The Generation of Jacob

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah" Psalm 24:6

What is it about Jacob that God would say this about him? "The generation who seek Him, who seek Your face..." Did you ever wonder about that? Selah! Well, I have wondered, and I would like to share some thoughts with you on my wonderings.

First, what about Jacob's qualifications? You know, what made him this patriarch of those who can "ascend the hill of the Lord." Hmmm...let's see...he was shrewd, cunning, conniving and deceptive, a coward, a momma's boy, a thief, a usurper, and frankly, not all that perceptive (after all, he didn't know the difference between Leah and Rachel, sheesh!)...should I go on?

Okay, you might bring up the fact that Jacob was Isaac's son, heir to the throne so to speak, next in line to be God's man and all that. So, certainly, God would favor him and bestow the aforementioned honors and accolades.

Oh...did I forget to mention that Jacob had a twin? His name was Esau. And not only that, but Esau was born before Jacob.

So, I ask myself...why doesn't Psalm 24:6 say,"This is Esau, the generation who seek Him, who seek Your face"?

And our plot thickens, as it were, regarding Esau's lot...God goes on to say in Romans 9:12, where Paul is quoting from Malachi 1:3, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” Whoa! What's up with that!

In other words, I am asking why God would love a shrewd, cunning, conniving, deceiver, momma's boy, who was a coward and a thief; but hate Isaac's actual first born, Esau, who was none of these things?

So why Jacob and not Esau? I believe the answer is that Esau was indifferent.

Esau did not value, therefore, was indifferent to his birthright; actually, he despised it by giving it up for a bowl of soup. God was not impressed.

Jacob, on the other hand, was anything but indifferent. He fought, wrestled, and even connived for everything he got. You could certainly question Jacob's motives, but you could never question his diligence and persistance. And, because of this, on that night with God--Jacob's divine appointment--it says that he wrestled with God until daybreak and would not let Him go until He blessed him. God apparently was impressed...and did just that. Even gave him a new name, Israel, and the rest...well...the rest is history as they say.

Hebrews chapter 12 is all about people just like Jacob. A "generation" who, unlike Esau who was apathetic about God's inheritance, will diligently lay aside every weight and sin, looking unto Jesus, resisting sin even unto bloodshed, gladly receiving God's correction and discipline as His sons, pursuing His peace and holiness...because we have not come to a mountain that may be touched, but have come to "Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel." (Heb.12:22-24)

So, as this chapter goes on to say, since we are receiving a Kingdom, and God will shake everything that must be shaken in us to make us ready to receive it, for He is a consuming fire, let us diligently serve Him in reverential fear, strengthening our hands that hang down, and looking up to the One who calls us...Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!

This is the generation of Jacob. Those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah.