Jacob prays for a blessing

After being away for a couple of decades, Jacob heads home with two companies of peoples and a massive amount of livestock. Clearly, God has blessed him! So why does he pray to be blessed?

Genesis 32:26 – a prayer of Jacob

And he (a man of God or angel)said,

Let me go,

for the day breaketh.

And he (Jacob) said,

I will not let thee go,

except thou bless me.

From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers from God’s Word collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

Genesis 32:26 – a prayer of Jacob

Lord, I will

not let

You go

until

You bless me!

From the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

Jacob had already prayed for deliverance from his brother Esau and sent over 500 animals ahead as a peace offering. He remained behind with his family and servants, but sometime during the night, he arose, divided the people into two groups as a safety precaution, and sent them on ahead. He would have been all alone – except for the Angel of God with whom he wrestled.

As day began to break, the Angel insisted Jacob let him go, but Jacob refused until he received a blessing. Obviously, this was no request for material goods or riches. Nor did the prayer repeat a desire for God to be with him since the Lord already was! Jacob had God’s presence, protection, and power, but a blessing can also mean permission, approval, or anointing.

On that night, God bestowed every aspect of blessing, including forgiveness, as He changed Jacob’s name (one who supplants or displaces) to Israel – one who triumphs with God.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2020

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Jacob prays for deliverance

Trickery and an aptitude for manipulating people marked Jacob’s early years, but after being treated that way for a long time by his father-in-law, this son of Isaac headed home with a new attitude.

The problem was, Jacob didn’t know what his twin brother Esau, whom he’d tricked more than once, might do! However, Jacob did know God had blessed him. Humbling himself before the Lord, he asked for protection and deliverance in this prayer.

Genesis 32:10-11 – a prayer of Jacob

I am not worthy

of the least of all the mercies,

and of all the truth,

which thou hast shewed

unto thy servant;

for with my staff

I passed over this Jordan;

and now I am become two bands.

Deliver me, I pray thee,

from the hand of my brother,

from the hand of Esau:

for I fear him, lest he will come

and smite me, and the mother with the children.

From the Book of KJV Prayers actual prayers in God’s Word collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019, from the King James Version of the Bible

Genesis 32:10-11 – a paraphrased prayer of Jacob

Lord, I am not worthy

of all the loving kindness

and faithfulness

You have shown me,

for I began with nothing

and now have far more

than I could ever need.

But, Lord, I’m alarmed

by those I fear might

harm me and my family.

Please deliver us, I pray.

From the Book of Bible Prayers actual prayers of the Bible collected from a variety of translations and paraphrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

May God help us to let go of the past as we humble ourselves before Him and begin the New Year in prayer, praise, and appreciation.

Mary Sayler, ©2020

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Jacob’s vow: making a deal with God

In times of uncertainty or doubt, many of us have prayed, “Lord, IF You will ___(fill in the blank), THEN I will ___(fill in the blank.)” That’s what Jacob did.

This son of Isaac and twin brother of Esau didn't know if God would be with him the way He had been with Jacob’s grandfather Abraham. He’d undoubtedly heard his family’s stories of faith, but maybe he thought that tricking his brother and his father had put him on the outs with God.

Now on the run from his brother’s wrath, Jacob fled toward his mother’s family many, many miles away. Alone and in new terrain, he made a vow to God in this prayer:

Genesis 28:20-22

from the King James Version of the Bible
and the Book of KJV prayers

And Jacob vowed a vow, saying,

If God will be with me,

and will keep me in this way that I go,

and will give me bread to eat,

and raiment to put on,

So that I come again

to my father's house in peace;

then shall the Lord be my God:

And this stone,

which I have set for a pillar,

shall be God's house:

and of all that thou shalt give me

I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Genesis 28:20-21

paraphrase of Jacob’s prayer-vow

from the Book of Bible Prayers 

Lord God, if You will be with me

and

watch over me wherever I go

and

provide me with necessities

and

get me safely home,

then

You will be my God.

God did indeed take care of Jacob, whom He later renamed "Israel" and blessed with twelve sons who became the tribal chiefs of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019

…

God hears groans as prayers

Background: After the sons of Jacob sold their brother Joseph into slavery, many years went by before a famine brought the family together again in Egypt. Ironically, the famine also brought many native Egyptians into slavery under the rule of Joseph, who had risen to the position second only to Pharaoh. Whether this enslaved the Twelve Tribes of Israel is not clear. Regardless, the Hebrew people remained in Egypt long after the famine had passed because, 400 years later, they were still there!

By then Joseph had long been forgotten, and God’s people were slaves for sure. In fact, conditions had become so terribly cruel that the firstborn son in every family was killed. According to the familiar story in Exodus 2, though, Moses’ mother placed her beautiful child in a waterproof basket and set him afloat on the Nile River. When Pharaoh’s daughter found him, she sent Miriam – Moses’ sister – to look for a nurse among the Hebrew women, and the girl brought her mother to care for her own son.

