Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
Born the same day by the same mother, they are the only
children of Isaac and Rebecca. Though twins, nothing in their history except
their birth and the fact that they both lived in the womb of Rebecca before
making their dramatic entry into the world suggest so. From the Biblical
accounts about the twin brothers, the usual closeness associated with twins is
significantly noticeably absent. Secondly, Jacob’s treatment of his older and
only sibling does not in any way speak of a loving brotherly relationship. Why,
you may ask?
Jacob refused to share his pottage with his hungry brother
Esau despite the fact that Esau pleaded with him to have some pottage to
assuage his hunger. Jacob surprisingly took advantage of the fact that Esau was
very hungry and negotiated Esau’s birthright in exchange for a plate of
pottage. A rather famished Esau who had lost all sense of reason acceded to
Jacob’s request and traded in his birthright for the plate of pottage.
Unfortunately, this was not a one off incident of Jacob
trying to rob Esau of his firstborn blessings. He also went ahead of Esau to
their aged father, Isaac to receive the blessings of the father. It is quite
significant and instructive to know that Jacob was acting in tandem with his
mother, Rebecca to deceive Isaac into believing that Jacob was Esau. Needless
to say, they succeeded in deceiving Isaac as Jacob successfully masked his baby
smooth skin with animal skins so that his skin would feel hairy to the touch
like Esau’s.
Jacob’s supposedly success at stealing the blessings was
somewhat short lived. The moment Esau discovered that he had been robbed of the
father’s blessings; he took a decision to kill Jacob. But somehow, Jacob
succeeded in fleeing to Padan Aram, his mother’s birthplace to live with his
maternal uncle, Laban.
This turn in events, Jacob’s departure and the loss of the
father’s blessings on the part of Esau marked the beginning of proving
themselves as men destined for power, wealth, fame, honor and serving divine
purpose.
Despite the supposedly short comings of Jacob, Jacob was
blessed with divine favor and had the favor of God working for him. As he
journeyed toward Haran, God visited him and made great promises of great
blessings to him. Jacob responded positively and promised to not only serve God
all the days of his life but to be faithful in tithing. Fortunately, Jacob
arrived at Padan Aram safe and sound, met with his mother’s family and was
warmly received by Laban.
Not quite long, he was employed by Laban to look after the family
flocks. Great job particularly as Jacob offered to serve seven years so he
could marry Rachel. But Laban outsmarted Jacob and gave Leah to Jacob instead;
of course in very deceptive manners. Though Jacob complained, Laban reassured
him that he could serve additional years if he was still interested in marrying
Rachel. Jacob did it gladly and at the end of the period of service, Rachel was
given to him as wife. And over time, Jacob and his two wives alongside their
maids birthed twelve sons and a daughter. Jacob was no longer the sole young
man who arrived at Laban’s home running away from his enraged brother Esau. He
was now the husband of two wives, two concubines, twelve sons and a daughter.
He needed a home of his own as well as a steady source of income of his own. It
was time to make wealth happen. So he renegotiated the terms of his employment
with his uncle. They both agreed to certain terms but which Laban did not
honor. Terribly challenged by Laban’s persistently deceptive ways, Jacob knew
he would amount to nothing financially if he did not do something about his
financial situation. The implication was that he would serve Laban all the days
of his life, stuck under Laban’s roof. This was not what Jacob wanted for
himself in life. He set to work, to make wealth happen even when everything
around him suggested that it was impractically impossible to do so. Beloved,
you can make wealth happen. Jacob and many other people did so and many more in
your generation are doing so.
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