Genesis 6:  Noah and the Flood 

When we come to the story of Noah, we once again find a character from the early chapters of Genesis who made it to the Hebrews Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.

In verse 5 we read that God saw how great the wickedness was on earth. We are told in 2 Chronicles 16:9 –“ the eye of God run to and for upon the earth to show Himself  strong on behalf of those whose  heart is right toward Him.” There had been a population explosion but the two classes of people that the Lord described would be on the earth – the seed of the devil and the seed of the woman were disproportionate.  Those who were the seed of the devil (unbelievers) were many and the seed of the woman ( believers)- were few. The believers were in number- 8 souls. Noah and his family.

Let’s look at what is said about Noah:

“But Noah found favor (grace KJV) in the eyes of the Lord.” Grace is defined as unmerited favor from God.  It is by God’s grace we are saved thru faith. Who does God give grace to?  The humble- the one who sees himself as a sinner in need of the grace and forgiveness of God. The one who sees himself or herself completely dependent on God.

Now watch the three things produced in the life of Noah as a result of being the recipient of the Grace of God.

“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous (KJV just) man, blameless (KJV perfect) among the people  of his time, and he walked with God.” Genesis 6:9. Noah was declared righteous or just; Noah is described as perfect(blameless or whole); and Noah walked with God- meaning Noah communed with God.

Hebrews 11: 7- “ By faith Noah, when warned about things not seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the  world and became heir of the righteousness that  comes by faith.”

God made Noah righteous because Noah believed God. Note the definition of faith we are given in Hebrews 11:1- “ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Noah was warned of ‘ things not seen’ (the flood) but in response he built an ark as God commanded him to do. His faith moved him to build a boat where there was no water.

So was Noah righteous because of any works he did?  No. He became  the heir of righteousness by faith. That is always the case. For by grace are you saved thru faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.

Genesis 6:11-12: Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.   Note this is in God’s eyes- this is what He saw when He looked at what civilization had become- corrupt and filled with violence.  This is always the direction a civilization will take when you remove conscience and a fear of the Lord.  In addition , man is by nature and creation a fully dependent being. Man must depend upon God for his life, his breath, his activity, his intelligence, his power of choice and everything. That is why Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing. But man deceives himself into thinking he has the ability to control his life and as a result soon gets into a state beyond control- completely out of control. “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of man.”

When God looked down upon earth in the days of Noah- He saw open, flagrant sin and violence. Sin was not only flaunted but applauded. What we are seeing in the book of Genesis is how God deals with a society that has reached this stage of wickedness. We will see it here in the flood and we will see it in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah where homosexuals  demanded their rights. Know this about God and His unchanging principles:  Given the same set of circumstances, God acts in the same way He did before.

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of God. As it was in the days of Lot, thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. The mayors and leaders of some of our great cities in this country have proclaimed a “ Gay Pride” week to honor homosexuals and lesbians.  Here is what Paul says of those: ‘ Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind to do what ought not to be done. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only  continue to do these very  things but also approve of those who practice them’ (Romans 2:32)

We see in Scripture- God sets a limit to human wickedness beyond which judgment is inevitable. When we warn society of this impending judgment- they are described by Peter as ‘scoffers’ – they ridicule us for our old fashioned morality. I do not know where the world is according to the limit God has set- but I  believe it is fast approaching  its limit as God looks down upon the earth and is grieved.

But then as always comes the good news, the gospel- the way of escape. It is found in the description of the ark. As we will see it all points to the Carpenter of Nazareth who provided a judgment-proof righteousness and perfect salvation for mankind. Atonement was assured. All who enter in by the one who is called The Way, who said of Himself- I am the Door, will be sheltered from the storm of God’s wrath.

God always makes a way of escape for His people- that is why Jesus said : I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except by me.

This is not a mythical account. The instruction given are precise, matter of fact and explicit. In fact the story of the Flood is supported by flood  legends of primitive people all over the earth.

After I was saved on September 16, 1977- the Lord led me to His word. I can still remember reading the Bible sitting in a certain chair in my blue bathrobe in our little house on Beaver Cove. I was battling alcoholism and the desire and temptation to drink scared me to death. I was in my first 30 days of sobriety and was attending AA meetings often. Then reading in I Corinthians 10- I came upon a promise that had my name written on it.

This story of Noah and how God made a way for him to escape reminds me of this precious promise.

“ No temptation has taken you or seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted He will also provide a way out ( also make a way to escape KJV) so you can stand up under it.” (God can make a way where there is no way.)

AA was showing me others had suffered the same temptations that were common to me and they had learned how to resist them. It told me a God who was faithful would not allow me to be tempted above that which I was able to bear- and would provide me with a way to escape if I trusted Him and depended on Him.

Within days of showing me that verse- that promise of empowering to overcome- I was tested.  I prayed this promise back to God- I called upon Him to make a way for me to escape in a moment of strong temptation. I had not been trained in prayer- but I learned a great lesson in prayer thru that situation and temptation. It was the turning point in my life. I discovered the weapons that we have that are mighty not carnal.(principle of leverage)  I discovered the power of powerlessness.  The great principle that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

Here is the story within the story of the ark. The ark is a symbol and a type pointing to something else. It is a shadow of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. See how the details of the ark points  in that  direction.

First- God said to Noah I am going to put an end to man on earth. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.  Then in verse 14-16; God the architect gives Noah, the carpenter, the blueprint for the ark. It is detailed and specific- but also points to another carpenter who would build a judgment proof ark to protect believers from the wrath of God to come.

It was made of gopher wood- probably similar to cypress. Gopher wood  was the most incorruptible wood he could use. History tells us the gates of St.Peter’s at Rome was made of gopher wood . They lasted over 1000 years from the time of Constantine to the time of Eugene IV without any signs of decay or rotting. The ark contained rooms in it…the Hebrew word used for rooms is the common word used for ‘nests’- implying the ark was built  not only for protection but for rest and comfort.  It was to be coated with pitch inside and out. Pitch was a tar-like substance used to coat the wall inside and out to seal them and make them water proof. The word ‘ pitch’comes from the same root word used for atonement.

Noah is given the specific dimensions : 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. A roof was constructed with an 18 inch window in the roof. No windows on the sides – only the one  window in the roof- so Noah could look in only one direction- UP.

One door on the side.

Three decks.

These dimensions tell us of a vessel that had 3 million cubic feet. Making it comparable to modern ocean-going vessels. In 1609,the Dutch Mennonite, Peter Jansen, built a ship in Holland to the same proportions, only 1/3rd the size. It moved slowly- but it carried 1/3rd more cargo than an ordinary ship of that day with the same cubic space.

Noah was quite a carpenter. It is interesting how God provides our needs and often uses those who hate Him as well as those who love Him to accomplish His sovereign will.  Tubal-Cain, the son of Lamech, who followed the way of Cain and was indifferent to God is the one who developed the tools Noah needed to construct the ark.  Just as the Jews who hated Jesus and the Roman empire were used by God to put His Son on a Roman cross.

Or did you ever think of the gift of the Magi- the gold – etc.- probably financed Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus’ escape to Egypt.  My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It all begins with God’s grace.

“Noah found grace in God’s eyes.”  Remember grace is the unmerited favor of God- Noah did nothing to deserve it. Noah found grace- he found grace because he saw himself a sinner in need of the grace of God.

Others living in that time we are told the Spirit strived with them- contending with them to convict them of their sin- but in their pride they resisted the Spirit of God, grieving and quenching the Spirit who contended with them for 120 years.

God looks down on us with an eye of favor for those who sincerely look up with an eye of faith.  That is why in the ark the only window was in the roof  looking up to heaven- expressing our complete dependence on God and His Marvelous Grace.

