Jacob's Explanation
Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father, Son of the Word, and Son of the Holy Spirit

Previous Chapter: Isaac's Explanation

In the previous chapter, we saw that our Savior Jesus Christ is not one of the persons in the Trinity God [Father, Word, and the Holy Spirit], but rather He is the Son of the Word, and within Him resided both the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit, thus making Jesus Christ Himself the Trinity God, the perfect image of Trinity God. In this chapter, we will see how the Lord revealed His Trinity through Jacob.

When Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, he blessed and then sent him to Laban - 1.Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. 2.Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother's father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. 3.God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4.May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” 5.Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother - Genesis 28:1-5

It was a life threatening situation for Jacob because of the conflict with his brother Esau, So, he left the Beersheba at the age of 77 as a stranger - 10.Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11.And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep - Genesis 28:10-11

How do we calculate that Jacob's age? We can see this from the events in Joseph's life. When Joseph was released from prison to interpret Pharaoh's dream, He was 30 years old [Genesis 41:46], and after the 7 plentiful years [Genesis 41:46], and after the 2 years of famine had passed [Genesis 45:6], at the age of 39 Joseph met his father Jacob as 130 years old man. So, when Joseph was born, Jacob was 91 years old [Genesis 30:25]. If this Joseph was born at the end of the 7th year after Jacob married Rachel, then Jacob was 84 years old when he married Rachel [Genesis 29:30], and if he had made the marriage contract 7 years earlier [Genesis 29:18], then Jacob He was 77 years old when he arrived in Haran.

And on the way to Paddan-aram, at Bethel, Jacob made a vow to God that he will give tithe of all the blessing the he receives, and this was first vow ever recorded in the Bible, even in the history - 20.Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21.so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22.and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you - Genesis 28:20-22

Three Shepherds

And, when Jacob reached Paddan-aram, first he met few shepherds, Instead of telling that Jacob met three shepherds, Bible tells indirectly that there were three flocks, why it has to be said indirectly? Because It was a similar encounter that Abraham had at the oaks of Mamre, and saw Jesus Christ as three person the Son of the Father, Son of the Word, and Son of the Holy Spirit - 1.Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2.As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3.and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4.Jacob said to them, My brothers, where do you come from? They said, We are from Haran. 5.He said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? They said, We know him. 6a.He said to them, Is it well with him? They said, It is well - Genesis 29:1-6a

And then, they introduced themselves as they are from Haran, because Haran is referring our Heavenly Father. And when Isaac sent Jacob, he clearly mentioned that you have to go Laban the son of Bethuel, then why did Jacob inquire Laban as a son of Nahor? BecauseLaban means White or Pure or Holy which is referring to Christ Jesus.

Three types of Sheep

At Paddan-Aram, Jacob worked 14 years to marry Laban's daughter Leah and Rachel, but during this time Lord really blessed Laban, that's when Laban asked Jacob to continue manage his flocks - 27.And Laban said to him, Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. Then he said, 28.Name me your wages, and I will give it. 29.So Jacob said to him, You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. 30.For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house? - Gens 30:27-30

so for Salary, instead of money, Jacob asked a share from Laban's flocks(sheep, lambs, and goats), and he specifically asked if any sheep born in speckled and spotted color, or if any lamb born in brown color, or if any goat born in spotted and speckled color that will be Jacob's salary, and rest all will go to Laban. 

And Laban agreed for that, because Laban's flocks had regular colored and unique colored(speckled and spotted) sheep, regular colored and unique colored(Brown) lambs, and regular colored and unique colored(spotted and speckled)goats, and the agreement is that Laban will take all the unique colored sheep, lambs and goats with him, and rest will be given to Jacob, and if these regular colored sheep, lambs, and goats given birth to the unique color kids, that will be Jacob's salary, and its impossible for the regular color sheep, lambs, and goats to give birth to colored kids, that was the reason Laban immediately agreed for Jacob's ask - 31.So he said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: 32.Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. 33.So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me - Gen 30:31-33

And as agreed, Laban removed all the unique colored ones from his flocks, and left only the regular color ones in his farm, and also Laban kept the unique colored ones in three days distance so that they do not get any chance to mate with regular color ones, that's how Laban did everything to prevent Jacob gaining anything from his farm - 34.And Laban said, Well, let it be according to thy word. 35.And he removed that day the he-goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the brown among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36.And he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob. And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock - Genesis 30:34-36

