Roots

The art of deception is part of the nature of people.The Bible speaks of the heart of people being deceitful, and desperately wicked. This statement leaves one with the realization that it is an extreme situation. The verse goes on to say: “Who can know it?”

With this thought in mind, we need to remember that we are no exception to the rule. We do not want to give the impression that we are so much better; simply because we do not do this, that or the other. Just remember that God can and does use all kinds of people to fulfill his purposes.

I named this book in the fashion I did, for a specific reason. It was not because my name is Jacob. Just because my name is Jacob is no reason to write a book. Everybody here has a wonderful name; I am sure of that. Your name may be Tom, Ruth, or Jim, that in is no reason to write on the subject. I feel that we need to have a more solid basis than just someone’s name, to do a manuscript.

If I selected the name Tom, and put it into the book title that read: My Name Is Tom, I would want it to represent something relevant enough for people to have an interest in it. If this title represented a person like Tom Landry, then most people would know what this book might relate to. Those, who do not know of Tom, will find out that football is his forte.

When I think of the name Ruth, I think of the current crop of choices first. In so doing I reflect on Ruth Graham. She is the wife of Billy Graham. When I think of people in the past I think of Ruth in the Bible. While thinking of her, my mind goes into the mode of a love story. The story of Ruth and Naomi is a fantastic picture of love: Not easily paralleled by any other love story. I consider the story of: "For God so loved the world, . . . " John 3:16 far greater.

When I am browsing through the Christian bookstore I see books about people like Tom Landry, and Ruth Graham. This gives me a reason to explore avenues of interest in their lives. Tom Landry’s name registers in my mind when I think of football coaches. Another thing that I reflect upon when I think of him, is that he is also a Christian professional. Now we are in a realm where any one of us could be interested in a book about him. The reason for our interest may be because he is trying to show his Christianity at work in real life.

When I think of the name Ruth in this setting, I can also relate to something of interest. I might be interested in knowing what the wife of a man such as Billy Graham might have to offer the Christian reader. Maybe, I would just want to find out if I had missed something important in the book of Ruth.

Well, what about Jim? Good question: No answer. When I think about Jim, I think of food. Jim and Eileen do most of the banquets in our church: No offense Jim. Now, this is what I relate to when I think of Jim.

Now, if someone wrote a book, and titled it: My name is Jim, many folks may run out and buy a dozen copies to pass out to their friends. It may be a great book on how to do banquets, and that is great. Nevertheless, we do not all do banquets.

Let’s move onto my next searching thought. When this book graces the shelf of the local book store, will it send chills of excitement through your anatomy? I hope so. Possibly, if the title gets your attention, the introduction overwhelms your mind, and your browser scans a few pages; finally, the interest level may have peaked: You buy the book. That is good for me, and prayerfully it will be beneficial to your spiritual health.

It was my full intention to lure suspecting souls to the cover of this book, when I chose the name. It was not my intention though, to bring it to your attention: Just to make your acquaintance with the author. That is an incidental matter. My intent goes far deeper than that. Many people would immediately relate to a time of old testament history, if they heard the words: My Name Is Jacob!

My purpose is to display the life of a man whom they called a scoundrel. This was done with many different words. Over the centuries, Jacob’s name has been torn apart because of what he was. The Bible plainly leaves us with the impression that he was a cheat.

Before we can take a good look at which rung of the ladder Jacob aspired to, we are going to have to explore where he came from. This will entail exploration of his roots.

Many people may remember a book entitled “Roots,” it was written by Alex Halley. It was the account of many struggles that the Negro people faced. As I watched it in the movie version, I found myself bathed in compassion; as they showed the trials of life faced by these people. Alex Halley went back to before his time to get the facts. This is what I need to do.

Simple historical fact does not usually thrill too many people. For instance, many readers may not care much when or where I was born. The color of my skin or the level of bills in my bank account, may not necessarily be important to most people.

It has been very hard for me to start writing this book while I have been considering the life of Jacob; though the subject matter Jacob has always been a point of interest to me personally.

Maybe this is my position because Jacob and I share first names. Names that make people think of someone as a cheater are not really that endearing. If I go back and find out the reasons behind his descriptive name tag, his story (history) becomes a bit more alluring to me.

From the time that I was just a boy, I was called Jakey. People always want to add something to our name. Instead of calling me Jake or Jacob, they felt they liked Jakey. It reminds me of the world in which we are living. People call someone Mikey, instead of Mike. Or they will call someone like Mike Vernon (a hockey goaltender) Vernie.

