O.T. Shepherds, 2of6

~ Jacob: A Fleeing Shepherd ~

Series Prologue  ~  There are at least five Old Testament shepherds who were clear “types” of Jesus Christ—our shepherd.  A type is like a faint image or shadow of the true item.  In each of these cases we can see parallels to our Great Shepherd. 

Sample Scripture  ~  “So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’  And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.  So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, ‘Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.  And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away, until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there.  Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?’  And Rebekah said to Isaac, ‘I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?’” (Genesis 27:41-46).

“Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: ‘You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.  Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.  May God Almighty bless you,  and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be an assembly of peoples; and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham."  So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.’” (Genesis 28:1-5).

Hints Of The Coming Messiah  ~  We see similarities to Abel—the shepherd in the last posting of this series. 

Jacob was hated by his brother.

Jacob had to flee his homeland and dwell in a far country.

Jacob labored long and hard.

In exile he married a bride. 

Jacob later returned to claim his possessions. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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