In this environment, Moses’ life began with love and caring. Although the Bible does not mention how long he stayed with his real family or what exposure he had to songs and stories, he most likely heard about God and the godly Patriarchs among his natural forefathers. But from a young age, he also lived in the home of Pharaoh’s daughter so would have had the most superior education in the world – culturally, politically, and academically.

Once grown, his attempts to rescue a fellow Hebrew resulted in his murdering an Egyptian who had been cruel! With Pharaoh himself now after him, Moses fled to the wilderness where, for forty years, he learned firsthand about living in the desert and tending unruly sheep!

When God had fully prepared Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of slavery:

“…the king of Egypt died. And the people of Israel sighed and cried out because they were in bondage, and their cry for help rose up to God. Then God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the people of Israel, and knew,” (it was time to act) Exodus 2:23-25.

Question: Moses and the Hebrew people obviously had to wait many years (centuries!) to be released from slavery. In what ways did this passage of time help to prepare Moses and the people? Was God also waiting and waiting for the right time?

Prayer: Dear LORD God, thank You for Your perfect timing, even when it seems like it takes forever! Thank You for knowing what we need, even when we have nothing but cries and sighs for prayers. Thank You for preparing us for the work You have given us to do as free people, fully redeemed by You.


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© 2012, Mary Sayler, all rights reserved.

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Joseph, Judah, and an unusual prayer

Background: Jacob (Israel) had one daughter and a dozen sons. Of the twelve, Joseph was clearly the favorite and everyone knew it, including Joseph. Eventually, the brothers got tired of his spying and tattling on them but were probably even wearier of being ignored and undervalued by a father prone toward favoritism.

The older brothers had had it with the little prince, whom their dad dressed in a colorful coat with long sleeves totally unsuitable for work! But, instead of killing the kid, as Cain would have done, they sold Joseph into slavery.

The familiar story begins in Genesis 37 and keeps going until Exodus while Joseph continues to have faith that God favored him. Not so with Judah, who winds up with two sons so wicked that God took them out of the family line!

After his wife also dies, Judah is seduced by a woman he thinks is a prostitute but is really the widow of both of his sons! In high contrast, the beloved Joseph refuses advances from his master’s wife, keeping his high moral standards and his faith, even though the decision got him thrown into jail!

Because of those choices, everybody knows about the moralism, wisdom, and strong faith of Joseph. Everybody clearly knows that God was with him as he rose to the top position of power in all of Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. And, everyone knows, as Joseph did, that the providence of God had allowed events that led to his keeping his entire family from starving to death during a 7-year famine. In short, almost everyone on earth has heard of Joseph, while even devout Christians and Jews often look puzzled by the name of Judah.

So, what about Judah? Who was he? What was he like, and why should we care? No, he’s not the lost tribe of Israel, but he is important to us today because he is the forefather of Christians and Jews.

Genesis 38 and 43-49 will give you the primary source of information about Judah, but here’s my somewhat shortened version:

After selling Joseph into slavery, Judah “departed from his brothers” (Genesis 38:1) and moved into an area southwest of Bethlehem later called the land of Judah. This self-imposed parting from his family may indicate grief, guilt, or growing sense of right and wrong, centuries before the law of Moses. For example, after hearing that his long-widowed daughter-in-law was expecting a child, Judah proposed that she be burned to death! When, however, she identified herself as the woman assumed to be a prostitute, Judah admitted “she’s more righteous than I.”

That might not sound like a big deal today, but at the time, even Bible patriarchs were not apt to admit any wrongdoing of any kind. People were also not likely to be more concerned about other people as they were about themselves. Remember, for example, how Lot had been perfectly willing to throw his unwed daughters to the men of Sodom and Abraham to risk Sarah’s safety in order to protect his own.

Not Judah.

For the sake of his father and brother, Judah made a unique choice that foreshadows the redemption brought by his direct descendant, Jesus Christ. Judah offered to place his own life in jeopardy as surety for the safety of his youngest brother to keep his father from dying with grief.

As Genesis records this episode, “Judah came close to Joseph and said, ‘O, my lord, let your servant speak, I pray thee, a word in your ears, and let not your anger burn against me, for you are as Pharaoh himself,’ Genesis 44:18.

“And now, I pray thee, let me, your servant, remain with you as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy go home with his brothers, for how could I possibly return to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Surely this would bring my father inconsolable grief and misery,” Genesis 44:33-34.

Question: What do you think of God’s choosing Judah over Joseph as the family line through whom the Son of God would come?

Prayer: Dear LORD God, Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing who to choose for the tasks You have given. Strengthen our faith, LORD. Help us to hear You, accept Your faith in us, and follow Your leading in whatever You want us to do for Your heavenly kingdom.

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© 2012, Mary Sayler, all rights reserved

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Jacobs wrestles an angel and becomes Israel

Background: When Jacob fled from home after wrestling his father’s blessing from Esau, he vowed to worship God if everything happened as promised. It did, of course, since God does not and cannot lie. However, many years went by before Jacob felt free to go home.

