Jacob the Deceiver
Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, and put them on Jacob her younger son. - Genesis 27:15
The story of Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, starts in Genesis 24. He was the one from whom the twelve tribes of Israel came. In other words, Jacob was critical in forming the Hebrew people. The whole nation came from him.
But instead of being this honorable, natural-born leader, Jacob was disgusting. He was a lying, scheming deceiver. I think this is where the saying came from, “I trust him as far as I can throw him.”
His biggest deception was fooling his blind father in order to gain the family blessing (the bigger inheritance and the family leadership position) which was supposed to go to his brother Esau. Jacob planned to hide himself in his brother’s identity. He fixed a meal like his brother would and covered his arms with goat skins to appear hairy like his brother. Then he covered himself with his brother’s robe. And it worked. He got what he didn’t deserve.
This is a picture of the gospel. Like Jacob, we don’t deserve to be blessed. We are sinful, self-absorbed people who don’t deserve who deserve judgment. And our feeble good works can’t change anything. But, like Jacob hid in Esau’s identity, if we hide in the righteousness of the One who does have merit, we receive mercy. When we clothe ourselves with his righteousness we are covered by the blood of the perfect One.
If it bothers you that Jacob’s ridiculous and sinful actions are a picture of the gospel, I understand. On the other hand, what Jesus did on the cross to save his children was unimaginable.
Jesus, you are the deserving One and the older brother we need. I know I have no merit – I’m continually sinful. Thank you for covering me with your righteousness. Please cause me to see your rescue the way I should.
Song: Thank You Jesus for the Blood