JACOB – SUPPLANTER TO ISRAEL PART 1
The Supplanter
From birth, Jacob was in direct competition with his brother Esau for leadership of the family. He was constantly trying to usurp his brother as the first born. When they were coming out of their mother’s womb, Esau was first. As he emerged Jacob was grabbing his heel as if he was trying to pull him back into the womb. Hence his name, Jacob meaning supplanter. Throughout much of their lives this would be the relationship between the two brothers.
Later in life we saw Jacob preferring and giving Joseph special treatment over all his other sons even though we was the second youngest. It was a character flaw passed on from childhood. A trauma if you will. In Genesis 25:8 we see that this was the exact way Isaac treated his two sons. “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.”
Two Different Characters
In Genesis 25:27, “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” we learn more about the character of the two boys. Esau was a hairy, red man who was a cunning (skillful) hunter. One can picture him as a survivalist type – wild and a little less civilized than most people. He was a man of and for the world. He was a man who knew how to live by his wits, because he was a cunning hunter
Jacob, however, is described as a plain man. That word plain is Strong’s H8535 and it means complete, quiet, ordinary, morally and ethically pure. He was the exact opposite of Esau. Jacob was a man who was not cut out to be a politician or leader of men, nor did he look good to the world. He was a plain man, dwelling in tents. He was an honest man who always meant well, and dealt fairly with others. As a shepherd, he preferred solitude and a quiet life. It is God’s way to choose the weak things of the world, and to pass by the mighty, 1 Corinthians 1:26-27.
But God!
I mentioned earlier a childhood trauma that Jacob suffered in his life; namely a father who preferred his brother over himself. Also, a mother who knew God’s favor over him and plotted and schemed to turn him into a leader of men. Isaac, who was a man much like Jacob, preferred the wild, macho, man-of-the-world character that Esau projected. I believe Isaac was living vicariously through him. Thousands of years of history and we still don’t change. We selfishly project our wants and desires onto our children and our loved ones instead of accepting them for who God created.
I’m not saying that all of the issues were on Jacob. After all, God did name him supplanter. God already knew who Jacob was to become (Jerimiah 29:11). However, Esau was a man of the world and a cunning hunter like Nimrod and Ishmael. He was made for the environment in which he lived. He was a man who lived in and for the moment with little thought for the future. This is evidenced in Genesis 25:29-34,
“And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.”
A Momma’s Boy
I believe Jacob knew he was meant for greatness. We certainly know that his mother knew the call on his life. She more than likely told him constantly that God meant him to be a leader of men. Since Jacob was human and the grandson of Abraham I believe he started to try and make the call on his life happen instead of letting God bring it to pass. He swindled Esau out of the birthright of the firstborn for a mere bowl of bean stew. It shows that Jacob knew the value of that gift. Esau may have been conned but it’s clear he was not a man meant to lead a great nation of God’s people. Such a man would not place such a small value and importance on such a gift.
Later on in chapter 27 of Genesis, we see Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, get more involved in Jacob usurping Esau’s position as the firstborn. And once again, Jacob takes matters into his own hands instead of letting God work it out in his favor. Read Genesis 27:6-40. In short, Rebekah talked Jacob into deceiving Isaac to gain the blessing of the firstborn. This on top of the birthright he already took from Esau. Jacob pretended to be Esau. He went in dressed as him with fleece on his body so he appeared hairy like Esau and went into his father with some cooked meat saying he was Esau.
Stealing the Blessing
Now to be fair, Isaac said when he first came into the tent that he sounded like Jacob. That should have been a huge clue. We know Isaac was very old (80’s maybe), he was blind, and I believe he was more than a little senile. Either that or he was just really stupid and naïve. He went ahead and blessed Jacob with the blessing of a leader of men and of the family. The blessing Esau was supposed to get. Moments later, after Jacob had just left living up to his name – Supplanter. Esau returns with his venison ready to receive the blessing.
Isn’t that the way it is with us? We take matters into our own hands or we listen to the advice of well-meaning friends and family about how to fulfill God’s call on our lives. We are in a hurry to move in our purpose and sometimes I think in a hurry to be noticed and seen by others. That’s where the problems begin. Our ways are far less effective than God’s ways and more often than not slow down our progress towards our purpose. If we simply let God do it in and for us and let Him guide us down the path, things would go so much smoother. Granted, His ways may be more difficult and less noticeable to others, but in the end His ways are always greater than ours.