WAITING: The Story of Jacob
Genesis 29:1-30; 31:1-3
Song: Here With Me - Acoustic by Phil Wickham
Out of all the stories of waiting, this is one of the strangest. Jacob, the son of Isaac (Abraham’s “promised son”) is on the run from his twin brother Esau because he tricked his blind old dad to give him Esau’s birthright blessing (if you want to read about that, check out Genesis 27). From the beginning, Jacob is known as a cheater (Jacob literally means “He cheats”). Throughout his life, he continually manipulates and cheats to get what he wants. At one point, he physically wrestles with God (check out Genesis 32: 24-28), breaks his hip, and is renamed “Israel” which means “He strives with God.” This name “Israel” would be where we get the Israelites (the people of God) which reflects their “striving” to be with God again since humanity’s separation when sin entered the world.
But in Genesis 29, things don’t go according to Jacob’s plan. In Genesis 28:1-5, Isaac sends Jacob on a quest to find Laban so that he can marry one of Laban’s daughters and start a family (continuing Isaac’s family line). As we read, Jacob finds Laban, and is immediately enamored with his daughter, Rachel. To show the seriousness of his affection for Rachel, Jacob essentially sells himself into slavery to Laban for 7 years (that’s love people). But on the eve of his wedding night, Laban tricks the trickster and gives Jacob his not so pretty daughter, Leah. Jacob (who apparently can’t keep track of who is who) is furious that he just married the wrong daughter. But Laban graciously hands Rachel over to him… For another 7 years of labor.
Let’s be real about this story. It’s weird, messed up, and in the midst of it all, we don’t get a lot of input on what God thinks of things. This is not a story you bring up to encourage your friends in hardship. This is not a story we walk away from with warm and fuzzy feelings. So what is God trying to communicate in this? Let’s reread verse 3 of chapter 31:
“The Lord said to him, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your family, and I will be with you.”
I will be with you. A promise that God made to Jacob and one that he continues to make to us in Jesus. If you were to continue to read, you would read of Jacob fleeing with his family, being confronted by Laban, and in fear, facing his estranged brother Esau. And in all of this, Jacob is able to move forward in confidence because God is with him. Jacob didn’t deserve God’s presence. If anything, he deserved God’s punishment. But there’s a turning point for Jacob after God commands him to leave. We don’t see Jacob cheating others like he used to. Instead he strives with God (remember the whole Israel name change?).
There’s a certain boldness and confidence that comes when we know who our God is. Jesus means “God saves.” In Matthew 1:23, we see a reference to Isaiah 7:14 that Jesus is “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” And as Jesus left, he commanded us to go make disciples with his presence as an anchor for us. “... I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b).
God asks Jacob to go and promises that he will be with him. How much more can we go when Jesus promises his presence as well as his power as assurance? In this season we remember that “advent” means to wait expectantly. Jacob waited and worked in expectation to one day be with Rachel. In the waiting, God worked to refine and redeem Jacob. The world waited for the coming Savior and in God’s perfect timing, he sent Jesus to reestablish his global presence and redeem a broken people. Now we wait again for Jesus to return to make all things new. Whether he arrives in our lifetime or not, we can represent him with boldness and confidence. Going like those before us knowing our God is with us.
