Devotional

Gen 35:10, And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. 

GOD REMINDS ISRAEL of his new name (person) Gen 32:28. We too are new in CHRIST and since we were born again WE WILL HAVE A NEW NAME

Rev 2:17, To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone A NEW NAME WRITTEN WHICH NO ONE KNOWS EXCEPT HIM WHO RECEIVES IT.” ‘ 

Gen 35:18, And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 

Gen 30:1, Rachel said, “GIVE ME CHILDREN, OR ELSE I DIE!” she was in competition with her sister Leah, and what she thought to be her final victory of Leah turns out to be her sorrow! Ben-Oni means “son of my sorrow”.  Israel changed it to “son of my right hand” Benjamin!

Gal 6:4, But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 

EXAMINE YOURSELF AND NOT OTHERS! DON’T TRY TO BE BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE, TRY TO BE A BETTER YOU A SERVANT ‘IN CHRIST’

Gen 34:2-3, And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. HIS SOUL WAS STRONGLY ATTRACTED TO DINAH the daughter of Jacob, and HE LOVED THE YOUNG WOMAN and spoke kindly to the young woman. 

Lust not love! Love is patient & worth the wait!

1Cor 13:4-5, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

Gen 34:25, Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, SIMEON and LEVI, Dinah’s brothers, each TOOK HIS SWORD AND CAME BOLDLY UPON THE CITY AND KILLED ALL THE MALES. 

VENGEANCE IS OF THE LORD!

Heb 10:30, For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” 

GOD IS NOT MENTION IN THIS CHAPTER & ISRAEL IS CALLED JACOB! THE FLESH & ITS ALL IT’S GLORY & PRIDE!  BE ANGRY, BUT DON’T SIN

Gen 33:3-4, Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and EMBRACED HIM, and fell on his neck and kissed him, AND THEY WEPT.

Jacob was scare, but GOD is faithful! God had been working on both their hearts!  Often, we imagine something worse that what really is, but that is just our human nature! TRUST IN HIM!

Psa 34:4, I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME, AND DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS. 

Jacob offers Esau his livestock

Gen 33:9  But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 

Both said the same thing! ‘I HAVE ENOUGH’

1Ti 6:6, NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN. 

Gen 33:12, Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” 

It’s still Jacob & not Israel! He never intended to dwell with his brother but he didn’t let him know! We have to put away our old nature BECAUSE IN HIM WE ARE A NEW CREATION! LET THAT OLD MAN GO AND PUT ON THE NEW MAN IN HIM!

Gen 32:9, 11, Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, THE LORD WHO SAID TO ME, ‘RETURN TO YOUR COUNTRY AND TO YOUR FAMILY, AND I WILL DEAL WELL WITH YOU’… Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; FOR I FEAR HIM, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. 

Isaac is afraid of his brother since he promised to kill him!  The LORD told him to return and HE will deal well with him! It reminds me of Jesus when HE said, “LET US CROSS OVER” Luke 8:22-25. As Jesus sleep, HIS men were gripped with fear because of a strong storm! So they woke him up!

But He said to them, “WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?”

Gen 32:24, Then Jacob was left alone; and a MAN wrestled with him until the breaking of day. 

While Jacob was gripped with fear and MAN (GOD HIMSELF) appeared to him and they wrestled all night!  In his mind He wrestled with the fear of his brother and the promises of God!

Gen 32:26, And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Jacob grabbed hold of GOD and would not let HIM go until he gets bless by HIM!  SO TO WE MUST “HOLD FAST” TO THE LORD UNTIL HE BLEESES US WITH HIS PRESENCE & PROMISSES!

Gen 31:1-2, Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “JACOB HAS TAKEN AWAY ALL THAT WAS OUR FATHER’S, AND FROM WHAT WAS OUR FATHER’S HE HAS ACQUIRED ALL THIS WEALTH.” And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before.

Laban’s sons were filled with envy which made it dangerous for Jacob.  Remember, JESUS HIMSELF WAS HANDED OVER TO PILATE BECAUSE OF THEIR ENVY OF HIM, MATT 27:18.

Jas 3:16, for where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and EVERY EVIL THING ARE THERE. 

Gen 31:19, Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, AND RACHEL HAD STOLEN THE HOUSEHOLD IDOLS THAT WERE HER FATHER’S.

Rachel probably grew up with this idol in her home and wanted to take it.  We also bring so much of our past with us! IT’S TIME TO CLEANSE OUR HANDS AND CUT OFF OUR FORMER IDOLS!

Jas 4:8, draw near to GOD and He will draw near to you. CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, YOU SINNERS; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  

Psa 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

WALK IN HIS LOVE AND TRUTH! HE IS NEAR!

