Let me help you out, turn with me to Romans 7 verse 22. Now Paul, you could think he was writing about Jacob - but, you see, he was, he was writing about the human nature in himself. Possibly the English decided that naming children "hard boar" wasn't such a great idea, because it fell out of favor after the Middle Ages and has only recently become popular again. In that vein, Jacob sounds like a leader. How long will the footprints on the moon last? February 2015 And with the desperation of someone drowing. If you like, he helped the Lord out a wee bit in getting to where he knew the Lord wanted him to be, to achieve the success he so desperately yearned for. Yet, though he is an enigma - and I think he's one of the most neglected characters, I have to say, in the Bible - I agree with one Bible commentator who says: 'I do not believe there is any character in the Bible, other than the Lord Himself, from whom we can learn so many hard lessons'. It is because of His unchangeableness, both in holiness, justice, truth and love, that you're not consumed 'O sons of Jacob'. The man replied, “My name is Supplanter.” He felt a wave of shame, knowing his name came from his aggressive nature, and his desire to take the first place. It’s a delicious turn of phrase. since. How can you tell someone's being deceptive? And in response he confesses that terrible truth. In case you have already named your kiddo Calvin, fear not; President Calvin Coolidge, despite the stresses of public office, held onto his hair until the end. There are good things and bad that come with this. The word 'enigma' comes from the Latin and the Greek meaning 'to speak in riddles', so it literally means something or someone who is a puzzle or a mystery. The enigma of Jacob's character is the enigma of human character, that means your character. 'Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' The old sinful nature, do you see Jacob? Happy Birthday, k.d. OK, we're looking in the mirror now, remember that. Be honest now. Just don't complain when there are perpetual muddy footprints all over your floor. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind'. Here we are getting really down to the nub of the issue of why Jacob is such an enigma; because he had all this going for him, he had the prophetic promise of God, the blessing of God, the destiny of God as a trajectory in his life ordained by God - and yet we now know him as a twister, a supplanter, and a deceiver: why? Yes, "Brody" is an Irish or Scottish name that means "dirt" or "from the muddy place." There are Jacobs and Jakes everywhere these days and of all ages. What shall we say then? Later on he seems appalled at how his uncle Laban deceives him into marrying Leah instead of Rachel - I think we would all have a bit of a shock on that score, if that happened any of us! This one's more a matter of perspective and whether or not one values hardiness. In fact, this is what the book of Galatians is all about - I'd say it's probably what the whole Bible is all about, mind you - but the book of Galatians, these were a group of Christians, and a group of false teachers (we call them Judaisers), were coming in and infiltrating, and were now teaching that these Gentile Christians had to obey the laws, the rules and the rites of the Torah (that's the first five books of the Bible, the law of Moses). - who can know their own heart? If you don't believe that, I think you have a problem - not because you don't agree with me, but because you don't realise, really, the fallenness of humankind. He felt the pain. Do nasty rumors about you seem to trace back to one person in your office? It's free and takes five seconds. All of it. So, Supplanter, the man with that awful name, born out of conflict and theft, meets the mystery. The blood of Jesus gives us victory over sin presently, but we've got to believe it. If your coworker is stealing credit for your projects and ideas, then you should confront him or her — and probably involve a manager. To win, well, he didn’t have time to think about what that meant. Here both is and is not come together. You know, that would be a great step forward - if you don't listen to anything else I say, and I do hope you will - but if you don't take anything else in, that would be a huge step for some of you, because some of you are completely confused and disorientated, not just spiritually but just in your life. Genesis 25:19, and we're going to read to the end of the chapter - we'll not be dealing with all of this subject matter tonight, but just to give us a bit of context. Unlike overt bullying or harassment, undermining can be harder to pinpoint and detect. It was named after the Campbell family who helped develop the area, so I always had something like respect for the name. He couldn't wait on God to provide what he needed when he needed it, and so he lived up to his name - he had to snatch and grab! She has a bachelor's degree in child development and a lifelong passion for writing. Conan is a late-night talk show host or maybe a barbarian, neither of which I'm sure fulfill the Celtic meaning of the name, "high and wise." Listen, you've learned tonight that that's not what it's about: it's for sinners that Jesus came. As we read his story, we find that Jacob must have been well physically conditioned, because on his own he removed the stone from the well where Rachel was watering her flocks in Genesis 29, and of course in Genesis 28 he wrestles with a heavenly visitor. That may be a cute name for a baby but not one he'll thank you for when he's 30 years old. So go ahead and name your son Brody. Whatever, if we’re open, something happens. That's right - a wasteland. This is how human flesh is, Lord, I haven't got what it takes. Maybe Jacob would be a good name for a second born...hmmm. Crush or crash? Isn't that a profound statement? Any exceptions to these conditions must be explicitly approved by Preach The Word. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? What an enigma the love of God is. He didn't know his own heart, 'Lord, You search me and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting'. Jacob! So, Supplanter, the man with that awful name, born out of conflict and theft, meets the mystery. There are people putting their hands up all over the room, so you have an opportunity - God bless, God bless. I want to tell you something: these were Spirit-born, Spirit-filled Christians, but they started to swallow this lie of the devil. But he was outraged over it, it was a sense of injustice. You know, you had faith to believe that you would inherit the prophetic destiny upon your life, but you hadn't the patience to inherit the promise'.