Welcome saints, It’s Wednesdays In The Word this evening.
Scripture teaches us New Covenant Believers to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We honor them with respect and love for being God’s chosen people.

Text: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you.'” -Psalm 122:6

My visit to Israel – First Impressions
=>>Noticed the young people as military. Male & Female carrying guns at certain point. Our tour guide said they are required to serve in military right after high school (fact check???)
==>>Noticed The hill Golgotha where Christ was crucified did indeed look like a skull, took picture.
==>>We the tourist were standing under a Gazebo type structure looking up at Golgotha, I was remembering the scriptures that placed him there.
==>>We stopped on a nearby hill overlooking Nazareth the tiny village that Jesus grew up in. Pastor Mike Hayes preached an inspiring message on The Voice of Insignificance. I never forgot it. It changed my life and my work. I briefly tell a story in one of my books WOW! Women of Destiny. I talk about the Actress Julia Roberts and Mother Theresa she finally got to meet with her and found out Mother Theresa’s thoughts on insignificance.

Review: Last session, we discussed the Prayer of Jabez. We started with how his birth started out with a name meaning pain or sorrow. A part of his story was he was considered more honorable than his brothers. He prayed a prayer that landed him a honorable mention in the Bible. He prayed a simple prayer that has lasted through the centuries to our modern day times. Where many have said they prayed and received or saw amazing results. So I began to think how could I teach about the Blessing and not even include it. Anyway, that’s what we covered. I did note that Jabez received not a name change like our featured man today but a life change through prayer…

End of Review

Short Version of Birthright Blessing Story

Today we have another person whose birth was noted in Scripture. It became a significant part of his story. When his mother was pregnant, she was having such a tough time that she prayed and asked God about what was it? He told her it was the struggle of two nations. When the twins were born. The midwife saw one of the boys stick his hand out like he was coming out but drew it back. She called him sneaky for doing that. His name became Jacob. The other became Esau who promptly came out instead was named the firstborn. The firstborn in that day received a special blessing pronounced by the Father.

The story goes that Esau who already was known for esteeming the things of God came upon Jacob cooking stew. Evidently, it was smelling really good though it was only a Lentil soup. It stopped him in his tracks. He demanded to have some for he was starving. Jacob said no at first. But for his Birthright blessing he would give him some or all of it if he wanted. Esau agrees.

Bible scholars say it was about twenty years later when Isaac was almost blind that he decided it was time to pass the birthright blessing onto to his firstborn son Esau, whom he favored because he was the outdoors man and would bring venison home for him to eat. Jacob was the favorite of their mother Rebekkah (fact check) He was pretty much the opposite of Esau…

End of story

1. It is a story about the First born Blessing birthright. That Isaac the father gets deceived into passing to the second-born, Jacob. Isaac is ready to pass the blessing. He sends Esau off to hunt the venison for this blessing meal he will prepare for him. The mother overhears Isaac is ready to pass the blessing. She gets the second-born Jacob, prepares the stew and convinces him to deceive his father into conferring the blessing upon him. Esau gets so angry about it he promises to Jacob on sight.
2. Jacob gets sent to his Uncle Laban’s which was faraway and was on the run from his brother who again wanted to kill him for tricking their father into conferring the Birthright Blessing of the Firstborn upon him. On the run he stops to rest and has a powerful vision from God with the angels going back and forth to heaven with answers to prayers on what is now called Jacob’s ladder. He gets up builds an altar and made a promise to tithe asking God to keep him in his journey and bring him back to that place. God promises he will do so. In essence, one of God’s Covenants of Promise was engaged in Jacob’s life. (Abrahamic, Eternal Covenant of Peace)
3. The blessing was upon him while with Laban working out work agreements for his two wives. We note in the blessing that’s upon Jacob we see god bless him with the inventor’s insight. Which supports the idea that sometimes inventions are birthed out of adversity or necessity. We have a topic coming up under the Blessing called the Inventor’s Prayer. Scripture tells us, Laban changed his wages ten times, not to mention he tricked him into marrying the first daughter Leah when he thought he was getting Rachel. Jacob reaped some of his old ways back to himself. Which many Bible scholars believe prompted the next event in his life, the Blessing struggle.
4. The Blessing Struggle in Jacob’s life. Upon returning home, he remembered in full force why he had left their family’s home. He grouped his family into two parts into two separate locations. So that perhaps if the first group was attacked the second group could run for their lives and survive. He had prepared all kinds of gifts of material wealth and animal livestock to send ahead to appease his brother Esau’s anger (soften his heart toward him) Finally, he found a spot where he could be alone and talk to God. Scripture records that angel appeared to him. He wrestled with the angel until daybreak. The angel says you must let me go. He responds not until you bless me. They wrestle some more until daybreak. They get up. The angel said, “Your name will now be Israel. For you have wrestled and prevailed with God.” He walked away with a limp but he got the blessing.

It is now said, Jacob represents those who need a name change and most of all a nature change. He got up and was no longer the deceiver which he had been called since birth. He became significant in almost everything that followed. He is the father of the twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel.

5. The Significance of 12 in the Bible. It is obviously a blessed number. It represents governing authority, completion, perfection. Also represents God’s power and authority.

==>>12 Sons of Jacob (Israel) who became the 12 tribes of Israel. Christ lineage came out of this family. There twelve apostles of Christ. 12 stones of foundation in New Jerusalem in book of Revelation.

==>>12 gates in heaven, 12 thrones of authority in heaven. Our calendar year has 12 months in it and much more.

In summary, we just explored parts of the history of Israel from the perspective of a Christian Bible teacher pertaining to the blessing and why we should care about it. It shows God’s faithfulness throughout the generations. I briefly talked about how on the run he stops to rest and has a powerful vision from God with the angels going back and forth to heaven with answers to prayers on what is now called Jacob’s ladder. He gets up builds an altar and made a promise to tithe asking God to keep him in his journey and bring him back to that place. God promises he will do so, remembering his Covenant of Promise).

We also discovered he is the father of the nation of Israel through the twelve sons. Anyway, it’s a story rich with the Blessing benefits and principles we enjoy today as the grafted in ones, New Testament believers. Thank you for reading today. I pray you got something out of it that will help you in the coming week.

-Peace
Pastor Earma

If this message has been a blessing to you, pray for us and consider partnering with us. Like us on Facebook, Youtube and subscribe to our Grace Covenant Podcast.

If you feel led to sow a financial seed today, click the button above.