accuses Jacob, for 'no reason at all', even to the point of wanting to kill his
own brother. We read in Genesis 27:41, that, "Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing
wherewith his father blessed him." Notice, that even though Esau had despised his birthright
and had sold it to Jacob, he still 'pretended'
to desire that which he had already sold for a mere 'pottage of lentils'! Therefore,
Esau had no legal or Scriptural right to his birthright. Especially, as we hear The
LORD Himself, speaking to Rebecca in Genesis 25:23, "...the elder (Esau) shall serve
the younger (Jacob)", As well as, what we find written in Romans 9:10-16, "...but when
Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of GOD
according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) It was
said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
As it is written, JACOB HAVE I LOVED,
but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with GOD?
GOD FORBID. For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and
I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD that sheweth mercy."
Those that 'try' to discredit Jacob by one means or another, ultimately, must come
face to face with the GOD of Jacob, and give an account of their wrong thoughts,
words, or writings, either in this life, or as they stand before The MESSIAH of Jacob
(Israel), The LORD Jesus Christ!!! If you are having difficulty either understanding or
accepting what I am writing, then please do both of us a favour, and look into any,
and I mean any, commentary on the man Jacob, as well as any other reference source
dealing with Jacob, such as Sunday School material, magazine articles, brochures, etc. I
am perfectly confident that what you will read, will astonish you, to such an extent,
that you will begin taking GOD's Word
even 'more' seriously than you have ever before. I mentioned earlier that as human
beings, for the most part, we dedicate ourselves to the changing of what GOD has
set forth in His WORD! Take for example, GOD's statutes and commandments, that are
found both in The Old Testament and The New Testament, where you will find approximately seven
hundred ordinances set forth for mankind; in turn, mankind has either diminished
them to simply one or two, or has augmented them into the 'thousands'. Would to GOD,
that we would take Him at His Word, and live according to His precepts.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we mortal beings, should deceive ourselves
to think that we can ever observe, or keep all the ordinances of GOD either, partially
or completely, but what I am saying, is that what GOD sets forth is good and righteous, and that through the perfect and righteous One, The LORD Jesus Christ, we
'by faith'
are made one-with-GOD in righteousness. Yet the ordinances set forth are not
to be altered, changed, diminished, or augmented by man, but rather, we are to observe
them in obedience unto The Almighty GOD.
Please take a moment and reflect on your life in regards to that 'one' commandment
that you thought was impossible to ever keep; and yet, when you fully trusted GOD,
and allowed Him to live through you, that very commandment that stood in your life
as an impossibility, now through Him, is a reality. Praise be unto His Name!
As believers, we all know what it means to disappoint and dissatisfy The LORD in our
very lives. All of us have at one time or another forsaken The LORD, and yet to recognize
and repent from our sins, is the first step in coming back to our Heavenly Father, WHO is always waiting for us with outstretched arms! Please read I John chapter
one and two!
I believe that misusing the name of Jacob, will, at one point or another, bring into
one's life much heartache and misery! Let me explain; there is today, as there has
been for many centuries an evil called, 'ANTI-SEMITISM', and, I believe that the 'root' of this evil begins with the wrong emphasis being
placed on the man Jacob, who represents the nation of Israel, for, from his very
own body, came forth the 'Jewish people'
as we know them today.
In 1981, I had the misfortune of hearing an Evangelical Gospel Radio Program; the
subject was on the man Jacob. The Service was held on a Sunday morning, and the attendance
was in the 'thousands';
the Pastor began berating Jacob, and calling him every conceivable name; some of
which, I would not even print in this book. I heard in the background the congregation
laughing, again and again, as the Pastor continued to castigate the very memory of
Jacob. I did something about it; I wrote the Pastor, telling him of my sadness and hurt.
There was no reply forthcoming! You see, this Pastor's statements were bad enough,
but when one considers the countless number of men, women, boys, and girls that were
in the audience being exposed to this type of 'Anti-Semitism'
from a pulpit, this is where the greatest tragedy occurs. You will find the hatred
of Jacob in commentaries, Sunday School literature, etc.
Do you begin to understand? As a child grows up hearing how 'bad' Jacob was 'supposed'
to have been; and since he is the progenitor of the Jewish people; the attitude of
mind and heart that a child will grow up with towards the Jewish people, will be
nothing short of religious anti-Semitism
(hatred against the Jewish people), and all of this being wrapped up neaty in a religious
package. Please remember that Jacob was chosen of The Almighty to be the one through
whom The Messiah would come forth, see Matthew chapter one!
Jacob has an integral part in the 'JERUSALEM OF GOD'
, and to speak against him, is to 'try'
to undo what GOD has already done for you and me, through the descendent of Jacob,
Jesus of Nazareth! One needs to also remember, that The Abrahamic Covenant found
in Genesis 12:3 applies very directly to Jacob and his descendents "...I will bless
them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." This portion of Scripture indeed
deals with the 'JERUSALEM OF GOD'
, that is, the land of Israel and the people of the land! It seems, to mankind in
general and even to us, as believers, that The LORD either is slack or forgets what
He has promised! As the Apostle Saul-Paul would say 'GOD forbid'; no my friend, The LORD always keeps His Word, and always makes His appointments.
Whether a nation, and or an individual blesses or curses Jacob, the record will show,
that though sometimes a period of weeks, months and even years will go by, eventually
The LORD metes a blessing for a blessing, and a curse for a curse!
In relationship to the out-come of the blessing or the cursing aspect, all one has
to do, is look into the historical records of the past, and one can find enough evidence
displayed, where The LORD has uplifted and blessed a nation or person that has blessed the seed of Jacob, while He also has defeated and destroyed nations and individuals
that have cursed the seed of Jacob, that is, the Jewish people. The children of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob are once again in the land of Israel, and many countries today are lifting their voices against this small nation; one would naturally wonder as
to The LORD's response to the tremendous anti-semitic sentiment, but we need not
wonder, for we 'know'
that The LORD has said, "...Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith
The LORD." (Hebrews 10:30).
Therefore, you as an individual before GOD, need to establish within your heart and
mind, to look for opportunities to bless Jacob and His seed, and you will be 'blessed'
according to The Word of GOD!
The LORD Jesus Christ, a '40th' generation descendent of Jacob
will see to the blessing and cursing. (see: Matthew 25:31-46). By the way, 'my brethren'
, spoken of in Matthew 25:40, is the seed of Jacob, that is, the Jewish people. A
good starting point for you in blessing Jacob, is to, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem"
(Psalm 122:6). This will automatically involve you with; the land of Israel, its
people, and the soon return of, The King of the Jews, Jesus our LORD! I pray that you
will sow seeds of kindness and love towards Jacob and his children!