After awhile, they just called me Jake. Finally, people just started calling me Jack. Jack does not mean Jacob at all. As time went on I went by the name of Jack. It was easier than always trying to say: My Name Is Jacob!

Recently I heard a preacher say: “If your name is Jacob, be proud of it.” I finally felt like shouting: My Name is Jacob! When he pointed out what Jacob became, rather than what he started as, I got excited. Eventually, during a name change, God called Jacob: “...A Prince with God.”

Look at it. We seem to have a monumental character change. One day he is a cheater, the next day he is wearing Princely robes. If I were just to say that Jacob became a Prince with God, then we may not get to know anything else about the man. Nothing, about how the details in the life of this man can help us through the same kind of struggles, may ever become apparent.

This story is not only about a man called Jacob. It is about all of us. It is about everyday life. To be specific, this is why each of us should get excited about the history of a man like this. Each of us in this world has a wealth of insight and experience, to offer the world around us. Our individual heritage is worth vast amounts of gold, if calculated for value sake alone.

Any one of us may say: “My heritage is not worth a dime. ‘I came from a family of losers.’ ‘I never had a real chance in life.’ ” Your thoughts may be well founded. However, if we have come to realize this, then we are in the position of being able to do something about it.

When we come to realize that there has been a wrong perpetration of the day’s offerings, it’s our move: Somehow, we should be able to make things right.

If I put the whole story of Jacob on a spread sheet, I would have to include many details. Parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, would be important, to bring a proper balance to what the life of Jacob was all about. My intention is to take us from the very possibility that he would be born, to the reality of the impact that he had on the human race.

When the Jews refer to God, they refer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We have a continuum here that begins at Abraham. So, what about Abraham? The story of Abraham really began with Noah. The reason I say the story of Abraham really begins with Noah, is that this was a beginning. We literally have to go back to Adam to get the whole picture.

Remember, Noah was a man who walked with God: This is imperative. When the flood ended, and his family was left to populate the earth, they began by having a Godly legacy. The Bible says that Noah “Walked with God.”

Somewhere along the way, something began to fall apart: Concerning the family walking with God. Instead of checking with God as to their future, they set out to plan it for themselves. People began to believe that they needed to make a name for themselves. As a result of this, they set out to build a city, one with a high tower. Our High Tower is God. Nevertheless, it was not the intent of these people to make this God their great support. Hence: The Tower of Babel. Genesis 10&11

God really did not appreciate the results of their planning sessions, so he changed their plans for them. He scattered them around the country, and gave them all different languages. In time, Abraham's direct descendants found themselves at a place called Ur of the Chaldees.

Ur, became a booming metropolis. It was a place infested with idol worshipers. Nanna, was the moon God. They worshiped it here at Ur. History, evidences the fact, that Nanna was found in peoples homes. Abraham grew up in this kind of idol worshiping culture.

Along with the worship habits being against God's law, they must have taken on other bad habits. In business, if we are not on course with God's ways, unscrupulous dealings are the result.

Abraham’s great-grandfather, and his grandfather deeply entrenched in this idol worshiping culture. Nevertheless, a transition took place when God came and made it clear to Abraham that he was to leave this setting: To go elsewhere.

In Genesis 11, we will see that Terah (Abraham's father), Abraham, and his wife Sarah, and Terah's grandson Lot, left the city of Ur. As I look backward from Abraham to Noah, I see a very good trait beginning to take shape in Abraham. God told Noah that he would destroy all flesh because of sin. He also told him to build an ark for the safety of his family.

He built the ark, so he must have believed the word of God. Faith is the tremendous trait I see transferred from Noah to Abraham. The road between the two is not one built on a legacy of faith. Nevertheless, Abraham believed God during this time.

Extreme faith is evident in this man: Whom they called a friend of God. At this juncture we become aware of a major promise. We often hear of the promise of God. Listen to one of the promises with me: “ I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3

Another transition that takes place as we move along, is in Genesis 12:18 “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” I can see a transfer of power and responsibility from one generation to another taking place here.

Now, just because Abraham is called a friend of God, does not means that he was perfect. Times were, when God said go this way, Abraham went the other. However, if we look at the overall picture, he was obedient to the call of God. When Abraham first left Ur of the Chaldees, he went without knowing exactly where God wanted him to go. He was left with a promise, and he accepted that as enough to obey the command.

