ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tokonaki Fepueli 11, 2023 

יעקב A Heel of a Man

TANGATA KO HAKIVA‘E

GENESIS 25:26

AFTERWARD [ESAU'S] BROTHER CAME OUT WITH HIS HAND HOLDING ESAU'S HEEL, SO HIS NAME WAS CALLED JACOB.

SENESI 25:26

Pea hili ia na‘e tō mai hono tokoua ‘oku ne puke ‘a e muiva‘e ‘o ‘Īsoa; pea nau fakahingoa ia ko Sēkope [ko Hākiva‘e]; pea na‘e fe‘unga ‘a ‘Aisake mo e ta‘u ‘e onongofulu ‘i he‘ene fā‘ele‘i kinaua.

Isaac's two sons were named Hairy and Heel. We know them as Esau and Jacob. The name Esau is (remotely) related to the word se ar ("hairy"). Jacob's name in Hebrew, Ya'aqov, is a play off the word 'aqev ("heel"), which is connected to the verb 'aqav ("to betray, hamper, hinder"). Jacob was born holding his brother's heel, trying, as it were, to pull him back into the womb so as to be the firstborn. His nativity prophesied his life's goal - to outdo and outmaneuver his brother. Jacob's ambition was to be #1, even if that meant lies, betrayal, and identity theft. Esau was correct when, riffing off his brother's name, he lamented, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated [jacobed'] me these two times" (27:36).

This heel of a man embodies our worst instincts. Rather than doing "nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility" counting others more significant than ourselves (Phil. 2:3), we want to be first. Masters, not servants. For such as Jacob, and ourselves, the Messiah's own heel was struck by the serpent (Gen. 3:15). In grace, the Firstborn of God even dresses us his own clothing of righteousness, that we might receive the blessed inheritance of the Father.  

Clothe us sinners, O Lord, in robes of righteousness, that we might be part of the church of the Firstborn.