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14. Jacob (Ya'qub) and the Promise of God

 

God's blessing, God's promise continued to be fulfilled in the life of Jacob. God blesses Jacob, whose name would be changed to Israel, with 12 sons, which would become the 12 tribes of Israel. There's a story we hear about God wrestling, Jacob wrestling with God, and Jacob says something there at a certain point, that he won't he won't let go of God, until God blesses him. He doesn't realize he's wrestling with God. Maybe you've been wrestling with God, and God's calling you just to hold on to him? When we hold on to God, that's how we experience His blessing, His love, His goodness. Maybe you've been wounded before in your sin, and you've got a "limp" that bears witness of your past failures? Experience God's healing. Experience God's strength. Hold tight to Him as Jacob held tight to God in his wrestling and trust God for healing, for promise, for salvation.

·      Read in The Qur’an – 6:83-86

·      Read in the Tanakh and the Bible - Genesis 29:1-35, 30:1-24; Genesis 32:1-33:11; Hebrews 11:21

 

Readings from The Qur’an:

·      The Qur'an 6:83-86. And that was Our Proof which We gave Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. 84. And We bestowed upon him Ishaq (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nub (Noah), and among his progeny Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses), and Harun (Aaron). Thus do We reward Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers - see the footnote of V .9:120). 85. And Zakariya (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and 'Isa (Jesus) and Iliyiis (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous. 86. And Isma'il {Ishmael) and Al-Yasa' (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lut (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the 'Alamin [mankind and jinn (of their times)].

·      Where does Jacob show up in the Qur’an? How do the stories compare with what is in the Tanakh and Bible? How are they similar? Different?

 

Readings from The Tanakh and The Bible:

·      Genesis 29 “[10] Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. [11] Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. [12] And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

·      [13] As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, [14] and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month…[15] Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” [16] Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. [17] Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. [18] Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” [19] Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” [20] So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her…

·      Genesis 32–33:11 “Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. [2] And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim…[24] And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. [25] When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. [26] Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” [27] And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” [28] Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” [29] Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. [30] So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” [31] The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. [32] Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

·      Genesis 33:4 “But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. [5] And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” [6] Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. [7] Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. [8] Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” [9] But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” [10] Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. [11] Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.”

·      Hebrews 11:21 “By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.”

 

See also:

·      “What does the Bible say about Jacob?” www.trustworthyword.com/jacob-esau