Gen 30:1-2, Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “GIVE ME CHILDREN, OR ELSE I DIE!” And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “AM I IN THE PLACE OF GOD, WHO HAS WITHHELD FROM YOU THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB?”

Rachel is frustrated and hurt because her sister bears children and she doesn’t. Her response it to demand children from her husband! It’s not Jacob But God who does the work! Trust in HIM!

Psa 127:3, Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 

Gen 30:22, THEN GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

It is not that GOD forgot about Rachel, but that HE knows where and when to bless a person! HE is in full control and knows what HE is doing!

Pro 19:21, THERE ARE MANY PLANS IN A MAN’S HEART, NEVERTHELESS THE LORD’S COUNSEL—THAT WILL STAND. 

TRUST IN HIM & HIS PLAN FOR YOU!

Jer 29:11, FOR I KNOW THE THOUGHTS THAT I THINK TOWARD YOU, SAYS THE LORD, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE. 

Gen 29:17-18, Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. Now JACOB LOVED RACHEL; SO HE SAID, “I WILL SERVE YOU SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL YOUR YOUNGER DAUGHTER.”

He worked 7 years to marry Laban’s daughter Rachel, yet Laban deceived him!

Gen 29:25, So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, IT WAS LEAH. And he said to Laban, “WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE TO ME? WAS IT NOT FOR RACHEL THAT I SERVED YOU? WHY THEN HAVE YOU DECEIVED ME?” 

Just as Jacob deceived his father and brother; he was also deceived by Laban!

Gal 6:7, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Gen 29:31, When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.  

God brought children to Leah, which brought her love and joy, but She said “my husband will love me”, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me”. Many women deceive themselves by having sex with their boyfriends thinking they will be loved by them! LOVE CAN’T BE BOUGHT, LOVE IS GIVEN, JUST AS HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON

Gen 28:12-13, Then he (Jacob) dreamed, and behold, A LADDER was set up on the earth, and ITS TOP REACHED TO HEAVEN; AND THERE THE ANGELS OF GOD WERE ASCENDING AND DESCENDING ON IT. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: “I AM THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM YOUR FATHER AND THE GOD OF ISAAC; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.

Joh 1:51, And He (JESUS) said to him, …YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN, AND THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING UPON THE SON OF MAN.” 

Jesus is the Ladder to Heaven

Gen 28:16-17, Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “HOW AWESOME IS THIS PLACE! This is none other than the house of God, AND THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN!” 

Jesus is also the Gate/Door of Heaven!

Joh 10:7, Then Jesus said to them again, … I say to you, I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP. 

THE WAY TO THE FATHER IS THROUGH THE SON, JESUS! HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE! HIS NAME IS ABOVE ALL NAMES! HE IS KING OF kings AND LORD OF lords!

Gen 27:1, Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, …

This is one of those chapters that makes for a, so called, good tv series! Lies, deception, blindness, and NONE OF IT HONORS GOD! ISAAC WAS BLINDED by his love for Esau! Rebekah, favored Jacob, Esau sold his birthright and just didn’t care, and Jacob just wanted the blessing! GOD HAD ALREADY SAID TO REBEKAH!

Gen 25:23, … AND THE OLDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” 

Gen 27:8, Now therefore, my son, OBEY MY VOICE ACCORDING TO WHAT I COMMAND YOU. 

This is not what the LORD commanded, that she BY MANIPULATION she would get the blessing for Jacob! SHE DIDN’T TRUST IN HIM!

Gen 27:35, But he said, “your brother came with DECEIT and has taken away your blessing.” 

Gen 27:41, So Esau hated …, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB.”

The Bible tells it the way it is! The whole ugly truth about man, YET, HE IS IN CONTROL! IT’S NOT A MATTER OF WHO GETS THE BLESSING, BUT WHO GOD BLESSES AND WHO GOD USES!

Gen 26:1, THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

I find it interesting that here Isaac is in the land that the LORD intended him to be in Yet, there was a famine! Life has it’s trials YET, KNOW IN THIS HE HAS A PLAN, A PERFECT PLAN FOR YOU!

Isa 26:3, YOU WILL KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU. 

Psa 37:23, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 

Isaac and his men dug 2 wells and the people of that area argued with him over them! Isaac called these wells “Contention & Strife”.

Gen 26:22, And he moved from there and dug ANOTHER WELL, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “FOR NOW THE LORD HAS MADE ROOM FOR US, AND WE SHALL BE FRUITFUL IN THE LAND.” 

1Jn 4:4, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, BECAUSE HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD. 

TRUST IN THE LORD, AND DO GOOD; DWELL IN THE LAND, AND FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS.