Genesis28:13-14
(NIV). 13 There above it [] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.
Remember when you were a kid standing in a field of dandelions that had just turned to seed? They were beautiful whitish fluff with little seeds at the top. Someone showed you that if you blew gently on those seeds you could send them up in the air and they would ever so gently fly. It was a fun pass time, until the grass cutter in the family saw you and stopped you! ‘Those seeds will become the dandelions we will have to weed out of the yard next year.’ End of fun!
When I read the description of Jacob’s descendants the Lord was giving to him, I cannot help but think about these dandelion seeds! You see, when God was talking to Jacob he was not even married. He was on his way to the household of his relative living in Haran. It is not clear if Jacob really had the faith of his father Isaac, yet, but we do know he believed in God later in his life.
Jacob went on to his uncle’s home and fell crazy in love with his uncle’s younger daughter, Rachel. Through some shifty deals his uncle made with Jacob, Jacob was able to marry both of his uncle’s daughters, and also get their two handmaids for wives also. Now, I have a hard time wrapping my head around this behavior being acceptable to God. When I have asked Pastor’s about it, they are mystified also. What we do know is that God is sovereign and we have no way of explaining His ways. I digress.
From these four women come 12 sons and several daughters. The 12 sons grow up to become the 12 tribes of Israel (Israel being the name God called Jacob after he wrestled with ‘a man’ in Genesis 32:28). The 12 tribes of Israel became the patriarch’s of all the Jews on earth. When I think of each one of these men, I see those seeds of their Jewish ancestry blowing all over the earth just like the promise says! Today there are over 17.8 million people on the earth that identify as being Jewish (some with one Jewish parent, some most with two.) They are scattered all over the world with the highest populations in Israel and America. These people are ‘chosen’ by God. They are the the race that brings Jesus into our world. These are the people that God chose to bless, with a blessing for us, the gentiles. God said; “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”
I find it interesting that Jacob had a twin brother, Esau. He also had 12 sons that became 12 tribes. Those tribes were birth out of a rebellion Esau had against his parents because of Jacob. The very contentious relationship with these brothers continues to today as Esau’s descendants, Muslim’s and Jacob’s descendants continue to be at war with each other.
That is a very long time to hold a grudge!
Let’s think for a moment of our families today. We many think of our heritage in our parents and grandparents. Then going forward to our children, grandchildren, and sometimes great-grandchildren. Our legacy will also continue, if the Lord waits to return. What are the stories wwe want re-told to our own ‘dandelion seeds?’ We have the opportunity to write our history now! Jacob and Esau each had distinct stories. One of obedience, one of rebellion. So, when someone generations removed from us tells our story to their grand children, what do you want them to say? This is the time to live it, so they can tell it!
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