Getting to know God
I forget that Jacob and Issaac and Abraham didn't have a Bible, they didn't have priests, or Daystar, or Christian radio. And they aren't Christian--that should be obvious. If I were Jewish and reading this, I'd be offended (sorry.)
If you look at humanities relationship with God as a marriage, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are basically at the meeting God for coffee stage. At any rate, God seems quite merciful.
Also, so far the prayers issued by these guys sound more like the kind of deals made with Vinny the loan shark, instead of God almighty. Abraham haggles for Lot's life. Jacob prays twice and both times are for his own life. Once on his way from his home and once upon his return. On his journey from home, Jacob promises to worship God and give God a tenth of what God gives him if God grants him safety. Gee, thanks Jacob. I God, appreciate your sharing with me MY stuff! On the way back he reminds God of his promise. He says, "I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant." All in all he seems a bit more humble.
I like this part: All of the guys from Haran are waiting with their sheep until everyone arrives. Then they are all going to move the heavy rock from the well so that the sheep can be watered. I'm assuming they all are needed to move the rock. But when Jacob lays eyes on Rachel, "he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep." It reminds me of another stone that later is rolled away because of love from another opening. One that allows the masses to partake of its living water.
Jacob, though he is the one that receives the blessing, refers to himself when speaking to Esau as "your servant". He later says, "For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have recieved me favorably." Perhaps we take our own sin nature and interpret scripture in a way that God does not intend. Perhaps God selected and gifted Jacob to serve--to find his fulfillment in bowing down to his brother Esau. It is interesting how much of Jacob's energy is spent aquiring wives, flocks, sons, etc. But he sees the face of God when he experiences the forgiveness of his brother, the very person he had fled.
One other thing. The Israelites are not called Abhramites or Isaacites or Jacobites. They inherit the name Israelites, "Struggles with God" and it is a name they still employ to this day.
If you look at humanities relationship with God as a marriage, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are basically at the meeting God for coffee stage. At any rate, God seems quite merciful.
Also, so far the prayers issued by these guys sound more like the kind of deals made with Vinny the loan shark, instead of God almighty. Abraham haggles for Lot's life. Jacob prays twice and both times are for his own life. Once on his way from his home and once upon his return. On his journey from home, Jacob promises to worship God and give God a tenth of what God gives him if God grants him safety. Gee, thanks Jacob. I God, appreciate your sharing with me MY stuff! On the way back he reminds God of his promise. He says, "I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant." All in all he seems a bit more humble.
I like this part: All of the guys from Haran are waiting with their sheep until everyone arrives. Then they are all going to move the heavy rock from the well so that the sheep can be watered. I'm assuming they all are needed to move the rock. But when Jacob lays eyes on Rachel, "he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep." It reminds me of another stone that later is rolled away because of love from another opening. One that allows the masses to partake of its living water.
Jacob, though he is the one that receives the blessing, refers to himself when speaking to Esau as "your servant". He later says, "For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have recieved me favorably." Perhaps we take our own sin nature and interpret scripture in a way that God does not intend. Perhaps God selected and gifted Jacob to serve--to find his fulfillment in bowing down to his brother Esau. It is interesting how much of Jacob's energy is spent aquiring wives, flocks, sons, etc. But he sees the face of God when he experiences the forgiveness of his brother, the very person he had fled.
One other thing. The Israelites are not called Abhramites or Isaacites or Jacobites. They inherit the name Israelites, "Struggles with God" and it is a name they still employ to this day.
posted by Leslie at 12:21 PM
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