The Crown

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The Crown

When you see the phrase, “The Crown”, what do you think of? I think about royalty; kings and queens, etc., especially British royalty. There is a TV show in its last season called “The Crown” which follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II who just passed away in 2022. Queen Elizabeth II’s great-great-grandmother was Queen Victoria, who has been called the “Grandmother of Europe.” (picture) Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, who were first cousins, looked to consolidate royal power through marriage. They had nine children, each of whom married important European royal families. Queen Victoria’s grandchildren served as (or married) the kings or emperors of most of Europe. There was King George V of the United Kingdom, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, King Haakon VII of Norway, Ferdinand I of Romania, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, and King Alfonso XIII of Spain. When World War I broke out Wilhelm II of Germany was at war with his cousin George V of the United Kingdom and cousins-in-law Nicholas II of Russia and Ferdinand I of Romania. Several of Victoria’s issue remain on European thrones today. King Harald V of Norway, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and King Felipe VI of Spain all descend from Victoria and Albert.

In our scripture today we are going to investigate another royal family, the royal family of Esau. For the past several weeks we have camped out on the idea that God cares and provides for all people even non-covenant peoples. We have also seen comparisons between the descendants of Esau and Jacob. Esau has had children and grandchildren who have become chief of clans and tribes. He and his descendants married into the family of Seir the Horite who lived in the hill country of Seir. Eventually Esau and his family migrated there and the nation of Edom was established. Today, we will see that Esau’s descendants have now become kings of Edom. They are ruling as chiefs and kings in their own land long before the nation of Israel ever comes into being. Esau and his descendants had it relatively easy, increasing in number and absorbing the land and people of Seir. In comparison, Jacob and his family will find themselves in Egypt due to famine and then live there in slavery for 400 years. Finally, as God commands Moses to lead them out of Egypt into the Promised Land they will wander in the wilderness for another 80 years before finally conquering their own land. It will take them a long time to become the monarchy that Edom has already established. ​​ 

As we think about the hardships that the Israelites, God’s chosen people, went through compared to their cousins and as we think about the hardships that we, as Christians, seem to go through compared to those in the world, we see that success, power and prestige seems to come easy to those living by the world’s standards. But the Israelites, God’s chosen people lived by a higher standard, God’s standard. God tested and tried the Israelites but the Edomites, the non-covenant side of the family of Abraham, don’t seem to be. And we might ask ourselves why? I think the answer lies in what God’s plan and purpose was for the Israelite people. They were to be a holy, set apart people, in the world, in order to be ambassadors of God to their neighbors. They were blessed by God to be a blessing to others. They were to usher in the coming Messiah to the world and spread his gospel. For them to fulfill this plan and purpose they needed to be tested and refined in the fire of slavery, wandering the wilderness, and exile. Esau and the Edomites did not have such a plan and purpose and did not need to be tested.

As Christians, all the above is appropriate for us as well. We are called to be a holy and set apart people. We are blessed by God to be a blessing in the world. God has a plan and purpose for us to pursue, grow and multiply disciples. And the Bible says that we will be tested and tried in God’s refining fire as well. All the Israelites testing, trials and tribulations, and ours as well, are so we will bear much fruit and when that fruit is realized and seen by the world it will be for the glory of God. Which brings us to the big idea this morning that God tests his people, for the bearing of much fruit, to the glory of God. As we prepare to open God’s Word this morning, let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we ask your Holy Spirit to come down in this place and in your people. We pray for open hearts and open minds as we study your Word. Use your holy scripture to teach us, reprove us, correct us and train us in righteousness so that we may be complete and equipped for every good work. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This morning we are wrapping up Genesis chapter 36, the genealogy of Esau. We will be looking at verses 31-43. There will be three points this morning. The first point is the Introduction found in verse 31. Follow along as I read. This is what God’s Word says: “These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned:”

Before we see the lists of kings, they are introduced to us with this caveat: “These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any Israelite king reigned.” Again, Esau/Edom is compared to Jacob/Israel. Before Saul became King of Israel there were already eight generations of kings in Edom. In Numbers 20:14, we see these words, “Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom.” This refers to when the Israelites, being led by Moses in the wilderness, were getting ready to pass through the Transjordan and enter the Promised Land. Moses sent messengers to ask the king of Edom to let them pass by unharmed. He promised they would stay on the King’s Highway and pay for any water used by them or their livestock. The king of Edom refused and even threatened to attack them with the sword. Later, King David would conquer the Edomites and rule over them for a time. These events fulfilled Isaac’s blessing on Esau found in Genesis 27:40, “You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother.” Numbers 20:14 confirms that Edomite kings were already ruling before the Israelites entered the Promised Land.

Something we will notice in the king list that follows is that it is evidence of an elective kingship instead of a dynastic one. This means that the succession of kings was not based on heredity, like we see in the United Kingdom. The eight kings will succeed each other in an orderly fashion but no king is a son of the previous one. Also, the place of origin or the capital city is different for each king. This may be the only evidence of a non-dynastic monarchy in the ancient Near East, except for the election of King Saul. When Saul was made king of Israel, there was no provision made for Saul’s sons to take over the throne after him like there was for King David.

Last week, Pastor Stuart made the point that God provides for all people even people outside the Abrahamic covenant. Esau descendants may have been outside the covenant, but they weren’t outside the story of God’s work in the world. This point will be reaffirmed by the list of Edomite kings as they represent the first stage of the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:16. God speaking to Abraham about Sarah says, “I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” The Edomite kings were a direct fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. Lastly, in 1 Samuel 8:5, when the Israelites wanted a king “like other nations”, it is possible that the Edomites were one of the nations they had in mind.

Our second point is Succession found in verses 32-39. Follow along as I read those verses. This is what God’s Word says, “Bela son of Beor became king of Edom. His city was named Dinhabah. When Bela died, Yobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king. When Yobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king. His city was named Avith. When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king. When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as king. When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Akbor succeeded him as king. When Baal-Hanan son of Akbor died, Hadad succeeded him as king. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.

We see a recurring formula here: X died and Y succeeds him as king and his city was named Z. As I said earlier, no son ever succeeded their father as king. We also see that the capital city changes with each king. They ruled out of the city where they lived, as King Saul did. The first king was Bela, son of “Beor.” Bela means “eloquent.” In Numbers 22:5, we also see that Balaam, a wicked prophet, is the “son of Beor.” Bela’s capital city is “Dinhabah” which is an unknown. When Bela died, Yobab, son of Zerah from Bozrah became king. The name Yobab is also seen in Genesis 10:29 as he is identified as the third great grandson of Shem. The resemblance of names goes to show the fact that the Israelites and the Edomites were related. We have seen the name Zerah earlier as the grandson of Esau and Bosemath. Bozrah is one of the Edomite towns most often referred to in the Bible. We see it named in Isaiah 34:6 and Amos 1:12 where those prophets prophesied about God’s judgment on the nations who against Israel.

The third king was Husham which means “broadnosed” in Arabic. He was from the land of the Temanites. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that one of the friends of Job was Eliphaz the Temanite. The fourth king was Hadad, son of Bedad. His name is associated with the Syrian storm god meaning “thunderer.” With him we have our first antidote; an explanation that Hadad defeated Midian in the area of Moab. This was probably to distinguish this Hadad from the one mentioned in verse 39 as the eighth king. Bedad means “separate/alone” and this one’s capital city was Avith. The fifth king was Samlah, which means “protection” in Arabic. His capital city was Masreqah which is related to the noun “vine” and was probably located in a vine-growing area. The sixth king was Shaul which means “requested” and his capital city was Rehoboth on the River. Rehoboth means “open spaces” and the river could refer to either the Euphrates or the Jordan.

The seventh king was Baal-hanan, son of Akbor. Baal-hanan means “Baal is gracious” and Akbor means “mouse.” Baal-hanan is the only king not ascribed a capital city. The eighth and last king on the list is Hadad and his capital city is Pau. And again we get some explanation: he was the husband of Mehetabel, who was the daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab. Mehetabel means “El (God) does good”; Matred means “to run continually”; and Me-Zahab means “waters of gold.” It was unusual to name two women in an ancestral line. It may be that the women’s names conveyed a great splendor that meant “continuous running waters of gold.”

Our third point is Settlements found in verses 40-43. Follow along as I read those verses. This is what God’s Word says, “These were the chiefs descended from Esau, by name, according to their clans and regions: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land they occupied. This is the family line of Esau, the father of the Edomites.”

This final list is a list of chiefs descended from Esau according to their clans and regions. “According to their clans” is the same formula used in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. Four of the eleven names we have seen before: Timna, the concubine of Eliphaz and sister of Lotan, son of Seir. Oholibamah, daughter of Anah, a wife of Esau. And Kenaz and Teman, sons of Eliphaz and chiefs of Edom. The other seven names are new to us: Alva which means “ascend”, Yetheth, Elah which means “terebinth”, Pinon which was a known copper mining and smelting site in Edom, Mibzar which means “fortress”, Magdiel which means “fruit (gift) of El” and Iram.

One of the problems with identifying this list is how to reconcile it with the chiefs of Esau listed in verses 15-19. ​​ First, these may be later chiefs of Edom than those mentioned earlier or second the list in verses 15-19 may be genealogically arranged and this list is geographically arranged. This list is referred to as regions and settlements in the land they are occupying. Hamilton says, “The names that follow might refer to the names of the dwellings rather than of the chieftains.” And Wenham says, “It has been suggested that this is a list of the administrative districts of Edom since some of the names are place names.” The word “occupy” here is the same as “held.” It is the same word that we saw when Esau first appeared in Genesis. If you remember, at the twin’s birth, Jacob took “hold” of Esau’s heel. This may be a deliberate play on words to mark the last appearance of Esau in the book of Genesis. The fact that Edom “held” these lands again fulfills the promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:8. They have gained secure possession of the land of Edom just as Israel will have secure possession of theirs. This language indicates that both the Edomites and the Israelites received their land by divine commission from God.

Lastly, the ancestral heritage of the Edomites is reaffirmed reminding us that Esau was their father. Esau’s descendants have become clans, chiefs, kings and districts. They have an established political structure and royalty. There is no doubt that they are flourishing. Esau has now become a dynasty with eight kings in succession and chiefs in eleven districts. Their power and the extent of their monarchy is incredible. Their impact would be felt for centuries after Esau’s death and these cousins of the Israelites would relentlessly and persistently oppose them for a long time to come. Interestingly, when Jesus stood before King Herod at his trial, Jesus was standing in the line of Jacob and Herod was standing in the line of Esau. Herod was an Idumaean, which is the Greek equivalent of an Edomite. This descendant of Esau ridiculed and mocked Jesus, a descendant of Jacob, who was the Son of God.

There is a warning to us in this chapter. We need to be careful in our dealings with others so that we don’t allow a bitter root to grow up and cause trouble in the future as we see in the story of Esau. Hebrews 12:14-17 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.” We must make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy because if we don’t, we could be perpetuating conflict not only in our lifetime but in the lifetimes of our descendants far beyond anything we could ever imagine. That brings us to the first next step on the back of your communication card: My next step is to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.

As I conclude today, I want to revisit our big idea: God tests his people, for the bearing of much fruit, to the glory of God. Again, in Hebrews 12:5b-11, we see these words, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Archaeological digs have been done in Bozrah (King Yobab’s capital city) where they have found effigies in stone and pottery from after the Patriarchal period showing that there were generations of idolatry in that area. This didn’t happen overnight but may have been birthed by Esau as the material outweighed the spiritual in his life. Interestingly, Baldwin says, “Despite the struggle of the prophets in Israel over the same issue excavations have nowhere near unearthed a plethora of idols in the territory of Israel and Judah. Esau’s defection set a precedent, which was later to lead to identification with the idolatrous religion of the local population.” Baldwin goes on to say, “If it had not been for the many forms of divine discipline which culminated in the Exile the story would have been of the same sorry decline among Jacob’s descendants. It was the mercy of God that refused to “give them up” and instead worked to produce a people who were capable of receiving his salvation which is the theme of the rest of the OT.

The story of Jacob was different than the story of Esau in that God tested and disciplined his chosen people, for the bearing of much fruit, to his glory. It is the same for us today, as Christians. We need to endure hardship as discipline and accept God’s perfect discipline in our lives knowing that he does it for our good, in order that we share in his holiness. It will not be pleasant and it will be painful but it will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace if we are willing to be trained by it. And through it all, God will receive the glory. That brings us to the second next step this morning, which is to “Accept God’s testing and discipline in my life, in order to bear much fruit, so that God will receive the glory.” As the ushers come to gather the tithes and offerings and the praise team comes to lead us in our final song, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for this time to dive deep into your Word. Help us to strive to live in peace with everyone and to be holy so we aren’t leaving conflict in our wake. Help us to accept your testing and discipline, in order to bear the fruit in our lives that is honoring and glorifying to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Increase Through Absoprtion

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Origins

Increase Through Absorption

(Genesis 36:20-30)

 

INTRODUCTION

[Have a table set up in the front with a jug of water and a clear container with some of the Orbeez seeds in it. ​​ Have a second clear container with the completed Orbeez balls in them, but keep this container hidden until the conclusion of the message.]

 

I am going to need some help this morning with the introduction. [Choose one of the children or youth from the congregation to come up front to help]

 

I have some Orbeez seeds in this clear container. ​​ When you add water to the seeds, they absorb the water and grow into little water balls. [Have the child or youth pour the water into the clear container with the Orbeez seeds]

 

We will let the seeds absorb the water while we talk about the passage in Genesis 36:20-30.

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Increasing through absorption

        • Gaining weight

          • I am a very sympathetic and compassionate person, especially when it comes to Judy

          • When Judy was expecting our first child, I made sure to eat like I was eating for two

          • I did the same thing with the other two pregnancies

          • I tell everyone that I gained ten pounds with each pregnancy and I’m still waiting to have my baby

          • My waistline has increased through absorption of food

        • Gaining family

          • When our two oldest sons got married, Judy and I gained two daughters

          • We have now gained two granddaughters and one grandson

          • So, our family is increasing through marriage

 

  • WE

    • Increasing through absorption

        • How many of us can relate to increasing our waistline through the absorption of food?

        • How many of us have experienced the increasing of our family through marriage and grandchildren?

 

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been focusing on the genealogy of Esau. ​​ In the middle of his genealogy, the narrator talks about the genealogy of Seir (say-eer’) the Horite (kho-ree’/hore-ree’). ​​ We will see some familiar names in this genealogy that were part of Esau’s genealogy in verse 2. ​​ Esau married one of the Horite women and what we know from the rest of history is that the Horite people were probably absorbed into the Edomite people. ​​ We will learn from this passage of Scripture that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God provides for all people.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 36:20-30)

    • Seir’s sons (vv. 20-21)

        • We learn from this verse that Seir’s family was living in the region that Esau is now inhabiting (Genesis 36:8)

        • His sons are then listed

          • Lotan (lo-tawn’) – means “covering”

          • Shobal (sho-bawl’/show-val’) – means “flowing”

          • Zibeon (tsib-one’/sieve-own’) – means “colored”

          • Anah (an-aw’) – means “answer”

          • Dishon (dee-shone’/dee-shown’) – means “thresher”

          • Ezer (ay’-tser/eight’-sare) – means “treasure”

          • Dishan (dee-shawn’) – means “thresher”

        • Notice that even though Esau settled in the hill country of Seir and that Seir and his family were already living there, that at the end of verse 21 it says that these sons of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs

          • The region has changed from being the hill country of Seir to Edom

          • Edom was the name of Esau’s clan (it was another name for Esau)

          • Esau absorbed the Horite people

        • What we see next is Seir’s grandchildren

    • Seir’s grandchildren (vv. 22-28)

        • The sons of Lotan (lo-tawn’)

          • Hori (kho-ree’/hore-ree’) – means “cave dweller”

          • Homan (hay-mawm’/hay-mom’) – means “exterminating”

          • Timna (tim-naw’) was Lotan’s sister

            • Esau’s son Eliphaz (el-ee-faz’) had a concubine named Timna

            • This was probably the same woman

            • We are already seeing the increase of Esau’s clan through marriage

        • The sons of Shobal (sho-bawl’/show-val’)

          • Alvan (al-vawn’) – means “tall”

          • Manahath (maw-nakh’-ath/mine-ak’-hath) – means “rest”

          • Ebal (ay-bawl’/a-vawl’) – means “stone” or “bare mountain”

          • Shepho (shef-o’) – means “bold”

          • Onam (o-nawm’) – means “vigorous”

        • The sons of Zibeon (tsib-one’/sieve-own’)

          • Aiah (ah-yaw’/a-yah’) – means “falcon”

          • Anah (an-aw’) – means “answer”

            • This Anah was the one who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father Zibeon’s donkeys

            • He was probably named after his uncle Anah

            • “This little story distinguishes this Anah from his uncle, a pattern we have also seen regarding the two Lamechs (Gen. 4:17-24) and the two Enochs (Gen. 5:21-24).” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 297]

        • The children of Anah (an-aw’)

          • Perhaps Seir did the same thing that Jacob did in taking some of his son’s, boys as his own sons

            • Jacob did that with Joseph’s two sons

            • Manasseh and Ephraim were counted as two of the twelve sons/tribes of Israel

            • Scripture does not directly tell us that, though

          • Dishon (dee-shone’/dee-shown’) – means “thresher”

            • He was obviously named after his uncle Dishon

            • There seemed to be a lot of names reused in this clan

          • Oholibamah (o”-hol-ee-baw-maw’/ah-holy-vaw-maw’) – means “tent of the high place”

            • We met her as one of Esau’s wives in verse 2

            • She was Anah’s daughter and Zibeon’s granddaughter

            • This is another reason why it is probable that Seir took Anah as one of his sons, even though he was actually Zibeon’s son

        • The sons of Dishon (dee-shone’/dee-shown’)

          • Hemdan (khem-dawn’) – means “desire”

          • Eshban (esh-bawn’) – means “fire of discernment”

          • Ithran (yith-rawn’) – means “advantage”

          • Keran (ker-awn’/kay-rawn’) – means “lyre” (like the instrument)

        • The sons of Ezer (ay’-tser/eight’-sare)

          • Bilhan (bil-hawn’) – means “their decrepitude”

          • Zaavan (zah-av-awn’) – means “troubled”

          • Akan (aw-kawn’/ah-kawn’) – means “sharp-sighted”

        • The sons of Dishan (dee-shawn’)

          • Uz (oots) – means “wooded”

          • Aran (ar-awn’/ah-rawn’) – means “joyous”

    • Horite chiefs (v. 29-30)

        • Seir’s sons are listed again as the Horite chiefs

        • They were divided by these seven clans in the land of Seir

    • Application

        • We have to turn to Deuteronomy 2:1-6 to help us with applying this section of genealogy to our lives

          • The Israelites were wandering in the desert

          • Then we turned back and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me. ​​ For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir. ​​ Then the Lord said to me, “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. ​​ Give the people these orders: ​​ ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. ​​ They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. ​​ Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. ​​ I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. ​​ You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’” (Deuteronomy 2:1-6)

          • God had given the hill country of Seir to Esau as his own

            • As far as we know, God did not require Esau to completely destroy the inhabitants of Seir as He commanded the Israelites to do with the inhabitants of Canaan

            • Through marriage and perhaps the sheer size of the Edomite clan, Esau and his descendants absorbed the Horite clans

        • Principles

          • PRINCIPLE #1 – God is our provider

            • God had provided a permanent place for Esau and his descendants to thrive

              • As we know, he could not remain in Canaan with Jacob, because their flocks and herds were too much for the land

              • God did not just kick Esau out of Canaan without providing a place for him to live

            • God is our provider too

              • How many of us have experienced being displaced?

