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Jacob or Esau? Take Your Pick!
The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is thus, why do I live?” So she went and enquired of the Lord, and the Lord said, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall…
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Jacob’s Wives
Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. Jacob loved Rachel. Genesis 29:16f. Fleeing his brother Esau, Jacob ran into the arms of his uncle Laban. In this man Jacob met his match.…
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Jacob the “Jerk”
When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb … Genesis 29:15 Leah’s sons were not as magnanimous with their father as Leah was. They resented the way their mother was treated. Moreover, when Rachel died, Jacob merely transferred his devotion to her sons, especially Joseph her first born. In Jacob’s heart…
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Jacob’s Temple Encounter
And [Jacob] dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12) Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to…
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Stairway to Heaven
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did not know it. And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate to heaven. Genesis 16 f. We…
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No One Can Embrace God without a Fight!
And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day … Then [the Theophany] said, “Let me go for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:23ff. Jacob’s encounter with the Theophany at…
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Enigma and the Mysterium Tremendum
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved. Genesis 32:30 Deep into the night’s darkness we find Jacob alone, at least he thought he was, until he was startled by what seemed to be a man. He had no…