The verses in Ephesians 2 described the process of salvation – the prepositions there describe the proposition of salvation.  Watch the process: it is BY grace THROUGH

Faith- UNTO good works.  The good works come after salvation. We are saved by grace not works. Be we are saved unto good works.

There is only one door. In the ark- all entered by the same door- be they elephants or mice. Jesus said I am the door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved. ( John 10:9)  He is the only way to the Father.

He is our atonement-His blood seals us and judgment proofs us from the wrath of God. He is the mediator of a new covenant.

He is our refuge- our strong tower- our shelter in the storm. The blueprint for this plan of salvation- the ark for lost mankind was created before the foundation of the earth. It was God’s love that drew up the plan- it was his grace that brought it down to man.

God tells Noah ´I will establish my covenant with you- and you will enter the ark- you and your sons and your wife and  your sons’ wives. Your are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female. You are take every kind food for you and for them.   And Noah did everything just as God commanded him to do.”

A covenant is an agreement between two parties- made by one party to another. One can accept the agreement or refuse the agreement- but you cannot alter the agreement. This covenant with God must be done exactly as God commands it to be done.

It was not merely the ark that saved Noah and his family. The ark was the means by which his salvation was accomplished. It was the promise of God, the word of God that saved Noah.  How are we born again?  Peter tells us how we are: ‘for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible , by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever.” ( I Peter 1:23)  All of these OT saints whose names are recorded in Hebrews 11 we are told again and again they were counted righteous – not for their works but for their faith…their faith in God’s word- in His promises. God grants His Grace only thru the window of faith.

We not only are saved by grace thru faith—that is how we are also to live our lives- by grace thru faith.

Do you realize how dangerously close our pride brings us each day  we depend upon our selves to control our life. We depend upon our intelligence, our strength, our talents until the Lord sends a storm- that causes us to cry out like the disciples who said Lord – don’t you even care we are perishing?  The Lord rose and stilled the storms and the waters then asked them as He asks us—where is your faith?

Paul wrote in Romans 1:  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed; a righteousness that is by faith, for from the first to the last, just as it is written : the righteous will live  by faith.

The Gospel is a simple specific message given by God. The Gospel is the instrument to save lives. It brings salvation to all who believe.

Paul writes again in I Cor 15.  “ Now brothers I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved..

The Gospel, the Good News- is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

So it all comes down to do you believe the Word of God?  It is about a simple message and do you really believe…it’s still the Cross and the blood of Calvary.

It is about this amazing grace that Noah found…

Oh were it not for grace… I can tell you where I’d be- wandering down some pointless road to nowhere with my salvation up to me; I know how that would go- the battles I would  face; forever running but losing this race.

Were it not for grace.

So here is all my praise expressed with all my heart offered to the Friend who took my place and ran a course I could not start. And when He saw in full just how much it would cost – He still went the final mile between me and heaven so I would not be lost.

One of the greatest statements ever made about the Lord Jesus was made by those who despised Him..  In Luke 15- as the Pharisees and teachers of the law observed Jesus with the tax collectors and sinners they muttered:  “ This man welcomes sinners.”

Aren’t we glad He does?  Oh were it not for grace!

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Genesis 7.

Peter told us over 2000 years ago after the Lord Jesus had ascended to heaven-but  promised He would return what we could expect from an unbelieving world. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:  “ First of all you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying: ‘ where is the promise of His coming? For since  our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning  of creation.”  But Peter notes-‘ they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and the destruction of ungodly men.”

Surely in the days of Noah- during the 120 years of construction of the ark- Noah and his sons heard similar taunts- when is this flood coming- you’ve been talking about it since we were young and before we were born- our fathers have died and never saw this happen.

The unbeliever does not want to hear of pending judgment. They keep themselves busy with the pursuits of their own lusts, desires.  As the Lord Jesus told us: “ for in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered into the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” ( Matt. 24:37-39)

Before we turn back to the time of the flood notice that Peter actually gives us some insight into the study of the flood.

1. He tells us this was not an ordinary flood. The account in Genesis tells of the springs of the great deep burst forth. The windows of heaven opened and the rain poured as from a spout.
2. The effects of the flood were worldwide.
3. This flood and its utter destruction points to a future destruction of earth by God by fire.

Genesis 7: 1 ( KJV) and the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all they house into the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.  In Revelation 4- John tells us a door that was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me which said , “ Come up hither.”  Thus the account of the flood begins with an invitation. Come into the ark. The invitation the Lord would issue to his disciples- come follow me.  To the thirsty- come and drink- the tired- come you who are weary .. it is His invitation to mankind- come unto me, His invitation to the saints at the rapture—come up hither.

When we sing- take it to the Lord in prayer- it is our response to his invitation to come unto me you who are weary and heavy laden.

It is the call of a loving parent to their child to come in – it’s getting dark. Come in there is a storm coming.  Come in to my presence to safety. The wording of this invitation- implies that God Himself is in the ark and Noah and his family are invited to join Him there. Surely- they came as the hymn encourages us to ‘ come- just as I am.’

But don’t miss the basis for the call to come into the ark- the Lord tells us Noah and his family were not just counted as righteous- but also ‘ seen as righteous’. There was a demonstration of his faith by his actions- building the ark. Noah not only believed – his subsequent actions demonstrated his belief. Obedience that results in activity is the demonstration of faith. It can be observed by God – but also it can be observed by the world as our witness. We are saved by grace thru faith- not of works. But we are saved to do good works.  James said show me you faith by your works.    If Noah had believed God was going to destroy the world by a flood- but took no action to build the ark- would you not question the validity of his faith? In fact Noah and his family without the work necessary to construct the ark- would have died.  For faith without works is dead.

Just as it was in the days of Noah- it is also the same way for us today. Obeying God was not easy for Noah and his family. The world wanted to conform him just as it wants to conform us.

Noah was given detailed destructions to the number of clean animals to be taken aboard for sacrifices on the other side of the flood. I am not sure I completely understand about clean and unclean in the OT…we know that the NT makes clear there are no clean and unclean animals  for all creatures of God are clean. But since it has to do with sacrifice- I think it might have to do with approaching a Holy God and is teaching a spiritual truth about things of the flesh and things of the spirit- but regardless of the meaning- Noah understood what he was supposed to take in the ark for the purpose of sacrifice.
Then God announces in seven days He will send the rain upon the earth. No doubt the ungodly had a good laugh over Noah and his family and all the animals aboard the ark.  The late nite comedians would have had a field day with the antics of this ‘ crazy Noah’ character.  Those who thought themselves intellectually superior- soon would discover they did not have enough sense to get in out of the rain.  For seven more days the grace of God is available.

Then after seven days, the dawn of judgment came. The precise day upon which the rains came is carefully noted- perhaps in the ships log that Noah kept. But most certainly it was a day God dreaded with a holy dread. It was a precisely appointed day in the calendar of God. And just as sure- there is another one of His calendar when He once again will judge the whole earth with fire.

It was the six hundredth year of Noah’s life on the seventeenth day of the second month.  I want to advise you this was not the Hebrew Religious Calendar which God would give to Moses and the nation of Israel after the Passover and Exodus from Egypt. This calendar would have been the ancient Near East calendar. This civil calendar began its new year in the fall with autumn and traditional tilling and plowing of soil.  Its first month would be our September/October; 2-Oct/Nov;3rd-Nov-Dec; 4th – Dec/Jan; 5th –Jan/Feb; 6th- Feb/mar; 7th- March/April;** 8th- April/May; 9th- May/june; 10th – June/July; 11th – July/Aug; 12th – Aug/Sept.

Verse 16 tells us the Lord Himself shut Noah and his family in the ark. The last book of the Bible, Revelation 3 tells us He opens doors no one can shut and what He shuts no one can open.  The door is still open- the grace of God is still available. But who knows when it will be shut?  Jesus told his disciples His Father knew- but that we would know the time was near by the signs we would observe.

This is also a beautiful picture of what Paul calls the sealing of the Spirit. Those who enter our ark, the Lord Jesus Christ, are sealed by God and kept by the power of God safe and secure in Christ.

So in the story of the flood- we see so much:

We see the consequences of sin- of unbelief of the sureness of God’s judgment.

We see the story of grace that makes a way to escape.

This grace is available only to the righteous. And righteousness comes by faith in God’s word.

Faith – that is saving faith is demonstrated in obedience- in actions.

What we see is an Unchanging God with Unchanging principles when given the same set of circumstances will act in exactly the same way.

But let’s look for the next few moments at obedience.

We are to obey God and  leave all the consequences to Him.  “ now therefore, if you will obey My voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people for all the earth is mine.” ( Exodus 19:5)

Obedience is the bottom line in the Christian life. Obey means to follow the commands; to behave in accordance with. It is one who is a not just a hearer of the word but a doer of the word. Obedience is submission to God’s will.

1. We must know what God’s will is- be familiar with His word, commandments and principles. (Study to show thyself approved..)
2. We must tap into the source of power of the Holy Spirit to assist us in taking the right actions and the right course.
3. Be ready for an attack when you set out to obey God. Be ready for temptation.
4. When tempted to disobey- remember your faithfulness and devotion to Christ are at stake. ( AA Sponsor told me) {if you love me- keep ..}

Obedience always brings blessings.

Luke 11:28- He said more than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

Background- when this occurred, etc.

Last week I mentioned an event that took place in the early days of the Lord’s ministry.  He had attracted a large crowd down by the Sea of Galilee and asked Peter if he would  allow him to teach from his boat from the edge of the water – kind of like a floating pulpit or platform where he could be seen and heard by the crowd. Peter and his crew had just finished the night fishing and were cleaning and putting up their nets and ready to go home to breakfast and get some much needed rest.

Just as the Lord finished teaching and Peter and his crew were finishing up their tasks – as the crowds dispersed- the Lord asked Peter to launch out his boats and let down your nets for a catch.

Peter was tired…he told the Lord, we have been fishing- toiling all night and caught nothing.  He must have thought- about saying no…after all what did this young carpenter/rabbi/teacher know about fishing—but something made him change his mind.  A careful reading of the KJV tells us Peter’s reply  – “ nevertheless at thy WORD I will let down my net.” ( want some real sound advice- that if you follow you will never go wrong?  It comes from Mary, the mother of Jesus, who told the servant at the wedding- ‘do whatever He tells you.’)

We know the rest of the story- a miraculous catch-so great – Peter called his partners to come help. A night that was a total loss ended up with two overflowing boatloads of fish.  Talk about a fisherman’s tale…this is the one about the ones that didn’t get away.

Saying yes to the Lord’s request  and obeying HIS WORD always brings blessing.

This event transformed the lives of Peter, Andrew, James and John and untold millions of  people thru the ages. For it was after this event- that very morning issued an invitation to these fishermen—come- follow me and I will make you fishers of men.  A call to obedience with a promise of blessing.

So as we see in the life of Noah how his obedience blessed his sons, and the whole world. We see :

1. Obeying God in small matters is an essential step to God’s greater blessings.
2. Obedience always benefits others.
3. When we obey God we will never be disappointed in the long run.

The flood is a story of judgment- for forty days and forty nights the flood kept coming on the earth.

As the waters rose- you can imagine the people trying to find higher ground- only to see it covered with water. As even the mountains were covered and everything – everything that had breath died- except Noah and his family.

In Chapter 8- the story of the flood turns from a story of judgment to a story of redemption.

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the live stock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth.”  This language does not imply God had absently-minded forgotten about Noah and the ark…it was on His mind constantly. The word is used to express concern for a loved one- as in remember me in your prayers.

The wind is a picture in scripture of the Holy Spirit. This is a new beginning as it was in the creation when the Spirit of God hovered above the waters. Noah and his family are the church. When they came into the ark- it was a picture of salvation- saved by grace thru faith.

So here we see in this factual historical account of Noah the similarities of God’s concern for His church in the world today.  Keep in mind- what must have been the conditions on the ark- physically. The smells- the noise- the ‘cabin fever’ and uncertainty Noah and his family were experiencing. Yet Noah was a patient man and the Bible tells us the testing of our faith develops patience and patience matures our faith.  Haste makes waste and waste makes want.  If Noah had exited too soon- if he had gotten impatient and ahead of God- he would have been stuck in the mud. Ever get ahead of God- get impatient and get stuck in the mud? People do a lot of foolish things acting out of impatience. Beverly Sills said there are not shortcuts to anyplace worth going to.

Now as I explained earlier God has a calendar in heaven that is the only calendar that matters. God has made careful note of the exact dates in this account of Noah and now you will see why. The ark came to rest on Mount Ararat ( Turkey) and is over 16,000 feet above sea level on a date we must take note of:  the 17th day of the 7th month. Turn to Exodus 12 where God inaugurates a new calendar for the people of Israel.  This month is to be for you the first month- the first month of your year.

The month God was speaking of to Moses was the 7th month of the civil calendar- whose first month was in the fall. God was making the month of Passover the first month in the Hebrew/Jewish calendar. So watch these instructions:  the Passover Lamb was to be taken in by the family on the 10th day of the 7th month(under the old calendar)- it was slain on the 14th day. The day our Lord was crucified. Crucified on the 14th day of the 7th month- raised on the 17th day of the 7th month- the very day the ark rested on the Mountain. God had made a way to escape. What did God do in Egypt on that fateful night? He passed over those who had applied the blood of the Passover Lamb to the door posts of their home. Noah and his family represent the church- they were the church and the church rested on the very day of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead…for if Christ be not risen- our faith is in vain.

Blessed are those who wait on the Lord. Noah as eager as he was to get out of the ark waited on the Lord to show him when he was to move out.

The raven Noah sent out is an unclean bird and represents our old nature, the flesh which delights in the things of the world- things that are questionable- things that are foul and dirty.

The dove represents the Holy Spirit or the spirit. It can find no rest in the filthiness of the world. Noah lets the Spirit direct his coming in and going out.

Finally the day comes- God says to Noah: “ Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife and thy sons and thy son’s wives with thee.”

Have you noticed something?  It was God who told Noah to build an ark. It was God who told Noah and his family to come into the ark and everything to bring with him. It was God who shut them in the ark. It was God who told Noah to go forth from the ark.

God’s word led Noah to do the right thing at the right time. For Noah there is nothing but simple acts of obedience.

God’s word led him. And God’s word will lead us-we must trust and obey for there is no other way.

Peter said- nevertheless at THY WORD I will do it.

Mary said- do whatever He TELLS you.

James said – don’t be a hearer of the Word only- be a Doer.(hearer only is deceived)

We are born again not of the corruptible seed but of the incorruptible- the Word of God which abides forever..

The Word of God is alive and powerful..

The Word of God is life-giving, life sustaining and life changing.

Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God..

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…
What happens to those who do not believe the Word of God?

Luke 16 – the rich man and Lazarus.  It is a place I come to often in my teaching- because this is the place life brings every one of us to- death and what lies beyond and whether or not we have believed  and in believing have obeyed.

2 funerals- 2 futures.  And what happens to those who do not believe the Word of God.

Those who did not get on the ark are left on the other side of the gulf with no way to escape.  They missed the boat.

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Genesis 8-9 : After The Flood. Law and Order.

After receiving the command to ‘ go forth’ from the ark, Noah and his family and all the creatures come out to begin the work of replenishing the earth.

Genesis 8: 20-21.We are told the first thing Noah did was to build  an altar  to the Lord and take some of the clean animals and clean birds and sacrifice them on the altar. The smoke coming up from the burnt offering is a sweet smelling aroma to God.

