Jacob was so desirous of the blessing of the Covenant his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham had with Yahweh, that he resorted to extreme and underhanded methods to achieve the blessing of God upon his life – He would use manipulation in taking his brother’s birthright and he used deception on his father to obtain his brother’s blessing (Genesis 27)!
Natural men don’t understand spiritual laws nor do they typically care about them. Seeing the manifest approval of the Blessing upon a godly person, they may resort as Jacob did, to extreme measures in laying hold of what they perceive to be a purely natural blessing.
And when Simon the Sorcerer saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.’
ACTS 8:18 – 19
The value of the Blessing is incalculable and, Jacob risked loosing everything to obtain it! He calculated the risk of losing the respect of his father and brother, not to mention his own rightful inheritance if he was found out! The blessing of God, once uttered by Isaac, would lift even a thief to the place of a prince with God! What power! What authority! What destiny awaits the man with the Blessing upon his life! This Blessing is the blessing due Jesus but received by us through faith in Christ’s redemptive exploit.
Impatience will always bring trouble as we try and force the hand of God to act before His appointed time. Jesus said,
In your patience you possess your souls.
LUKE 21:19
Faith alone is not enough to possess the Blessing. Faith is in need of patience’s strength of character and force of determination if the prized possession is to be obtained.
You have need of patience after that you have done the will of God you might receive the promise.
HEBREWS 10:36
Faith takes its rest in God, for
Our times are in His hands!
PSALM 31:15
Faith may confidently take its stand when patience is mounting guard over the promises of God!
But sadly, faith and patience are many times forfeited for the quick fix, the way of the flesh, the strength and cunning of man. Jacob was found out to be a thief and deceiver. His poor choice forced him to flee from his beloved parents and homeland to escape the revenge and anger of his brother Esau….
The Scriptures tell us that Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed! We too, often face challenges that produce fear and stress. Health issues, financial dealings, or family crisis may all arise against us. When pressure comes into our lives, whether it is from a doctor’s report, a bank statement, the disappointment of a relationship or literally four hundred horsemen riding hard to meet you, we must, like Jacob, hold to the Word of God even in the face of such apparent and overwhelming circumstances! Jacob had the Word of the LORD – and he hid himself alone with God and reminded the Lord of His promises –
And You said, ‘I will surely do you good!
GENESIS 32:12
Yes, and we too must take the time to remember what the Lord has spoken to us. We must be possessors of the Word of the LORD when trouble comes lest we find ourselves without hope. The Lord has a good plan for your life. It is a plan for your good and for your welfare, not for evil, that you may have a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
Was it not the Master who said,
The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; but I am come to give you life and that more abundantly
JOHN 10:10
Whatever you are facing today, you need to hear yourself saying like Jacob in his darkest hour, declaring aloud, and if necessary, declaring it over and over again, “Surely, God will do me good!”
“Surely, God will do me good!”
“Surely, God will do me good!”
“Surely, God will do me good!”
Goodness is irresistible. It melts men’s hearts and demands their submission. It arrests their rebellion and curries their loyalty.
Would you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
ROMANS 2:4
And David the King, came and sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?”
1 CHRONICLES 17:1-4, 10, 16
The English word for God is derived from the Anglo Saxon word for “good.” We might reasonably deduce that our word for God could be easily translated, “The Good.”
There is none good, but God.
MARK 10:18
Indeed, Yahweh is “The Good” and as The Good’s plan for the king unfolds a little more clearly, David is overwhelmed by the kindness and goodness of God. Because He is The Good, he never has to think whether He will be good to us or not! As Goodness, His every thought toward us is for good! The great love of the LORD for the sinner, as well as for the saint, overwhelms us as we see the undeserved and unearned love and acceptance He showers upon us. This outpouring of goodness reveals and magnifies our own inadequacies, sins and failures, and we, like David must ask,
“Who am I, that God would choose me?” “What is man, that You are mindful of him?”
PSALM 8:4
All of eternity may not fully reveal that question, but there is one thing we can rest assured in at this moment – this is really not a question of our value nor of our worth, but of our Lord’s character and goodness! Whether we hold a high value or not, is really not the question. His character will always act for our good! He can do no less because Yahweh the Good always acts in a goodly manner!