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

NOTES:

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(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

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The Gospel in Genesis

~ 4 Individuals Show The WAY ~ 

In Scripture there are many “types” or “foreshadows” of things to come. Some are much clearer than others. A great many of these are pictures of the coming Messiah, some present the Good News of the Messiah, and there are others.

The last 39 chapters of the book of Genesis, covering about four centuries, primarily contain a record of the lives of four men following the great flood. Each illustrates a critical component of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Abram  ~  Abram was called apart from God to be the Father of the nation of Israel. Abram represents God’s great grace in God’s program of divine redemption. We read the account of Abraham in Genesis 12-50. Like Abraham all Christians are called apart for God’s specific purposes in their lives.

Isaac (Abram’s son) ~  In Isaac we see selective calling (election, predestination), of God to an individual.  Isaac’s story is found in Genesis 24-26.

side note:  Do I fully understand the interaction of God’s “election” of individuals and the “free will of man.” No! Many past Christian leaders have also acknowledged this lack of comprehension. One of my favorite quotes is by C. I. Scofied: “In all the Christian centuries men have endeavored to account, philosophically, for the apparent paradox of God’s sovereign election and man’s free will, but none have ever succeeded. Both are wholly true, but the connecting and reconciling truth has not been revealed.”

Jacob (Abram’s grandson)  ~  In the life of Jacob in addition to grace we clearly see justification by faith. Jacob’s story is found in Genesis 27-36.

Joseph (Abram’s great grandson)  ~  In Joseph we clearly see a picture of ultimate glorification. Joseph’s story is found in Genesis 37-50.

side note:  Joseph’s life is also one of the clearest “types” of the coming Messiah—Jesus Christ. It is fascinating to study the parallels between their lives.

summary:  In the lives of these four individuals we see the progressive steps of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Abram’s story we have picture of the separation or calling to God—which is strictly by God’s grace and grace alone. Isaac provides a picture of election or predestination by God of His children—who He knew “before the foundations of the world” would become His children. In Jacob we see that justification is by faith and faith alone—the individual’s part. Finally, in Joseph we have a picture of the ultimate glorification of God’s people which is yet future—the Christian’s future is known and secure. 

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fear God, 3

~ Jacob Understood the Awesomeness of God ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

This Week’s Passage  ~  “Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set.  And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.  Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

“And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: ‘I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.  Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’

“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 of heaven!’ 

“Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.  And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.  Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord  shall be my God.  And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You” (Genesis 28:10-22).

Comment  ~  As Jacob comprehended the awesome nature of God it changed him which in turn changed his actions and his lifestyle. 

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .