Reviewing the life of Jacob, it was a life that was molded by God. God molded Jacob from his defected character into the character that God had intended for His salvation plan. Jacob did not get his blessing from God because of his tricks, i.e. Jacob’s hand taken hold of Esau’s heel at birth (Gen 25:26); Jacob bought the right of the firstborn from Esau (Gen 25:29-34); Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing as the firstborn (Gen 27). Rather, it was purely from God’s love and mercy that although he had performed all those tricks, God still chose him, still walked with him and gave him His blessing.
Through the different struggles in Jacob’s life, such as fear of Esau (Gen 27); La’ban cheated him on his marriages (Gen 29) and the jealousy between his wives (Gen 30): hunt down by La’ban (Gen 31) etc., Jacob was protected and blessed by God. Jacob is saved from harm only by divine intervention to La’ban (Gen 31:29). The 12 sons as a result from the fights between the wives became the 12 tribes of Israel.
God molded Jacob’s character through these situations and made him realize in the end his own nothingness and that all graces were from God because of his love and mercy for him. Jacob’s moral growth in the end had won him the name of Israel and became the founder of a nation “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:8-10).
Likewise, for us Christians, we are also tools of God and although we have many defects in our character, God has never forsaken us because of his love and mercy. If we are willing to be His collaborator, He will be with us and continue to mold us for His salvation plan. “Yet, O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand” (Isa 64:8).
