A Mild Man

There is this man in the bible named Jacob. For the majority of the time, if you ask someone what his name means, they will all shout the same things… “TRICKSTER! DECEIVER!” But if you read back to what the scripture defines that is NOT what his name means. The bible shows us clearly that he is Jacob – meaning, he grasps the heel; holder of the heel; sup-planter. All of which signifies government and rulers; holding the place of another as through force, scheming, strategy or to replace!

Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her:

“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”

So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Genesis 25:21-28

Jacob held on to a lead position in such a violent way since BIRTH! Yet the bible tells us, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by FORCE” in Matthew 11:12.

So all of this establishes a kingdom of the 12 tribes that were birthed through Jacob. There is a mandate to matter on what can be a sustainable model. In a time of relentless jobs, position and places, the fact is that we are in a world of chaos and competition. It is evident that we need the best leadership.

Isaac the father of Esau and Jacob recognized this fact too. He was worried about who was going to be next as lead. Esau had that toughness and Jacob had that voice. One was mild and the other was wild. The older brother was out as the hunter and the younger was usually indoors settled at home.

In the time to pass on the blessing, Isaac lost his sight. For how that is such a dangerous thing to lose your vision in general. You need vision to make right decisions. You need vision to determine the course of your life. Without vision the people perish. In this case, God used this situation to back up the birth of Jacob [holder of the heel]. Issac called for his oldest son Esau and asked him to hunt and prepare food for him so that he could bless him. As he left, the mother sought this opportunity to allow Jacob to go in and take hold of that blessing. She prepared the meal and covered Jacob in hair and Esau’s clothing.

Isaac heard the voice of Jacob but felt the hands of Esau. He knew this needed to be done, even questioning the moment, he still blessed Jacob “believing” that it was Esau. But inside Issac knew he had the most ardent one with zeal and intensity to reach for this position. He knew that both were necessary. The voice and the hands.

The voice signifies the calling. It announces itself with divine truth, it declares and speaks.

The hands signifies the strength. It refers to the work of God, the movement and the five-fold in effect.

In this time to move into leadership we need both! Yet Esau called his brother out –“YOU DECEIVED ME!”

But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.” And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”
Genesis 27:35-36

Here is the situation. Jacob was being called something OTHER than his name from his brother. People will call you all sorts of things. You will have haters, you will have people that are older than you, more experienced than you and more knowledgeable than you–yet the LORD CHOSE YOU FROM BIRTH! He used the one- Jacob–that would take hold of his calling by the heel! That he would latch on to that which God had for him. He did not deceive his brother. He was being obedient to do what was told of him. Age was not a factor. Experience was not a factor. HIS IDENTITY was the only factor that he needed to take hold of this leadership role!

Stop allowing people to talk down on you; to look down on you or rate you because of their own opinion of you. What matters is God’s opinion of you! What matters is what God expects of you. Don’t allow the actions of others to spoil what God has for you. Take hold of your position by the heel! Just because they decide to give up their rights for one morsel of food doesn’t mean that you will do the same.

Jacob was the mild man that had the ability to become the wild man in the Spirit. His tenacity got him right into the throne room with God. It got him to position the 12 tribes of Israel. What looks like a crooked situation to most, was actually a booked and sealed situation for God! That is what matters. It is not the moment–it is the mandate that will get you far.

Where ever you find yourself, God will use just that but you have to be willing to do something about that. Don’t feed or gratify your flesh with a meal for the moment like Esau but feed your destiny by grabbing a hold of that calling. Grab it by the heel!

Esau lived for a moment. He got his meal served to him.
Jacob lived for a mandate. He got his lineage to carry on a nation.

The mild man was the solution here. When you think you are incapable, God will do it through you. He has given you a name! And He places His ability over you to get the assignment fulfilled! God’s grace is sufficient. His purpose is enough. You just need to do your part too and grab it by the heel! What are we waiting for? What invitation do you need?

Let that mild man in you take it by force!
Because it is already belongs to YOU!