              • Judy and I left California without having another job lined up or a place to stay

              • We visited family for a couple of months, before God provided the pastoral position here at Idaville UB Church that also provided housing

              • God is our provider

              • He will provide for us and not leave us alone and displaced

            • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Trust God to provide for me.

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – God is our protector

            • God could have required Esau to completely destroy the Horites, but He didn’t

            • God protected them from being completely destroyed by allowing the Edomites to absorb the Horites

            • God is also our protector

              • How have you experienced His protection?

              • Has He protected you from physical harm, sickness, financial failure, relational heartache, and much more?

              • Take a moment to recall how the Lord has protected you

            • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Thank the Lord for protecting me.

          • PRINCIPLE #3 – God keeps His promises

            • God’s blessing of Abraham was amazing!

            • The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. ​​ “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ​​ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

            • We see through this genealogy that the Horites and the Edomites were blessed through Abraham

            • “If the inclusion in Genesis of the lines of Ishmael and Esau implies that in their way they are part of the outworking of Yahweh’s promise to Abraham, then the inclusion of the Horites’ clans implies a reaffirmation of a point implicit in Gen. 10-11, that people who are quite outside the Abrahamic line are not outside the story of God’s work in the world.” ​​ [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 565]

            • God keeps His promises to us also

              • Every promise God has made in His Word, He has kept

              • Because He has kept every promise in His Word, we can trust that He will keep the promises that He has made about the future

              • We can rejoice in a God who keeps His promises

            • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Rejoice in the fact that God keeps His promises.

 

  • YOU

    • Do you need to trust God to provide for you?

    • Have you thanked the Lord for protecting you?

    • Are you ready to rejoice, because God has kept His promises to you?

 

  • WE

    • We can trust God to provide for Idaville UB Church

    • We can thank God for protecting us as a body of believers

    • We can rejoice in a God who keeps His promises

 

CONCLUSION

Let’s check in on our Orbeez seeds.

 

Have they increased yet?

 

Let me show you what they look like after absorbing water for 24 hours [show the other clear container with the Orbeez that have already increased]

 

God provided protection for the Horites by allowing the Edomites to absorb them.

8

 

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Walking Your Past

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Walking Your Past

Show video. The kids had trouble defining the term genealogy, didn’t they? But they understood what family history meant. To a lot of people genealogy is just a bunch of names of dead people that don’t matter anymore but if we think of genealogy in terms of family history that might make it more interesting and intriguing. Maybe you here today could care less about your genealogy, a list of dead people, but I bet if I asked you to tell me stories of your parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents that you knew growing up, that would be a different tale.

I was introduced to genealogy at the age of 6 or 7, when I was doing an assignment for a church group I was a part of. At that time, I was told that I was related to a couple of famous people. One was Lucy Webb Ware, who was married to President Rutherford B. Hayes. Historians have christened her "Lemonade Lucy" due to her staunch support of the temperance movement. In fact her husband, the President, banned alcohol from the White House. The other famous person that I was told I was related to was Sam Houston, an American general who played an important role in the Texas Revolution and who was the first governor of Texas. I have disproved that I am directly related to them, but who I have proven that I am related to is my great grandfather who was known under three different names, with three different wives, in three different states. And very possibly turned state’s evidence after getting caught up in a conspiracy to commit arson case with his daughter. Now that’s a family history story. Genealogy is not just the names of people in your family who are dead. Genealogy is the people and the stories that made up their lives.

I read somewhere this past week that studying Genesis 36 is like walking through the gravestones of Esau’s family. You can find out a lot about your family by what is put on their tombstones. You may find that they served in the military and actually served in wartime like my grandfather (here) and my great grandfather (here). You may find that they had some kind of spirituality during their lives like my second great grandparents (here), whose tombstone says, “to die is gain” or my great grandparents (here) who gravestone depicts the Holy Bible on it and says “together forever” which spoke to their hope of being together beyond the grave. You may also find that your ancestors were truly loved like my grandmother (here) whose tombstone says, “in memory of a loving mother and friend.” I wish I could go back in time and listen to the stories of their lives, the good and the bad.

So why is this chapter of names important and what can we find out about Esau and his family as we walk through his tombstones in chapter 36, and specifically verses 9-19? First, this chapter is important because Moses was writing to people who were going to be living in close proximity to the Edomites, Esau’s descendants. The Lord was going to be giving the Israelites specific instructions about these close relatives so they needed to know who they were. Second, this chapter is important because the people of Israel and us today need to realize that worldly blessing, even if it is given by God, does not translate into spiritual blessing. Whether we believe in God and his son, Jesus, or not, our blessings all come from God alone. It is what we do and how we live with those blessings that count. If we are living without the spiritual blessing of the salvation of Jesus Christ and outside the family of God, it doesn’t matter what worldly blessings we have, because once our tombstone has been erected, all that is dust. Which brings us to our big idea this morning which is “if we succeed by worldly standards but fail by God’s standards, we fail where it really matters.” We will see that Esau had worldly wealth in lots of children and grandchildren and that his descendants became powerful chiefs of clans and tribes. They also ruled in a land of their own. But Esau and his descendants failed by Godly standards and in doing so failed where it really mattered.

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of you and we praise you for your Word and the opportunities we have to open it and study it together. I pray that your Holy Spirit would speak to each heart and mind that hears your Word this morning and that a transformation would take place in their lives. And we give you all the glory and honor. Amen.

Our first point this morning is Lineage found in Genesis 36:9-14. Follow along as I read. This is what God’s Word says, “This is the account of the family line of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Bosemath. The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz. Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah. The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Bosemath. The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau: Yeush, Yalam and Korach.”

This morning we will walk through Esau’s family cemetery and see his family stories and the important truths that we can learn from them. The first thing we notice is that this section starting with verse 9, starts the same way as the last section did in verse 1. The author repeats “this is the account of Esau” but adds that he is now the father of the Edomites. This repetition is very unusual in the biblical tolodots. It is possible that once the family moved to Seir and either settled or conquered the land, a new record was kept with a new starting point, even though it continued the family history of Esau. The fact that he is now the father of a group of people called the Edomites, compares with Jacob who is also known as Israel and was going to be the father of a group of people called the Israelites. If you remember, in Genesis 25, we saw that Rebekah was pregnant with the twins, Esau and Jacob, and they were warring inside of her, she inquired of the Lord and he told her that there were two nations in her womb. This chapter shows that the expectation of an Edomite nation has been met. ​​ 

The Edomites are now fully entrenched in the hill country of Seir. Last week we saw Esau start his family and then move out of the Promised Land, where his father and mother were living, into the hill country of Seir. That Esau dwelt securely in Seir implied that the Lord would establish his descendants in the land. This move outside the Promised Land is important as we walk Esau’s past through the gravestones of his family. The second thing you might notice is that we saw a lot of the same names last week. We have already been introduced to Esau’s three wives – Adah, Bosemath, and Oholibamah. We also saw what their names meant: Adah means “the adorned one” or “ornament”, Bosemath means “the perfumed one” or “spice” and Oholibamah means “tent of the high place” which gives the connotation of “tall” and “stately.” From their names we can learn that Esau had a very beautiful family by worldly standards. Remember back then names weren’t just given because they sounded nice; they were given because they meant something (think Jacob which means, “heel-grabber” and “deceiver”). We can notice that each of their names focuses on some outward feature of beauty or sensuality because that is what they found valuable to them.

We have also already been introduced to Esau’s sons born to him by these three wives. Adah bore one son, called Eliphaz and Bosemath bore one son, Reuel. And Oholibamah bore Esau three sons, Yeush, Yalam, and Korach. Eliphaz means “pure gold”, Reuel means “friend of God”, Yeush means “the Lord helps”, Yalam means “to conceal” and Korach means “bald.” As we look at this list there is one name that you may or may not recognize. That is Eliphaz and it is believed that he is the same Eliphaz who was one of the friends of Job. Later when we talk about his sons, one of them is called Teman and he becomes a duke or chief. In the book of Job, Eliphaz is identified as a Temanite. Also, if you didn’t know, scholars believe that Job was written during the times of the Patriarchs and they believe it is actually the first book of the Bible written chronologically. So it is possible that Job is living in or near the land of Seir with the Edomites and that is where his book takes place. As we go back to the names of Esau’s sons we again see that they aren’t focused on the spiritual but the worldly. Now there are 2 names out of the 81 names in this chapter that possibly show a belief in the one true God, Reuel “friend of God” and Yeush “the Lord helps.” But it is also possible that they were connected to idolatry and worship of false gods.

What we can learn by walking through Esau’s family cemetery and from the names of his sons is that there is no mention of barrenness. If you remember, the wives of the Patriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel, all struggled with being barren. They had to rely on God to open their wombs so they could have children. And God opened their wombs in his timing and according to his plan and purpose. The patriarchs were all promised that they would have offspring like the “stars in the sky” and the “sand on the seashore” but it wasn’t going to happen in the normal human way; it was going to happen in a miraculous spiritual way. Esau and his wives did not have the same problem. Esau was wealthy in sons and for all intents and purposes he was able to have children all on his own without any help from God.

Next we continue to see Esau’s worldly wealth increase but no spiritual wealth mentioned as God blesses Esau with grandchildren. The sons of Eliphaz were Teman which means “south” who I’ve already talked about in relation to Job, Omar which means “eloquent”, Zepho which means “clean/pure”, Gatam which means “thin” and the meaning of Kenaz is unknown. Then we come to the second specific name I want to mention. In verse 12 we see that Eliphaz had a concubine named Timna and she bore him a son called Amalek. Now, Amalek would have been a name that would have made the first hearers perk up as he was the ancestor of the Amalekites who were bitter enemies of the Israelites. In Deuteronomy 25:17-19, we see these words, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!” God commanded the Israelites to “blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven” because they had “no fear of the Lord.” It is important to have a righteous, reverent fear or awe of the Lord so he doesn’t “blot us out.” We only need to look at ourselves and look around us to see what he has done and is doing in the world, in our church and in our lives. This prompts me to ask a question: Do you have a righteous, reverent fear or awe of the Lord in your life? If not, this first next step is for you: My next step is to cultivate a righteous, reverent fear of the Lord in my life. Next, we see the sons of Reuel. Nahath which means “clear/pure”, Zerah which means "dawning, shining”, Shammah which means "to hear” and Mizzah which is unknown. Lastly, we notice that the sons of Esau and Oholibamah are mentioned, which we already talked about, but there are no grandsons mentioned. It is possible they didn’t have any offspring but they are still be important as we move to the next point.

The second point this morning is Legacy found in Genesis 36:15-19. Follow along as I read those verses. This is what God’s Word says, “These were the chiefs among Esau’s descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Korach, Gatam and Amalek. These were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz in Edom; they were grandsons of Adah. The sons of Esau’s son Reuel: Chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These were the chiefs descended from Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of Esau’s wife Bosemath. The sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chiefs Yeush, Yalam and Korach. These were the chiefs descended from Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. These were the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these were their chiefs.”

As we continue walking through Esau’s family cemetery the family stories again come alive. As I read these verses you may have seen redundancy and it is true but don’t let that give you the idea that there is nothing to learn from this section. First, let me point out the progression of the lists we see in each section. In section one, verses 1-8, we saw Esau who is Edom and his wives and children. In section two, verses 9-14, we saw Esau, the ancestor of the Edomites with his wives, children and grandchildren. The significance is that Esau’s rich family history is growing. This third section, verses 15-19, again shows a progression from a family to the beginnings of a nation and Esau’s descendants as the rulers of that fledgling nation. This is important because it continues to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to make him the “father of many nations” which we saw in Genesis 17:4. By including Esau’s descendants and their ascendancy as rulers implies that Edom’s rise was the consequence of God’s blessing and that his blessing reached outside the line of Jacob. And the proliferation of Edomite tribes fulfills God’s intention to “bless all the peoples of the earth” as we saw in Genesis 12:3 which would happen by bringing salvation to the nations.

We notice that the children and grandchildren of Esau are now “chiefs” or some translations say “dukes.” The word for duke comes from a Latin word meaning captain or leader. The Hebrew word has the same significance and is the term for a thousand. The dukes or chiefs were probably leaders or captains over a company of one thousand men. It is important that we see these names as chiefs and clans and not just sons and grandsons. Again, we see the same names are mentioned but there are a few differences in the list from verses 9-14 and the list here in verses 15-19. First, the order in which grandsons, Gatam and Kenaz are mentioned changes. This reason for this change is seemingly unknown or didn’t matter. In verse 16 we see an addition of a name, Korach, which is represented as a son of Eliphaz. Korach is also the name of one of the sons of Oholibamah. Again, what is important here is that Korach is the name of a clan and not just a son and or grandson. The commentators say that it could mean that there was a portion of the clan of Korach that split; one portion stayed affiliated with Oholibamah and the other portion affiliated themselves with the clans connected to Eliphaz. These were first and foremost political alliances. These weren’t spiritually minded peoples; these were secular and political entities looking for prestige, power and position. (Big Idea)

The next thing that we can glean as important from this list of clans and political alliances is that there are twelve tribes. They are represented by the nine grandsons and three sons of Esau born to him by Oholibamah. This number is reached by counting the split clan of Korach as one and omitting Amalek who is disqualified because he is the son of a concubine. This means that Ishmael, Esau and Jacob all became the father of twelve tribes. Twelve being the number of completeness again shows us that God’s promises to the patriarchs are being completely fulfilled. God doesn’t forget his promises ever even when it includes non-covenant peoples.

The last thing we can learn from this section of walking through Esau’s family cemetery is that in contrast to the expanding, powerful Esau, Jacob was dwelling in the land of the sojournings of his father. At this time, he had no clans, no full tribes and no lands to govern. Esau was an ever-growing family with chiefs and a land that his clans are ruling. Jacob like his father and grandfather before him was a sojourner, an alien in an alien land. It would be another 400+ years until the tribes and nation of Israel would come into their Promised Land and finally see the promises of God fulfilled in their family. Delitzsch notes poignantly that “secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness.” The promised spiritual blessings demands patience in faith, and emphasizes that waiting while others prosper is a test of faithfulness and perseverance. God will give the promised blessings to Jacob’s seed but only after a long refining and proving of the faith. That prompts me to ask and for us to think about a couple of questions. Do you find yourself at this moment waiting for God’s blessings as others around you have seemingly received theirs already? Do you feel like you are going through God’s refining fire at this very moment? As you ponder these questions, maybe these next steps are for you: My next step is to ask God to give me patience and faithfulness as I wait on his timing and perfect plan to receive his blessings. My next step is to ask God for perseverance as he refines me in his fire, proving my faith.

My conclusion comes from a series on Genesis on Bible.org written by Steven J. Cole: On the Shetland Islands off the northern coast of Scotland, a man spent five years and a lifetime of savings building a 62‑foot steel yacht that weighed 126 tons. On the day of its launching, he invited a local band to play and the whole town turned out to help him celebrate. He planned a voyage around the world as soon as the boat was launched. The band played, the bottle of champagne was smashed across the bow, and the ship was lowered into the water. But it sank to the bottom of the harbor! What good is a beautiful boat that doesn’t float? That man wasted five years and a lot of money building a useless thing‑‑a boat that didn’t float. What good is a successful life that ends, whether in 25 or 85 years, if the person is not ready for eternity? “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” Today’s tour through Esau’s cemetery is over and I hope it’s made you think about your life and what you are living for. While we still live, we all have a choice: To join Jacob and his descendants in waiting patiently for God to fulfill His covenant promises to us, as we labor for His coming kingdom. Or, to look over at Esau, prospering in the world, and join him in the pursuit of secular success. If we succeed by worldly standards, but fail with God, we have failed where it really matters. Whether we fail or succeed by worldly standards, if we succeed with God, we will have true and lasting success.

