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"He took his brother by the heel in the womb"

Text: Hosea 12:3

A PAIR OF TWINS

Esau and Jacob were twins. The Biblical record made these notes about them when they were in their mother’s womb.

“The children struggled together within her.”
Genesis 25:22a

“Indeed there were twins in her womb.”
Genesis 25:24b

“And the first came out red… so they called his name Esau.”
Genesis 25:25

“Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel;
so his name was called Jacob.”
Genesis 25:26

SYMBOLIC OF THE FUTURE JACOB

What Jacob did when he was born was more of an involuntary act. It certainly was not done out of any cognitive intention. But it symbolized what he would do when he grew up.

“He took his brother by the heel in the womb,
And in his strength he struggled with God.”
Hosea 12:3

1. “He took his brother by the heel in the womb”

a) The first attempt to grab the heel of Esau was when Jacob stole his brother’s birthright.

i) Esau was famished after a long day out hunting.

ii) Jacob made Esau trade his birthright for some bread and lentil stew (Genesis 25:29-34).

b) The second attempt to grab the heel of Esau was to steal the blessing of the firstborn.

i) Esau was out hunting.

ii) Jacob disguised himself as Esau.

iii) He deceived his father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27:1-29).

2. “And in his strength he struggled with God”

a) God had already redeemed Jacob (Genesis 28).

b) Jacob went on to work for Laban, his father-in-law, for many years (Genesis 29-31).

c) On his way home to Israel, Jacob knew that he had to face Esau whom he feared terribly.

d) The Angel of the LORD in the form of a Man, met with Jacob and they “wrestled” through the night (Genesis 32:24).

e) This struggle was commented on in this text:

i) Jacob exercised much strength of faith.

ii) His strength enabled him to persevere.

iii) He would not let go till God blessed him.