Jacob treasured and pursued to gain the birthright, Esau despised the birthright, and Reuben lost the birthright. Even though Jacob was born second, he wanted the birthright and even tricked his older brother Esau to sell him the birthright for a bowl of lentil stew (see Gen. 25:22-26). Later, with the cooperation of his mother, […]
Our Birthright as Men and Believers is to Enjoy God, Express God, and Represent God
September 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
God created man in His image and according to His likeness so that man would express God with His image and represent Him with His authority (Gen. 1:26). By birth every human being has a birthright to express God and represent God. We are made for this; we are born of our human parents on […]
God will Eventually Take Away our Natural Choice so that Christ may be Brought Forth
September 28, 2014 by 1 Comment
At the end of Genesis 35 we see one of the most touching stories in the entire Old Testament: Jacob journeys on from Bethel to Hebron, and on the way Rachel enters into labor and brings forth Benjamin (whom she calls Ben-Oni), and then she dies in labor. Rachel is Jacob’s beloved wife; he fell […]
Entering into Full Fellowship with the Lord and with the Fellow Members of the Body
September 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Jacob was selected and chosen by God even before he was born. However, throughout his life he schemed and struggled to obtain the birthright and the blessing, and he wanted to have his way with everyone – even though the blessing was his by God’s choice. He cheated on his brother Esau, tricked his father to give him […]
Being Poured out as a Drink Offering over the Building of God for His Satisfaction
September 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It is a great blessing to read the Bible with “the glasses of God’s economy” on. When we read the account in Gen. 35 with Jacob going to Bethel, setting up an altar, calling on the name of the Lord, having the Lord’s speaking, setting up a pillar and pouring out a drink offering and […]
Building an Altar at Bethel and Realizing God’s All-Sufficiency in the Church Life
September 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
At his second coming to Bethel, Jacob built an altar there and called it El-Bethel, and God appeared to him and said to him, “I am the All-sufficient God” (Gen. 35:11). Previously, Jacob built an altar at Shechem, where he also pitched his tent and was settled for a while, having a life of ease. […]
Advancing from the Individual Experience of God to the Corporate Experience of God
September 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
In Genesis 35 Jacob had a radical turn from the individual experience of God to the corporate experience of God. As a result of being dealt with, broken, and transformed, Jacob experienced God as the God of Bethel, El-Bethel, the God of the house of God (Gen. 35:7; Eph. 3:17-21; 4:4-6). Outwardly you may think […]
