My Name Is Jacob...
Born holding onto my brother's heel...
Dear Children of the Promise,
As I pen this letter, my name—Jacob, later called Israel by God Himself—echoes through the annals of our shared history as a testament to God's unending faithfulness and sometimes, the painful molding of our characters under His watchful eyes. From my first moments, grappling in the womb with my twin brother Esau, to my last, blessing my sons and their children in Egypt, my life has been one of constant struggle and divine encounters.
Born holding onto my brother's heel, I came into this world fighting. My parents, Isaac and Rebekah, named me Jacob, which means "he grasps the heel," a fitting metaphor for my life's journey. From my earliest days, I learned the value of birthrights and blessings, the weight of prophecy, and the power of ambition. "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23, NIV), was the oracle given to my mother. This knowledge shaped much of my early life and the decisions I made.