O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

JACOB BECAME ISRAEL

Chapter 27 of Genesis begins with an air of ominous suspense and foreboding gloom with the words “Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim (to be weak or poor)”. The rest of chapter 27 confirm these feelings because it reveals that he would be lied to, betrayed, taken advantage of and manipulated. Isaac would be used by selfish sinful people with a personal agenda.

The sad part of this narrative was that Isaac wanted to do the right thing – prevent a family dispute by putting things in the family in order before his death. He wanted a smooth transition of power and blessing for this family.

Isaac’s family was a special family. They were the descendants of Abraham who were supposed to be worshipping the one true and living GOD in a land of unbelievers. They were supposed to inherit the godly heritage, the special privilege of having a covenant with YHWH and to be called the people of GOD.

The saddest part of chapter 27 must be the depth of the betrayal. The people who did these evil acts against Isaac when he was blind in his old age were the people closest to him: his wife Rebekah, and his son Jacob. And they left Isaac with a broken heart and a very angry son in Esau.

Sin, selfishness and evil really know no depth nor bounds, and sinners do not care who they hurt.

What is the Purpose of This Story?

It is not the purpose of this biblical story to teach us to be cynical with people or not to trust our loved ones. That is not the lesson here. We are to be cautious in life and not ignore tell-tale signs of evil and wrongdoing, but this is not the lesson in Genesis 27.

The lesson in chapter 27 is found in the difference between Isaac’s and Jacob’s faith in YHWH, the LORD. We read about this difference in Genesis 27:20 - “And Isaac said unto his son, how is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.”

Jacob did not say that his LORD had helped him. He clearly said that it was Isaac’s LORD who had helped him. Thus, it appears that the two men had different LORDs at this point in time. And Jacob was very sly to make use of his father’s devotion to his LORD to throw him off guard from detecting his deception and plan to steal the blessing that Isaac had intended for Esau.

Jacob’s true self was out in the open by this time. Esau exclaimed this about him – “And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted (or cheated) me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?” (Genesis 27:36, cf. some other English translations)

When Jacob was born, he was called ‘someone who cheats’ (Genesis 25:21-26) and he was true to his name when tempted by his mother to steal this blessing of Esau.

The LORD knew this about Jacob. Unlike Isaac who was old and blind, GOD the heavenly Father who planned the salvation of His people is not blind. From the line of Abraham and Isaac, He chose a thief to continue the line for the promised Messiah, in Jacob.

The sovereignty of GOD is behind this horrific story of betrayal and manipulation. The Bible is written with GOD as the main character.

This story shows how the name of Isaac’s LORD was being manipulated by evil Jacob who did not believe yet in the same GOD as his father, since he used His name only to deceive Isaac and to steal the blessing meant for Esau.

The Conversion of Jacob

Where then was the LORD, YHWH in Jacob’s life?

When Jacob brought the delicious food that Rebekah had cooked for him in order to deceive Isaac, his father asked, “Who art thou my son?” Jacob lied without hesitation, “I am Esau thy firstborn.” (Genesis 27:18,19) What a hard and sinful heart was in Jacob that he could lie to his father in the face.

But there was another time when Jacob was asked to identify himself. In Genesis 32:22-32, we have the record of Jacob wrestling with GOD, and he was asked, “What is thy name?” Without hesitation too, he replied truthfully this time that his name is Jacob (meaning: ‘someone who cheats’, Genesis 32:27).

Jacob was a different man now. He was upfront this time and knew who he really was. Something had happened to Jacob between lying to his father, living with a lying boss who cheated him and then became his father-in-law, and having to face an impending frightening future, because he was going home and coming face to face with Esau.

Here was a very troubled man who had to go through one more struggle before he found peace. He had to wrestle with a stranger who turned out to be GOD (Genesis 32:24-28). In this struggle he refused to give in to GOD until GOD blessed him. God did bless Jacob and gave him a new name. From that day onward Jacob would no more be identified as a thief. He would be identified as Israel, the man who struggled with GOD.

GOD, the heavenly Father who is not blind like Isaac, saw Jacob’s struggle and how “he strives with GOD”. After that moment of wrestling with GOD, Jacob finally prevailed because he encountered and believed GOD. When he believed, he testified, “I have seen GOD face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30)

No man can see GOD and live. Jacob knew that GOD had been very compassionate and merciful to him.

What is the Application?

In just one chapter of the Bible, only 46 verses long, GOD recorded for us so much evil, and this evil was a personal and intimate kind. The first application must be this: Do we know all the evil that we are capable of? Perhaps some of us may have already committed such vile sins against GOD or against someone close to us. When we sin, let us not take it lightly. As a child of the Holy GOD, we must hate sin and especially our personal and private sins.