As the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offering and as Gene and Roxey come to lead us in a final song, let’s close our study of God’s Word in prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, as we contemplate you and the mighty deeds you have done in your Word and are still doing today, I pray that we would stand in awe of you and that we would cultivate a righteous, reverent fear of you. You are the Lord God Almighty!!! Help us to be patient and faithful as we wait on your blessings in our lives according to your perfect plan for each one of us. And daily give us perseverance as you continue to refine us in your fire, proving our faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/by

The God of Grace

,

Origins

The God of Grace

(Genesis 36:1-8)

 

INTRODUCTION

“If you're familiar with Genesis 36, you know that it's nothing but a list of the descendants of Esau—their names, their wives, their children, their flocks, their herds. There were so many of them that they had to leave Canaan, cross the Jordan, and go to their own country called Edom (which is another name for Esau). In the ancient Near East, a man's wealth was measured in three ways: by the number of his children, his flocks and herds, and the land he possessed. Esau had all three of those things in spades. By any standard, Genesis 36 tells us that he was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. He even had his own country! But remember what God says next about Esau: ‘Jacob have I loved; Esau have I hated.’

 

Isn't that interesting? What does that tell us in Genesis 36? Why did God, through the Holy Spirit, go to the trouble of including this list of Esau's descendants that also boasts their wealth?

 

I think two great truths emerge from Genesis 36: (1) If this is how God treats those he really hates, he truly is a good and gracious God, and (2) you had best not mistake material blessing for spiritual blessing.

 

Source: Hershael York, in the sermon "The Dark Side of Grace," PreachingToday.com.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2010/october/8101110.html].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Moving on

        • When I served with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), God moved me two times

          • I started as Local Director for Hardin & Hancock Counties in Ohio

            • God provided a young man to take my place as Local Director when I stepped up to become State Director

            • God has used him to take the local ministry far beyond what I had imagined

            • It went from being the Hardin & Hancock Counties Chapter to the Greater Findlay Chapter

            • It is now the West Central Chapter in Ohio, serving multiple counties

          • After serving as State Director for 2 years, they asked me to come serve as the Associate Director of Finance & Administration for the USA Ministries Department at the world headquarters

            • God once again provided an incredible State Director to replace me in Ohio

            • He has taken the ministry in Ohio far beyond what I had envisioned

        • I truly believe that God moved me for two purposes

          • First, to use my gifts and abilities in the State Office of CEF of Ohio and the USA Ministries Department at the world headquarters

          • Second, to accomplish His plan and purpose for the local chapter and state office in Ohio

 

  • WE

    • Moving on

        • There are probably people here today who have experienced the same kind of movement

        • Perhaps it was movement within the same company

        • Other times it is movement to a different company

        • It can be movement within the same community or state and at other times it can be movement to another community or state

        • Some of us have experienced movement from one church to another, so we can use our gifts and abilities for His glory and so He can accomplish His plan and purpose in the previous church

 

Sometimes the movement can seem painful at the time, but with time, we realize what God was trying to accomplish. ​​ God cares about us and wants what is best for us. ​​ He is a gracious God that blesses even those who choose not to follow Him. ​​ What we will see from this passage today is that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – God cares for all people.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 36:1-8)

    • Background (v. 1)

        • We see the ninth toledot (the history of/the generations of/the account of/the origins of) statement

        • It is the account of Esau (that is, Edom)

        • This is the next to last toledot statement

        • It is only one chapter long

        • Repeated structure

          • Esau’s genealogy comes directly after Isaac’s death, just like Ishmael’s genealogy came directly after Abraham’s death (Gen. 25:8)

          • As the non-covenant carrier, Esau’s genealogy comes before Jacob’s, just like Ishmael’s came before Isaac’s (Gen. 25:12-18)

          • God blessed Ishmael and Esau, even though they were not the covenant carriers

        • While God certainly blessed Esau, we will see that he married worldly wives and moved to a another land

    • Worldly Wives (vv. 2-5)

        • Esau married Canaanite women

          • Adah (aw-daw’) daughter of Elon (ay-lone’) the Hittite

            • Adah means “ornament”

            • In Genesis 26:34 Elon’s daughter is named Basemath (bos-math’/bose-math’)

            • As we see in this genealogy Basemath is said to be Ishmael’s daughter

          • Oholibamah (o”-hol-ee-baw-maw’/ah-holy-vaw-maw’) daughter of Anah (an-aw’) and granddaughter of Zibeon (tsib-one’/seize-own) the Hivite

            • Oholibamah means “tent of the high place”

            • Some scholars believe that her name also identified her occupation as a shrine prostitute, but that is not clear

          • Basemath (bos-math’/bose-math’) daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth (neb-aw-yoth’/nev-eye-yoth’)

            • Basemath means “spice”

            • In Genesis 28:9 Esau married Mahalath (makh-al-ath’/mach-ha-lath’), Ishmael’s daughter and Nabaioth’s sister

          • What do we make of the different names given in this genealogy for Esau’s wives?

            • “And what the different accounts have in common may be especially significant: ​​ ‘the nationalities of Esau’s wives are more important than their names.’ ​​ Marrying Canaanite women is by implication an inferior move compared with marrying within the clan of Terah, as Isaac and Jacob do.” ​​ [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 563]

            • While the names are not the same in the two lists of Esau’s wives, the order of their nationalities remain the same – Hittite, Hivite, and Ishmaelite

            • Canaanite women would have been considered worldly in our modern culture

          • Application

            • PRINCIPLE #1 – God’s desire is for us to be equally yoked.

            • In Deuteronomy 7 we see Moses giving the Israelites instructions about driving out the nations from the Promised Land

              • When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations – the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you – and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. ​​ Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. ​​ Do not intermarry with them. ​​ Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you (Deuteronomy 7:1-4)

              • The Lord, through Moses, made it clear that the inhabitants of the Promised Land were worldly – they were worshiping other gods

              • The Israelites were not to marry them, but rather to totally destroy them

            • Paul tells the Corinthian believers not to form binding relationships with unbelievers

              • Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. ​​ For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? ​​ Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ​​ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? ​​ What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ​​ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? ​​ For we are the temple of the living God. ​​ As God has said: ​​ “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)

              • Paul is not telling us to never associate with unbelievers, because how can we share the Gospel with them

              • Paul even tells Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses (1 Cor. 7:12-13) [NIV Application Bible, footnote on 2 Cor. 6:14-18]

              • Paul is cautioning us to not lock ourselves into personal or business relationships that could compromise our witness or faith [NIV Application Bible, footnote on 2 Cor. 6:14-18]

            • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Evaluate my personal and business relationships to make sure I am not compromising my witness or faith.

          • Esau had compromised his faith by turning his back on what his father and mother had modeled for him and pursued worldly women for his wives

          • Even though Esau compromised his faith, God still blessed him with children, because God is gracious

          • God cares for all people.

        • Sons of Esau

          • These sons were born in Canaan (perhaps he had other sons born in Seir)

          • The order of the wives changed when the sons were announced – it is now Adah (aw-daw’), Basemath (bos-math’/bose-math’), and Oholibamah (o”-hol-ee-baw-maw’/ah-holy-vaw-maw’)

          • Sons

            • Eliphaz (el-ee-faz’) born to Adah – means “my God is (fine) gold”

            • Reuel (reh-oo-ale’) born to Oholibamah – means “friend of God”

            • Jeush (yeh-eesh’/yeah-oosh’) born to Basemath – means “assembler”

            • Jalam (yah-lawm’/yeah-lawm’) born to Basemath – means “concealed”

            • Korah (ko-rakh’/core-rack’) born to Basemath – means “bald”

        • What we see next in the narrative is the migration of Esau to Seir

    • Family Flight/Household Hustle (vv. 6-8)

        • Esau’s household

          • Wives – Adah, (aw-daw’) Oholibamah (o”-hol-ee-baw-maw’/ah-holy-vaw-maw’), and Basemath (bos-math’/bose-math’)

          • Sons – Eliphaz (el-ee-faz’), Reuel (reh-oo-ale’), Jeush (yeh-eesh’/yeah-oosh’), Jalam (yah-lawm’/yeah-lawm’), and Korah (ko-rakh’/core-rack’)

          • Daughters (no names are given, no number is given)

          • Members of his household (probably included hired hands, slaves, etc.)

        • Esau’s possessions

          • Livestock

          • All other animals

          • All the goods he had acquired in Canaan

        • Reason for the move

          • Esau and Jacob’s possessions were too great

          • The land could not support the livestock from both brothers

          • “Although Esau is outside the covenant promise, God’s blessing extends to him in two ways: ​​ children (vv. 4-5) and prosperity (vv. 6-7).” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 393]

          • God cares for all people.

        • Final destination

          • Hill country of Seir [show map]

          • “It lies southeast of the Dead Sea, south of Moab, an area which today represents the southern part of the kingdom of Jordan.” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 296]

          • “Esau was already living there in Gen. 32-33, which implies that his relocation took place during Jacob’s twenty-plus years in Harran.” ​​ [Goldingay, 564]

          • The eastern part of Seir was close to the desert

            • Show Seir picture #1

            • Show Seir picture #2

          • Isaac’s blessing of Esau was really an anti-blessing, “Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. ​​ You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. ​​ But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” ​​ (Genesis 27:39-40)

        • Application

          • God had to move Esau from the Promised Land, so that Jacob could possess the land as the covenant carrier

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – Sometimes God moves people to accomplish His plan and purpose.

            • “With the migration of Esau from the Promised Land, the stage is now set for God to fulfill his promises to Israel.” ​​ [Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 484]

            • As I mentioned at the beginning of the message, I know that God moved me for two reasons – to use my gifts and abilities in a different location and to accomplish His plan and purpose in the previous location

            • Perhaps you have experienced that in your own life

            • Maybe God is prompting you now to consider a move

              • It may be a move within the same company you are working in

              • It may be a move to another town

              • The move could be to a different state

              • Perhaps God is calling you to move to a different company

              • Maybe God is calling you to move into ministry or missions

            • Those moves are not always for negative reasons, but because God wants to accomplish His plan and purpose

            • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Determine if God is calling me to make a move, and then be obedient to that calling.

 

  • YOU

    • Do you need to evaluate your personal and business relationships to make sure they are not compromising your witness and faith?

    • Is God calling you to make a move?

 

  • WE

    • As a church we also need to make sure that our personal and business relationships are not compromising our witness and faith

    • What move is God calling us to make, so that His plan and purpose can be accomplished?

 

CONCLUSION

It would be easy for us to connect with Esau, because it seems like God blessed him and that his life was not as difficult as Jacob’s was. ​​ We may not know the whole story of Esau from Scripture.

 

In distinction to Esau, there's Jacob, God's favored one. What did Jacob get? He got a tent. He lived his entire life in a tent with his father, Isaac, and his grandfather, Abraham. He never had a house. They lived nomadic lives, always wandering around. Yet we live in an age of Christianity where we value Esau more than Jacob. We interpret the goodness of God more by the blessing of Esau than by the favor God bestowed on Jacob. If Esau lived today, we would put him on TV. He would sit there on the couch, and we would ask him, ‘Tell us how God has blessed you and how we can have it as well.’ Jacob wouldn't be invited to go anywhere. Nobody would want to hear his story. Can you imagine him stopping by a television studio?”

 

Source: Hershael York, in the sermon "The Dark Side of Grace," PreachingToday.com.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2010/october/8101110.html].

 

We will see in the coming weeks that Jacob’s life was filled with heartache as we follow his line through Joseph

8

 

/by

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

,

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

One of my favorite movies is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It is a 1966 spaghetti Western directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as "the Good", Lee Van Cleef as "the Bad", and Eli Wallach as "the Ugly". The plot revolves around three gunslingers competing to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold amid the violent chaos of the American Civil War. Clint Eastwood, plays Blondie, who is a good, but nowhere near perfect, humane bounty hunter. Lee Van Cleef, plays “Angel Eyes”, who is a ruthless, borderline-sadistic mercenary, who takes pleasure in killing and always finishes a job for which he is paid. Eli Wallach plays Tuco or the “Rat”, who is a fast-talking, cunning, cagey, resilient, and resourceful Mexican bandit, who is wanted by the authorities for a long list of crimes. Throughout the movie, Blondie and Tuco, run a scam on the sheriffs in the country. Blondie turns Tuco in, collects the bounty, and then saves him right before he is about to be hanged. After a number of these rescues, Tuco complains about being the one sticking his neck out and Blondie leaves him for dead in the desert. Tuco survives and captures Blondie and force-marches him across the desert until he is near death with dehydration.

A chance encounter with a civil war soldier who has buried the confederate gold leaves Tuco with the name of the cemetery and Blondie with the name of the grave where the gold is buried. Tuco needing Blondie’s help, nurses him back to life. They then find themselves in a Union prison camp where Angel Eyes is also trying to discover the location of the cemetery the gold is buried in. All three embark on the quest to find the gold, and in the final scene, there is a three way duel to decide who gets the gold. In the end, Blondie wins the duel with Angel Eyes and gets the gold and splits it with Tuco, but not before making him dig up the gold and sparing his life once again. Blondie’s character is considered the “good” one but he has many flaws and doesn’t always do the right thing. He also goes through many ups and downs throughout the movie but in the end he gets the reward.

This story of a “good” but flawed and nowhere near perfect person, going through many ups and downs, but getting the reward in the end, reminds me of the story of Jacob. He is the “good” one in that he will be the next covenant carrier of God’s chosen people. He has been a liar and deceiver and has been deceived himself. His life has been full of good, bad and ugly, some of which is his own doing, but he has been rewarded with a new name and later his descendants will possess the Promised Land and he will have children like the dust of the earth. In our passage this morning Jacob’s good, bad and ugly will continue. Jacob gets a new son, but loses a favored wife. He also has a new sorrow because of the actions of his firstborn and another death in the family. But in the end Jacob is given a new standing as he takes over the patriarchal role from his father. God’s blessing continues to be poured out and God’s plan continues to move forward no matter what happens, be it birth or death or heinous crime. Which brings us to our big idea this morning that the good, the bad and the ugly of life can’t stop God’s promises, blessing, and plan for his people. According to God’s will, His promises, blessing, and plan can’t be stopped in the world, in the church or in our lives because of what we do or because of what happens to us. ​​ 

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning humbly asking for your Holy Spirit to speak to us as we open your Word. May we be attentive to your Spirit as we open our hearts and minds to what you want us to know and learn today. Thank you for this opportunity to be gathered together in your house with your people for this purpose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are three points this morning. The first is A New Son and is found in Genesis 35:16-20. This is what God’s Word says, “Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.” As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.”

After God meets Jacob at Bethel and reaffirms the promises to him, Jacob and his family leave Bethel, going in the direction of Ephrath. While they were still some distance away, Rachel goes into labor. We are told that she is having great difficulty in giving birth. Rachel must have been really pregnant when they left Bethel and we may wonder why they didn’t just stay there if she was ready to give birth. It doesn’t say God commanded them to leave Bethel like he did to leave Shechem. In fact, back in verse 1, God told Jacob to settle in Bethel. We are not told why they moved on from Bethel but it may have had something to do with returning home to reunite with his father, Isaac. This would have been in keeping with his vow in Genesis 28:21 that if God would protect Jacob so he would “return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God.”

In the middle of her difficult childbirth, her midwife tells her not to despair because she is having a son. This seems to be a weird thing to say to Rachel knowing that she is dying. But in that day and age it would have been a most comforting thought for a woman who knew she was going to die giving birth. We know that the birthing of a boy was very important as it meant that the lineage and family name would be carried on. So the midwife, knowing Rachel was going to die, comforted her with the fact that she was having a baby boy. Rachel knowing she was dying named her son, Ben-Oni which means, “son of my trouble or sorrow.” It seems that Rachel refused the comfort that her midwife tried to give her. Interestingly, this is the only child born to Jacob that the author of Genesis does not give the meaning of their name.

Then we see something happen that is rare in the Bible. Jacob changes his newborn son’s name to Benjamin, which means, “son of my right hand.” The right hand was the side of honor, power and favor and brought to mind skill and wisdom. Psalm 110:1 says, “The Lord says to my lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” And Ecclesiastes 10:2 says, “The heart of the wise inclines to the right but the heart of the fool to the left.” Saul, the first king of Israel and Paul the Apostle both came from the tribe of Benjamin. Why did Jacob change his name? A lot of times children whose mothers died in childbirth were blamed and Jacob didn’t want his son to be saddled with guilt every time his name was used. He probably also wanted the memory of his beloved wife to be a pleasant one whenever he called his son’s name. Because he was the son of the favored wife, Jacob gave Benjamin a special place, at his right hand.

