February 4

As Kass points out, Jacob is one of the most highly characterized people that appears in the Bible. Jacob is born devious and competitive, wrestling with his twin Esau and grabbing his brother Esau’s heel, trying to make himself the firstborn son, which at this time guaranteed one superiority over the other. However, Esau is still born first, and a brotherly rivalry begins to ensue from the very beginning. Later, Jacob tricks Esau into relinquishing his birthright, creating even more tension. Jacob’s desire for the birthright is not only a conflict with his brother but also a want to one day replace his father. Kass says “When a man fights with his brother, he is indirectly fighting with his father.” This was true in ancient times, but it also directly connects to one’s faith life. Jacob was fighting his brother, and indirectly his real father, but he was also fighting God. This story serves to teach us that hurting our “brothers and sisters” or other human beings hurts our relationship with God and pushes us further away from Him. When Jacob later wrestles a strange, unknown opponent that is said to be an angel, Kass thinks that this may be a “stand in” for Esau’s spirit. This parallels Jacob’s wrestling with Esau in the womb because Jacob is “born again” and renamed Israel. Kass also says the mysterious figure could be his father Isaac. Either way, Jacob prevails in the match and gets a blessing, revealing he was simultaneously struggling with man and God. However, Jacob is not rewarded for having a conflict with God. He is engaging with God, and by asking for a blessing, he acknowledges God’s superiority. Jacob’s curiosity is now sparked by God after this interaction, calling him to form a relationship and begin to reveal the mystery behind who God really is and what he wants.