The Righteousness of Jacob

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read this about Jacob and Isaac: “Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods” (D&C 132:37).  Other scriptures confirm the exalted status of the three great patriarchs.  For example, the Savior said during his mortal ministry: “That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt: 8:11).  Alma similarly suggested that these three had obtained salvation when he taught that we could “sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Alma 5:24).  It is easy to see the great virtues of obedience and faith in Abraham, but how do we see righteousness in the life of Jacob as recorded in the biblical record? 

               We don’t have a lot of details in the account in Genesis that tell us of the faith and obedience of Jacob, but there is enough for us to see his devotion to the Lord and the Lord’s approval of him.  We first see the obedience of Jacob when “Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.  Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother….  And Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram” (Genesis 28:1-2).  He would stay there for twenty years as he served Laban and began his great family.  On his way to obey this command, we see that he was very close to the Lord.  One night in his journey he “dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed” (Genesis 28:12-13).  Clearly the Lord approved of the kind of life that Jacob was living, even if we don’t have a lot of the details of his experiences.  After Jacob had been many years with Laban and wanted to leave, Laban desired him to stay, saying this to Jacob: “I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake” (Genesis 30:27).  We see that indeed the Lord was close to Jacob in the next chapter for he was able to receive direct revelation from Him: “And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee” (Genesis 31:3).  Jacob obeyed and as he journeyed back he was again blessed with spiritual experiences, for “the angels of God met him” on the way, and he pled with the Lord for help as he would meet Esau: “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.  Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother” (Genesis 32:10-11).  And the Lord indeed heard his prayer and softened the heart of Esau.  On this journey Jacob also received a blessing from a man with whom he wrestled, “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).  Later after settling in Canaan with his family, he went to Bethel “and God appeared unto Jacob again… and blessed him” (Genesis 35:9).  His name was changed to Israel and he was promised all of the blessings of Abraham.  Clearly Jacob’s life was honored by the Lord, and we can look to him as an example of obedience and righteousness.