jeremiah7

He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him. (Genesis 27:23)

The verse above describes how Jacob deceived his father Isaac to get a blessing that was his brother Esau's.

Some people, even believer's manipulate others to get certain things done or for their own selfish gains. It's like telling half-truth. You know that what you are saying is not totally the truth, but say it in a way that fulfils your motives. Well, Jesus once said,
"....with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:2)

If that verse were taken in the matter of wrongs that we do, then Jacob really got back a good measure of deception when he reached Laban's house. 20 years of not so comfortable life. He landed in the house of a deceiver who changed his wages 10 times and Jacob himself gives his testimony to Laban in this manner:

"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks.
I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.
This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times." (Genesis 31:38-41)

Jacob left a little bit out of his testimony. How he had deceived his father and brother!
Jacob- the deceiver went on to become Israel- one who prevails with God, but only after God had dealt with him. May the Lord help us all to be without guile all through our life and receive blessings without manipulating others.

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Dr.Johnson Cherian M.D.PhD.
http://www.doctorjohnson.org

violet

Fipi

Thank you! I have often wondered, "Why did God bless Jacob after he lied to his father and stole his brother's birthright?" I never looked into Jacob's immediate future for the answer, so thanks for pointing that out.

It is wrong to judge someone wrongly. Paul says in Romans 2:1-3:
[1]You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. [2] Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. [3] So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?

I asked my dad about this, and this is what he thinks: We must not be hasty to judge others, and we must be humble in judging others. Sometimes we must (and it's right to) judge people negatively (like Paul judged the false apostles), but we must be sure of our judgment, not basing it on assumptions and not judging with pride.

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"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." - 2 Cor 12:20

Boanerges

Well first Jacob's name is incorrectly translated deceiver- this is a very common mistake amongst preachers.The original was supplanter or one who takes the place of. Before they were born God Himself said :
Rom 9:11 (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
Rom 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Esau did not value the blessing and sold it for a bowl of beans- this heart cannot inherit God's promise. Jacob grabbed his brothers heal as he was born signifying that he would take Esau's place as patriarch. He was a man who would do whatever it took to inherit God's blessing in His life and though he had many struggles and trails he never once wavered in his faith God ward. God indeed knew Jacob's heart and responded to him by not only giving him blessing and position but by including him in the line of David the King.
Did he have flaws? No more than any of us. He indeed wrestled with God and part of him had to die that he might experience the blessing of God in his life. This is a type and shadow of being born again- just as Jacob part of us must die to enter God's promise and we are transformed into a new man. Jacob went from supplanter to Israel or a prince who had power with God.

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Anything that dims my vision for Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps me in my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it. – J. Wilbur Chapman

violet

jeremiah7

When God gives a promise for the future like He did in the case of Jacob, some people try to work out that according to their own plans. Rebecca devised a plan according to her thinking which was not God's planning and because of that great problems ensued.

When God gives a promise, He is able to work it out in His own time, we just have to follow His leading. God will not tell us to deceive someone to get His plan to work.

Even if the name Jacob doesn't mean deceiver, he was a deceiver and receive the just punishment for his deception and God brought him to repentance.

No wonder the man with whom Jacob wrestled and from whom Jacob wanted a blessing, asked him what his name was. Not that the man/angel did not know his name, but he wanted Jacob to realize what a person he really was, before he received his blessing.

__________________
Dr.Johnson Cherian M.D.PhD.
http://www.doctorjohnson.org