Three Trees

Now what Laban had left in his farm is all regular colored ones, only if miracle happened these regular colored flocks can give birth to the colored kids, that's when Jacob placed three type of woods before Laban's flocks that he was herding, And the Miracle happened, the regular colored flocks gave birth to unique colored ones - 37.And Jacob takes to himself a rod of fresh poplar and almond and plane-tree, and peels in them white peelings, making bare the white that [is] on the rods, 38.and sets up the rods which he has peeled in the gutters in the watering troughs (where the flock comes to drink), in front of the flock, that they may conceive in their coming to drink. 39.and the flocks conceive at the rods, and the flock bears striped, speckled, and spotted ones - Genesis 30:37-39

When Laban asked Jacob to manage his flocks, he removed all the unique colored ones from his flocks, and gave only the regular color sheep, lambs, and goats to Jacob, and the agreement is, if these regular colored sheep, lambs, and goats given birth to the unique color kids, that will be Jacob's salary, rest all will go to Laban, and its impossible for the regular color sheep, lambs, and goats to give birth to colored kids- 27.And Laban said to him, Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake. Then he said, 28.Name me your wages, and I will give it. 29.So Jacob said to him, You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. 30.For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?. 31.So he said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: 32.Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. 33.So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me. 34.And Laban said, Well, let it be according to thy word. 35.And he removed that day the he-goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the brown among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36.And he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob. And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flock - Genesis 30:27-36

that's when Jacob placed three type of woods before Laban's flocks, and the Miracle happened, the regular colored flocks gave birth to unique colored ones - 37.And Jacob takes to himself a rod of fresh poplar and almond and plane-tree, and peels in them white peelings, making bare the white that [is] on the rods, 38.and sets up the rods which he has peeled in the gutters in the watering troughs (where the flock comes to drink), in front of the flock, that they may conceive in their coming to drink. 39.and the flocks conceive at the rods, and the flock bears striped, speckled, and spotted ones - Genesis 30:37-39

Here these three types of trees(Poplar, Almond, Plane) are representing our Heavenly Father(Father, Word, and the Holy Spirit), and the Branches from these three trees are representing the Son Jesus Christ, and Jacob wounded all tree types of branches by peeling them to tell the truth that the Father, Word, and the Holy Spirit all three of them who is in the Son Jesus Christ suffered for our Sin and Salvation.

When Laban saw the colored Kids in his farm, he couldn't believe it because its impossible for plain colored flocks to give birth to colored kids, and Laban had no other choice but to give all the colored ones to Jacob - 40.And Jacob has parted the lambs, and he puts the face of the flock toward the striped, also all the brown in the flock of Laban, and he sets his own droves by themselves, and has not set them near Laban’s flock. 41.And it has come to pass, whenever the strong ones of the flock conceive, that Jacob sets the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, to cause them to conceive by the rods, 42.and when the flock is feeble, he does not set [them]; and the feeble ones have been Laban’s, and the strong ones Jacob’s. And the man increases very exceedingly, and has many flocks, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and donkeys - Genesis 30:40-43

The Bible says that Laban attempted multiple times to prevent Jacob from becoming rich, but God helped Jacob to overcome all of Laban's plan - 7.yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8.If he said, The spotted shall be your wages, then all the flock bore spotted, and if he said, The striped shall be your wages, then all the flock bore striped. 9.Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me - Genesis 31:7-9

When Laban and his sons started envying Jacob, Lord asked Jacob to return to his father's land - 1.Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth. 2.And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3.Then the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you - Genesis 31:1-3

At Paddan-Aram, Jacob worked 14 years to marry Laban's daughter Leah and Rachel, and then he worked 6 years for his family and became so rich, so after spending 20 years in Paddan-aram, God commanded Jacob to go to his father's land, and God also gave the promise to Jacob that "I will be with you" - 1.Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth. 2.And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3.Then the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you - Genesis 31:1-3

Three Messengers

And on the way to his Father's land, Jacob openly experienced God's promise that "I will be with you", and the Angels of God(mal-awk => Messengers) met him - 1.Jacob went on his way, and the Angels(מַלְאֲכֵ֥י => mal-awk/mal-ake) of God met him. 2.And when Jacob saw them he said, This is God's camp! So he called the name of that place Mahanaim - Genesis 32:1-2

And then Jacob sent the same messengers(mal-awk) to his brother Esau, Jacob cannot send his servants to Esau, because they are new to Cannon and may not know the language of Cannon, and Bible clearly mention that Jacob had send the same(Messengers) to his brother Esau - 3.And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4.instructing them, Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5.I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight. 6.And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him. 7.Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8.thinking, If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape. 9.And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good, 10.I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11.Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12.But you said, I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude - Genesis 32:3-12

Does Bible says anything about the number of Messengers(mal-awk) that Jacob met at Mahanaim? from these Bible passages we can understand that there were three messengers(mal-awk) with Jacob on that time, and Jacob also divided his Gifts accordingly and given to them - 13.So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14.two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15.thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16.These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove. 17.He instructed the first, When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you? 18.then you shall say, They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us. 19.He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him. 20.and you shall say, Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us. For he thought, I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me. 21.So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp. - Genesis 32:13-21

