Red for Red, White for White & God for God

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Dear Friends,

This will be the first of three bible studies about Jacob this week.

Red for Red

 Let me tell you in short about who Jacob is. He is one of the twins born to Isaac & Rebecca. His brother Esau was born first, since Esau was hairy and red during birth they named him Edom meaning Red. While he was leaving his mother's womb Jacob caught his leg, so they called him Jacob meaning deceiver (Poor guy, named as deceiver the day he was born).

Later Esau (Red) became a hunter, and he had too much of hair in his body (Esau means hairy). Jacob was a farmer. Now their parent's had their own favorites, Isaac liked Esau because he was a good cook too. Rebecca liked Jacob may be because he helped his mother in household works.

One day when Esau (Red) came back from hunting too tired, at that time Jacob was preparing red stew. He asked his brother to give him some of the Red stew, but Jacob demanded him to sell his birthright for the Red stew. Esau carelessly sold it for stew. His father who do not know this incident (I believe) wanted to bless Esau, but his mother interfered and asked Jacob to pretend as his brother Esau by wearing goat skin to look hairy when his blind father touch him. Though Jacob hesitated to act that way, his mother convinced him to deceive his dad.

Now Jacob got the blessings of His dad and ran away to his uncle's house to save himself.

White for White

Jacob's uncle name is Laban which means White. Laban first cheated Jacob by giving his older daughter in marriage to Jacob when he loved his younger daughter (Later he married the youger daughter too).

Laban agreed to give the entire speckled and spotted goat to Jacob. Laban the tried to cheat Jacob by removing speckled & spotted goat from his flock & gave it to his sons (Genesis 30:31-36)

But Jacob deceived Laban using white branches (Read Genesis 37-43). At least he might have thought he deceived. But it is only due to God's intervention he got striped & speckled goats for him (Genesis 31:9).

God for God

He won Red (Edom) with Red stew, White (Laban) with White branches

Jacob put his trust in his wits than his strength. He did not have the courage to face his older brother Esau(Edom) with his physical strength, so he decided to use his smarts to escape this time also. But this time God came to fight with him. He struggled till daybreak and he overcame. Note this: God touched his tendon, just touched his tendon and he could not walk which means God is powerful enough to disable him just by his touch, but the only reason he overcame God was by submitting to God. He won the favor of God by humbling himself before God.

You may win anyone with your smarts, but to win God's favor you should submit yourself to God.

---Jayaseelan Samuel