The place he went to at the beginning was a place called Haran. The name Haran, means roads. This is the place where Abraham lived till he had direction from the Lord. It was a good place for that; because it was a crossroads from which he could go in many directions. Haran was to be an important reference point in the life of his son, and his grandson (Jacob).

The seemingly inbred faith of Abraham definitely had its share of tumult. At the age of 100 he still did not have a son. If he were to be the father of many nations, as promised by God, Abraham was going to need to raise a family.

Finally, in line with the promise of God, a son was born. Many instances in this account could use a better explanation, but it would almost require another work on its own to do it justice.

One of the greatest tests of his love for God, came at the expense nearly losing the son. Nevertheless, the character of this man was such that it was God first, whether he understood what was going on or not. I am beginning to see that he has much to pass on to his children. Abraham became a very wealthy man, and we will see that this part of his heritage carried on through his son, and grandson Jacob.

Abraham lived to be 175 years old. I mentioned that we would go from the very possibility of Jacob's birth, to his overall impact on the human race. This began when God spoke in Genesis 22:18: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 22

The word seed takes us one step closer to Jacob. I have begun to set out a bit of a reference bank with which to compare Jacob with his roots. One thing that Jacob was known for, was that of being a deceiver. Abraham has not yet shown us that he had deception in his blood. It will become evident that he also had a bit of a problem with deception. Just so we can draw a parallel, I will portray it now.

When Abraham went to Egypt, he had to cover his tracks. He seemed to finish the run in fear of the Pharaoh. He told Pharaoh that his wife was his sister. Because his wife was a good looker, Abraham thought deception would be the answer to his problem. He thought Pharaoh would take his wife, and maybe his life. Pharaoh found out and sent the whole clan packing.

When we read the passage of scripture in Genesis 12, Egypt was evidently not the brightest spot of his trip. Most of what we see in Abraham was good, but his flaw was the same as ours: He was born into the human race. Nevertheless, God carried him through.

As we persist, we can see how this pattern was to repeat itself. The faithfulness of God will be evident throughout the book. God was faithful to the patriarchs, and he will be faithful to us.

I have drawn just a small picture of the life of Jacob. I am looking forward to meeting Jacob's dad Isaac. He was a wonderful man. As we put the pieces together, I am sure we will see why Jacob was the way he was in his early years: And what he was in the outcome.