As we come  to the close of chapter 8 and the story of the flood and the ark, God shares His thoughts with us thru the written word:

Genesis 8:21b-22 …“never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of  his heart is evil from childhood. I will never destroy all living creatures as I have done. As long as earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Ever since that time- nature has been dependable based on the promise of God. Seedtime and harvest, seasons, cold and heat have been reliable and man has been able to depend on nature to feed himself and others. If Noah and his sons are to replenish the earth – they must have an environment that will allow them to do so.

God has promised He would provide it- and so He has day after day for all these centuries.

Noah is a farmer. Think about it- a farmer plows his field, sows the seed, and fertilizes and cultivates- knowing all the while that in the final analysis he is utterly dependent on forces outside himself. He knows he cannot cause the seed to germinate, or can he produce the rain and sunshine for growing and harvesting the crops. He is dependent on God. And here in Genesis 8- God promises to provide what is needed.

Going back to Genesis 6:18, God established a covenant with Noah and his family that he would preserve them through the flood. What we are seeing is that, just as with the farmer, God is working in a partnership with man. Farming is a picture of the joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer cannot do what only God can do and God will not do what the farmer should do. So it is in the Christian’s walk.

You see- this is the way it is with God. God does His part and we do ours. We have a responsibility. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings – God has supplied all our needs.  Christ has defeated sin on the cross and given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to victory over sin. But like the farmer, like Noah, we must face up to our responsibilities. We are to obey God.

As we begin Chapter 9- we begin a new chapter the history of mankind.  God has made a covenant with Noah.  We must note this covenant is not only for Noah and his sons- but his descendants after him- which would include us. God establishes law and order.

1. God in providing a way for Noah and his family to escape fulfills the first part of the covenant- to preserve mankind through Noah.
2. God establishes the reliability of nature. Even though man is evil from childhood. Man is sinful by nature. But God says He will allow the rain and sunshine to fall on the just and the unjust.
3. In Genesis 9-verse 2- God causes fear of man to enter into the animal kingdom. What before the fall, man ruled by love, after fall man rules by fear. This would protect both man from wild animals and wild animals from evil man.
4. In verse 3-God changes the diet of mankind adding meat to vegetation. The subtle message in this change of diet: we are alive because other creatures or creation die on our behalf to sustain our life. If not animals, as least plants. We are dependent creatures. We have no life force of our own, it is all borrowed. That is why Jesus is the fulfillment of this truth at all points. He is the way, the truth and the life. In Him was life we read in the John 1. Now perhaps you better understand what Jesus meant when He said: “ Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. But whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” ( John 6:53-54). Of course Jesus did not mean this literally but spiritually. We are to feed on Him and draw from Him his very life. Until we do – we are spiritually dead- feeding our outward man with the things of the world- but leaving a dead spirit within.  So many Christians are suffering from malnutrition because they do not feed on Him thru the intake of His word. Man cannot live by bread alone- but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. ( two natures – ex: white dog and black dog)
5. In verses 4-6, God establishes law and order as the fifth provision of the covenant teaches the sacredness of life. We are prohibited from eating flesh with blood in it. Why? Because says God, life is in the blood.(Remember God heard Abel’s blood calling to Him.) And life is the exclusive property of God. It is God who imparts life not man. And only God can take life way. And God tells us ‘whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.’ This is the instruction for capital punishment under God’s guidance to government.
6. The sixth provision of the covenant in verse 7, like the original commandments to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply is given to Noah and his descendants- which I remind you includes us. You might think- I have no children- how does this apply to me?  We are to witness to others- to spread the gospel to bring others to multiply the family of God who is not willing that any should perish.
7. In verses 8-11, God guarantees there will never again be a universal flood.
8. In verse 12-16- God seals His covenant with man and gives mankind a sign of assurance- the rainbow.

Behind every activity of God on our behalf is love. God is love. And all that He does is motivated by love- a love that will seek to break that stubborn pride and bring us to an end of ourselves and to trust in the One who is our Ark. Who will show us how we ought to live.

MY THREE SONS.

Genesis 9: 18-19 :  “The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.”

The Word of God by giving us this additional information regarding Ham is turning the spotlight on an episode in the life of Ham.

Genesis 9:20-21. Noah, the farmer, has planted a vineyard which in the course of time produced fermented wine. This event would have required at least 2-3 years to plant a vineyard, grow to a fruit bearing size, harvest it , and extract the juice from the grapes. Then time also for it to ferment to become alcoholic. This is the first mention of wine in the Scriptures. The first reference to wine ( fermented) and it is connected with drunkenness.

Noah is drunk, has passed out and is exposed- naked. Ham- who again we are reminded in verse 22 is the father of Canaan saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers. Ham’s actions revealed something about his character. He did not honor his father, as Shem and Japheth were careful to do in the manner in which they covered their father’s sin. ( Love covers a multitude of sin)

Genesis 9:24-27.When Noah awoke from his wine, we are told he found out what Ham had done and prophetically pronounced a curse on Canaan- the nation, not the grandson. This curse was on a nation , not a race. We know that some of the nations of peoples that descended from Ham were the Black peoples of Africa, but the nation of Canaanites were not black skinned people- they were Caucasians. The curse was on a nation that God knew would become wicked. Noah pronounced curses and blessing based on knowledge revealed to him by God. For all prophecy comes from the Spirit of God.   Noah also blessed the Lord, the God of Shem. Shem would be the one thru whom the line of the Messiah would come.

Noah also prophetically proclaims that the territory of Japheth will be enlarged or extended and may Japheth live in the tents of Shem.

As we end the chapter we are told Noah, who was the grandson of Methuselah lives to be 950 years old.
In chapter 10 we will see the nations that grew out of Noah’s three sons. We are looking at our family tree.

Let me share with you who those descendants of the Noah’s three sons are:

Shem:  Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians & Syrians. Shem’s descendants were called- Shemites- later shortened to Semites. Included were : Abraham, David and the Lord Jesus.

Ham:  Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites and Amorites. They settled in Canaan, Egypt, and the rest of Africa.

Japheth:  Greeks, Thracians & Sycthians the peoples of India and Europe.

Shem’s descendants were responsible for three great religions- Judaism, Muslim, and Christianity.

Japheth was promised enlargement- this is what most of us are- Europeans.

It is interesting in the New Testament we see these three groups specifically coming to Jesus:  the shepherds- Hebrew; the wise men- from the East were from Arabia were of Ham’s descendants; the Greeks, descendants of Japheth, approached  Phillip in John 12 and said we would like to see Jesus; and Paul tells us the Greeks  looked for wisdom- so we see in the NT.. that all three people groups seek after Jesus.

At Pentecost, Peter preached to the Jews- “ Ye men of Israel..”

Phillip left a revival in Samaria to go down and preach to a single individual, in the desert, an Ethiopian man- a descendant of Ham and Peter was told to go preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion- a descendant of Japheth.

At Calvary- all three groups were represented:  the Jews ( Shem) said let his blood be on our heads and our children’s; the bearing of the cross was forced upon one Simon of Cyrene(Ham); and of course the crucifixion was carried out by the Roman govt. ( Japheth).

Genesis 10:8. Once again God shines His spotlight on another character that He would have us take notice of…Nimrod, a descendant of Ham.

Mankind has now fanned out over the Middle  East like the spokes of a wheel. The Middle East is called the ‘cradle of civilization’ for this is where it all began. The three major divisions or families of man come from Noah’s three sons. The descendants of Shem given to religious endeavors.  The descendants of Ham with a talent for technical and the ability to adapt to the world they live in- very clever in building things. The descendants of Japheth were given intellectual enlargement plus the widest distribution throughout Europe and India.
Nimrod is called a mighty hunter. But remains somewhat of a mysterious figure in history. He is founder of Babylon and Nineveh, two great cities of old. His center of operations was on the plains of Shinar that we will read more about in chapter 11.

