Introduction: This is the first sermon in a series on THE LIFE OF JACOB. The Lord has revealed Himself in His Word as the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

By that name, He reveals Himself to be God of the living, the God of all generations. He is the God of the mighty as well as the mean; the greater and the lesser; the noble and the naughty. As born again, New Testament believers, we readily identify with Abraham. Along with the apostle Paul, we claim him as "the father of us all." We are blessed through Abraham! It was through Abraham that Christ came! As he believed God and His promises, we believe God. By faith in Jesus Christ, we become the "children of Abraham!"

The name Jacob however does not gender the same kind of feelings and thoughts. While the name Abraham is clear, the name Jacob is a bit clouded. In the name of Abraham we see the very best of humanity, in the name of Jacob, we see the worst. Abraham is synonymous of faith, but Jacob is synonymous with flesh. However, it is for this very reason, a study of THE LIFE OF JACOB is so profitable.

We identify with Jacob's fleshly tendencies. We all know about the side of us that tends to take advantage, to manipulate others so to get what we want. Who among us does not have this ever present drive to be first, to advance our own cause, to get our own way? Jacob was full of himself, and so are we many times.

We identify with Jacob's failures. We have all made a mess of things. Getting our way, getting what we want, often is at the expense of peace, harmony, and happiness. We can be a success at work, and a failure at home.

We identify with Jacob's fears. We have all had to face certain situations, certain people, fearful of what might be, what might happen. There are Esaus in our lives, things we dread, situations we try to escape.

We identify with Jacob's fight, his struggle with life and with God. We know about the struggle to be different, to become what we are "in Christ," to realize our potential. We know what it means to wrestle with God rather than cooperate with Him.

This first sermon I have entitled, Prenatal Power Plays for obvious reasons. A power play has a connotation with warfare, sports, business, as well as relationships. It describes a strategic move, seizing the day, the moment, the opportunity, when our resources are at their peek. It is a bold move to over power our opponent or competitor.

We have anti-trust laws in this nation to prevent power plays and to provide a level playing field in the business and cooperate world. The laws are designed to prevent monopolies from setting prices artificially high and labor wages too low, effectively eliminating any competition. In the past year or so, Bill Gates and Microsoft have come under scrutiny and accused of a power play.

In our text, we can identify four power plays in the life and family of Jacob, as he comes into the world.

FIRST, WE SEE ISAAC'S POWER PLAY;

THE POWER PLAY OF PREVAILING PRAYER.

The story of Jacob's beginning bears a great pro-life message. It begins with a desire for children and extends to personhood within the womb.

Jacob was no "Wednesday's child" he was a wanted child. Verse 21 reads, "And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived." Isaac and Rebekah had been married nineteen years and had no children because Rebekah was barren. The word "intreated" in the Hebrew is 'athar (aw-thar') and means to make supplication, to plead. Isaac was so moved, so disturbed by his wife's need and desire for a child, indeed his own desire for a child, that he earnestly sought the Lord in prayer to intervene. Perhaps Isaac recalled the story of his own parents, and their struggle with childlessness.

James says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Isaac intreated the Lord, and it says that "the Lord was intreated of him." The Lord was prevailed upon by Isaac through prayer! The womb of Rebekah was opened by the Lord, and she conceived! They desired a child, and the Lord gave them twins. Prevailing prayer had been honored by God. Directly, purposely, the Lord intervened in their lives, as the result of prayer.

It is also interesting to note that later during her pregnancy, Rebekah was concerned about her condition as well as the condition of her baby. This was her first pregnancy, however there seemed to be an unusual amount of movement on the part of the baby. Was this normal? She had no doctor, no sonagram, no professional opinion available, so she took the matter directly to the Lord. Verse 22 says, "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD." Like her husband Isaac, Rebekah used a power play. She sought answers from the Lord. Perhaps, Rebekah was not prepared for the answer she received from the Lord, but she did get her answer!

Here is a POWER PLAY we need! Prayer is the greatest POWER PLAY of all! R. A. Torrey said, "Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God's infinite grace and power. All that God is, and all that God has, is at the disposal of prayer."

What is it we are struggling with? Are we realizing and reaping the benefit of prayer in our lives?

SECOND, WE SEE GOD'S POWER PLAY,

THE POWER PLAY OF PROVIDENCE.

Verse 23. "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." As Rebekah sought insight from the Lord through prayer, she received more information than she ever imagined. The Lord is not only omnipotent, He is all powerful, able to do the impossible, the Lord is omniscient, He is all knowing, able to see into the future! This passage supremely demonstrates the providence and foreknowledge of God.

In my first pastorate I taught the adult auditorium Sunday school class. As I was teaching through the book of Genesis and came to this passage, one of the deacons approached me at the end of the Sunday school hour and told me I should not teach this passage, because it came in his opinion too close to teaching predestination. I quickly told him that the God of the Bible is omniscient, all knowing; omnipotent, all powerful; omnipresent, ever present; as well as immutable or unchanging; and this is the God I will teach and preach! Who would want a God who couldn't look into and know the future, regardless of people's choices? Listen, our God not only knows the future, He is already there! It makes sense to pray because God knows all things and God controls all things!

