Topical Bible: Faith: Jacob

◄ Faith: Jacob ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the twin brother of Esau, is a central figure in the biblical narrative, particularly in the Book of Genesis. His life is a profound testament to the complexities of faith, divine election, and God's covenantal promises. Jacob's journey of faith is marked by personal struggles, divine encounters, and a transformative relationship with God.

Birth and Early Life

Jacob's account begins with a prophecy given to Rebekah during her pregnancy: "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). This prophecy sets the stage for Jacob's life, highlighting God's sovereign choice and the unfolding of His divine plan.

Jacob, whose name means "supplanter" or "heel-grabber," was born grasping Esau's heel, symbolizing his future role in supplanting his brother. This early indication of his character foreshadows the significant events that would shape his faith journey.

The Birthright and Blessing

Jacob's faith journey is intricately linked to the birthright and blessing traditionally bestowed upon the firstborn. In a moment of weakness, Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a meal, demonstrating a lack of regard for the spiritual inheritance (Genesis 25:29-34). Jacob's desire for the birthright reflects his understanding of its spiritual significance, albeit achieved through questionable means.

Later, with Rebekah's assistance, Jacob deceives his father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau (Genesis 27:1-29). This act of deception, while fulfilling God's earlier prophecy, results in familial strife and forces Jacob to flee to Haran.

Divine Encounters and Transformation

Jacob's journey to Haran is marked by a significant divine encounter at Bethel. As he sleeps, he dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. The LORD stands above it and declares, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie" (Genesis 28:13). This encounter reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant and marks a pivotal moment in Jacob's faith journey.

In Haran, Jacob's faith is tested through his service to Laban, his uncle. Despite being deceived into marrying Leah before Rachel, Jacob's perseverance and faithfulness result in God's blessing, as he prospers and becomes the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jacob's return to Canaan is marked by another transformative encounter with God. At Peniel, Jacob wrestles with a divine being until daybreak, refusing to let go until he receives a blessing. The being declares, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed" (Genesis 32:28). This encounter signifies Jacob's spiritual transformation and the deepening of his faith.

Legacy and Faith

Jacob's later years are characterized by his reconciliation with Esau, the loss and eventual reunion with his beloved son Joseph, and his migration to Egypt. Before his death, Jacob blesses his sons, prophesying their futures and reaffirming God's covenantal promises (Genesis 49).

Jacob's life is a testament to the complexities of faith, marked by human frailty and divine grace. His journey from a supplanter to a patriarch of faith illustrates the transformative power of God's promises and the enduring nature of His covenant with His people. Jacob's legacy as Israel, the father of the twelve tribes, underscores the fulfillment of God's promises and the unfolding of His redemptive plan through the ages.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Little Jacob's Faith.
... LITTLE JACOB'S FAITH. JACOB BICKS was born in Leyden, in the year 1657.
He was visited with sickness upon the 6th of August, 1664. ...
/.../wesley/stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/little jacobs faith.htm

Abraham's Faith was Identical with Ours; this Faith was Prefigured ...
... to this Jacob as his wages; and the wages of Christ are human beings, who from various
and diverse nations come together into one cohort of faith, as the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxi abrahams faith was identical.htm

Faith
... bare Isaac;" "By faith Abraham offered up Isaac;" "By faith Moses gave up the wealth
of Egypt;" "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob;" "By faith Jacob blessed the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/faith.htm

Hebrews xi. 20-22
... come. By faith, Jacob when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Joseph,
and worshiped [3281] leaning on the top of his staff. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxvi hebrews xi 20-22.htm

Jacob's Sister Susannah.
... world.' Behold, now I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that
I now live in the flesh, is by faith of the ... I go to my brother Jacob, who did ...
/.../stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/jacobs sister susannah.htm

Prayer and Faith
... come! Yet faith gathers strength by waiting and praying. ... hands. Jacob prayed,
with point and ardour, to be delivered from Esau. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the necessity of prayer/i prayer and faith.htm

Rahab's Faith
... We see faith, again, entering the lists with the infirmities of old age and the
pains of the last struggle, as we read, "By faith Jacob, when he was dying ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/rahabs faith.htm

Stories of Boys and Girls Who Loved the Saviour
... SARAH HOWLEY A HAPPY BOY HAPPY MARY PRAYING CHARLIE A POOR BUT HAPPY BOY A BABE
IN CHRIST THE MINISTER'S DAUGHTER LITTLE JACOB'S FAITH JACOB'S SISTER SUSANNAH ...
/.../wesley/stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/title page.htm

Jacob and Esau
... this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Why, if
Jacob had had faith, he would not have been afraid of God: on the contrary ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/jacob and esau.htm

Jacob --Israel --Jeshurun
... The road passes through Peniel, and Jacob must become Israel before he is ... absurdities,
and contradictions, and inconsistencies, a little seed of faith in Jesus ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/jacobisraeljeshurun.htm