Jacob - A New Man

Introduction

Tonight may I invite you to come with me to a portrait gallery? Unlike the student supper it’s free, so we don’t have to pay! We climb the stairs and find a long corridor. On the walls are the portraits of men and women. Some from the past. Some from the present. Some look happy and others (like the cast of East Enders) look miserable. At the end of the corridor there isn’t a portrait but a mirror. In some sense that portrait gallery is a bit like looking at the narrative stories in the OT.

We look at the portraits of the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and we look at the portraits of the prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel – and what do we see? We see them painted warts and all. Their strengths and their weaknesses are made plain to us. Their times of intimacy with God. Their repeated failures to love as they should. Their repentance and their contrition.

But as we look at their portraits we also see our own. And scripture becomes a mirror. But what do we see and what does that mirror reveal about ourselves? Our motives? Our response to God? Our trust in Christ? Our walk by the Spirit? Do bear these things in mind as we conclude our study of Jacob. It began in Genesis 25 and ends in chapter 35. And it continues too as a backdrop to the life of Joseph and ends with Jacob’s death in chapter 50.

Tonight I want us to focus on three ‘specials’ – special places, special events and a special encounter.

1) Special places

Again and again things happen to Jacob at special places. They are markers to help us along the way. They help to tell his story. And whether there are visions, or dreams, or encounters or insights, God meets Jacob. He comes to him. He speaks to him. He forgives him. He touches him. He assures him of his presence. Not only does God speak. God also acts. As ever God takes the initiative. Why? Because he is the sovereign God.

Three of the special places have significant names – the house of God (Gen. 28:11-19), the camp of God (Gen. 32:2) and the face of God (Gen. 32:24-31). Yes, the small miniature portrait and the narrative is about Jacob, but the big landscape painting is about the sovereign God and of his underserved grace and mercy shown to Jacob, and shown to you and to me in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, Jacob the deceiver, the cheat, the manipulator, the self-centred egotist, who puts self before other people. But at the same time the all-powerful, all purposeful sovereign God who touches the hearts and the lives of men and women. Such a God is revealed to us in these special places.

May I ask you (and in what way) has God touched your life? Indeed have you ever allowed him to do so? Or do you always keep him at arms length. Like John Wesley has your heart ever been strangely warmed by God’s touch and transforming power? But don’t think of the life or Jacob as some easy ride. Some mild Bible study soon forgotten, some preliminary before the student supper or watching Midsummer Murders on TV. Rather be open tonight to what God would say to you from his word and by the appointing of his Spirit. For as we look at Jacob we also look at ourselves.

2) Special events

In Gen. 31-33 there are two special events in Jacob’s life. One is about the parting from his uncle Laban and the other the reunion with his brother Esau.

a) The parting from Laban (Gen. 31:1-55).

In Laban, Jacob was well matched. Both men were preoccupied with self and what they could get out of life for themselves. Jacob had worked for Laban for fourteen years and married his two daughters Leah and Rachel. Then for another six years Jacob stayed onto work for his father in law. But after twenty years Jacob had had enough. The work was hard. They pay was low. There were few rewards. Lie was routine and pointless. Something was missing.

It was always going to be a difficult parting. It would be far from easy. It would certainly not be plain sailing since Jacob was up to his old tricks again and became prosperous through his further deceit. Notice Jacob’s words to Rachel. ‘I see that your fathers attitude towards me is not what it was’ (Gen. 31:5). What an understatement! A biblical sound bite of the year!

But Laban was overcome not by Jacob’s scheming. But by God’s sovereign grace. Notice how this is expressed in chapter 31. God was with him (v.4), God had protected him (v.7), God had provided for him (v.9) and God released Jacob and rebuked Laban (v.42). Yes, the small miniature portrait was of Jacob, but the big landscape painting was of the sovereign God. The one who protects and provides, who releases and forgives, who restores and equips. And the vow or covenant made at Bethel was now invoked. ‘I am the God of Bethel … return at once to your native land’ (v.13). Here God’s promise was to be fulfilled. Then the two men made a covenant (v.44) and offered a sacrifice, and Laban blessed Jacob and they parted company (v.55).

b) The reunion with Esau (Gen. 32:1-21; 33:1-16)

The brothers had been apart for twenty years. Would they even recognise each other? Remember the school or college reunion. It is the other people who have got older, and greyer and put on weight! Before Jacob had fled Esau had wanted to kill him (Gen. 27:41) In what sort of spirit would their reunion take place? Would it be hostile? Would it be dangerous? Would there be a fight or a duel? Would one of them be killed and need an undertaker?

