Topical Bible: Obedience: Jacob

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Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the twin brother of Esau, is a significant patriarch in the biblical narrative. His life is a complex tapestry of obedience, struggle, and divine encounter, illustrating the multifaceted nature of obedience to God.

Early Life and the Birthright

Jacob's early life is marked by his desire for the birthright and blessing that traditionally belonged to his elder brother, Esau. In Genesis 25:29-34, Jacob persuades Esau to sell his birthright for a meal. This act, while seemingly opportunistic, aligns with God's sovereign plan, as revealed to Rebekah before the twins' birth: "The older will serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Jacob's actions, though controversial, are part of the divine orchestration of events, demonstrating a complex form of obedience to God's overarching will.

The Blessing and Departure

In Genesis 27, Jacob, with Rebekah's encouragement, deceives Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau. This event, while fraught with deception, fulfills God's earlier prophecy. Jacob's departure to Paddan-aram to escape Esau's wrath is a direct response to his parents' instructions (Genesis 28:1-5). Here, Jacob's obedience is evident as he adheres to his parents' guidance, aligning with God's plan for his life.

The Vision at Bethel

Jacob's journey to Paddan-aram is marked by a divine encounter at Bethel, where he dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. God reiterates the covenant made with Abraham and Isaac, promising Jacob land, descendants, and blessing (Genesis 28:13-15). Jacob's response is one of reverence and commitment: "If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey... then the LORD will be my God" (Genesis 28:20-21). This vow signifies Jacob's obedience and dedication to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and protection.

Service to Laban

Jacob's time with Laban is characterized by hard work and perseverance. Despite Laban's deceit, Jacob remains obedient to God's promise, laboring for fourteen years to marry Rachel, whom he loves (Genesis 29:18-30). His obedience is further demonstrated in his strategic breeding of livestock, which results in prosperity, fulfilling God's promise of blessing (Genesis 30:37-43).

Return to Canaan

God commands Jacob to return to his homeland: "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you" (Genesis 31:3). Jacob's obedience is immediate, as he gathers his family and possessions and departs from Laban. This journey back to Canaan is marked by reconciliation with Esau, a testament to Jacob's growth in faith and obedience to God's will for peace and restoration (Genesis 33:1-4).

Wrestling with God

One of the most profound moments of Jacob's life occurs when he wrestles with a divine being at Peniel. This encounter, described in Genesis 32:24-30, is a pivotal moment of transformation. Jacob's persistence and determination to receive a blessing reflect his deep desire to align with God's purpose. The renaming of Jacob to Israel signifies a new identity and mission, underscoring his obedience and submission to God's authority.

Later Life and Legacy

Jacob's later years are marked by his role as a patriarch, guiding his family in obedience to God's covenant. His blessings to his sons in Genesis 49 reflect his understanding of God's plan for each tribe of Israel. Jacob's life, with its trials and triumphs, serves as a testament to the complexities of obedience, illustrating how God can work through human frailty to fulfill His divine purposes.

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Genesis 35:1,7
And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar to God, that appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.
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Library

How Divine Love Makes Use of all the Passions and Affections of ...
... follow love; this done, it tames sensual love, and bringing it to obedience, brings
also ... Divine love and self-love are in our hearts as Jacob and Esau in the ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xx how divine love.htm

Jacob --Israel --Jeshurun
... The road passes through Peniel, and Jacob must become Israel before he is Jeshurun ...
by the golden cord of love you may be fastened to Him in thankful obedience. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/jacobisraeljeshurun.htm

Jacob-Wrestling
... 4. But Jacob at the Jabbok always calls up our Lord in Gethsemane. ... its very last
submission, and its very last surrender, and its very last obedience, the very ...
//christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/iv jacob-wrestling.htm

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
... validity of the election suddenly appeared, and the announcement of Jacob found
a ... this took place, however,"before Shiloh came, to whom the obedience of the ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessing of jacob upon.htm

The Lord of Hosts, the God of Jacob
... 'The God of Jacob is our Refuge ... I am with you always.' Take Christ for your
hiding-place by simple faith in Him and loving obedience born of faith, and then ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the lord of hosts the.htm

At Jacob's Well
... She perceived that it was not the water of Jacob's well to which He referred; for
of this she used ... It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 19 at jacobs well.htm

Jacob Boehme: his Life and Spirit
... where a block of porphyry now informs the visitor that "Jacob Boehme, philosophus ...
selfishness and hypocrisy, rises again in a new will and obedience, and forms ...
/.../chapter ix jacob boehme his.htm

Jacob Boehme's "Way of Salvation"
... and with Christ, and are buried with Him to a new will and obedience, and hate ... an
experience in which the soul finds itself "at the top of Jacob's ladder," and ...
/.../chapter xi jacob boehmes way.htm

Prayer and Faith
... To do God's will is essential to true faith, and faith is necessary to implicit
obedience. ... Jacob prayed, with point and ardour, to be delivered from Esau. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the necessity of prayer/i prayer and faith.htm

That the Happiness of Dying in Heavenly Charity is a Special Gift ...
... vocation, obedience to vocation after vocation itself, vocation after Our Saviour's
redemption, on which rests all this mystical ladder of the great Jacob, as ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter v that the happiness.htm