The second application is that GOD never leaves us. Throughout Jacob’s life, God never left him. GOD must mold him, and He used his life’s experience to eventually transform him into Israel. Jacob’s struggle with GOD ended with GOD blessing him and preserving him. Jacob the sinner did not die under the glare of the Holiness of GOD’s justice. Jacob became a man who overcomes. We too began our journey to become overcomers when GOD saved us and made us alive in Christ (Romans 6:11).

Conclusion

We are indeed sinners like Jacob, but the Bible is not primarily about the sinner. The central story of the Bible, written by the one and only true GOD and providentially preserved in the Old and New Testaments is that GOD so loves us that, in His mercy and love, He gave His only begotten Son as a propitiation for our sins. When we come face to face with GOD, or when we struggle in this life and with the LORD GOD, will we seek GOD’s ultimate blessing? Will we find that we too do not die in His presence but are covered by His mercy and grace?

Jacob was transformed by the LORD GOD from a sinner into a saint. How about you?

– Joel Seah

Appointments for the Week

Tuesday, Jun 6

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (James Salai)

Thursday, Jun 8

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

Friday, Jun 9

        8.00 pm     LF Meeting

Saturday, Jun 10

        3.00 pm     LTF / YAF

Sunday, Jun 11

  8.00 am     The Value of Prayer Meeting Acts 12:1-19 (Eld Chia Ah Lak)

  8.00 am     Choir Practice

  9.15 am Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.40 am Sunday School

10.15 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am The Value of Prayer Meeting Acts 12:1-19 (Eld Chia Ah Lak)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

Announcements

Church Camp 2023 13-16 June 2023

Church camp briefing will be held today at 4pm over Zoom. Those attending the camp should attend. Details on Zoom login have been disseminated via emails. Please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have not received it. Camper groupings will be displayed outside the sanctuary today and on 11 June. Love gifts to defray the cost of the camp is welcome.

Door to Door Evangelism

4 Jun 2023 (Today) Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30 pm

Contact: Desmond  or Amos 

Ladies’ Friday Fellowship

9 Jun 2023, 8.00 pm:

“A study on the Missionary journeys of Paul – Session 6” by Rev Quek KK.

All ladies are welcome. Contact Sis Gillian for Zoom details.

ERBL Evening Lectures

July-November 2023

1)       Old Testament Poetic Books by Rev Charles Seet (Monday @ 7.30 pm)

2)       The Theology of Prayer by Pastor Tan Soon Yong (Thursday @ 7.30 pm)

It will be conducted on-site at No. 10 Gilstead Road. It is compulsory for all Credit Students to attend lectures on-site and Audit Students can either attend lectures via Zoom platform or on-site. Interested parties can register for the courses online at https://lifebpc.com/erbl/index.php/registration-tt  

Catechism Class for Anniversary Baptism on 15 October 2023

will commence on 9 July 2023. Please pre-register by emailing to Church Office . Those seeking baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership must attend the catechism class. Closing date: 2 July 2023.

Traffic Wardens

Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Bro Yeo HS if you are available.

Emmanuel Reformed Bible College

is offering the following courses from July-November 2023 at No. 1 Tao Ching Road.

1) Introduction to the New Testament by Rev Ho Chee Lai (Monday @ 10 am)

2) Anthropology & Soteriology by Rev Isaac Ong (Tuesday @ 10 am)

3) Marriage & Family Counselling by Rev Gabriel Gan (Wednesday @ 10 am)

4) Kingdom of Cults by Rev Lee Hock Chin (Wednesday @ 1.30 pm)

5) Homiletic by Rev Isaac Ong (Thursday @ 10 am)

6) Principles and Method of Teaching by Ms June Tan (Friday @ 10 am)

7) Lessons from the Life of the Reformers by Rev Lee Hock Chin (Friday @ 1.30 pm)

For registration and details of the courses, please refer to our website: www.erbc.sg. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL: MISSIONARY SUNDAY

(18th June, 9.40am to 10.35am)

Theme     : Harvest Truly is Plenteous (Matt 9:37-38)

Venue      : Sanctuary 

Speakers  : Rev Nirand (Chiangmai) and Bro Lim Kwang Taek (Cambodia)

All church members are invited to join, including Sunday School Adult Dept, Young Teens Dept and Young Lifers Ministry.

Children's Programme (Nursery/Primary Dept and Junior Dept):

Held in Life Meeting Hall with a message by Sis Lilian Lee. 

Offerings collected will be designated to Thailand & Cambodia missions (main programme) and to ERS (children's programme). 

Gospel Sunday 30 July 2023 “God has a message for you” by Pastor Wei En Yi.

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