No! The reunion is touching and moving. It echoes the parable of the Prodigal Son returning to the waiting father. ‘Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. He threw his arms round his neck and kissed him’ (Gen. 33:4). They hugged. They kissed. They wept. They were reunited. What a turn up for the books and so out of character. Esau the hunter and Jacob the deceiver embraced and managed to get through a whole box of Kleenex!

They were reunited. There were no harsh words. There was reconciliation. There was no fear but only love. In the words of Charles Simeon, - the reunion ‘was most cordial and most affecting.’ What a model picture of reconciliation! I wonder tonight if you need to be reconciled to someone? There may have been some past harsh words, a building up of resentment or even hatred? Make peace with your brother or sister tonight! Experience afresh the touch of God’s healing love. And try and take the initiate yourself.

As ever the waiting father holds out his arms open so that you might know his love, receive his forgiveness and reconciliation. Perhaps to know that touch for the first time (for you have never ever committed your life the God in Christ). He graciously invites you! Come to him tonight! Be reconciled to God! It may be that you are a prodigal son or daughter (who has gone your own way or slipped away, and ignored Christ). He graciously invites you! Come to him tonight! Be reconciled to God!

3) A special encounter (Gen. 32:22-31)

This passage of scripture isn’t easy to understand. It is one of those passages we love to hate! But it is important to notice who it is that is at the heart of the encounter – God himself.

The geography is important. Jacob was about to enter the Promised Land. The land promised to Abraham and to Isaac would soon be under his feet. His family crossed over but Jacob remained behind. ‘He was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak’ (v.24). At Bethel Jacob had had a dream (Gen. 28:12). Here at Peniel Jacob had a fight (Gen. 32:22-31). Now isn’t this all rather strange? As we read the Bible and as we understand something of the Christian faith we might be able to cope with visions, or dreams but a wrestling match? What is this all about? And who was Jacob’s opponent? Was he a man? Was he an angel or what? It appears that this was a theophany – a human manifestation of God in the OT (and whom some believe to be Jesus himself).

The fight was long. The fight was hard. Jacob was strong – but he had to be broken. It was only after a night of wrestling that God prevailed with a simple touch. Here was a new man, restored and forgiven. Throughout his life Jacob had fought for supremacy – whether over his brother Esau or his uncle Laban. But now it was his turn to be brought low in submission to Almighty God. The prophet Hosea says that Jacob ‘struggled with the angel [who] overcame him and wept and begged for mercy for his favour’ (Hos. 12:4). Here is strength. Here is weakness. Here is power. Here is submission. Here is grace. Here is forgiveness. The struggle marked the turning point in Jacob’s life and it was marked by a naming ceremony. The heavenly combatant refused to reveal his name (for the time was not yet right) but he gave a new name to Jacob. He was no longer to be called Jacob the deceiver but Israel who struggled. As one commentator has put it ‘The new man receives a new name’ (C. T. Fritsch).

In all of his life Jacob thought that he had got the upper hand. But the reverse was true. God prevailed over him and this struggle marked a turning point in Jacob’s life. After the struggle he limped into the Promised Land, marked forever with the sign of his conversion.

Let’s return to the portrait gallery. Do you remember the mirror at he end of the corridor? As you look into it what do you see? Do you see yourself in the face of Jacob – striving to get the upper hand, not willing to submit to God’s grace and love and mercy? Refusing the love of God in Christ? Or do you see the face of God (seen as the deity in Gen. 32:3) – the face of Christ – who has loved you, died for you, saved you and spared you – and found reflected too in the face of Esau (Gen. 33:10).

Here in the OT we see something of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, but much more clearly and fully is he revealed to us in the NT in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Come to him tonight! Be reconciled to God! Submit yourself to him!

Is Christ struggling with you? But what is your honest response? Is it stubborn resistance or humble submission?