jacob bellman fellowship 11-02-07. personal file birth place: canaan profession: shepherd families:...
TRANSCRIPT
Jacob
Bellman Fellowship
11-02-07
Personal File
• Birth Place: Canaan
• Profession: Shepherd
• Families: Isaac (Dad), Rebecca (Mom), Esau (elder brother), Laban (Uncle), Leah and Rachel (wives)
• Forefather of the twelve tribes of Israel
• Third generation starting from Abraham blessed by God.
A person who “grasps”
• Grasp his elder brother’s feet when was born
• Grasp birthright by selling his brother a cup of red bean soup
• Grasp the blessing from his father by cheating
• What A greedy and crafty character! (Genesis Ch25 V21-34 and Ch 27 V1-45)
Climbs the heaven ladder
• Flee from home to Haran at the age of 77
• Meet God at Bethel (God’s house)
• First spiritual turning point: repent before God
• Receive God’s blessing and promise
• Give God a tenth
(Genesis Ch28)
A faithful lover
• Fall in love with Rachel at the first sight
• Work for Rachel for 14 years
• Suffer hardship from Laban, a man who is more shrewd and foxy than him
Wish he could love God more (Genesis Ch29 V1-30)
Makes a fortune by trick
• Increase flocks in the last 6 years of working for Laban
• Use branches of poplar, almond and planes trees to help his flocks mate
• Separate strong flocks for himself and left weak ones for Laban
• Really it’s God who helped him to prosper (Genesis Ch30V25 & Ch 31V55)
Wrestles with God
• Prepare to meet Esau
• Grasp God’s promise and to save him from the threaten of his brother
• “I will not let you go unless you bless me”
• “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome”
(Genesis Ch32)
Makes up with Esau
• Humble himself as servant to Esau
• Give all he has to Esau to beg his forgiveness
• What a moving scene!
• Esau forgives him because God forgives
• Jacob tries to “give” instead of “grasp”
(Genesis Ch33)
Returns to God’s house
• God calls Jacob to return to Bethel
• Build a altar for God
“Go up to Bethel and settle there”
(Genesis Ch35)
Gives blessings
• Move to Egypt at the age of 130
• Give blessings to Pharaoh
• Give blessings to his 12 sons
• Give blessings to Joseph’s two sons
What a change! Let’s give the glory to God!
(Genesis Ch45 - 49)
Returns to his forefathers
• Pass away in Egypt• “Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field
of Ephron the Hittite, the cave ……. In Canaan…….”
• Though there are ups and owns in Jacobs’ early life, he grasps the promise of God and draws his later life to be a beautiful picture.
Egypt is just a foreign town but Canaan is our real homeland.
• Genesis Ch49 V29 &Ch50V14