Now before we meet Abraham- there is an event that takes place on the plains of Shinar recorded for us in the first verses of  chapter 11. What we will see what happens when a society decides to leave God out of society.

Genesis 11- The Tower of Babel.

“ Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other-‘ Come let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They used bricks instead of stone, and tar(slime) for mortar. Then they said , ‘Come let us build ourselves a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the earth.’

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, ‘if as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse the language so they will not understand each other. So the Lord scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel- because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world and scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

We see here in the foundations of the first Babylon what will be the same philosophies and godlessness in the last Babylon of Revelation.  There will be a one world government, one world currency, one world language and one world religion. All man made.

It will be a society from which God is included only on their own terms.This is not the real God, Almighty God- but a god of their own making- which behind the curtain is really man himself. These Hamitic people were talented people who when they combined their talents were able to make significant accomplishments.

Notice they build  with bricks instead of stones. God uses stone doesn’t He? They had brick for stone and slime for mortar. Brick is hardened clay- a fitting picture of a godless civilization whose heart is hardened to the Word of God. Slime is associated with filth and it is reminder of the Beast who will come at the end who is called a ‘man of sin.’

Notice this society was of one  language – which means not only did they have one language they all understood- it also means they thought alike.. their minds conformed by the society in which they lived and worked.  After all- you have to go along to get along.

Man was created with a desire to worship. Atheism is not a satisfying religion- nothing to worship-  too barren..too pessimistic that is why Communism fell. Nothing to worship.

To satisfy their longings they would build a city and a tower. The city appealed to their souls- mind, will and emotions. The city was the center of business and culture. But there was still that longing for something spiritual so they built a tower, a ziggeraut that even modern archaeology was impressed by their talents and intelligence. At the center of all this was the motivation to make a name for themselves.  In other words bring glory to themselves.

Glory to mankind is the motto of humanism. It is behind the fall of satan and the temptation of Adam and Eve- the desire to be like God. A desire that in and of itself is  not wrong- the desire to be Christ-like should be the desire of every born again believer. However, the desire to be like God by being completely independent by being a person of reputation- making a name for ourselves based on a fallen world view of what is important and worthy of admiration- wealth, talent, power, possessions, appearance,etc., is what is wrong. Man searching for significance and meaning by his own accomplishments is nothing new- it is as old as the tower of babel.

Now with the building of this tower- an architectural wonder that reached high into the sky with astrological signs on the top- they had their spiritual desires met by a religious icon that kept them in contact with God- or so they wanted to believe. A God they could control- a God in a box- or more accurately a god in a tower. Who was in reality not a god at all.

God looked down and saw how man was abusing the talents and creativity He had given them to worship self instead of Him. This is why He confused their language. Any society that leaves God out will be a confused society.

Almighty God will not allow man to build a lasting society from which He is excluded.

In His famous Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus’ teaching includes, in fact starts out with the Beatitudes.

Listen to the first beatitude:  “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

When we realize how poor- void  and empty we are – that there is nothing within us we can completely depend on- that we are powerless. Then, the Lord tells us He can give us the kingdom of heaven.

These spiritually proud, self-sufficient people wanted a kingdom they had earned. A man-made kingdom symbolized by a tower.  But for those of us who have realized how spiritually poor and void we are and asked the Lord to fill that void—guess what – He has become our strong tower.

Look around the world today and what you see is mankind trying to create solutions to the problems of life and the world without even consulting Almighty God.

Not to be political- but the campaign theme that resonated with the majority of the population in the United States was   “ YES –WE CAN!”   I can imagine the people of long ago on the plains of Shinar being encouraged by Nimrod telling them there was nothing they could not accomplish once they set their minds to it and worked together.  Can you hear them shouting in unison…YES WE CAN!?

This philosophy actually sounds good to us, doesn’t it?

The truth is :  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  But apart from Him – I can do nothing.  ( That is of lasting value- eternal value.)

All of the things we accumulate and possess that the world says makes us significant and gives our lives meaning- are temporary. When the game of life ends- they go back in the box.

The only thing that lasts are the Word  of God, the eternal kingdom of God and the souls of men. Do not lay up your treasures on earth- where rust and moth and thieves destroy- but lay up your treasure in heaven. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. (Matthew. 6)

 

Genesis 41-42:  From Rags to Riches.  
 

Joseph is the “Cinderella Man” isn’t he? In just a matter of moments he goes from rags to riches.

When we last saw Joseph standing in the court of the Pharaoh, he had just interpreted the dream successfully and told the king and his counselors what they needed to do.  
 

Now remember the subtitle I gave to last week’s lesson from the book of Job?  “ He knows the way I take, and when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold.”  
 

Do you realize what the Pharaoh saw in Joseph?  Gold. Pure Refined God.  The Pharaoh even proclaimed… ‘ where shall we find one such as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is.”  The Pharaoh, no doubt a capable judge of men and their abilities and talent realizes he has found someone of rare quality. The Pharaoh sees a  pureness of character, a humble spirit, a man of wisdom and discernment in whom rested the Spirit of God. 
 

Joseph had been prepared and refined by Almighty God. In the school of faith, Joseph had learned the practical but useful and necessary things: the language, the customs, and the judicial system, you might say from the bottom –up. Joseph learned how to manage successfully from running Captain Potiphar’s household and possessions  to running a prison system.  
 

But more importantly , Joseph had also learned to trust the Lord with all his heart and lean not to his own understanding and in all his ways to acknowledge God and God would direct his paths.  
 

Joseph was ready. He was prepared. He interprets the dreams correctly- giving God all the credit. He then tells  the Pharaoh what must be done to prepare for the years ahead. 
 

In verse 41:41, the Pharaoh says to Joseph:  See I have set before you all of Egypt.

Joseph is given the signet ring which represents the authority of the Pharaoh. Joseph was dressed in the finest linens- given a gold chain and the chariot that recognized him as second-in-command in all of Egypt.  
 

The Pharaoh then gives him an Egyptian name: “ ZaphenathPaneah.”  This name has been given several different interpretations all of which serve to describe or express Joseph’s unique contributions to saving Egypt from this disastrous famine. The name has been translated as : Savior of the World; Abundance of Life; Revealer of Secrets; and Furnisher of Sustenance.  Certainly we can see all of these names as describing our Lord Jesus Christ.  
 

In fact this portion of the story reminds of the scripture in Phillipians 2: 7-10.  For like our Savior, Joseph had been highly exalted and at his name every knee would bow.  
 

Joseph’s blessings continue as he is also given a bride.  
 

Verses 46-49 describe Joseph going about his duties during the years of abundance. The abundance, the blessings of God, who loves to bless and never does it in a stingy manner were so great- they could not count the grain.

Verse 50 tells us it was during this time of abundance before the famine began, that God blessed Joseph and his bride with two sons. Their names are significant as we will see.  
 

Joseph names his first son, Manasseh: for God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father’s house.

The second son is named Ephraim:  for God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of affliction.  
 

Notice Joseph credits God as the One who has enabled him to forget all his troubles and it is God who has blessed him and made him fruitful.  
 

God had enabled Joseph to be successful wherever he ended up in the past 13 years, first in Potiphar’s house and then in the prison. But maybe when Joseph looked back he realized the greater work God had done was the work of God’s grace that enabled him to wipe out the pains of the past, his brother’s actions, Mrs. Potiphar’s false accusations so that Joseph could make a new beginning without harboring bitterness over the wrongs he had suffered. When we cannot forgive and forget, we are held captive by the bitterness. When we cannot forgive and forget we are held captive by our thoughts of revenge, getting even, as we rehearse those wrongs over and over like an oft repeated video, then we think about getting even and turning the tables on those who wronged us.  
 