This episode would have reminded the first hearers of a couple of things. First, Rachel named her firstborn son, Joseph which means “may God add.” Rachel’s prayer to the Lord, when she had Joseph, was that he would give her another son. This birth was the fulfillment of that prayer. Second, it would have also reminded them of Rachel’s words to Jacob in Genesis 30:1, “give me children or I will die.” Ironically, having this child would cause Rachel’s death. Third, they would have been reminded of Jacob’s judgment of death on the one who stole Laban’s household gods. It may be significant that her death comes after Jacob orders his family to get rid of their false gods. But we shouldn’t believe that Rachel’s death was a judgment from God. Weirsbe says, “Life is full of good and bad, joys and sorrows and the same baby that brought joy also brought tears.” This reminds us of our big idea: the good, the bad and the ugly of life can’t stop God’s promises, blessing, and plan for his people.

Finally, we are told that Rachel dies and she’s buried on the way to Ephrath probably on or near the site that Benjamin was born. Jacob honored his beloved wife’s memory by putting a pillar over her burial tomb and the author tells us the pillar was still there when Genesis was written. This is the third time he has erected a pillar to commemorate some event or person. In Genesis 28:18 he commemorates God meeting him at Bethel the first time. In Genesis 35:14 he commemorates God meeting him at Bethel a second time and here he commemorates Rachel’s death. Mathews says, “The location of Benjamin’s birth and Rachel’s tomb are important to the narrative providing a reference point for future generations, indicating that the last son was born in the Promised Land. Even Rachel’s burial demonstrated God’s word was truthful. Although she lived outside Canaan her final resting place was permanently in the land of promise as the matriarch of Israel’s tribes, Ephraim & Manasseh (Joseph’s sons) and Benjamin.”

Our second point is A New Sorrow found in chapter 35 verses 21-22a. Follow along as I read those verses. This is what God’s Word says, “Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.”

Jacob or Israel and his family move again. And again, we may believe he is wanting to return to his father’s house but we see him “pitching his tent” beyond Migdal Eder. Jacob just doesn’t pass through on his way to his father, he “pitches his tent” there meaning he settles down there. We don’t know why he does this but knowing his history we can surmise nothing good will come from it. In Genesis 33:18-19, we see Jacob arriving and camping within the sight of Shechem. Jacob buys a plot of land from the father of Shechem and “pitches his tent” there. We know what happens next in chapter 34 to Dinah and to all the males living in Shechem. So we don’t know why he settled there but it sets the stage for Jacob’s next sorrow. We are told that Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, sleeps with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. Notice that Bilhah who has always been mentioned in relation to Rachel is now identified in relation to Jacob making this a crime against his father.

We may wonder what is going on here but if we think about who Bilhah is it may shed some light on it. She was the maidservant given by Laban to Rachel upon marrying Jacob. She had two sons to Jacob, Dan and Naphtali. Now that Rachel was dead it is possible that Bilhah would take over the favored place that Rachel held with Jacob and in his household. Also, we remember that Reuben was Leah’s firstborn son so this may have been a way to disgrace Bilhah so his mother could take over the favored place. Also, Reuben as the firstborn would have received his father’s concubines, servants, etc. upon Jacob’s death, but he was not yet dead. This is the equivalent to the Prodigal Son wanting his inheritance before his father had actually died. This just wasn’t how it was done in that culture.

All the commentators pretty much agree that Reuben wanted to steal Jacob’s authority within the family. For a son to sleep with his father’s wife was a declaration that he was now the head of the family. Did Reuben think he could run the family better than his father? Is Jacob losing control of his family? In the last chapter his daughter, Dinah, is defiled and he hears about it but what does he do? He waits till her brothers get home instead of taking care of it himself as the father and head of the household. What does he do here when Reuben sleeps with Bilhah? It says he heard about it but our scripture doesn’t say he does anything about it. His authority seems to be eroding more and more with each episode. Wenham says, “Posing these questions before the Joseph story begins gives us a sense of tension between Jacob and his sons descended from Leah and between the sons of Bilhah and Rachel on the one hand and the sons of Leah on the other.” This short isolated episode gives us the indication that the good, the bad and the ugly in the next generation will again concern birthright, inheritance and favoritism.

What Reuben did would have been considered a heinous crime and the penalty would have been death and God’s curse. The name “Israel” is mentioned three times in verses 21-22 which emphasizes the tribal implications of Reuben’s crime against his father. This coming on the heels of God’s blessing of Jacob and reminding him of his new name, Israel, shows that this crime was committed against not only Jacob but God. By trying to take Jacob’s place within the family he is also trying to take Jacob’s place as the next covenant carrier that God had bestowed on him. We will have to wait another fourteen chapters to see how Jacob finally handles this situation but for now this episode is gone as quickly as it came which speaks to the author’s horror at what transpired. In Genesis so far we have seen that scripture doesn’t gloss over sin and wickedness but it doesn’t sensationalize it either.

Our third point this morning is A New Standing found in chapter 35 verses 22a-29. This is what God’s Word says, “Jacob had twelve sons: The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”

What we see first is this list of the twelve sons of Jacob. With the birth of Benjamin, the family of Jacob is complete and these sons will be the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. The list starts with Leah and her children with Reuben specifically mentioned as the firstborn. Next, comes Rachel and her two sons. These are followed by the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah. This listing of the sons by their mothers focuses us on the rivalry between the brothers that we will see in the Joseph story. This list also emphasizes the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise that Jacob would have offspring like the dust of the earth. And the fact that they reside in Canaan fulfills the promise of land to Jacob.

The list of names is followed by the caveat that these sons of Jacob were born to him in Paddan Aram. But, we know that Benjamin was born in Canaan, in the Promised Land, so what is the author trying to tell us? There are times when the Bible is more interested in making a point than being factual. The point is that just like the first hearers, eleven of Jacob’s sons, who would be the ancestors of the twelve tribes, were also born outside the Land of Promise. They had to make a pilgrimage to the Promised Land just like the first hearers are going to have to do later on. The first hearers are better able to relate to the twelve sons of Jacob who would become their ancestors. The fact that Benjamin was born in the Promised Land would impact the nation of Israel as well later on. Being born in the land meant that he had clear title to it. And later on the place where he was born and where Rachel was buried will be part of the land that the tribe of Benjamin occupied when they came out of slavery and entered into Promised Land. This list of Jacob’s sons is a witness to God’s blessing that these sons were only the beginning of the chosen nation to come. This list is also evidence that God’s promises, blessing and plan will continue in spite of sin and death. Big Idea

Lastly, we see the reuniting of Isaac and Jacob and the obituary of Isaac as his toledot comes to a close. We notice the lack of emotion in their meeting unlike the emotion that we saw when Jacob and Esau reunited. It is significant that Isaac is now living in Mamre or Hebron. The last we saw he was living in Beersheba. It may be that Isaac moved to Mamre when Rebekah died so she could be buried in the Cave of Macpelah. We know from Genesis 49:31 that she was buried in the family tomb that Abraham had purchased from Ephron in Genesis 23:17. This move also makes sense in that Isaac would be buried in the same tomb when he passed away. The identification of Hebron associates Jacob with his ancestors, Abraham and Isaac.

Next, we see Isaac’s obituary. He lived one hundred and eighty years which was eighty years after he thought he was dying when Jacob stole Esau’s blessing. Chronologically, this means that he lived to see the day that Joseph was sold into slavery. It says Isaac breathed his last and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. “Gathered to his people” meant he was part of an ongoing family beyond the grave. He was also “old and full of years” meaning he lived to a ripe old age and was satisfied with the good long life he had. He was ready to be reunited with his family who had gone before. This parallels the obituary of Abraham which connects Isaac and subsequently Jacob to the chosen patriarchs. Isaac was admittedly the least talked about of the patriarchs but he lived longer than his father and his son. ​​ He was a most important bridge between Abraham and Jacob even though less is recorded about his life than about his father, sons and grandson, Joseph. Isaac was essential to the survival of the chosen family and the perpetuation of the promises of God. Genesis 21:12b says, “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

Finally, we see that his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. The death of Isaac brought his sons together just as the death of Abraham brought together Ishmael and Isaac. The mention of Esau sets us up for his genealogy seen in the next chapter. Wenham says, “Isaac is buried in the only real estate acquired by Abraham in Canaan, at Mamre, a place where the promises had been fully revealed. So the death and burial of Isaac in ripe old age in Mamre is a pledge of Israel’s ultimate possession of the land.” Isaac’s death changed Jacob’s standing. He was now the head of the covenant family and heir to the family blessings and promises. He not only acquired Isaac’s great wealth but also inherited all that was involved in the Abrahamic covenant. His God would now be known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

As I conclude today, I want to talk about two things we can notice in chapter 35. The first is spiritual renewal. Last week, Pastor Stuart talked about Jacob needing to be spiritually renewed. Why? First, because human memory is faulty. Jacob needed to be reminded of the things he promised the Lord. Second, because human commitment is fickle. Think about why he had to order his family to get rid of their foreign gods? It’s because they had foreign gods. He knew all along that his family had these gods but chose not to do anything about it until confronted by God. Third, because human fortunes change. Jacob made these promises before he had a family and was responsible for anything other than himself. Fourth, because human life is fleeting. Deborah, Rachel and Isaac all die in this chapter. Our lives become so full of work, family, play, etc. that our spiritual life gets left behind and when death happens our sense of being gets turned upside down. We need to be spiritually renewed to meet life’s tragedies in proper, godly way.

So, how is spiritual renewal experienced? First, Jacob needed to get back to basics. The Lord called him back to Bethel where he reminded him of his new name and the earlier promises to him. And Jacob responded by setting up a pillar and pouring a drink offering on it. Second, Jacob needed to get rid of barriers. He needed to rid himself of the foreign gods he had accumulated. He needed to get rid of those things that were producing conflict in his spiritual walk with the Lord. Without doing this there would be no lasting spiritual renewal. Which leads us to our first next step. What are the things in our lives that are producing conflict in our spiritual walk with the Lord? Think about that for a second. Maybe this first next step is for you: to search my life and get rid of the foreign gods that are producing conflict in my spiritual walk with the Lord.

The next step in our spiritual renewal after getting rid of the foreign gods in our lives is daily devotion to our God. This means daily being in God’s Word and hiding God’s Word in our hearts. This means regular participation in public worship and consistent fellowship with God’s people where sharing and caring for one another happens frequently. One of the things we have at Idaville Church to help with our spiritual renewal is the Spiritual Life Journal. The 2023 SLJ with our theme for the year, “More Like Jesus”, just came out and is on the slat wall in the foyer. Inside, are questions that you can ask yourself about your relationship with God. The memory verses that we are learning as a congregation are in there. The Daily Bible Reading Plan is in there. The Spiritual Life Journal can be a guide to help you be spiritually renewed in 2023. That brings us to our second next step which is to use the Spiritual Life Journal as a guide for my spiritual renewal this year.

Now the second thing we can notice in chapter 35 is that despite his spiritual renewal Jacob’s troubles were not over. Spiritual renewal doesn’t exempt the people of God from the ups and downs of life. There are still consequences of our own actions and the actions of those around us. But spiritual renewal does equip God’s people to be strong enough to handle anything that comes their way in a world where sin, death and heinous crime abounds. Wiersbe says, “It means walking with God by faith, knowing that he is with us and trusting him to help us for our good and his glory no matter what difficulties he permits to come our way.

As the ushers prepare to take up the tithes and offerings and the praise team comes forward to lead us, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, as we leave this place this morning, speak to our hearts and minds about our own personal spiritual renewal. Help us to search ourselves and get rid of the foreign gods in our lives that keep us away from a productive personal relationship with you. Guide us through times of ups and downs and never let us forget that they can’t stop your promises, blessing and plan from being fulfilled. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

/by

Idol Dump

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Origins

Idol Dump

(Genesis 35:1-15)

 

INTRODUCTION

“Responding to a previous calamity, Colorado governor Jared Polis decided upon a practical, utilitarian solution. When a rockslide caused a giant boulder the size of a house to tumble down and gouge a huge chunk from highway 145 near the southwestern town of Dolores, Polis decided to simply leave it there. State officials say that taxpayers will be better served by allowing the boulder to remain as a memorial of the freak accident and rebuilding the highway next to it.

 

The total cost of rebuilding the section of highway, which includes a new section of guardrail next to the boulder, is estimated at $1.3 million, according to budget estimates. Taxpayers are expected to save around $200,000, which is what it would’ve cost had they decided to blast the 8.5-million-pound boulder into smaller rock fragments. The boulder has been dubbed ‘Memorial Rock,’ because the rockslide happened on Memorial Day weekend.”

 

Potential Preaching Angle: Whether from unforeseen calamity or serendipitous blessing, it is important to use momentous occasions as memory markers. These help us remember what we've gone through and how God was faithful throughout.

 

Associated Press, “Colorado Will Leave House-Sized Boulder Along Highway” Huffpost.com (6-5-19).

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2019/july/colorado-governor-uses-giant-boulder-as-memorial.html].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • God’s almighty power

        • When we moved from Missouri to California there were two items that we had to leave in the capable hands of friends

        • I left my Saturn vehicle in the hands of another missionary that attended our church

          • He promised to repair it and sell it for me

          • It was stalling at red lights for no apparent reason

          • He repaired it fairly quickly and was able to sell it quickly

          • He sent me the total amount of money from the sale

          • He didn’t take out any money for parts or labor

          • I experienced the grace of God and His mighty power through that brother

        • We also had to leave the sale of our home in the hands of an incredible husband and wife team

          • We thought we had a buyer, but it fell through on the day we were supposed to close

          • This couple did an awesome job of finding another buyer and then helping us to complete all of the paperwork halfway across the country

          • We saw the power of God through that whole process

 

  • WE

    • God’s power and grace

        • Every one of us can probably think of a time when we have experienced God’s grace and/or power in our lives

        • Take a moment to reflect on one of the times

 

A couple of weeks ago we learned about the rape of Dinah and the murders that Simeon and Levi committed as retaliation for her rape. ​​ Genesis 34 was a dark chapter. ​​ However, Genesis 35:1-15 highlights a time of purification and worship following the sins of chapter 34. ​​ Just as God was calling the household of Jacob to purity and worship, He calls us to purity and worship. ​​ That is the big idea this morning.

 

BIG IDEA – God calls us to purity and worship.

 

Let’s pray

  • GOD (Genesis 35:1-15)

    • Purity (vv. 1-5)

        • God’s call (v. 1)

          • As was mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we do not see God in Genesis 34 at all

            • He does not speak

            • He is not consulted by Jacob or his sons

            • But God does not remain silent

          • God spoke to Jacob after the tragedy of having his daughter raped and his two sons going on a murderous streak

            • I am certain that both of those incidences broke the heart of God

            • He was watching sin run rampant in the lives of His chosen people

            • He certainly could have abandoned Jacob as His covenant carrier and started over with another group/family, but He didn’t

            • “In light of his situation, what God says to Jacob amazes me. ​​ He doesn’t say, ‘Sit down. ​​ You’re benched,’ or ‘Back off. ​​ You’re done,’ or ‘That’s it. ​​ You’re through.’ ​​ He says, ‘Arise. ​​ Go up’—because our God is a God of unbelievable grace.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis-Job, 160]

            • PRINCIPLE #1 – God’s grace is incredible!

              • In our failures, . . .

                • God is still concerned about us

                • God still wants to use us

                • God still calls to us

              • Grace is getting something that we don’t deserve

                • We don’t deserve forgiveness and salvation, but God offers it to us anyhow

                • Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.

              • Where are you at today?

                • Are you currently feeling like a failure?

                • Are you struggling with sin?

                • Do you feel like God would say to you, “You’re benched, you’re done, or you’re through”?

                • That’s not what He did with Jacob and that’s not what He will do with you

                • The Apostle Paul struggled with a thorn in his flesh that constantly tormented him

                  • He pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away

                  • This is what the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” ​​ (2 Cor. 12:9)

                • The writer of Hebrews reminds us of who Jesus is and what we have as a result of what He did

                  • Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ​​ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ​​ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ​​ (Hebrews 4:14-16)

                  • What an incredible promise that should bring us encouragement today

                • The struggle with sin

                  • God’s chosen man, Jacob, struggled with sin

                  • The Apostle Paul struggled with a thorn in his flesh

                  • Many other individuals in the Bible struggled with sin

                  • Many people, that we look up today, struggle with sin

                  • Praise the Lord for Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us

                • Jesus Christ was tempted just like you and me, but did not give in to those temptations—He was perfect, without sin

                • He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)

              • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Humble myself before the Lord, repent of my sins, and seek His grace.