	Roots \| Preparing For Jacob \| Are The Wells All Dug? \| Presenting The Ladies. The art of deception is part of the nature of people.The Bible speaks of the heart of people being deceitful, and desperately wicked. This statement leaves one with the realization that it is an extreme situation. The verse goes on to say: “Who can know it?” With this thought in mind, we need to remember that we are no exception to the rule. We do not want to give the impression that we are so much better; simply because we do not do this, that or the other. Just remember that God can and does use all kinds of people to fulfill his purposes. Chapter 1 I named this book in the fashion I did, for a specific reason. It was not because my name is Jacob. Just because my name is Jacob is no reason to write a book. Everybody here has a wonderful name; I am sure of that. Your name may be Tom, Ruth, or Jim, that in is no reason to write on the subject. I feel that we need to have a more solid basis than just someone’s name, to do a manuscript. If I selected the name Tom, and put it into the book title that read: My Name Is Tom, I would want it to represent something relevant enough for people to have an interest in it. If this title represented a person like Tom Landry, then most people would know what this book might relate to. Those, who do not know of Tom, will find out that football is his forte. When I think of the name Ruth, I think of the current crop of choices first. In so doing I reflect on Ruth Graham. She is the wife of Billy Graham. When I think of people in the past I think of Ruth in the Bible. While thinking of her, my mind goes into the mode of a love story. The story of Ruth and Naomi is a fantastic picture of love: Not easily paralleled by any other love story. I consider the story of: "For God so loved the world, . . . " John 3:16 far greater. When I am browsing through the Christian bookstore I see books about people like Tom Landry, and Ruth Graham. This gives me a reason to explore avenues of interest in their lives. Tom Landry’s name registers in my mind when I think of football coaches. Another thing that I reflect upon when I think of him, is that he is also a Christian professional. Now we are in a realm where any one of us could be interested in a book about him. The reason for our interest may be because he is trying to show his Christianity at work in real life. When I think of the name Ruth in this setting, I can also relate to something of interest. I might be interested in knowing what the wife of a man such as Billy Graham might have to offer the Christian reader. Maybe, I would just want to find out if I had missed something important in the book of Ruth. Well, what about Jim? Good question: No answer. When I think about Jim, I think of food. Jim and Eileen do most of the banquets in our church: No offense Jim. Now, this is what I relate to when I think of Jim. Now, if someone wrote a book, and titled it: My name is Jim, many folks may run out and buy a dozen copies to pass out to their friends. It may be a great book on how to do banquets, and that is great. Nevertheless, we do not all do banquets. Let’s move onto my next searching thought. When this book graces the shelf of the local book store, will it send chills of excitement through your anatomy? I hope so. Possibly, if the title gets your attention, the introduction overwhelms your mind, and your browser scans a few pages; finally, the interest level may have peaked: You buy the book. That is good for me, and prayerfully it will be beneficial to your spiritual health. It was my full intention to lure suspecting souls to the cover of this book, when I chose the name. It was not my intention though, to bring it to your attention: Just to make your acquaintance with the author. That is an incidental matter. My intent goes far deeper than that. Many people would immediately relate to a time of old testament history, if they heard the words: My Name Is Jacob! My purpose is to display the life of a man whom they called a scoundrel. This was done with many different words. Over the centuries, Jacob’s name has been torn apart because of what he was. The Bible plainly leaves us with the impression that he was a cheat. Before we can take a good look at which rung of the ladder Jacob aspired to, we are going to have to explore where he came from. This will entail exploration of his roots. Many people may remember a book entitled “Roots,” it was written by Alex Halley. It was the account of many struggles that the Negro people faced. As I watched it in the movie version, I found myself bathed in compassion; as they showed the trials of life faced by these people. Alex Halley went back to before his time to get the facts. This is what I need to do. Simple historical fact does not usually thrill too many people. For instance, many readers may not care much when or where I was born. The color of my skin or the level of bills in my bank account, may not necessarily be important to most people. It has been very hard for me to start writing this book while I have been considering the life of Jacob; though the subject matter Jacob has always been a point of interest to me personally. Maybe this is my position because Jacob and I share first names. Names that make people think of someone as a cheater are not really that endearing. If I go back and find out the reasons behind his descriptive name tag, his story (history) becomes a bit more alluring to me. From the time that I was just a boy, I was called Jakey. People always want to add something to our name. Instead of calling me Jake or Jacob, they felt they liked Jakey. It reminds me of the world in which we are living. People call someone Mikey, instead of Mike. Or they will call someone like Mike Vernon (a hockey goaltender) Vernie. After awhile, they just called me Jake. Finally, people just started calling me Jack. Jack does not mean Jacob at all. As time went on I went by the name of Jack. It was easier than always trying to say: My Name Is Jacob! Recently I heard a preacher say: “If your name is Jacob, be proud of it.” I finally felt like shouting: My Name is Jacob! When he pointed out what Jacob became, rather than what he started as, I got excited. Eventually, during a name change, God called Jacob: “...A Prince with God.” Look at it. We seem to have a monumental character change. One day he is a cheater, the next day he is wearing Princely robes. If I were just to say that Jacob became a Prince with God, then we may not get to know anything else about the man. Nothing, about how the details in the life of this man can help us through the same kind of struggles, may ever become apparent. This story is not only about a man called Jacob. It is about all of us. It is about everyday life. To be specific, this is why each of us should get excited about the history of a man like this. Each of us in this world has a wealth of insight and experience, to offer the world around us. Our individual heritage is worth vast amounts of gold, if calculated for value sake alone. Any one of us may say: “My heritage is not worth a dime. ‘I came from a family of losers.’ ‘I never had a real chance in life.’ ” Your thoughts may be well founded. However, if we have come to realize this, then we are in the position of being able to do something about it. When we come to realize that there has been a wrong perpetration of the day’s offerings, it’s our move: Somehow, we should be able to make things right. If I put the whole story of Jacob on a spread sheet, I would have to include many details. Parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, would be important, to bring a proper balance to what the life of Jacob was all about. My intention is to take us from the very possibility that he would be born, to the reality of the impact that he had on the human race. When the Jews refer to God, they refer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We have a continuum here that begins at Abraham. So, what about Abraham? The story of Abraham really began with Noah. The reason I say the story of Abraham really begins with Noah, is that this was a beginning. We literally have to go back to Adam to get the whole picture. Remember, Noah was a man who walked with God: This is imperative. When the flood ended, and his family was left to populate the earth, they began by having a Godly legacy. The Bible says that Noah “Walked with God.” Somewhere along the way, something began to fall apart: Concerning the family walking with God. Instead of checking with God as to their future, they set out to plan it for themselves. People began to believe that they needed to make a name for themselves. As a result of this, they set out to build a city, one with a high tower. Our High Tower is God. Nevertheless, it was not the intent of these people to make this God their great support. Hence: The Tower of Babel. Genesis 10&11 God really did not appreciate the results of their planning sessions, so he changed their plans for them. He scattered them around the country, and gave them all different languages. In time, Abraham's direct descendants found themselves at a place called Ur of the Chaldees. Ur, became a booming metropolis. It was a place infested with idol worshipers. Nanna, was the moon God. They worshiped it here at Ur. History, evidences the fact, that Nanna was found in peoples homes. Abraham grew up in this kind of idol worshiping culture. Along with the worship habits being against God's law, they must have taken on other bad habits. In business, if we are not on course with God's ways, unscrupulous dealings are the result. Abraham’s great-grandfather, and his grandfather deeply entrenched in this idol worshiping culture. Nevertheless, a transition took place when God came and made it clear to Abraham that he was to leave this setting: To go elsewhere. In Genesis 11, we will see that Terah (Abraham's father), Abraham, and his wife Sarah, and Terah's grandson Lot, left the city of Ur. As I look backward from Abraham to Noah, I see a very good trait beginning to take shape in Abraham. God told Noah that he would destroy all flesh because of sin. He also told him to build an ark for the safety of his family. He built the ark, so he must have believed the word of God. Faith is the tremendous trait I see transferred from Noah to Abraham. The road between the two is not one built on a legacy of faith. Nevertheless, Abraham believed God during this time. Extreme faith is evident in this man: Whom they called a friend of God. At this juncture we become aware of a major promise. We often hear of the promise of God. Listen to one of the promises with me: “ I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2-3 Another transition that takes place as we move along, is in Genesis 12:18 “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.” I can see a transfer of power and responsibility from one generation to another taking place here. Now, just because Abraham is called a friend of God, does not means that he was perfect. Times were, when God said go this way, Abraham went the other. However, if we look at the overall picture, he was obedient to the call of God. When Abraham first left Ur of the Chaldees, he went without knowing exactly where God wanted him to go. He was left with a promise, and he accepted that as enough to obey the command. The place he went to at the beginning was a place called Haran. The name Haran, means roads. This is the place where Abraham lived till he had direction from the Lord. It was a good place for that; because it was a crossroads from which he could go in many directions. Haran was to be an important reference point in the life of his son, and his grandson (Jacob). The seemingly inbred faith of Abraham definitely had its share of tumult. At the age of 100 he still did not have a son. If he were to be the father of many nations, as promised by God, Abraham was going to need to raise a family. Finally, in line with the promise of God, a son was born. Many instances in this account could use a better explanation, but it would almost require another work on its own to do it justice. One of the greatest tests of his love for God, came at the expense nearly losing the son. Nevertheless, the character of this man was such that it was God first, whether he understood what was going on or not. I am beginning to see that he has much to pass on to his children. Abraham became a very wealthy man, and we will see that this part of his heritage carried on through his son, and grandson Jacob. Abraham lived to be 175 years old. I mentioned that we would go from the very possibility of Jacob's birth, to his overall impact on the human race. This began when God spoke in Genesis 22:18: "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 22 The word seed takes us one step closer to Jacob. I have begun to set out a bit of a reference bank with which to compare Jacob with his roots. One thing that Jacob was known for, was that of being a deceiver. Abraham has not yet shown us that he had deception in his blood. It will become evident that he also had a bit of a problem with deception. Just so we can draw a parallel, I will portray it now. When Abraham went to Egypt, he had to cover his tracks. He seemed to finish the run in fear of the Pharaoh. He told Pharaoh that his wife was his sister. Because his wife was a good looker, Abraham thought deception would be the answer to his problem. He thought Pharaoh would take his wife, and maybe his life. Pharaoh found out and sent the whole clan packing. When we read the passage of scripture in Genesis 12, Egypt was evidently not the brightest spot of his trip. Most of what we see in Abraham was good, but his flaw was the same as ours: He was born into the human race. Nevertheless, God carried him through. As we persist, we can see how this pattern was to repeat itself. The faithfulness of God will be evident throughout the book. God was faithful to the patriarchs, and he will be faithful to us. I have drawn just a small picture of the life of Jacob. I am looking forward to meeting Jacob's dad Isaac. He was a wonderful man. As we put the pieces together, I am sure we will see why Jacob was the way he was in his early years: And what he was in the outcome.