So at Mahanaim the Angel of God who came to Jacob as three person, came to him as a single person at Peniel, but he did not revealed his name to Jacob - 22.The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23.He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24.And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25.When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26.Then he said, Let me go, for the day has broken. But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. 27.And he said to him, What is your name? And he said, “Jacob.” 28.Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29.Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30.So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered - Genesis 32:24-30

but many years after the truth was revealed through Prophet Hosea that Jacob had an encounter with Lord Jesus Christ at Peniel, and the meaning of wrestling is basically pleading for God's favor with tears and weeping, and that prayer changed him from Jacob to Israel  - The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us, the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name - Hosea 12:2-5

Prophecy about Jesus Christ

How Jacob became so rich? Jacob remembered the promise of Trinity God, so he asked three types of Kids as his Salary, and also he placed three types of tree branches before the eyes of the flocks, then the miracle happened, the regular colored flocks gave birth to unique colored ones, so what Jacob earned from Laban's farm is representing the Trinity of Jesus Christ.

But now Jacob is leaving the Paddan-aram, and again God gave the promise that the male goats that would ascend on the flocks will be three unique colored one - 10.And it comes to pass at the time of the flock conceiving, that I lift up my eyes and see in a dream, and behold, the male goats, which are going up on the flock, are striped, speckled, and spotted; 11.and the Messenger of God says to me in the dream, Jacob, and I say, Here I [am]. 12.And He says, Now lift up your eyes and see that all the male goats which are going up (awlaw(עָלָה)means ascending) on the flock are striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13.I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred  - Gen 31:10-13

Why God gave that promise to Jacob while leaving the Paddan-aram? because Jesus Christ the one will born to the Virgin Mary, will be the Son of the Trinity God(Father, Word, and the Holy Spirit)  

God chose Jacob for the Savior of the world Jesus Christ to come into this world, As this chosen Jacob was traveling to Paddan-aram to get married, and at Bethel, Jacob made a vow to God that he will give tithe of all the blessing that he receives, and this was first vow ever recorded in the Bible, and Tithe means offering 1/10 portion from our earnings to God, basically offering the best portion to God which is literally referring to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world - 20.Then Jacob made a vow, saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21.so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22.and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you - Genesis 28:20-22

And at Paddan-aram, Jacob married Leah and Rachel, and their maids, and so by 4 wife Jacob blessed with 11 Sons and 1 daughter, and by living in 20 years in Paddan-aram Jacob also became so rich by having lot of flocks, that's when God commanded Jacob to go to his father's land, and here one of the notable thing is God himself reminding Jacob about his tithe which he vowed at Bethel - 10.And it comes to pass at the time of the flock conceiving, that I lift up my eyes and see in a dream, and behold, the male goats, which are going up on the flock, are striped, speckled, and spotted; 11.and the Messenger of God says to me in the dream, Jacob, and I say, Here I [am]. 12.And He says, Now lift up your eyes and see that all the male goats which are going up (awlaw(עָלָה)means ascending) on the flock are striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13.I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred  - Gen 31:10-13

So, As Jacob was approaching to Bethel, Jacob gave huge portion from his flocks to his Brother Esau - 13.So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14.two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15.thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16.These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove. 17.He instructed the first, When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you? 18.then you shall say, They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us. 19.He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him. 20.and you shall say, Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us. For he thought, I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me. 21.So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp. - Genesis 32:13-21

And Esau also accepted the gift from Jacob -  Jacob said, No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. Thus he urged him, and he took it - Genesis 33:10-11

Questions?

What is the significant that Jacob gave the best portion from all his earnings to his brother Esau?

Why Jacob gave the best portion to his brother Esau at the same place where he made a Tithe vow to God?

Both Laban and Esau was a threat to Jacob, then why Jacob gave the best portion to his brother Esau alone?

What Jacob gave to his brother Esau is kind of fulfilling his Tithe vow to God?

What Jacob vowed that he will give Tithe of all that he receives from God, So he should give one of his Sons also?

If yes, what Jacob gave to his brother Esau is a prophecy that one of the Jacob's sons(Jesus Christ) will be given many years later?

Prophecy fulfillment

Why this prophetical story written in the Bible? Because after 1500 years, this wonderful prophecy got fulfilled in the same land, the Son of God who is the image of Father, Son and Holy Spirit led by the high priest (Sons of Jacob) and handed over to Roman's authority (Sons of Esau) to be crucified - Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning - John 18:28a

This story also tells that to whom the heaven granted the crucifixion authority - Jesus answered, You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin - John 19:11