The God of Jacob
Genesis 27-28
“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.”
It is very instructive to note that God never (well, I have not done a thorough research but based on what I remember having gone through Genesis last year) complained about the shortcomings of Abraham and Isaac, but shortcomings there were aplenty. In Genesis 26:5 God said that “Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions” and that was sufficient.
This becomes more apparent when we get to the story of Jacob.
The author of Genesis paints us a picture of Jacob by describing how he was born, grasping the heel of his brother as they both entered the world. This trait of taking advantage of circumstances for his own gain was on display when he persuaded his brother to surrender his birthright and when he tricked Isaac into blessing him. It is true that the main instigator of the second was Rebekah who very likely was trying to make sure that the prophecy that she received when she inquired about her pregnancy actually came to pass; but it nonetheless exemplified the man.
Jacob was not a very nice man.
The fact that God chose to work with Jacob and not Esau even though Esau had certain things in his favour has become the biblical model to understand the basis for God’s involvement with man. God chose Jacob over Esau before either of them were born. One could argue that God foreknew, except that Jacob was not a nice man or a good father, even in his old age. It would also be theologically unpalatable to think that the manipulations of man could determine the will of God, or the fact that Esau was older by a few minutes. These are reasons that man thinks qualify or disqualify a person from God’s will but of course it is theologically unsafe to think that God would surrender his will to these trivialities. No one would ever be good enough to earn the goodwill of God.
Paul puts it in this way in Ephesians 2: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
And more directly in Romans 9: Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Just as Abraham responded in faith and in obedience, Jacob too responded to the God who appeared to him in a dream at a point when he had nothing to offer. All he had was God’s promise and ever so tentatively, Jacob responded to him.
The God of Jacob is the God who loved us while we were sinners and sent his Son to die for us. It is never about us because there is nothing we have to offer him. It is all about him.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”