Knowing God through His Word … Day by Day

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

Terry Virgo recently spoke at a retreat for Mars Hill Church elders, and Mark Driscoll related this analogy that Virgo used.  I could not find the talk in print, but am relating the content that Driscoll used in a recent sermon, “It’s All About Jesus:GLORY

Our identity is in Christ.  Though the law condemns us, Jesus gives us the ministry of righteousness.  As long as we are clothed IN Jesus, our identity is His righteousness.

Jacob  &  Esau Analogy:

Esau was a man’s man, loved to hunt.  Jacob was a little more tender, home with mom while Esau was out killing wild game.  The father favors one over the other, and in that culture, the inheritance (and favor) belonged to the oldest son.

Jacob- con-man, trickster, dresses up as Esau, the older son who is loved.  He clothes himself with skins of animals so he will seem hairy like his older brother.

Blind Isaac, the father,  believes that Jacob is Esau and he blesses him with the inheritance and blessing and everything good that his brother should have had.

We are all like Jacob.  We are liars, thieves, deceivers, self-righteous, prideful, arrogant fools…we don’t even think we NEED Jesus’ righteousness because we have our own (religion)…all pointless.

Father places His hands on us and blesses US.  We do NOT deserve his kindness, His love, His generosity.  Why would He lay His hands on us and bless us, forgive us, save us? Not because we deserve it, not because of our righteousness,  but because we are dressed in the clothes of the older brother(Jesus)  that the Father loves.