Genesis. The long and troubled history of Jesus' earthly ancestry continues. Jacob (whose name would later be changed to Israel) was the younger son. In most cases, the older son got the lion's share of the property and the benefits from their father's estate. That was the plan here, but Esau gave up his birthright. The blessing was different, however. The blessing was given by the father himself and Esau expected to received it. The blessing carried with it the expected power of God to make it come true. The birthright could have been rendered meager if Jacob lost the blessing. His mother knew that as well as he. So they cheated. What do you think about it?
Chapter 28 marks the beginning of a spiritual turning in Jacob's life. What we often read past is that, in his dream, the angels were ascending and descending. This is significant because Jesus (John 1:51) told Nathaniel ("in whom is no guile") that he would see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Look carefully. They weren't descending from heaven, then going back to God; they were ascending from earth to God, then coming back down. The primary purpose of angels during this age is found on earth, not in heaven. They are constantly among us, ascending to heaven as needed, then right back to their duties on our behalf.
Chapter 29 is a beautiful story of love worth fighting for. During this account, Jacob meets someone who is at the very least his equal at cheating. This conflict will continue in our reading tomorrow.
What is speaking to you?
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