            • God extended His grace to Jacob and encouraged him to move on from the pain, hurt, and sin of Shechem

          • God’s message had three imperatives

            • “GO UP” to Bethel

              • Bethel is where Jacob had his first encounter with the Lord through a dream (Genesis 28:10-22)

              • He set up the stone he had placed under his head, anointed it with oil, and made a vow to the Lord

              • Jacob had a vow to fulfill at Bethel

              • Going up would be topographically correct even though Jacob was heading south

              • Shechem was right around 1,800 feet while Bethel was close to 3,000 feet [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 546]

            • “SETTLE” there

              • Jacob was never supposed to settle in Shechem

              • Remember the heartache of settling there (rape and murder)

            • “BUILD” an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from Esau (NOTE: ​​ this is the only time that God directs a patriarch to build an altar)

          • Jacob begins to prepare his household for the move

        • Jacob’s response (vv. 2-3)

          • The Lord didn’t command Jacob to do these three things, but I believe Jacob knew what needed to be done when the Lord commanded him to go up to Bethel

          • “. . . Jacob apparently recognizes that with this pilgrimage the time has come when the gray area becomes black and white.” ​​ [Goldingay, 546]

          • Jacob gives his household three imperatives

            • “GET RID” of the foreign gods

              • This was a spiritual renewal that was taking place

              • Walton believes this was the way that Jacob was honoring the first part of the vow he took at Bethel over 20 years before – the Lord will be his God [Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 631]

              • The source of these foreign gods was probably two-fold

                • The teraphim that Rachel stole from her father’s house (Genesis 31:19)

                • Part of the items that were plundered from the Shechemites or as part of what the Shechemite women brought when they were taken as slaves

              • After they got rid of their foreign gods, then they needed to purify themselves

            • “PURIFY” yourselves

              • This was a purification of the heart

              • It involved both the physical washing of their bodies and the symbolic washing of their hearts [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 293]

              • This was probably necessary because they had looted the dead bodies of the Shechemite men [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 617]

            • “CHANGE” your clothes

              • This symbolized a sanctified heart to the Lord and a new purified way of life [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 203 and Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 472]

              • Part of the purification process would have been washing their clothes also

            • Jacob gives the purpose behind the purification process

          • Let’s go to Bethel

            • We will travel up to Bethel and I will build an altar to the God who did two things for me

              • Answered me in the day of my distress

                • This is a reference to Genesis 28 when Jacob was fleeing for his life from Esau

                • He stopped for the night at Bethel and had the dream of the stairway that went up to heaven

                • He heard the promises of God and then made a vow to God there

              • Has been with me wherever I have gone

                • We saw that throughout Genesis 29-34

                • Finding Laban’s family in Paddan Aram

                • Marrying Leah and Rachel

                • Having children

                • Gaining flocks

                • Protection from Laban’s deceit and wrath

                • Meeting with Esau

                • Probably even more than what is recorded in Scripture

            • The purpose for the purification was to prepare to worship the Lord

            • Jacob was not commanding his household to clean up so God would call them, he was commanding them to clean up because God had called them [Courson, 160]

          • What we see next is the response of Jacob’s household

        • Household response (vv. 4-5)

          • Idol dump

            • Everyone in his household (direct family, hired hands, slaves, etc.) gave Jacob their foreign gods and the rings in their ears

            • The earrings could have been part of the bounty taken from the Shechemites – they would have been amulets with an inscription stamped on them to a particular deity

            • The NIV translates the Hebrew word as buried

              • It is the same Hebrew word used for what Achan did when he hid or concealed the stolen items from Jericho (Joshua 7:21-22) [Mathews, 618]

              • It is more likely that Jacob hid or concealed the foreign gods and earrings under the oak at Shechem

              • It has the idea of dumping the idols as though they are trash—of no value

            • PRINCIPLE #2 – God is pleased when we get rid of the idols in our lives.

              • Is there an idol dump that you need to do today?

                • Idols come in all shapes and sizes

                • Idols can be possessions we have

                • Idols can be relationships we are a part of

                • Idols can be positions we’re in

                • Idols can be attitudes of the heart

                • What are your idols? ​​ (Take a moment to identify the idols in your life)

              • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Get rid of my idols by giving them to the Lord, so He can conceal them and I can prepare to worship Him only.

                • God calls us to purity and worship.

                • You may need to sell some things that are idols in your life so you can spend time with the Lord and put Him first

                • You may need to resign from certain positions that keep you from worshiping the Lord

                • You may need to readjust a relationship that is unhealthy, so you can put the Lord first

                • When you ask the Lord to reveal the idols in your life, He’ll do it

                • Then be obedient in getting rid of them

              • Jon Courson helps us understand the motivation that should drive us to give up our idols, “When I realize how kind and good and benevolent and merciful God is to me day after day after day, it causes me to want to put away my trinkets and toys that are not of Him.” ​​ [Courson, 160]

            • With their focus in the right place they begin their journey from Shechem to Bethel

          • God’s grace

            • If you recall, Jacob is fearful that if the Canaanites and Perizzites (the people living in the land) join forces and attack them, they will be destroyed (Genesis 34:30)

            • He was fearful that Simeon and Levi’s murderous actions would motivate the current inhabitants to attack them

            • We see God’s grace at work, once again

              • They certainly would have been deserving of some kind of recourse from the Canaanites and Perizzites

              • They should be held accountable for their actions

              • But instead of some kind of retaliation, the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them and they were able to travel through the territory untouched

              • Jacob’s household had definitely received something they did not deserve (grace)

              • This was proof that God was still with him wherever he went, especially as he traveled back to Bethel

            • PRINCIPLE #3 – When we fear God, we don’t have to fear anyone else.

              • The fear of God is not just being afraid of Him

              • The fear of God is also referring to reverencing Him – giving Him the proper respect as Creator, Sovereign, King, Lord, Master, Savior, etc.

              • When Jesus was preparing His disciples for persecution, He told them, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. ​​ Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

              • Maybe you need to claim that truth today and begin to live with that reality

          • They are on their way and God is with them

        • “By abandoning their gods and rings at Shechem, Jacob closed the chapter at Shechem and looked ahead to the realization of the Bethel promise and vow.” ​​ [Mathews, 618]

    • Worship (vv. 6-15)

        • Building an altar (vv. 6-7)

          • As soon as Jacob and his household arrive at Bethel (Luz) in Canaan, he built an altar in obedience to God’s command

          • God calls us to purity and worship.

          • Jacob called the place El Bethel

            • El means “God”

            • Bethel means “house of God”

            • El Bethel means “God of the house of God”

            • Jacob is not just focusing on the place where God was, when He first stopped at Bethel

            • Jacob is now emphasizing the presence of God being there [Mathews, 620]

          • We have a little caveat, before the narrator continues with the Jacob narrative

        • Burial of Deborah (v. 8)

          • Rebekah’s nurse

            • We knew that Rebekah’s father and brother sent her nurse with her (Gen. 24:59), but we didn’t know her name until now

            • Her name was Deborah, which means “a bee”

            • At some point she joins Jacob’s household

            • “Deborah had either been sent by Rebekah to take care of her daughters-in-law and grandsons, or had gone of her own accord into Jacob’s household after the death of her mistress.” ​​ [Keil & Delitzsch, 203]

            • Most scholars believe that the mention of Deborah is proof that Rebekah had already died

            • NOTE [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 378]

              • Genesis records the death and burial of Abraham (25:7-11), Isaac (35:29), and Jacob (49:33)

              • It also records the death and burial of each of the patriarch’s favorite wife (Sarah, 23:1-20; Rachel, 35:19), but it does not record Rebekah’s death and burial

              • We are told in Genesis 49:31, where Rebekah was buried, in the cave at Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan

          • Allon Bacuth

            • Deborah was buried under the oak below Bethel

            • It is not an exact location

            • The place was called Allon Bacuth (al-lone’ baw-kooth’/ alone’ bawk-hooth’)

            • It means “oak of weeping”

          • After the obituary, the narrator continues with Jacob

        • God’s presence (vv. 9-13)

          • I would encourage you to look at Genesis 17:1-8, 22 together with Genesis 35:9-14 to see the many similarities between Abraham and Jacob’s encounter with God

            • God tells them both that He is El-Shaddai

            • God tells them both to be fruitful and numerous

            • God changes both of their names

            • God will make them into a community of nations

            • God will give them the land of Canaan

            • God withdrew

          • Jacob’s new name

            • God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan Aram

              • We know that the first time was at Peniel when Jacob wrestled with God

              • Now God appears to him a second time at Bethel

            • God reiterates what he told Jacob at Peniel, his name will no longer be Jacob (deceiver), but will now be Israel (he struggles with God)

          • God’s name

            • The first encounter that Jacob had with God at Peniel, he asked Him His name

            • But, God did not give him His name, but simply blessed him

            • This time Jacob does not need to ask God his name, because He freely offers it

              • He tells Jacob/Israel that He is El-Shaddai (God Almighty)

              • This name for God is significant here, because He is promising to make Jacob into a nation and a community of nations, to have kings come from his descendants, and to give him the land that He gave to Abraham and Isaac

              • For all of this to happen it was going to take a mighty God, sovereignly working out every single detail

              • We know from reading the Bible and from historical documents that God accomplished everything that He promised Jacob/Israel

            • PRINCIPLE #4 – We can trust that God is Almighty.

              • He is still able to accomplish His will and purpose in your life, because He is Almighty

              • There is nothing that is impossible for Him

              • When we humble ourselves, repent of our sins, get rid of our idols, reverence God, and seek His grace, then He can work in and through us to accomplish is plan and purpose for us

              • We are not cleaning up so God will call us; we are cleaning up because God has called us – we are His children as followers of Jesus Christ

              • He will take us from where we are to where He wants us to be

              • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Trust in God’s almighty power to accomplish His plan and purpose in my life.

          • After God appeared to Jacob and blessed him, He went up from him at the place where He had talked to him (Bethel)

        • Jacob’s memorial (vv. 14-15)

          • Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him

          • This was the second time that Jacob had set up a stone pillar in Bethel – the first time was when he was fleeing from Esau and he set up the stone pillow he had used, as a memorial

          • He not only anointed this stone pillar with oil, but he also poured out a drink offering on it

            • This is the first time this is mentioned in Scripture

            • Later on this was a regular part of offerings to the Lord (daily, monthly, and annually) ​​ [Goldingay, 549]

          • God calls us to purity and worship.

          • There is reminder again that Jacob called the place, Bethel, where he talked with God

 

  • YOU

    • Do you need to humble yourself, repent of your sins, and seek God’s grace?

    • What idols do you need to get rid of in your life?

    • Do you need to reverence God today?

    • Are you ready to trust in God’s almighty power to accomplish His plan and purpose for your life?

  • WE

    • Where do we need to humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and seek God’s grace?

    • What idols do we need to get rid of?

    • How should we reverence God today?

    • Where do we need to trust in God’s almighty power to accomplish His plan and purpose for us as a church?

 

CONCLUSION

“On December 4, 2000, forestry officials in Germany carried out a necessary but unusual task. ​​ They cut down trees that had been planted in the form of a swastika some sixty years before. ​​ When viewed from the air the trees were lighter in color than the forest around them, showing clearly the symbol of Nazi Germany more than half a century after the Third Reich had attempted to take over the world.

 

The continuing effects of evil represent one of the great realities of sin in the world. ​​ We have noted how the habit of deceit ran through Jacob’s family. ​​ We have seen Isaac’s weakness as a father reflected in Jacob as treachery, murder, and adultery ran rampant in the patriarchal family. ​​ We have noted that the sins of Simeon, Levi, and Reuben, unpunished at the time of their commission, came back to haunt them in Jacob’s final blessing of the tribes.

 

We find it hard to believe that it took sixty years for people to notice those Nazi trees; perhaps officials refused to deal with the problem. ​​ But just as Jacob’s family had to rid themselves of foreign gods and trinkets of evil, so we need to cut down the Nazi trees in our lives so sins of the past do not carry over into the present.”

 

[Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 298-99].

13

 

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Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right

, ,

Origins

Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right

(Genesis 34:1-31)

 

INTRODUCTION

“In his book Predictably Irrational, researcher Dan Ariely claims that most of us are masters at deceiving ourselves and justifying our actions. In particular, we often make our decisions based not on what's right, but on what we want.

 

Ariely tells his own story of buying a car. ‘When I turned thirty,’ he writes, ‘I decided it was time to trade in my motorcycle for a car, but I could not decide which car was right for me. The web was just taking off, and to my delight I found a site that provided advice on purchasing cars.’ Professor Ariely describes how he answered all of the questions on the website, which then recommended that he purchase a Ford Taurus. He describes his reaction this way:

 

The problem was that, having just surrendered my motorcycle, I couldn't see myself driving a sedate sedan. I was now facing a dilemma: I had tried a deliberative and thoughtful process for my car selection, and I didn't like the answer I got. So, I did what I think anyone in my position would do. I hit the BACK button a few times, backtracked to earlier stages of the interview process, and changed many of my original answers to what I convinced myself were more accurate and appropriate responses .… I kept this up until the car-advertising website suggested a Mazda Miata. The moment the program was kind enough to recommend a small convertible, I felt grateful for the fantastic software and decided to follow its advice.

 

Commenting on what he learned in the process, Professor Ariely says, ‘The experience taught me that sometimes we want our decisions to have a rational veneer when, in fact, they stem from … what we crave deep down.’”

 

Source: Jim Samra, God Told Me (Baker, 2012), pp. 50-51.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2012/september/4091712.html].

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Bus incident

        • I shared not that long ago about a time when I did something to another guy on the school bus that prompted him to turn around and hit me

        • When I left the bus, I slapped him on the side of the head

        • I did not show restraint or self-control at the time, but allowed my sinful behavior to get out of control

        • There were consequences for my behavior

 

  • WE

    • Out of control

        • All of us have probably experienced a time in our lives when we have allowed our sinful human behavior to get out of control

        • Take a comment to recall that experience

 

Chapter 34 does not really have any redeeming qualities. ​​ It is a very dark chapter in Genesis as we see a heinous crime that is committed and an equally heinous retaliation enacted on an entire city. ​​ Sin is running rampant throughout this entire narrative. ​​ Instead of doing what is right and just, we find that the individuals involved are acting on cravings and sinful desires. ​​ Both the initial act and the retaliation spin out of control. ​​ What we learn from this passage is . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Sinful human behavior can easily get out of control.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 34:1-31)

    • Violation (vv. 1-4)

        • We are introduced to the individual who is the center of everything that happens in this chapter

          • Dinah (dee-naw’), the daughter of Leah and Jacob

          • We were first introduced to Dinah in Genesis 30:21 – she was born to Jacob and Leah some time later after Leah had already given birth to six sons

          • It is probable that Jacob and Leah had other daughters also, but only Dinah is mentioned in Scripture

          • She is between 13-15 years old at this time, which was the marriageable age in the ancient Near East

        • Went out

          • The Hebrew word for “went out” is yāṣā’ (yaw-tsaw’/yacht-saw’) and is found in verses 1, 6, 24, and 26 – it’s a recurring theme in this passage

          • Dinah going out on her own at the marriageable age would have been unusual in the culture of the day

          • “Girls of a marriageable age would not normally leave a rural encampment to go unchaperoned into an alien city.” ​​ [Sarna cited by Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 461]

          • Dinah was simply going to visit some girlfriends and was not looking for a boyfriend or planning to do anything immoral [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 291]

          • It was improper and imprudent for her to do this – it allowed her to be vulnerable

          • We are not told if she did this against her parent’s wishes

          • We do not know if she snuck out

          • “. . . the text repeatedly emphasizes her role as Jacob’s daughter, suggesting that her behavior was his responsibility.” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, 291]

          • PRINCIPLE #1 – Our role as parents is to protect our children.

            • Sometimes that means saying “No” to something that they want to do, because we know that it could put them in a compromising situation or a vulnerable position

            • It is difficult to have to make those decisions for them, but it is important to protect them

            • We also have to train them to make wise decisions, so they do not find themselves in situations or positions that make them vulnerable

            • Too often parents want their children to like them, so they allow them to do certain things and go certain places, even though they know it may not be safe

            • Our role is not be our children’s best friend, but to be their parent – a guiding force in their lives

            • As our children mature and become adults, then we can foster a friendship with them that will last a lifetime

            • Parents, it is imperative that you know what your children are viewing online, where they are going with friends, and what they are experimenting with

            • It is important that we model for them what a personal relationship with Jesus Christ looks like and that that relationship takes precedence over everything else

            • What we say and do has an incredible impact on our children, whether for good or bad

          • We do not know the circumstances behind Dinah going out to visit the women of the land

            • Mathews contends that Dinah’s intention in visiting the women of the land was to observe their habits [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 590]

            • It is important for us to remember that Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah were repulsed by Canaanite women and their lifestyle, which is why they sought wives for their sons from Paddan Aram/Haran [Waltke, 462]

            • What was it about the women of the land that intrigued Dinah?

          • We do not know if Jacob knew about it ahead of time and approved or disapproved of it

          • All we know is that she went out

        • Shechem’s actions

          • We are told that Shechem is the son of Hamor, who was the ruler of the area

          • His actions

            • He saw her

              • There was not any sin in recognizing her beauty

              • It was perhaps “love at first sight”

              • He thought to himself, “That girl is attractive!”

            • He took her

              • There would not have been any sin, if he had just started talking to her – getting to know her

              • But he took her

              • We are not told how he did that, whether it was through seduction (sweet-talking her) or force

            • He violated her

              • We do know from the Hebrew word for “violated” that the intimate act was not consensual

              • “The third verb (ʿānâ piel) implies that their having sex was not consensual. ​​ It’s the nearest to a Hebrew verb for rape, though it can also refer (e.g.) to a man having sex with a woman whom he has captured in war and married (Deut. 21:14). ​​ While it thus need not indicate that he has violent sex with Dinah, it does suggest that he is behaving like a man who assumes he can do as he likes with a woman and that he violates her.” ​​ [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 532]

              • Sinful human behavior can easily get out of control.

              • PRINCIPLE #2 – Pursuing the world can have negative consequences.

                • The negative consequences for Dinah were forced upon her

                • She had put herself in a compromising and vulnerable position

                • She did not have other siblings or friends with her to help protect her

                • Perhaps you have been intrigued by the habits of other people or groups and you are tempted to hang out with them

                • Are you putting yourself in a compromising or vulnerable position?

                • Do you have family or friends that can help protect you

                • Young people, perhaps you need to avoid certain places and people in order to protect yourself

                • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Ask the Lord to give me wisdom about the people I am hanging out with and the places where I am going.

              • WARNING!