After the long journey began, God sent angels to greet Jacob. In turn, Jacob sent his servants to meet, greet, and make peace with his older twin brother Esau of whom he was greatly afraid (Genesis 32:7.) To protect himself and his family, Jacob divided the people and livestock into two camps, thinking that, if Esau destroyed one, the other would be able to escape. (Genesis 32:8.)

Then Jacob prayed: “O, LORD God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, You told me, ‘Return to your land and the place of your birth, and I will do well for you.’ But LORD, I am not worthy of the least of Your mercies or of Your truth which You have fulfilled for me, Your servant. With only my walking stick, I passed over the Jordan River, and now I’m going home with a household big enough to fill two camps! Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am greatly afraid he will come and kill my wives and children. But You promised to treat me kindly and multiply my descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered,” Genesis 32:9-12.

The next morning, Jacob set aside livestock for his servants to give to Esau – one group after another – as a peace offering. When everyone had safely crossed over the river, Jacob alone remained in camp. As he tried to sleep, he wrestled all night with an angel of the Lord or man of God.

When the man saw he would not win the match, he wrestled Jacob’s hip out of its socket, then said, “Let me go for the dawn is breaking!”

“But Jacob said, ‘I won’t let you go unless you bless me’.”

“‘What is your name?’ the man asked.”

“‘Jacob,’ he replied.”

“‘Your name will no longer be Jacob. From now on you will be called Israel because you have wrestled with God and men and have won’.” (Genesis 32:26-28.)

When Jacob then saw Esau coming with a large company of men, he fell to the ground as his brother came near. Esau ran to meet him with an enormous hug! Jacob blessed his brother, but the two soon parted – most likely relieved by each other’s response yet wary. When Jacob then found a field to buy, he pitched his tents and built an altar to call upon the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and, now, Israel.

Question: Do you expect God to keep His promises to you in person or in general? Do you expect the same from yourself and other people too? With whom or what do you wrestle?

Prayer: Almighty God and Heavenly Father of all, we praise You for being The One in Whom we can always put our total confidence and trust. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have been wary of You and unforgiving of ourselves and others. Help us to talk to You about everything and to listen – especially as we toss and turn in sleep and in mind when it’s hard to make a decision or know what You would have us to do. Lead us, LORD, with Your Word and heavenly greetings as we come home to You.


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© 2012, Mary Sayler, all rights reserved.

 

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Blessing, vow, pledge, and promise

“Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and said, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman but hurry to the house of your grandfather in Paddan-aram and marry one of your uncle Laban’s daughters. May God Almighty bless you with many children, and may your descendants become many nations. May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings promised to Abraham, and may you possess this land where you now live as a stranger, for God gave this land to Abraham,” Genesis 28:1-4.

After getting the family blessing he had deceptively wangled from his twin brother Esau, Jacob obeyed his father and set off on a journey of a few hundred lonely miles to find a wife.

And so, “Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. Before sunset he arrived at a good place to stop for the night and set up camp. When he found a stone for a pillow, Jacob lay down to sleep, and as he slept, he dreamed of a ladder (or stairway) reaching from earth to heaven with angels of God going up and down. At the top of the ladder stood the LORD, Who said, ‘I Am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. The ground you are lying on now belongs to you. I Am giving it to you and your descendants, who will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. They will spread in all directions—to west and east, to north and south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. More importantly, I Am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. Someday I will bring you back to this land, but I will not leave you until I have given you everything I promised.’ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place‘," Genesis 28:10-16.

“The next morning Jacob got up early and carefully placed the stone pillow as a pillar to remind him where he had been visited by God. He then poured olive oil over the stone and named the place Bethel (meaning house of God) even though it had previously been called Luz. Then Jacob made this vow, ‘If God will indeed be with me and if He will protect me on my journey, and if He will provide me with food and clothing, and if I get safely back to my father’s home, then the LORD will be my God. And this memorial pillar I set up will become a place to worship God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything He gives me.” Genesis 28:18-22.

Even though Jacob deceived his father (at his mother’s suggestion!) he inherited the blessings God had promised Abraham. God honored this, too, by giving the young man a vision of heaven and by renewing the covenant He had made with Jacob’s family on earth.

As it’s been said, God has no grandchildren. And so, this vision let Jacob see that, like his father and grandfather, he, too, now had a direct relationship with God, even though his ambivalent response did not include worship but wariness.

Question: When you make a promise to God, does it contain contingencies or escape clauses as did the “if’s” of Jacob? Do you think Jacob showed lack of faith by delaying worship and acceptance of the LORD as his God? Or did he believe God meant exactly what He said? After all, God Himself had promised to stay with Jacob until He had fulfilled His promises, which then gave the young man plenty of time to decide!

Prayer: Dear LORD God Almighty, thank You for honoring Your promises whether we deserve such an honor or not! Thank You for Your faithfulness and devotion to us even when our faith ebbs and we put off devoting time to You. Forgive us our uncertainties about You, and help us to worship You in Spirit and in truth – forever but also right now.

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© 2012, Mary Sayler, all rights reserved.

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