We will see that Joseph still had memories of what his brothers did to him- but we will see that he does not harbor bitterness or malice toward them. I believe  God had to do this work of grace in Joseph’s heart before He could allow him to have such a position. God had put Joseph in a refiner’s fire in order that when he was tried he should come forth as gold.  
 

Could it be that what is holding God back from allowing you to be blessed is that you are holding on to a grudge?  Do you have a list somewhere in your mind of those who have done you or yours wrong?  
 

Then ask God to enable you to forgive and forget.  Now you cannot forget what has been done, no more than Joseph could forget what his brothers had done. But he could forget the hurt it caused, realizing that although his brothers had meant it for evil, God had intended it for good. In other words, we can only forget the hurt, when we understand that God had a reason to allow it. We forget the hurt, because we understand that God has allowed this to happen .One sees things in a different light-when they walk in the light as He is in the light. Understanding it is from God is the key to forgiving and forgetting. 
 

Remember where sin increased- grace abounded all the more. Do you know how God’s grace is sometimes described:  as aggressive forgiveness.  When it is sin versus grace- grace wins every time! When we experience the grace of God in the forgiveness of all our sins- how can we continue to hold a grudge against another?   
 

Do you recall what Jesus said after teaching his disciples the model prayer, we call the Lord’s prayer?  “ for if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” . (Matt.6:14-15) A spirit of unforgiveness is sin and for God to forgive us when we do not forgive would be hypocritical of God.  
 

Do not be confused- when you and I got saved, all our sins, past, present and future were forgiven. However when we sin in the present or future and do not confess it- we do not lose our salvation- but our fellowship with the Lord is broken- the intimacy is missing. Jesus explained this in John 13 when washing the feet of the disciples. Peter resisted having the Lord wash his feet, but the Lord told Peter He could have no part of him unless He washed his feet. Peter then replied then wash me all over—and Jesus tells Peter and us- a person who has a bath needs only to wash his feet, his whole body is clean. A picture of one saved –(bathed) need not be saved again when they sin-they just need their sins confessed and cleansed. We need the enabling, empowering grace of God to do this.  Ask God to enable you by His power to forgive and forget the hurt that resulted from others wrongdoing toward you.  Realize that God has allowed that to happen to you for a reason- for His Glory and your Good. For He always does what is right and  yields the most good for the most people for the longest period of time.  
 

When you have done that—God then is able to give you your “ Ephraim.” Do you see the process here? First God gave Joseph the ability to UNDERSTAND the harm done to him and no longer harbor bitterness, then God caused him to be fruitful in the land where he had been afflicted.  
 

God was then able to bless Joseph with abundant fruitfulness. And we see in the story of Joseph not only what we must allow God to do in our lives to experience the abundance of His blessings- we also see what we are to do with the abundance. Having had the storehouses filled beyond measure, Joseph then opened the storehouses of blessing to be shared with all who came in need.  
 

It is at this point our story switches scenes from the success of Joseph’s campaign during the years of abundance to the beginning of the famine and its affects in Canaan on Jacob and his family.  
 

Chapter 42 begins with telling us that Jacob had learned there was grain in Egypt. He tells his sons, why are you sitting around here looking at each other- there is grain in Egypt – go down there and buy some , so that we may live and not die.  
 

Now at least 20 + years have passed since Joseph had been gone. Thirteen years from 17- 30 spent in Potiphar;s household then prison.  Seven years of abundance then the famine strikes. So Joseph is at least 37-38 years of age. His brothers have spent the last 20 years living in Canaan. We can only speculate how life has gone for them- but certainly for Jacob- part of him died the day they brought the blood-stained robe of Joseph to him and let him think for the last 20+ years Joseph had suffered a violent death by wild animals.  
 

The stage is set for one of the most remarkable reunions in history.

A “cold case” was about to be reopened and finally resolved.

Jacob sends his 10 older sons down to Egypt to buy grain. He keeps Benjamin, the youngest  son,  at home with him lest some harm come to him in the company of his older brothers.  
 

Verse 6 sets the stage: let’s imagine this scene as the camera closes in on  Joseph, the governor of Egypt. He is  now a mature man in his late 30’s dressed as an  Egyptian, speaking Egyptian and in a position of power, second only to the Pharaoh. He goes by a different Egyptian name.  
 

Obviously his brothers do not recognize him although Joseph recognizes them at once. They bow down to him with their faces to the ground. Joseph realizes this significance that after over two decades the dream is beginning to  be fulfilled. But Joseph realizes in the dream God gave him- eleven stars had been in obedience to him. So where was the eleventh son, Benjamin?  
 

Joseph sets out to discover what he can about his family without revealing who he is just yet to his brothers. Watch as he uses a series of accusations to get the information.

Joseph speaks harshly to them through an interpreter. Where have you come from?

From Canaan to buy food they reply.  
 

Joseph accuses them of being spies and attempting to gain information about Egypt so they may attack them.  
 

They reply they are honest in their intentions- they say we are honest men, your servants –not spies.

Again Joseph accuses them.  
 

More information follows- information Joseph desperately wanted to hear.

The brothers reply we WERE twelve brothers the son of one man who LIVES in Canaan. The youngest ( Benjamin) is now with our father and one ( Joseph) is no more.  
 

In this manner, Joseph learns his father and Benjamin are still alive. He puts them all under guard for three days. 
 

On the pretense of verifying the truth, Joseph will use the circumstances to get his younger brother Benjamin before him. He tells  them he will hold one brother as prisoner, while the other  brothers returned home to get Benjamin and bring him back and thus verify their story is true.   
 

In the meanwhile the brothers had evidently been talking to each other during this ordeal. Guess what was the topic of conversation?  What they had done to Joseph over 20 years ago. They believe they are now being punished for what they did. They remembered  Joseph pleading with them not to do this thing to him. They remembered Joseph calling out to each of them by name to let him up out of this pit. Reuben reminds them he told them not to harm the boy- and now this is why they are in this fix.  Pay day had come- their sins had caught up with them. Taking responsibility for their sin and their own personal guilt is the first step toward clearing what must have been seared consciences. The pressure had been there for over 20 years.  
 

Joseph listened to them- for they did not realize he could understand them because he used an interpreter.

Joseph who God in His refining had made tenderhearted, could not control his emotions and he left their presence to weep. What causes one to weep tells us  a lot about their character.  We will observe the occasions that cause Joseph to weep. Here he weeps, I believe because what Joseph wanted more than anything was reconciliation with his brothers. Joseph was wise in the ways of guilty men. He  had probably learned in counseling prisoners who were guilty of crimes that confession and accountability were the ingredients to rehabilitation and reconciliation . Confessing their sin and repenting of it was necessary for there to be reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers at last. But causing his brothers this necessary distress was not a pleasant task for Joseph. He took no joy in seeing his brothers suffer.  
 

So Simeon is kept in Egypt as the other brothers return to get Benjamin. Joseph sees to it their sacks are filled with needed grain and then has the steward replace their bag of silver back in each sack. Watch what happens when they stop at night.  
 

One of the brothers opens his sack of grain and discovers his bag of silver has been placed in the bag. There would have been a time when any of these brothers discovered they had received monies they did not deserve they would have laughed at the mistake of another – but gladly kept the money themselves and never think of doing the right thing and returning it.(Finders keepers- losers weepers)  Something has changed in these brothers.  
 

Listen to their reaction;  their hearts sank, and they turned to each other trembling and said; ‘ what is this God has done to us?’ Having activated their seared consciences God is now able to give them a different perspective. Before a situation of ill-gotten gains of money would have made these men happy- now they are aware of God’s hand on their lives.  
 