                • “First comes the desire, then the action when that lust is not checked.” ​​ [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 354]

                • Sinful human behavior can easily get out of control.

                • Men, forcing a woman to be intimate with you is always wrong!

                • Lust, if unchecked, will lead to more than just viewing images in a magazine or on a screen

                • It will lead to acting out what you have viewed

                • Every one of us needs to be in an accountability relationship with another man, so we can live a holy and righteous life

                • There is freedom from lust and sexual sin through the power of Jesus Christ that transforms us from the inside out

            • He was attached to her

              • It can also be translated, “clung to her”

              • In his lust for Dinah, Shechem does not want to lose her

              • This is apparent when he asks his father to “get me this girl as my wife.” (Gen. 34:4)

              • It is also apparent when we find out that Dinah has been held in Shechem’s house since the violation took place (Gen. 34:26)

            • He loved her

            • He encouraged her

              • It can be literally translated that Shechem “spoke upon the heart of the girl”

              • “The expression occurs ten times in the OT, always in less than ideal situations, where there is a sense of guilt or repentance, where A attempts to persuade B of his feelings.” [Hamilton, 355]

            • NOTE: ​​ Shechem is not apologizing for what he has done, but rather he is trying to convince Dinah that everything is going to be alright

            • I am certain that Dinah is struggling to feel loved by Shechem

            • Shechem enlists his father to make the marriage arrangements after the fact – he has gotten the cart before the horse

            • PRINCIPLE #3 – God is not pleased whenever we try to justify our sin.

              • How many of us have done that in our own lives

              • We have tried to make things “right” after we have sinned

              • How many couples have already been intimate with each other prior to marriage and have even conceived a child out of wedlock?

              • Some of those couples have gotten married and are still married

              • I heard of a couple that were intimate before marriage and conceived a child (the couple is from another state, so it is not someone that any of us would know)

                • They felt like they had to get married, which they did

                • The husband eventually left the marriage, because he never really wanted to be married

                • What he really wanted was to experience intimacy without commitment

              • Justifying our sin is not limited to just the act of intimacy

                • We may justify having too many alcoholic drinks

                • We may justify using illegal drugs, because it helps with pain, anxiety, depression, etc.

                • We may justify not paying all of our taxes

                • We may justify looking at pornography

                • We may justify gossiping

                • Every one of us knows the areas where we justify our sin

              • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Stop justifying my sin, confess it before the Lord, and repent.

              • Many of us believe that marrying the person we have been intimate with will somehow make things right

            • That is probably what Shechem was thinking when he asked his father to get Dinah as his wife

        • The violation had taken place and Dinah had been defiled

        • Hamor approaches Jacob to negotiate a marriage agreement

    • Negotiation (vv. 5-24)

        • Jacob’s reaction (v. 5)

          • Jacob was home by himself when he learned that Dinah had been defiled

          • His sons were in the field with the livestock

          • Jacob remained quiet about it until his sons came home

          • Jacob does not overreact or do anything hastily

          • I am sure that he is angry and upset that his daughter had been raped, but he does not do anything rash

          • That is not the case with his sons

        • Jacob’s son’s reaction (vv. 6-7)

          • Hamor went out (same Hebrew word as in verse 1, yāṣā’) to talk with Jacob

          • Jacob’s sons were there, because they immediately came in from the fields when they heard what had happened to Dinah

          • They were filled with grief and fury

            • An uncircumcised man had been intimate with their sister

            • What Shechem did was something disgraceful against Israel (it was against Jacob and his family)

            • This was something that should not have been done

            • As I mentioned earlier, rape is never right

            • Shechem had not only destroyed and dishonored Jacob’s family, he challenged the normal way of sexual matters for the nation of Israel, and he stripped Jacob of the opportunity to make the choice of who Dinah should marry

            • Dinah would be considered “used goods,” which would make Jacob’s job of finding her a husband, more difficult

          • Hamor appeals to them and tries to smooth things over

        • Hamor’s offer (vv. 8-10)

          • Hamor tells them that Shechem’s heart is set on Dinah as his wife – of course he was, because he was trying to make right what he had done wrong

          • The offer

            • Intermarry with us (we will give our daughters to you in marriage and you can give us your daughters in marriage)

            • Settle among us

              • The land is open to the Jacobites

              • They can live it, trade in it, and purchase property of their own (property rights would give the Hebrews full partnership with the Hivites)

          • Hamor has made his offer to Jacob and his sons, but Shechem is so eager and excited about taking Dinah as his wife that he speaks up and makes a greater offer

        • Shechem’s plea (vv. 11-12)

          • Shechem is blinded by “love,” but more likely “lust”

          • He so desperately wants to find favor in the eyes of Jacob and his sons that he offers them basically a blank check

          • They could name any bride price they would like and he would make it happen

          • He was also offering a gift to Dinah as part of the deal

          • “In the case of a rape of an unbetrothed virgin, the law demanded payment of fifty shekels of silver and marriage without the possibility of divorce (Deut. 22:28-29).” ​​ [Waltke, 465]

          • Shechem was offering more than fifty shekels of silver

        • Jacob’s son’s proposal (vv. 13-17)

          • The apple does not fall far from the tree

            • Because Dinah had been defiled, Jacob’s sons replied deceitfully

            • They told Hamor and Shechem that they could not give Dinah to an uncircumcised man

            • It would be a disgrace for their sister to marry a man outside of the family covenant with God [Mathews, 602]

            • It was deceitful, because they led Hamor and Shechem to believe that the only thing keeping them from intermarrying was circumcision

          • The proposal

            • Jacob’s sons would consent to the marriage on one condition

            • They would have to become like the Jacobites by having all of the males circumcised

            • Jacob’s sons would agree to Hamor’s offer of giving and receiving their daughters in marriage, settling among them, and becoming one people with them

            • If the Hamorite men refused the proposal then they would take their sister and go

            • “The real sin was with Jacob’s sons, who used the sign of a spiritual covenant with God as an act of treachery to exact revenge. ​​ Griffith Thomas points out: ​​ Circumcision without faith in the covenant God could not be anything but carnal and earthly. ​​ And, worse still, they were about to employ the solemn seal of Divine covenant for the purpose of wreaking their vengeance on these unsuspecting men. ​​ Their suggestion was therefore nothing more than a pretext to cover treachery. ​​ There was the appearance of piety with the reality of intended murder. ​​ Could anything be more truly terrible? ​​ What a light it sheds on the state of Jacob’s home life! (Thomas, 323).” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, 292]

          • PRINCIPLE #4 – God is dishonored when we take the sacred and make it secular.

            • What have we taken that is sacred and made it secular

            • Christmas and Easter could certainly fall into that category, depending on how we celebrate them and what we focus on when we celebrate them

            • Some people, including Christians, have taken intimacy between a man and woman and have made it secular by practicing it outside of marriage

            • Our culture has taken God’s design for marriage and made it something He never intended (same-sex marriage)

            • Our culture has also taken God’s perfect creative power and twisted it by saying that there are more than two genders, male and female

            • They have also twisted God’s sacred creative power and have basically said that He made a mistake in creating one person male, instead of female and vis-versa

            • Some people have taken God’s inerrant Word and have said that there are mistakes in it

            • Some of the preaching and teaching that takes place in churches today is sacrilegious

            • Some churches have taken the sacred role of pastor and elder and made it secular by allowing homosexuals to serve in those roles

            • Even some of our worship music has crossed the line from sacred to secular

            • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Confess the areas of my life where I have made the sacred, secular and repent of it.

          • Shechem did not waste any time

        • Shechem’s reaction (vv. 18-19)

          • Hamor and Shechem liked the proposal

          • Shechem did not lose any time in doing what they said

            • Some scholars believe that Shechem took a knife and circumcised himself

            • Others believe he had someone else circumcise him immediately

            • He wanted to show Jacob and his sons that he was serious about taking Dinah as his wife

            • He was delighted with Dinah

          • They both went to the gate of their city to speak with their fellow townsmen

        • Townsmen’s reaction (vv. 20-24)

          • Circumcision sales pitch

            • The men [Jacobites] are friendly towards us

            • Let them live in our land and trade in it – there is plenty of room

            • We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours

            • Here is their only condition – all of our males have to be circumcised, like them

            • That is a small price to pay, isn’t it?

            • Eventually their livestock, property, and all their other animals will be ours

            • So, let us all get circumcised and they will settle among us

          • Omitted items

            • They did not tell the townsmen that Shechem had violated one of their women and he was seeking her hand in marriage

            • They also did not tell the townsmen that they had offered the acquisition of land to them (full partnership with them)

          • Townsmen’s answer

            • All the men who went out (same Hebrew word as in verses 1 and 6, yāṣā’) of the city gate agreed with Hamor and Shechem

            • All of the males in the city were circumcised

        • Imagine for a moment how excited Hamor, Shechem, and the townsmen were, even though they were in pain

        • Their future seemed bright, because they would eventually absorb the Hebrews and all of their possessions

        • They had no idea that a trap had been set and was about to be sprung

    • Retaliation (vv. 25-31)

        • Three days later

          • This would have been at the height of their pain from the circumcision

          • There would also be a fever associated with the operation that would make them feel even worse [Hamilton, 368]

        • Death of all the males

          • While they were most vulnerable, Simeon and Levi, along with their servants, attacked the city and killed every male

          • They also found Hamor and Shechem and put them to death

            • PRINCIPLE #5 – Chasing sinful desires can be deadly.

              • How many stories have we heard where someone is intoxicated and leaves a bar with another person who rapes them and/or kills them

              • There are an increasing number of young people who are dying from fentanyl laced drug use

              • There are so many other examples of how chasing sinful desires can be deadly

            • Sinful human behavior can easily get out of control.

          • They found Dinah in Shechem’s home and left (same Hebrew word as in verses 1, 6, and 24, yāṣā’)

        • Looting

          • The sons of Jacob is probably referring to the other nine sons

          • They come upon the dead bodies and start taking the flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs

          • They took everything from the houses in the city and everything in the fields

          • They carried off the women and children also

          • “… he who pitches his tent toward the world must not be surprised when his kids act like the world.” ​​ [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis—Job, 160]

        • Reprimand

          • Jacob obviously did not know what Simeon and Levi had planned

          • When he found out he reprimanded them

          • “The word for ‘stink’ (bāʾāš) may describe the foul odor emanating from dead fish (Exod 7:18,21) and rotten bread (Exod 16:20).” ​​ [Mathews, 609]

          • “His concerns are tactical and strategic, rather than ethical (as in 49:5-7). ​​ He is without the resources to oppose a united force; Jacob has been reduced to a position of vulnerability.” ​​ [Hamilton, 371]

        • Reply

          • Simeon and Levi respond with a rhetorical question

          • Jacob does not respond

 

  • YOU

    • Do you need to protect your children?

    • Do you need to ask the Lord for wisdom concerning your friends?

    • Is there a sin(s) that you need to stop justifying and repent of?

    • Are there areas of your life that you have made the sacred, secular?

  • WE

    •  

 

CONCLUSION

“It was a small adjustment that could make a big difference. Sure, it was against NASCAR rules, but almost everyone else was doing it. So crew chief Tim Shutt crawled under the No. 20 car of Mike McLaughlin, who races on the NASCAR Busch circuit.

 

‘Joe [Gibbs, team owner] is adamant that we don't cheat,’ says Shutt, a relatively new believer who encountered Christ at a Christian retreat for participants in the racing industry. ‘Most teams figure that as long as you get away with it, it's not cheating.’

 

‘I said to Mike that morning in practice, ‘If we're no good in practice, I'll put this piece—the illegal piece—on.’ Probably 30 other teams are doing it.’ I was justifying it.

 

‘I got up under the car, I got halfway through putting it on, and that verse, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God,’ came flashing in red in front of me, and whoa, that was it. I said, ‘I'm leaving this up to you, God.’’ Shutt didn't put the piece on the car.

 

McLaughlin won the race. It was Talladega, one of the biggest races of 2001.

 

‘When we won, the first thing that came to my mind was that verse,’ Tim says. ‘God wanted to show himself to me.’”

 

Source: Victor Lee, Sports Spectrum; reprinted in Men of Integrity (May/June 2002).

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2003/march/14219.html].

13

 

/by

The Greatest Commandment

, ,

Origins

The Greatest Commandment

(Genesis 33:12-20)

 

INTRODUCTION

Loving God through Loving Others

 

“From Saul Bellow's collection of traditional Jewish tales comes this story:

 

In a small Jewish town in Russia, there is a rabbi who disappears each Friday morning for several hours. His devoted disciples boast that during those hours their rabbi goes up to heaven and talks to God.

 

A stranger moves into town, and he's skeptical about all this, so he decides to check things out. He hides and watches. The rabbi gets up in the morning, says his prayers, and then dresses in peasant clothes. He grabs an axe, goes off into the woods, and cuts some firewood, which he then hauls to a shack on the outskirts of the village. There an old woman and her sick son live. He leaves them the wood, enough for a week, and then sneaks back home.

 

Having observed the rabbi's actions, the newcomer stays on in the village and becomes his disciple. And whenever he hears one of the villagers say, ‘On Friday morning our rabbi ascends all the way to heaven,’ the newcomer quietly adds, ‘If not higher.’”

 

Source: Jim McGuiggan, Jesus, Hero of Thy Soul (Howard Publishing, 1998), p.15.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2000/november/12704.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Loving God

        • I do not do it perfectly, but I love God!

        • I enjoy time with Him in the morning and throughout the day

        • I enjoy studying His Word and seeking His wisdom in preparing sermons

    • Loving others

        • I do not do this perfectly, but I try

        • Judy and I have opened our home over the years for meals with various individuals

        • We have opened our home to those who needed a place to stay

        • We have taken meals to various individuals

        • We have visited with people

        • We have prayed with and for others

 

  • WE

    • Loving God

        • All of us have probably expressed our love for God in various ways

        • Take a moment to reflect on the ways we have loved God

    • Loving others

        • All of us have probably expressed our love for others in various ways, too

        • Take a moment to reflect on the ways we have loved others

 

Jesus gave us the greatest commandment when He responded to one of the Pharisees. ​​ He said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ​​ This is the first and greatest commandment. ​​ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ​​ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40). ​​ Through the continued interaction between Esau and Jacob, we will see Esau’s love for his brother. ​​ We will see Jacob loving God when he builds and names an altar at Shechem. ​​ The greatest command was given for all followers of Jesus Christ. ​​ So, through this narrative today, we will be challenged with the idea that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Our faith is expressed when we love God and others.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 33:12-20)

    • Loving others (vv. 12-16)

        • Hospitality

          • Travel together

            • Esau’s offer

              • Hamilton points out that “I will accompany you is literally ‘I will go in front of you’” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 346]

              • Esau is showing love and concern for his brother and his family by offering to go in front of them to probably provide protection

            • Jacob’s response

              • Different pace

                • Esau and his 400 men were warriors/soldiers and their pace would be much faster than that of a shepherd

                • Jacob explains that the young children in his family are tender and will not be able to keep the pace of a warrior

                • Jacob also explains that he has ewes and cows that have nursing young

                  • The nursing young would not be able to keep a steady, fast pace

                  • They would need to stop in order to nurse

                  • The momma animals would need time to graze and drink, so they would be able to produce the milk needed for their young

                  • If Jacob drove the animals hard, even one day, they would die

                • “At first glance we might think the reference to the animals and children offered a convenient excuse, but most likely it represented the reality of the different lifestyles these men and their descendants had adopted.” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 281]

                  • Some scholars are hard on Jacob, saying that the excuse he gives for refusing Esau’s offer shows that Jacob is still Jacob and not Israel

                  • It is easy for us to be hard on Jacob when we do not know his mind and heart

                  • I believe he was being a good shepherd of his flock and family

                  • This was not some lame excuse, but a genuine concern for Jacob

                  • I believe that Jacob knew that God was with him and would protect him

                • “He needed no military guard, ‘for he knew that he was defended by the hosts of God;’ and the reason given was a very good one: ‘My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds that are milking are upon me’: i.e., because they are giving milk they are an object of especial anxiety to me; ‘and if one should overdrive them a single day, all the sheep would die.’” ​​ [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 198]

              • Go on ahead

                • Jacob encourages Esau to go on ahead

                • Jacob continues to address Esau as his lord and refers to himself as his servant

                • Jacob will move along at the pace of his family and flocks

                • “‘Till I come to my lord to Seir:’ these words are not to be understood as meaning that he intended to go direct to Seir; consequently they were not a willful deception for the purpose of getting rid of Esau. ​​ Jacob’s destination was Canaan, and in Canaan probably Hebron, where his father Isaac still lived. ​​ From thence he may have thought of paying a visit to Esau in Seir.” ​​ [Keil & Delitzsch, 198]

            • Esau obviously accepts Jacobs explanation, but his offer of hospitality did not end there

          • Leave some men with you

            • Esau’s offer

              • Esau offered to leave some of his men with Jacob

              • Perhaps it was to help with the flocks

              • Maybe it was to guide them to Seir

              • It is not stated what the expectation was

            • Jacob’s response

              • Jacob’s inquires about why Esau would do that

              • Jacob just wants to find favor in the eyes of Esau

                • It was his polite way of declining Esau’s second offer, without offending him [Waltke, Genesis: ​​ A Commentary, 456]

                • How many of us have been in a situation where we have to politely decline hospitality that has been offered to us

                • We do not want to offend the person who has extended hospitality, so we have to find a way to graciously decline

            • The text does not continue with Esau insisting that Jacob accept the offer of men, so we can assume that Jacob has found favor in Esau’s eyes [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 571]

          • Esau extended hospitality to Jacob twice

        • Application

          • PRINCIPLE #1 – God is pleased when we extend hospitality.

