Today we remember and give thanks for Jacob (Israel),
Patriarch. Jacob, the third of the three
Hebrew patriarchs, was the younger of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. After
wrestling with the Angel of the Lord, Jacob, whose name means
"deceiver," was renamed "Israel," which means "he
strives with God" (Gen. 25:26; 32:28). His family life was filled with
trouble, caused by his acts of deception toward his father and his brother Esau
and his parental favoritism toward his son Joseph. Much of his adult life was
spent grieving over the death of his beloved wife Rachel and the presumed death
of Joseph, who had been appointed by the Egyptian Pharaoh to be in charge of
food distribution during a time of famine in the land. Jacob lived to see that God had protected and
prospered Joseph. Prior to Jacob's death
during the blessing of his sons, God gave the promise that the Messiah would
come through the line of Jacob's fourth son, Judah (Genesis 49).
Collect of the Day:
Lord Jesus, scepter that
rises out of Jacob, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, rule our
hearts through Your suffering cross and forgive us our sins, that we may become
partakers of Your divine life; for You live and reign with the Father and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
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