The Lord revealed to Rebekah that there were two babies in her womb, not one. She was to have twins, two boys who were very different and who were very competitive. Even in the womb they were duking it out for dominance!

The Lord revealed that these two boys presently inside her womb, would become two different nations, two different kinds of people. Did you hear about the husband who was worried because his wife was expecting again? His friend asked him, "Why are you so worried? You have gone through this before." The husband replied, "When my wife first became pregnant, she was reading ‘A Tale of Two Cities,' and we had twins. The next time she was reading ‘The Three Musketeers' and we had triplets. This time she is reading ‘Birth Of A Nation!'" Well, Rebekah gave birth to two nations!

Esau later was called Edom, and became father of a people known as Edomites. There was to be great animosity between the Edomites and the descendants of Jacob.

The decedents of Jacob were of course the Israelites. Jacob had twelve sons, and their descendants were all united and incorporated into one nation. We of course know that God's plan and purpose flows through the descendants of Jacob. He would become Israel.

The Lord also revealed that the older of the two would serve the younger. The younger would be the dominant one, the stronger one, the prevailing one.

Think about how powerful our God is! He knows the beginning from the end. His eternal purpose, His plan for the ages shall be accomplished. His will cannot, will not, be controverted. As these two boys were born, they would fit into His plan and purpose. They both would accomplish His will, and not apart from their own choices!

We know and serve the God of the power play! He is the God who can use all men, saved and lost, godly and ungodly, to serve His eternal purpose by their own will and choices. Even when the world around us seems out of control, we can know that He is in control, that all things work together for good to those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose!

THIRD, WE SEE JACOB'S POWER PLAY,

THE POWER PLAY OF PREDISPOSITION AND PERSONALITY.

We have already noted that the two children in Rebekah's womb were fighting for dominance. Verse 22a says, "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus?" The word "struggled" in the Hebrew is ratsats (raw-tsats') and means to crush, to dash against, to bruise. There was a violent agitation, going on in Rebekah, so much so that she was apprehensive for her and her children's safety. There was a power struggle going on!

So, who would be born first? Who would inherit the blessing that comes with being the first born? Well, Esau would be the first to exit the womb, seemingly winning the contest. He was the first born, but would he obtain the blessing? We must remember that the Lord has already gone on record as saying the younger would prevail. It is here that we pick up on a characteristic revealed at birth.

Notice verses 24-28. "And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them." At birth, Jacob was observed grabbing his brother by the heel. It was as if he was still jockeying for position as they came out of the womb! They named him Jacob which means supplanter, one who grabs from behind. The name fits his nature, his character. By this trait, Jacob makes his move, his power play, as he would reach from behind and prevail over his brother Esau!

As we see these two brothers struggle in the womb, even in birth, we are reminded of our pre-programing. From conception, we are pre-programed, we have a predisposition to be a certain way. There are two primary ways we are given a pre-disposition.

First, we each have a genetic pre-disposition. We are genetically pre-programed. When those twenty six chromosomes come together forming our genetic code, so much of our lives are set; Our personalities, our body size, our metabolism, our gifts and abilities are established. We are each blessed or cursed with our own set of genes. We are all different, unique. In a family, each child born to a set of parents is an individual. These were to be very different boys.

Verse 27 says, "And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents."

They were different in appearance. Esau was rough, ruddy, and hairy. He was big and strong. Jacob was just the opposite, he had smooth dark skin and was small in frame.

They were different in their interest. Esau was a hunter, very much an outdoors man. Jacob was content to be at home, to be with his flocks and herds.

They were different in character. Esau was full of life. The Scriptures call him "profane." He loved the hunt, the chase. He was the perfect worldling, taking life as it came, having fun, devoted to pleasure. Jacob ran deeper. He was crafty, cunning, and calculating. Jacob knew the real value of things.

Second, we each have an adamic pre-disposition. All of us are born sinners. We are sinners by our birth, by nature, and by choice. Jacob and Essau were both born sinners before God.

Our only hope is to trust in Jesus Christ and be born of the Spirit. Once we are born again, there begins a struggle within our hearts for dominance. Galatians 5:16-17 says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Got any power plays going on in your life? Which is ruling, the Spirit of God or our sin nature? Sometimes we attempt to serve the Lord through the energies of the flesh.

The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-5, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Are there any areas of our lives where we are getting ahead of God, using our God given personalities and abilities to attain the things we want, to accomplish our will, our designs and desires over God's?

FOURTH, WE SEE WHAT IS THE BEGINNING OF REBEKAH'S POWER PLAY,

THE POWER PLAY OF PARENTAL FAVORITISM.

Notice verse 28. "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob." Here we are made to see the beginning of a divided home. Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob, so much that they lived in different worlds. Eventually it would be Rebekah making her move, a power play, scheming with Jacob to deceive Isaac, and obtain the blessing of the first born. In time, this home would burst wide open!

It is common to relate to one child over another, to enjoy one child over another, to have more in common with one child over another, but parents must love their children equally. We must learn to appreciate the uniqueness of each child, to love and relate to each child as an individual.

Otherwise we will sow the seed of destruction in our own families. In Matthew 12:25 we read, "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."