These men who had sold Joseph for cash, who loved money and what it would  buy to bring them pleasure- now look at this money as a curse. What they had loved- they now loathe. Sometimes God has to give us over to the sin  we so desired and enjoyed  until we come to loathe what once we wrongfully loved.

Returning home with their brother Simeon held hostage in Egypt, the brothers once again bring their father, Jacob, bad news. The man who is over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as if we were spies. He has demanded we bring our youngest brother to verify we are telling the truth as to who and what we are.  
 

Jacob reacts by saying to them: ‘you have deprived me of my children, Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!’  
 

Reuben pledges his two sons in assurance he will bring Simeon and Benjamin back. But Jacob is adamant- my son, Benjamin, will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. ( meaning of Rachel’s two sons). If harm comes  to him on the journey you are taking, I will die.

Jacob is not exactly the picture of  courageous faith is he?  But are we not somewhat like  Jacob when trouble comes? 
 

We all seem to believe Murphy’s law, that is – if anything can go wrong it will. When trouble strikes we tend to :

1. Respond negatively rather than positively.
2. We view the problems strictly from a human viewpoint and leave God out of the equation. We will never solve the problem if we leave God out of the equation.
3. We tend to resist change and new- especially as we grow older.

 
 

Jacob did not see God in any of this problem and situation. He viewed everything in the worst-case scenario.  Jacob exhibits no faith at all. He immediately responded negatively assuming Simeon would be killed and if Benjamin went down so would he.

He viewed the situation only from a human viewpoint.

His mind is closed to the unexpected. What he fears most- letting them take Benjamin down to Egypt is exactly where the solution to all his problems awaits. Yet it takes  a step into the unknown.  
 

Why is Jacob not trusting God you and I ask?  But you see we have the benefit of knowing the outcome of his situation and Jacob does not.

The old Jacob had always been a manipulator using his guile and intelligence to get himself out of a mess or gain an advantage.   
 

How about ourselves? Have you ever tried to manipulate your way out of situation? Ever jump to conclusions?  Ever immediately go to the worst case scenario when something bad happens? Do you ever try to solve a problem without God as part of the equation?  Have you ever resisted something simply because it is new or a change from the way you have always done things? Haven’t we all pushed the panic button at some time during trouble?

We are not that different from Jacob sometimes are we?  
 

The question of today’s story is found in the question the brothers asked when they found their bags of silver in their sacks of grain: WHAT IS THIS GOD HATH DONE TO US?

Do you see that Jacob and  his sons  have done something we all tend to do in our times of  trouble- we tend to pass judgment on God without all the facts. God is doing things we cannot sometimes understand- for after all His ways are higher than our ways. If we are believers, God has promised to work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  
 

But our first response  to trouble should be: what is God doing? And what does He want me to do? Discovering what God wants me to do in a given situation should be our first response. Remember God is love- but in His love and desire for our best God is sometimes a consuming fire- to burn away the dross and bring us forth as pure gold.  
 
 
 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 40 -41: HE knows the way I take.  
 

Joseph had a can-do spirit- but he also had a ‘cannot spirit.’ . When it came to sin against his employer/owner, Potiphar and sin against God- Joseph said I cannot do such a wicked thing.  
 

Do you have a can do spirit?  A spirit that says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  
 

Have you decided beforehand- there are things you cannot do? Do you prepare daily to resist temptation and sin? You and I know they will be lurking there sometimes catching us unaware- that is why we must walk in the light, abide in Him- and have a conscious awareness of God at all times.  
 

When we last saw Joseph in chapter 39, Joseph had found favor with the jailer and was now in charge of the prison. Once again we hear the familiar and comforting phrase- the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.  
 

I suspect you are thinking- it must be nice to have the Lord paving the way for your success-  but clearly this is what the Lord wants to do for each of us.  
 

What we see in this story of Joseph is a man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  In Jeremiah 17, the Lord tells us:  “Cursed is the one who trusts in man who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; and he will not see prosperity when it comes.” This statement tells us much of a man who trusts in men and their own strength. Their hearts will be turned away from the Lord. They will not recognize true wealth when they see it and their lives will be barren.   
 

The Lord goes on to explain the man who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in Him will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots in the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has not worries in year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. 
 

Psalms 1 tells us similar truths:  ‘blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the sinners or sit in the seat of the mockers. This man of God finds his delight in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. The result is a fruitful life. And whatever he does – prospers.  
 

Surely Joseph was tempted in this part of his life when it seemed the dream he held onto- and believed was from God was becoming harder to believe due to his circumstances.  
 

How the devil must have come to Joseph often in the dark night of his imprisonment. How he must have gone over the events and wondered why was this happening- was this dream only his imagination- had he interpreted it wrongly? Satan loves to attack with the fiery darts of doubt—which must be quenched with the shield of faith.  
 

Here in the prison this dungeon of doubt, an innocent man falsely charged- Joseph would learn of: faith, hope and  charity-love.  
 

Perhaps staying busy was one of Joseph’s way of keeping his mind off his circumstances. But it must have been often at night- as we all have experienced- the doubts crept in. The enemy must have brought the questions  to Joseph’s mind as the years dragged by- how will this work out? Why was my hard work and honesty not rewarded instead of being falsely imprisoned? It has to be Joseph kept reminding himself of the dream and the God who gave him the dream. Surely Joseph must have said something like ‘I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I  have committed to Him.  Joseph believed this prison experience, his being sold as a slave, the false accusations were in some way a part of God’s plan to fulfill his dream. We must realize as Joseph came to realize that faith is strengthened by testing- by adversity. I wonder if Martin Luther King’s famous speech- I Have A Dream did not find its basis in this story of Joseph. Adversity is to our faith what exercise is to our muscles.  And God knew just how much Joseph needed and He knows how much you and I need and can stand.  
 

Do you know the two ingredients the Bible tells us are necessary to inherit the promises?

Hebrews 6:12 says- “…it is through faith and patience we inherit the promises.”  
 

Now how do we learn patience?  Romans 5 tells us through tribulations we learn patience. Uh-oh, you’re thinking- I don’t want bad stuff to happen to me and mine.  
 

But it also through these experiences, these tribulations that Joseph came to experience the love of God. As the love of God showed Joseph kindness and continued to give Joseph favor with those he encountered on his journey to the throne.  
 

I believe Joseph was so overcome by the Love of God that he was able to see that he could curse the darkness because of his circumstances or he could light a candle. The candle which would shine brightly in such a dark place was the love of God shed abroad in Josephs’ heart. This love worked its way out of Joseph’s heart into his actions, attitude and words as Joseph displayed this love for others given to him by God.As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.  Joseph served others- and he did it out of love. 
 

In serving others and caring for others with genuine concern for their well being- God in his providence brought two men into Joseph’s care- the cup bearer and the baker.  
 

Noticing their sadness and dejection and depression- Joseph inquired what was wrong. In prison environment- Joseph not only had the position of trustee which carried the responsibility of caring for prisoners—Joseph had come to have a ministry in the prison.It was a ministry of love and truth. 
 

His genuine love and concern allowed him to gain the confidence of the prisoners. Since we know from the details of this story as it leads into chapter 41- we know after Joseph interprets the dreams he will spend two more years in prison. Since he was 30 years old when released- we know at this time Joseph is 28 years old.  He has spent the last 11 years as either a household slave or a prisoner. Most believe he was in Potiphar’s house fro 2- 3 years. Which means his time in prison was up to 10 years.   
 

Now Joseph learns the lesson of hope and where true hope comes from. It is a difficult lesson but Joseph learns hope deferred makes one heartsick.  
 

Joseph interprets the two dreams the cup bearer and baker had experienced that puzzled them both.  
 

The reason I said Joseph had not only a responsible position of authority in the prison but also had a ministry is contained in Joseph’s reply to the two prisoners regarding their dreams.  
 

