Jacob’s Story: Blessed and Broken

Genesis 32-36

Personal Note: Thank you so much for taking this journey through Scripture with me. It’s amazing to see how God writes his story in his people. Our goal this year is to accomplish two things. First, we want to understand the big-picture flow of Scripture. To that end, I have provided an acronym: CAMDE—400—CALY. Here is what the letters represent: Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come. That’s the flow of the entire Bible! More details are provided in the Weekend Recharge. And remember, wherever we are in God’s Word, four threads tie it all together: Who God is. Who we are. How to know God. How to live for God. 

Second, we are taking a deep dive into the lives of God’s people in Scripture. Paul says the Old Testament stories serve as examples “written down for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11). The story of God among the people of Scripture is the same story he is writing in us today. 

There are many so-called “Christian leaders” who teach that life with Jesus is all smooth sailing. Follow Jesus, and you will be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Any challenge is treated as a demonic attack and should be “rebuked in the name of Jesus.”  

This is not what we learn when we study the lives of God’s people. Let’s wrap up our look at Jacob’s life with a few observations.

It is telling, that when Jacob summed up his life, he proclaimed, “My years have been few and difficult” (Gen. 47:9 NIV). One might question such a summary from a man whose name God changed to Israel—the name of the people through whom God would send his Son! Let’s review Jacob’s life and watch Yahweh at work. 

Jacob was his mother’s favorite son, and at one point, they concocted a successful scheme to steal the firstborn blessing from Esau. Jacob lived up to his name, “heel grabber,” which describes someone who trips others up through deception. 

Realizing his brother threatened to kill him, Jacob sought refuge with his mother’s family in the plains of Aram. There he began a new life, though it wasn’t without challenges. After seven years of work, Laban, his father-in-law, tricked Jacob into marrying his oldest daughter first. Laban was also adept at changing Jacob’s wages to benefit himself. Yet because God blessed Jacob with healthy livestock, Laban became convinced Jacob was stealing from him. Jacob endured continual tension between his two wives, Leah, the wife of Laban’s deception, and Rachel, the wife of his dreams. Finally, after twenty years, God told Jacob it was time to make the journey home. 

When Jacob fled from Esau, he left with nothing but the promise that God would bless his family and make his offspring like the “dust of the earth” (Gen. 28:13-16). Upon returning to his homeland, God met with him again, changed his name to Israel, and promised him protection (Gen. 32:22-32). 

Jacob desperately needed that promise. Messengers told him that Esau was rapidly approaching with four hundred men. But God protected him by granting him favor with Esau (Gen. 33). As he traveled with his family to Bethel, “a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob” (Gen. 35:5). 

Twenty years earlier, God had appeared to Jacob in Bethel and promised to bring him back to this land (Gen. 28:13-19). Now, once again in Bethel, God appeared to Jacob and reaffirmed what we call the Abrahamic Covenant. God said, “I am God Almighty . . . The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you” (Gen. 35:11-12). 

However, as we continue reading Jacob’s story, his life was about to become even more challenging for the man God now called Israel. 

Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, had one son, Joseph. She was pregnant again, but when the time came for her to deliver, the labor was so difficult that she died while giving birth to her second son, Benjamin (Gen. 35:16-18). 

Soon after Jacob buried Rachel, he buried his father, Isaac (Gen. 35:28). Then came an event that brought even more pain, leaving Jacob feeling that life was not worth living, for he “refused to be comforted” (Gen. 37:35). Jacob’s years were few and difficult.

We’ll start there next time, but let me close with this story. 

Recently, I was part of a Celebration of Life service for a friend named Fernando. When I think of gentleness, I think of Fernando. He embodied “strength under control.” Fernando loved and served Jesus and was bold in sharing his faith story with family, co-workers, and friends. 

In March 2025, Fernando and his wife, Lorraine, buried their son, Antonio. Fernando said the grief he experienced would not be wished on anyone. Two months later, Fernando was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. 

Fernando’s battle with cancer was a painful and discouraging journey. He was in and out of the hospital many times; however, his gentleness and perseverance were evident throughout. He experienced the peace that transcends understanding because he knew Whose he was and where he would spend eternity. Fernando surrendered himself and his plans to the Lord, letting God fight his battles. 

The end was difficult, yet we know Fernando passed from death to life, being absent from the body and present with the Lord. 

The Christian life is not always smooth sailing. There will be rough waters. God’s story in God’s people proves this over and over again. But when you know Jesus, he is the One who walks with us, promising never to leave us. He uses every challenge in our lives for his glory. 

Keep your eyes on Jesus…all the way home. 

I had the privilege of recording a podcast with Fernando a few months before he passed. Click here to listen to our conversation. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD

Read and reflect on Jacob’s story in Genesis 32-36. Where are you currently living in fear because of past decisions or unresolved relationships, and how might God be inviting you to trust his grace instead of depending on your control?

Talking to God: Talk to God about surrendering your fear and trusting in his strength.  

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SAVE THE DATE: Bible Immersion trip to Israel: November 4-14, 2026.