            • We are not told in Scripture that Esau ever began to follow the God of his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham

            • People who are not followers of Jesus Christ can certainly extend hospitality

            • But, as followers of Jesus Christ our motivation to extend hospitality is different than those who are not followers of Jesus Christ

            • God is pleased when we extend hospitality to others

            • Our faith is expressed when we love God and others.

            • Hospitality is one way we can show others that we love them

            • When was the last time you received hospitality from someone else? (How did that make you feel?)

            • When was the last time you extended hospitality to someone else?

              • To whom can you extend hospitality today?

              • To whom can you extend hospitality this week?

            • What are some creative ways you can extend hospitality to others? (offering a meal, offering a time of fellowship, offering help with a project, babysitting kids, offering a ride to church or an appointment, offering a smile and/or a kind word, serving them in any way they may need)

          • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Show my love for someone by extending hospitality to him or her this week.

        • Esau started for home that same day, but Jacob went to Succoth (sook-kohth’/sue-kohth’)

    • Loving God (vv. 17-20)

        • Succoth

          • We do not know if Jacob eventually went to Seir (say-eer’/say-ear) to see Esau and his family

          • We do know that instead of going to Seir, he went to Succoth

            • Succoth was just west of Peniel on the Jordan River and north of the Jabbok River [show map]

            • It is mentioned several times in the story of Gideon in Judges 8:5, 6, 8, 14

            • It is probable that he stopped there to allow his children and flocks to rest, so they would not get worn out

            • Jacob actually named the place where he stopped

            • He build shelters there, which is why he named it Succoth (Succoth means shelters/booths)

            • “The word sūkkâ describes a covered booth or shelter that served temporary purposes (e.g., 2 Sam 11:11; Ida 1:8; Job 27:18; Jonah 4:5). ​​ The word is best known for naming the structures built during Israel’s wilderness sojourn, whose provision they celebrated in the annual ‘Feast of Tabernacles/Booths’ (ḥag hassūkkôt; e.g., Lev 23:33-43).” ​​ [Mathews, 573]

          • There are no time stamps to let us know how long Jacob stayed in Succoth

        • Shalem a city of Shechem

          • What we know is that after Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at Shalem, a city of Shechem (shek-em’/shek-hem’)

          • He pitched his tents in sight of Shechem

          • Jacob had finally reached the Promised Land (Canaan) [show map]

        • Land purchase

          • Jacob purchased the ground where he had pitched his tents for a hundred pieces of silver

            • The NASB translates it as a hundred pieces of money

            • That is probably more accurate, because the Hebrew word represents a unit of unknown value

            • We are not sure how much Jacob paid for the ground where he pitched his tents

          • The ground was owned by the sons of Hamor (kham-ore’), the father of Shechem

          • “This piece of field, which fell to the lot of the sons of Joseph, and where Joseph’s bones were buried (Josh. 24:32), was, according to tradition, the plain which stretches out at the south-eastern opening of the valley of Shechem, where Jacob’s well is still pointed out (John 4:6), also Joseph’s grave, a Mahometan wely (grave) two or three hundred paces to the north (Rob. Pal. iii. 95ff.).” ​​ [Keil & Delitzsch, 199]

        • Set up an altar

          • Jacob set up an altar

            • Comparisons between Abraham and Jacob’s arrivals in Canaan from Haran [Mathews, 574]

              • Shechem was the first place where Abraham and Jacob both resided in Canaan

              • They both pitched their tent there

              • They both set up an altar there

            • While Abraham did not name his altar, Jacob did

          • He called the altar El Elohe Israel

            • It can mean “God, the God of Israel”

            • It can also mean “mighty is the God of Israel”

          • Jacob was fulfilling his vow to the Lord (Genesis 28:21)

            • He had returned safely to his father’s house

            • So, the Lord would be his God

            • It is significant that Jacob used his new name in naming the altar

          • The Lord was worthy to be Jacob’s God

            • God had been with him for 20 years in Haran

            • God had protected him for 20 years

            • God provided food and clothing for Jacob over the 20 years that he was away

            • God had brought him safely home to Canaan

            • God had provided a family for him

            • God had provided a livelihood as a shepherd and God had provided flocks and herds

        • Application

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – The Lord is worthy to be our God.

            • Take a moment to reflect on everything that God has done for you

              • How has He been with you?

              • How has He protected you?

              • How has He provided for you? (food, clothing, shelter, family, friends, livelihood, education, etc.)

              • What has He brought you safely through?

            • Do you think the Lord is worthy to be your God?

            • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Worship the Lord as my God and thank Him for all He has done for me.

            • Our faith is expressed when we love God and others.

          • If you have never believed in Jesus as your Savior, I want you to know that He is worthy to be your Savior

            • We are all born with a desire to be in charge of our lives and to have our own way – we do not want anyone else to be in charge of us (Rom. 3:23)

            • Our desire to be separated from God is called rebellion, which is sin

            • This rebellion against God earns us separation from Him for all of eternity (Rom. 6:23)

            • That is not God’s desire for you or anyone else

            • His desire is that you would be in a personal relationship with Him

            • He loves you with an everlasting love and draws you to Himself with loving-kindness (Jer. 31:3)

            • He demonstrated His love for you by sending His One and Only perfect Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you (Rom. 5:8)

            • God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)

            • Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross for your sins is why He is worthy to be your Savior

            • John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

            • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Believe in Jesus as my Savior from sin and receive God’s gift of eternal life.

 

  • YOU

    • To whom do you need to show hospitality to this week?

    • Are you ready to worship the Lord, because He is worthy to be your God?

    • Are you ready to believe in Jesus as your Savior and receive eternal life?

 

  • WE

    • We have the opportunity to show hospitality to those in our community

    • We can worship the Lord for providing and protecting us as a body of believers

 

CONCLUSION

“In his book, Sources of Strength, President Jimmy Carter shared this lesson.


After a personal witnessing experience with Eloy Cruz, an admirable Cuban pastor who had surprising rapport with very poor immigrants from Puerto Rico, I asked him for the secret of his success. He was modest and embarrassed, but he finally said, ‘Senor Jimmy, we only need to have two loves in our lives. For God, and for the person who happens to be in front of us at any time.’ That simple yet profound theology has been a great help to me in understanding the Scriptures. In essence, the whole Bible is an explanation of those two loves.”

 

Source: Jimmy Carter, Sources of Strength, Meditations on Scripture for a Living Faith, Times Books, 1997, p. xvii.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2004/may/15248.html].

9

 

/by

Pathway to Reconciliation

, , ,

Origins

Pathway to Reconciliation

(Genesis 33:1-11)

 

INTRODUCTION

“In 1913, the Federal Government held a fiftieth anniversary reunion at Gettysburg. It lasted three days. Thousands of survivors bivouacked in the old battlefield, swapping stories, looking up comrades.

 

For the most part the old men got along well enough, but over dinner at a restaurant one evening harsh words were passed between a Yankee and a rebel and they went at one another with forks: ‘Unscathed in the melee of 1863,’ Myers wrote, ‘one of them--and I never learned which--was almost fatally wounded in 1913 with table hardware!’

 

The climax of the gathering was a reenactment of Pickett's Charge. Thousands of spectators gathered to watch as the Union veterans took their positions on Cemetery Ridge, and waited as their old adversaries emerged from the woods on Seminary Ridge and started forward toward them again, across the long, flat fields. ‘We could see,’ Myers wrote, ‘not rifles and bayonets but canes and crutches. We soon could distinguish the more agile ones aiding those less able to maintain their places in the ranks.’

 

As they neared the northern line, they broke into one final, defiant rebel yell. At the sound, ‘after half a century of silence, a moan, a sigh, a gigantic gasp of unbelief’ rose from the Union men on cemetery Ridge. ‘It was then,’ wrote Myers, ‘that the Yankees, unable to restrain themselves longer, burst from behind the stone wall, and flung themselves upon their former enemies ... not in mortal combat, but re-united in brother love and affection.’”

 

Source: The Civil War, p. 412. From the files of Leadership.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1998/december/5505.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Forgiveness is freeing

        • I know how freeing forgiveness can be

        • There was one situation where I had to forgive someone before they ever asked for it

        • It was something I had to do in order to move forward and remain healthy – physically, mentally, and spiritually

    • Humility

        • There have been times in raising our children, that I did something that was wrong and I had to ask our boys to forgive me

        • It was in humbling myself that I was able to ask for forgiveness

        • I valued my relationship with my sons more than I valued my pride

        • Reconciliation is so important

 

  • WE

    • Extending forgiveness

        • How many of us have had to forgive someone before they asked for it?

        • How many of us have had to forgive someone that has never asked for it?

    • Humbling ourselves

        • Has there been a time where we have had to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness?

        • Humility is so important on the pathway to reconciliation

 

God transformed Jacob at Peniel. ​​ He was no longer a deceiver, but a prevailer. ​​ He was no longer a fearful rearguard, but a confident vanguard, as we will see. ​​ He was no longer prideful, but humble. ​​ While it is not stated, directly, the actions of Esau prove that God had transformed his heart also. ​​ The author wants us to understand from this passage that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Humility paves the way to reconciliation.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 33:1-11)

    • Advancing (vv. 1-3)

        • Esau’s advance

          • Remember, Jacob had been wrestling with the Lord all night

          • It was daybreak and Jacob limped across the Jabbok River

          • The narrative continues

          • As Jacob made it to the other side of the river, he saw Esau coming with his four hundred men

        • Dividing the children

          • In Genesis 32:7, Jacob divided the people into two groups when he heard that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men – he did this out of fear

          • Now he is dividing his children with their mothers and arranged them in the order of his affection for them

            • He put the maidservants and their children in the front

            • He put Leah and her children in the middle

            • Finally, he put Rachel and Joseph in the back

          • While it is not stated that Jacob was fearful, like in Genesis 32:7, we can only imagine that he was still apprehensive as he prepared to meet his brother, Esau

          • A transformation had taken place in Jacob as he wrestled with God and we see that displayed with him taking the lead

        • Leading the way

          • Jacob did not send his maidservants, wives, and children ahead of himself, like he had done with the gift of animals

          • Jacob went on ahead of them

          • “The pre-Peniel Jacob was insistent that he stay ‘behind’ his party (32:17, 19, 21). ​​ Now the post-Peniel Jacob will be at the vanguard of his party . . . The inclusion of the independent personal pronoun before the verb accentuates Jacob’s radical shift of position—from rearguard to vanguard.” ​​ [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 343]

          • The original Hebrew shows us how significant the shift is

          • MEN: ​​ PRINCIPLE #1 – Our role as spiritual leaders is to lead our families.

            • Jacob’s shift as a result of wrestling with God is significant

            • He had been transformed by a person-to-person encounter with God

            • He continued to mature in his faith and as the spiritual leader of his household

            • Questions

              • Are you leading your household spiritually?

              • If not, why?

              • Have you been transformed by a person-to-person encounter with God?

              • If not, what is holding you back?

              • God has given us His Word, so we can study it, learn from it, and be transformed by it

              • Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, so we need to be spending time in prayer

              • The Holy Spirit lives within every follower of Jesus Christ to guide them

              • What step do you need to take today in order to be the spiritual leader of your household?

                • Perhaps you need to have a person-to-person encounter with God for the first time

                • Maybe you need to commit to studying God’s Word and praying every day (the spiritual life journal is an incredible tool to help with this – you can take the challenge that Pastor Marc mentioned a couple of weeks ago to read through the Bible in a year)

              • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Take the next step needed, so I can be the spiritual leader of my household.

          • Jacob’s transformation not only affected how he led his own household, but it also affected how he approached his brother

        • Bowing down

          • He bowed down seven times as he approached his brother

            • This would have been a very deep bow where Jacob’s head would have almost touched the ground [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 197]

            • Jacob would have been bowing voluntarily and not by necessity

            • It was an act of humility on his part

            • “In the protocol of those days, a person approached a king by bowing seven times. ​​ And Jacob followed the pattern, not so much as subject to lord (surely he remembered the birthright), but in respect and recognition that Esau was, for all practical purposes, the king of Edom.” ​​ [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 280]

            • Jacob’s transformation at Peniel included humility in approaching others

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – God is pleased when we humble ourselves.

            • Imagine for a moment what the reunion with Esau would have looked like if Jacob approached him with the attitude that he was the covenant carrier who had the birthright and the blessing

              • Isaac’s blessing of Jacob included that the nations would serve him, people would bow down to him, and he would be lord over his brothers and they would bow down to him (Genesis 27:29)

              • I think a battle would have broken out, if Jacob had approached Esau that way

              • But he did not do that, rather he came in humility

              • Humility paves the way to reconciliation

              • In just a moment we will see Esau’s reaction

            • Application

              • The same is true for us in dealing with others

              • Humility paves the way to reconciliation

              • Take a moment to think about a relationship that is currently strained

              • Do you want to be reconciled to that individual? ​​ (if not, you may need to spend some time repenting before the Lord)

              • How can you approach the other person in humility? ​​ (it does not matter if you are in the right or wrong)

              • Imagine what the family Christmas gathering could be like if you approached this individual before the gathering, in humility

              • Imagine how pleased God would be if you humbled yourself with this individual

              • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Approach the strained relationship with humility, so there can be reconciliation.

          • In humility, Jacob bowed down seven times as he approached Esau

        • Esau could not wait to greet his brother

    • Affection (v. 4)

        • Esau’s reaction to seeing Jacob

          • He ran to meet Jacob

          • He hugged Jacob

          • He threw his arms around his neck and kissed him

            • Hamilton suggests that the kiss is perhaps not just because Esau is happy or filled with joy, but also a sign of forgiveness [Hamilton, 344]

            • We will see in a moment that Esau had been transformed also

          • Does this narrative remind us of another narrative in the Bible where there was apprehension on one person’s part and joy on the other person’s part?

            • Jesus tells the parable of the lost son in Luke 15:11-32

            • The son, who squandered his portion of his father’s inheritance, returns with humility to his father’s house

            • He is willing to be considered a hired hand instead of his son

            • While the son was a long way off, the father saw him and was filled with compassion and ran to him, threw his arms around him and kissed him

            • Perhaps Jesus was remembering how Esau reacted to seeing Jacob

          • Esau’s transformation

            • We are not told in Scripture if Esau had a person-to-person encounter with God that transformed him, but his reaction is evidence that some kind of transformation had taken place in his life

            • He was willing to forgive Jacob

            • PRINCIPLE #3 – We honor the Lord when we forgive others.

              • We are not told if Esau followed the Lord

              • As followers of Jesus Christ, we honor the Lord when we forgive others

              • Is there a relationship that can be reconciled if you forgive the other person?

                • There are all kinds of things that other people can do to us that are not right

                • Abuse can be physical, emotional, verbal, etc.

                • Others can mistreat us by their actions and speech

                • Life isn’t fair, but we have the power to forgive

                • No one can give you that power and no one can take that power away from you

                • You can forgive someone even if they never ask you to forgive them

                • In some cases, the other person may have no idea that they have hurt you or offended you

              • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Forgive the person who has hurt me, so that the relationship can be restored.

              • We honor the Lord when we forgive others

          • Humility and forgiveness pave the way to reconciliation

        • They both wept

          • As Jacob and Esau embraced each other, they began to cry tears of joy

          • It had been 20 years since they saw each other

          • They both had been transformed by God over time

          • Jacob had to learn humility and Esau had to learn about forgiveness

          • PRINCIPLE #4 – There is joy in reconciliation!

          • You have the opportunity to experience that joy when you learn humility and/or forgiveness

        • After drying his eyes, Esau looked up and saw the women and children that were following Jacob

    • Approaching (vv. 5-7)

        • Esau asks Jacob “Who are these with you?”

        • Jacob’s response acknowledges God’s gracious provision – “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

        • PRINCIPLE #5 – Children are a gift from God.

          • Whether or not you have children, this principle still stands

          • Some of us have children of our own

          • Others of us have children that we have adopted

          • Still others have nieces and nephews that they recognize as gifts from God

          • Finally, there are some of us who simply invest in other people’s children

          • “As a single parent with a full-time job and three young children, I often listen to Christian radio as an extra source of strength to cope with my day-to-day responsibilities. ​​ One day, the sermon talked about how children are God’s rewards to parents. ​​ Several days later a sibling skirmish broke out into shoving.

            ‘Cut that out right now,’ I scolded. ​​ ‘Or you’ll go to your rooms until you can cool down.’ ​​ Then my youngest piped up, ‘Now remember, Mom, we’re your rewards.’”

            Source: ​​ Violet Hart, Lexington, NC. “Heart to Heart,” Today’s Christian Woman.

            [https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1996/october/349.html]

        • Procession

          • Each group comes forward and bows before Esau

            • The maidservants and their children approach first

            • Leah and her children come forward next

            • Joseph and Rachel bow before Esau last

          • We are not told if Esau understood the order in which Jacob presented his children and their mothers to him

          • We are aware of the order, because of the author’s previous narrative about Jacob’s love for Rachel being greater than his love for Leah

        • After the introductions are complete, Esau addresses the generous gift that Jacob sent ahead of him

    • Accepting (vv. 8-11)

        • Esau asks what Jacob meant by the droves he had met?

          • By way of review, Jacob sent five different herds to his brother, each under the care of his servants

            • Goats – 200 female, 20 male

            • Sheep – 200 ewes, 20 rams

            • Camels – 30 female and their young

            • Cows – 40 cows, 10 bulls

            • Donkeys – 20 female, 10 male

          • Each herd approached Esau separately

        • Jacob’s response was that he hoped to find favor in his brother’s eyes

        • Esau initially told Jacob to keep his herds, because he already had plenty

        • Jacob insisted that Esau accept the gift, because it was more about acceptance than need

        • “By not offering a gift in exchange, Esau indicates that he accepts the gift as payment for the wrong done to him.” ​​ [Waltke, Genesis: ​​ A Commentary, 455]

        • “Esau’s acceptance means that the relationship is restored.” ​​ [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 522]

 

  • YOU

    • Men, are you ready to take the next step, so you can be the spiritual leader of your household?

    • Are you ready to approach a strained relationship in your life with humility, so there can be reconciliation?

    • Are you ready to honor the Lord by forgiving someone who has hurt you?

    • You can experience joy in reconciliation!

 

  • WE

    • We need strong spiritual leaders in the church

    • We need reconciliation in relationships not only in our church, but also within the greater Church, through humility and forgiveness

    • Are we ready to experience joy in reconciliation?

 

CONCLUSION

“Eva Kor and her sister Miriam were the subjects of horrific experiments at the hands of Josef Mengele at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. In 1995, Eva returned to Auschwitz for the 50th anniversary of their liberation. She asked Dr. Hans Munch (who signed death certificates at the camp) to join them and sign an affidavit acknowledging what happened. Dr. Munch agreed.

 

Eva explains what happened afterwards:

 

I was so glad that I would have an original document witnessed and signed by a Nazi … to add to the historical collection of information we were preserving for ourselves and for future generations. I was so grateful that Dr. Munch was willing to come with me to Auschwitz and sign that document about the operation of the gas chambers, and I wanted to thank him. But how can one thank a Nazi doctor?

 

For ten months I pondered this question. All kinds of ideas popped into my head until I finally thought, how about a simple letter of forgiveness from me to him? Forgiving him for all that he has done? I knew immediately that he would appreciate it, but what I discovered once I made the decision was that forgiveness is not so much for the perpetrator, but for the victim. I had the power to forgive. No one could give me this power, and no one could take it away. That made me feel powerful. It made me feel good to have any power over my life as a survivor.

 

In an interview before her death, Eva shared: ‘If I had discovered forgiveness sooner, I would have had that 50 years of my life back. Forgive. See the miracle that can happen.’”

 

Source: Poppy Danby, “The twins who survived Auschwitz despite being tortured, beaten and humiliated,” Mirror (8-27-20).

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2020/november/how-can-one-thank-nazi-doctor.html].

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The Wrenched Socket

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Origins

The Wrenched Socket

(Genesis 32:22-32)

 

INTRODUCTION

“NYU professor Adam Alter has observed the power names have to shape destiny. The technical name is ‘nominative determinism,’ which literally means ‘name-driven outcome.’ Alter points to the following examples: The current Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is Justice Igor Judge. His colleague, Lord Justice Laws, is a judge in the Court of Appeals. In the realm of athletic pursuits, Anna Smashnova is a professional Israeli tennis player. Layne Beachley is a seven-time world champion surfer. Derek Kickett was an Australian Rules footballer. Stephen Rowbotham was an Olympic rower for Britain. Usain Bolt currently reigns as the fastest man in the world over the 100 meter and 200 meter distances.

 

Other examples include Daniel Snowman, the author of a book about the Arctic and Antarctica; Christopher Coke, a notorious Jamaican drug dealer; the rapper Black Rob who was sentenced to seven years in prison for grand larceny, and Dr. A.J. Splatt, a doctor of urology.

 

Are all of these examples just coincidences? For instance, would Usain Bolt run just as fast if his name was Usain Plod? Alter concludes, ‘Researchers have shown that our names take root deep within our mental worlds, drawing us magnetically towards the concepts they embody.’”

 

Source: Adam Alter, "Would Usain Bolt Run More Slowly with the Name Usain Plod?" Science Friday (4-4-13).

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2014/march/5032414.html]

 

BODY

  • ME

    • Names

        • Our oldest son got his first name from my middle name

        • Our middle son got his middle name from my Father and brother (it is the family middle name)

        • Our youngest son got one of his two middle names from my wife’s father’s first name

        • Names are important and they carry significance and meaning

    • Wrenched

        • When our boys were younger, I would get on the floor and wrestle with them

          • On one occasion I had our middle son over my shoulder and our oldest son pinned on the floor

          • While I was wrestling our oldest son on the floor our middle son started to fall off my shoulder

          • Had I not caught him, he would have landed head-first on the floor

          • So that would not happen, I tightened my grip on him and my shoulder got wrenched – I am certain that I injured my rotator cuff at that point

          • It took many years and many prayers for it to finally be healed

        • Busted knuckles

          • There have been several times when I have been working on a car that I have busted my knuckles trying to loosen a bolt

          • I a putting all my strength into trying to turn the bolt or plug when it finally gives way or the socket slips off the bolt or nut and I slam my knuckles into the frame of the car

          • That is never fun

          • That is definitely a wrenched socket

 

  • WE

    • Family names

        • How many of us have names that are significant to our families?

        • Perhaps our names have meaning because of when we were born or circumstances around our birth

    • Wrenched

        • How many of us have wrenched our shoulder, knee, back, ankle, etc.?

        • How many of us have busted our knuckles working on a vehicle or some other project?

 

Jacob is preparing to meet his brother Esau, but the Lord needs to do a work in his life prior to that meeting. ​​ Jacob is not able to sleep, so he moves his family across the Jabbok River and remains on the northern side by himself. ​​ This is just what the Lord needed in order to confront Jacob alone. ​​ As we will see, a wrestling match ensues and eventually Jacob concedes and clings to the Lord. ​​ What the author of Genesis wants us to understand from this passage is that . . .

 

BIG IDEA – Instead of wrestling with God, we must cling to God.

 

Let’s pray

 

  • GOD (Genesis 32:22-32)

    • Wrenched (vv. 22-26)

        • Insomnia

          • I do not blame Jacob for not being able to sleep

          • He has not seen his brother, Esau, for 20 years

          • He left 20 years before at the prompting of his mother, because Esau wanted to kill him

          • As we saw last week, the messengers that Jacob sent to Esau, returned with the message that Esau was coming to meet Jacob with 400 men

          • I think I would have a hard time sleeping too

          • He had already prayed

          • Now he was making himself busy as he waited for the next day to dawn

        • River crossing

          • Jacob took his two wives, two maidservants, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok [yab-boke’] River

          • After they crossed, he sent all of his possessions across the Jabbok

          • Jabbok River

            • “This river in eastern Canaan flows through deep-cut canyons into the Jordan about 23 miles north of the Dead Sea. ​​ It is approximately 50 miles long and descends from its source at 1900 feet above sea level to about 115 feet below sea level where it meets the Jordan.” ​​ [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 328]

            • It flows from east to west about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea

            • The modern name for it is the Wady es Zerka, meaning “the blue” or “Blue River”

            • It ancient times, it was “the boundary between the kingdoms of Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan.” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 195]

          • I believe this river crossing was significant and by God’s design, so Jacob would be alone

          • “British essayist Walter Savage Landor called solitude “the audience-chamber of God.” ​​ [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Pentateuch, 133]

          • God had some work to do with Jacob before he returned to Canaan and before he saw Esau

        • Wrestling match

          • With Jacob alone, a man now comes and wrestles with him until daybreak

          • The man is not identified until verse 30, where we find out that it is God

          • When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip and probably popped it out of joint

            • Some significant thoughts

              • “Humbling himself, God has come to Jacob on some type of even terms.” ​​ [Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 446]

              • Jacob is 97 years old [Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 605]

              • Jacob was no weakling – if you remember he rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered Laban’s sheep in the presence of Rachel (Genesis 29:10)

            • “A mere touch of the divine conquers Jacob.” ​​ [Waltke, 446]

          • PRINCIPLE #1 – With God, we have to lose to win. ​​ [Walton, 606]

            • “The Lord cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him.” ​​ [A.W. Tozer cited by Wiersbe, 133]

            • How many of us have wrestled with God in the past?

              • Perhaps it over a relationship

              • Maybe it was concerning a job or career path

              • Many of us have probably wrestled with God about a financial decision

              • All of us have wrestled with God, before becoming a follower of Jesus Christ

              • Did God have to weaken you in some way in order for you to submit or concede to Him?

              • What was the result of submitting/conceding to Him?

            • How many of us are currently wrestling with God about something in our lives?

              • Is it relational, financial, physical, emotional, and/or spiritual?

              • Will it require God weakening you in some way in order for you to submit or concede?

              • Are you willing to submit to Him right now?

              • God is sovereign, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, loving, merciful, and so much more

              • He has your best interests at heart and knows you better than you know yourself

              • What He wants for you will be what is best for you

            • #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Concede my wrestling match with the Lord and allow Him to guide and direct my life.

          • While Jacob has conceded the wrestling match, he still clings to the man (God)

        • Clinging to God

          • The wrestling match moves from the physical to the spiritual

          • The man asks Jacob to let him go, because it was daybreak

          • Jacob replies that he will not let go unless the man blesses him

          • “Jacob prevails with prayer, not with natural strength.” ​​ [Waltke, 446]

          • “That night, as Jacob stood alone by the river Jabbok, God met him. ​​ There were hours of desperate, agonized conflict, spiritual and, as it seemed to Jacob, physical also. ​​ Jacob had hold of God; he wanted a blessing, an assurance of divine favour and protection in this crisis, but he could not get what he sought. ​​ Instead, he grew ever more conscious of his own state—utterly helpless and, without God, utterly hopeless. ​​ He felt the full bitterness of his unscrupulous, cynical ways, now coming home to roost. ​​ He had hitherto been self-reliant, believing himself to be more than a match for anything that might come, but now he felt his complete inability to handle things, and knew with blinding, blazing certainty that never again dare he trust himself to look after himself and to carve out his destiny. ​​ Never again dare he try to live by his wits. . . . The nature of Jacob’s ‘prevailing’ with God was simply that he held on to God while God weakened him, and wrought in him the spirit of submission and self-distrust; that he had desired God’s blessing so much that he clung to God through all his painful humbling, till he came low enough for God to raise him up by speaking peace to him and assuring him that he need not fear about Esau any more.” ​​ [J. I. Packer cited by Walton, 611]

          • In our weakness, are we clinging to God?

            • In your wrestling match with God has He had to weaken you in some way

            • When He has weakened you, have you let go and walked away from Him or have you hung on for dear life?

            • I want to encourage you to cling to the Lord when He touches you and weakens you as you wrestle with Him

            • #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Cling to the Lord through my weakened state instead of letting go of Him.

            • Instead of wrestling with God, we must cling to God.

        • The transformation of Jacob is about to happen

    • Renamed (vv. 27-32)

        • Old name (v. 27)

          • The man asked him, “What is your name?”

            • We know that the man is God, so He already knows his name

            • The man is not seeking information, but rather transformation

            • “‘What is your name?’ meant, ‘Are you going to continue living up to your name, deceiving yourself and others; or will you admit what you are and let Me change you?’” ​​ [Wiersbe, 133]

            • We see that Jacob owns up to his past

          • He answered with his name, Jacob

            • Jacob is admitting that he had been deceptive in the past

            • He had been deceptive with his brother, father, and Laban

            • For Jacob’s transformation to take place, he had to acknowledge who he had been

            • The same is true for us

          • PRINCIPLE #2 – Spiritual metamorphosis can happen when we acknowledge our sin.

            • Unbelievers

              • It is more than just believing in God

              • It is more than just being a good person (good person test)

              • Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8

              • 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

              • Romans 10:9-10

              • #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Be saved by confessing Jesus with my mouth and believing in Him with my heart.

            • Believers

              • Perhaps you feel like your spiritual life has plateaued

              • Maybe there is unconfessed sin in your life (1 John 1:9)

              • You can jump start your spiritual life once again, by confessing (agreeing with God about) your sin

              • #4 – My Next Step Today Is To: ​​ Agree with God about my sin and receive His forgiveness and purification.

          • Jacob had to own up to who he was before God could transform him

        • New name (v. 28)

          • The man told Jacob that his name would no longer be Jacob, but Israel

            • “In the Bible, receiving a new name signifies making a new beginning (17:4-5, 15; Num. 13:16; John 1:40-42), and this was Jacob’s opportunity to make a fresh start in life.” ​​ [Wiersbe, 133]

            • His name was changed from “deceiver” to “he struggles with God”

            • In Hebrew, it literally reads “they shall say no more” or “it shall be said no more” [Weinfeld cited by Hamilton, 333 and Waltke, 446]

            • A spiritual metamorphosis is taking place in Jacob’s life

            • People will no longer refer to him as a deceiver or a supplanter, but rather as a prevailer and overcomer [Waltke, 446]

          • It is not that Jacob’s desire to prevail has changed, but rather how he prevails that has changed – no longer by manipulation and deception, but through God’s power

          • Jacob has been transformed from just believing in God to submitting his life completely to God

            • “If [Since] God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, [then] the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” (Genesis 28:20-22)

            • That was when Jacob believed in God

            • Now, he is following Him with his whole life (sanctification, spiritual maturity)

            • That was a 20 year process for Jacob

            • I accepted the Lord as the age of 4, but it was not until I was 36 years old that I really submitted my entire life to Him

            • Have you submitted your whole life to the Lord? (it is more than just believing in Him)

              • Read Luke 14:25-33

              • Read Philippians 3:8-11

          • Today can be the day that a spiritual metamorphosis will take place in your life

          • Since Jacob had shared his name, he asks the man for His name

        • No name (v. 29)

          • The man does not give Jacob His name, but rather asks him a question

          • “Why do you ask my name?”

          • The author immediately states that the man blessed him there

          • No name is given for the man

            • In Judges 13:17-18 we see Manoah, Samson’s father, asking the angel of Yahweh the same question

            • The angel’s responds the same way, but with an explanation – “Why do you ask my name? ​​ It is beyond understanding.”

            • “In both instances the silence, the hesitancy, of the other being, begins to produce within Jacob/Manoah a realization of the supernatural status of that being. ​​ One wonders if ‘Why is it that you inquire about my name?’ is another way of asking, ‘Jacob, don’t you realize who I am?’” [Hamilton, 336]

          • The author continues with Jacob’s naming of the place

        • Place name (v. 30)

          • He calls the place Peniel (pen-oo-ale’) which means “face of God” or “I have seen God face to face”

          • It is here that Jacob acknowledges whom he has been wrestling with – it is God!

          • We can perhaps return to God’s request that Jacob let Him go because it is daybreak

          • Jacob may have simply seen the form of God and not the face of God

          • His encounter with God was person-to-person without an intermediary [Hamilton, 336]

        • Tendon tradition (vv. 31-32)

          • The man has departed at this point, since the sun rose above Jacob

          • Jacob passed by Peniel on his way to cross the Jabbok River and rejoin his family

          • Jacob has a visible limp because of having his hip wrenched in the wrestling match

          • The author gives us a history lesson about the Israelites and their eating habits

            • The Israelites do not eat the tendon that is attached to the socket of the hip

            • The reason given is because of what happened to Jacob’s hip socket in this narrative

        • We are going to see how this spiritual metamorphosis will empower Jacob for the future

        • PRINCIPLE #3 – “When God rules our lives, then He can trust us with His power; for only those who are under His authority have the right to exercise His authority.” ​​ [Wiersbe, 134]

 

  • YOU

    • Are you wrestling with the Lord right now and do you need to concede?

    • Do you need to cling to the Lord in your weakened state?

    • Is spiritual metamorphosis something you are ready to embrace either for the first time or as a renewal of your faith?

    • Are you ready to submit your life completely to the Lord?

 

  • WE

    • We can help those who are currently wrestling with the Lord by encouraging them to cling to the Lord as He brings spiritual metamorphosis

CONCLUSION

“On March 10, 1974, Lt. Hiroo Onada was the last World War II Japanese soldier to surrender.

 

Onada had been left on the island Lubang in the Philippines on December 25, 1944, with the command to ‘carry on the mission even if Japan surrenders.’ Four other Japanese soldiers were left on the island as Japan evacuated Lubang. One soldier surrendered in 1950. Another was killed in a skirmish with local police in 1954. Another was killed in 1972. Onada continued his war alone.

 

All efforts to convince him to surrender or to capture him failed. He ignored messages from loudspeakers announcing Japan's surrender and that Japan was now an ally of the United States. Leaflets were dropped over the jungle begging him to surrender so he could return to Japan. He refused to believe or surrender.

 

Over the years he lived off the land and raided the fields and gardens of local citizens. He was responsible for killing at least 30 nationals during his 29 year personal war. Almost a half million dollars was spent trying to locate and convince him to surrender. 13,000 men were used to try to locate him.

 

Finally, on March 10, 1974, almost 30 years after World War II ended, Onada surrendered his rusty sword after receiving a personal command from his former superior officer, who read the terms of the cease-fire order. Onada handed his sword to President Marcos, who pardoned him. The war was over.

 

Onada was 22-years-old when left on the island. He returned a prematurely aged man of 52. Onada stated, ‘Nothing pleasant happened in the 29 years in the jungle.’

 

Like Onada, many people are fighting a lonely battle against the God who is offering reconciliation and peace.”

 

Source: Summarized from a 1974 story in Newsweek.

 

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/april/12977.html].

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