Joseph says ‘do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams’

Joseph’s statement shows that in his caring for the prisoners- in his love for them and his God- Joseph never missed an opportunity to witness and tell others about the True and Living God.

You might imagine some of the prisoners would have been skeptical of Joseph’s God in a land where there were over 2000 gods. They must have said or thought- if Joseph’s God is so great why doesn’t He get Joseph out of here. Imagine what they thought when Joseph not only walked out a free man- but became the second most powerful man in the whole land- if not the world at that time.  
 

Joseph’s interpretation of the two dreams turns out to be completely accurate. The cup bearer who will be set free and restored to his previous position is asked by Joseph to remember him to the Pharaoh.  
 

We are told cupbearer did not remember Joseph- he forgot him. We will see God more  than likely caused him to forget Joseph to teach Joseph a lesson.  But it will also be God who reminds him of Joseph at the right  time. God is never late and has promised if we will not grow weary in well-doing in due time we will reap.  
 

I know God is never late— but sometimes it seems like He has missed some good opportunities to be early! 
 

Joseph learned to hope no longer in a man. Hope thou in God, for I shall praise Him for the help of His countenance. ( Psalm 42)  
 

So we see that Joseph through the years of adversity has been taught the lesson of faith, hope and love. Which Paul tells us in I Cor. 13- the greatest of these is love.    
 

Once again we see love triumph for love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, it does not boast nor is it proud. It is not rude nor self –seeking, easily angered or bent on revenge. This love which God was developing in Joseph and wants to develop in us is a love that does not delight in evil but always rejoices in truth. It always protects, it always trusts, always hopes  and always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Do you not see this love is being developed and exhibited in Joseph’s life?  
 

In fact to continue in Paul’s words in this great chapter- can you see that perhaps Joseph when he spoke of his dreams of ruling over his family to his brothers that he might have spoken as a child?   And now God has prepared Joseph to put away childish things.   
 

God is love. God has communicated His love to us at Calvary. God has commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and being and to love one another as ourselves.  
 

I am now moving us into a continuation of the story of dreams that is completed in chapter 41.  
 

This chapter tells us by the time the Pharaoh has his dreams two years have passed since the cupbearer was set free and forgot about Joseph.  
 

But God has not forgotten about Joseph.

God has not forgotten about you and me either. Psalms 139 tells me God knows and is familiar with all my ways.

He created me and knit me together in my mother’s womb over 64 years ago.

All my days were written in His book before the first one ever came to be.

But let me tell you something that will take your breath away— this God, creator of the Universe- loves me unconditionally and His thoughts – His precious thoughts toward you and me outnumber the grains of sand! He cares for you and me like no one else ever has.

On the day that you and I got saved—there was rejoicing in heaven- there was rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.  
 

And you need to know that God’s plans for you and me are just as important to Him as the plans He had for Joseph.  
 

Thus we see the Pharaoh has two dreams  one night. Dreams that were sent by God all in His perfect timing. The two dreams were similar:  7 sleek, fat cows grazing among the reeds devoured, eaten up by 7 gaunt, ugly cows.

The second dream was about seven healthy heads of grain or wheat growing on a single stalk. Then seven other heads of grain – thin and scorched by the east wind spring up. These seven thin heads of grain swallow up the seven full heads.

The Pharaoh awoke and was troubled by his dreams.  
 

Calling for his magicians and wise men- the Pharaoh told them his dreams and demanded an interpretation but they could not .  
 

Now the cupbearer who had forgotten Joseph is reminded of Joseph.  
 

The Pharaoh sends for Joseph.

First he must be shaved, cleaned and given a new set of clothing suitable for an appearance before the Pharaoh.

Once again Joseph gets a change of clothing. What is God saying to us abut this clothing?

He once wore the multi-colored robe of favoritism  and perhaps pride that the very sight of this robe angered his brothers. Its torn blood spattered remains were a symbol of pain and suffering for his father, Jacob.

He was then given the simple clothes of a servant a house slave.

But in time probably was given a better garment as head of  Potiphar’s house that turned out to be the evidence used against him to convict him falsely of sexual assault.

He would then wear the clothes of a prisoner for the next 10 years.

What a humbling experience as we look at Joseph’s journey just by his wardrobe.

But God gives grace to the humble.

Joseph is ready. God’s perfect timing is all falling into place.

And now he is washed, shaved and given robes for a court appearance before the Pharaoh that would become the robes of a ruler.  
 

One day you and I will appear before the King of Kings and we will be appropriately dressed in suitable clothing for we will be clothed in Christ’s Righteousness. Having had our prison clothes which were filthy, sin stained garments taken away and been supplied with the garments of righteousness for  suitable apparel. On September 16, 1977 I took off those old sin-stained garment and put on the new white robes of His Righteousness. 
 

Now have you learned like Joseph did- the lessons of faith, hope and charity?  
 

Here is the moment- after 13 long years.

Joseph stands before the Pharaoh.  
 

The Pharaoh tells Joseph- I have had a dream no one can interpret. I have heard it said you can interpret it.  
 

Joseph’s reply must have created a silence in the courtroom of the king –so you could hear a pin drop. The cupbearer must have shut his eyes and wondered why did I open my mouth. Perhaps Potiphar is standing there looking at his former servant and slave thinking this could be bad…

Joseph’s reply is : I cannot do it…( maybe there was a dramatic pause) but God will give the Pharaoh the answer he desires. 
 

Do you see the lesson of humility that Joseph has learned. He will not take credit for anything – all honor and glory is due to the True and Living God. Joseph who has been faithful in little will now be given a lot. He is about to tell the Pharaoh what must be done for the next 14 years. He, Joseph, who just minutes before was a prisoner in the Pharaoh’s own prison system.  
 

But do you see the Holy boldness, that Joseph has?  He has just put the True and Living God on the throne above the Pharaoh.  
 

Joseph then interprets the dream that foretells us God’s plan to send 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine.  
 

Remember all of this is part of God’s plan to remove Jacob and his clan out of Canaan to Egypt to grow them into a nation unpolluted by intermarrying with the Canaanites.  
 

Joseph, then as God’s consultant, advises the Pharaoh to find a wise and discerning man and put in charge of the land of Egypt. Appoint a board of commissioners over the land to take 20% of the harvest during the 7 years of plenty and store it for the 7 years of famine.  
 

The plan seemed good to the Pharaoh and of course his ‘yes men’all agreed.  
 

Listen to what the Pharaoh then says and does:  
 

Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?

Then the Pharaoh said to Joseph: “ Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You will be second in command, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only I the Pharaoh will be greater than you.  
 

I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.  
 

Can you imagine what Potiphar had to tell Ms. Potiphar at dinner that night?  
 

Can you see Joseph returning to the prison to pick up some of his belongings and say good-bye to the warden and the prisoners?  Can you hearing them cheering Joseph?  
 

The story of Joseph will continue— but on that day Joseph began to realize the dream a dream that he refused to give up on—because it was God’s plan for his life. And Joseph came to believe that everything that happened was for a reason and for the fulfillment of the dream that God had given him.  
 

God has a task for you and me that to Him is just as important as His plan for Joseph.  
 

You see at sometime during this odyssey Joseph came to realize that to try and manipulate the circumstances and make them work out for good is not our responsibility but God’s . Our responsibility is to trust and obey.  
 

Job 23:  ‘Oh that I might find God, that I might come to His seat. I would present my case before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn the words which He would answer and understand what He would say to me. Behold I go forward and He is not there. I go backward and perceive Him not. He acts upon the left and I behold Him not- He turns right and I see Him not.

BUT HE KNOWS THE WAY I TAKE. WHEN HE HAS TRIED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH AS GOLD.’

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 39: Joseph in Egypt 
 

In the last chapter we saw what happened to Judah when he was not in fellowship with the Lord. Recognizing that fellowship with the True and Living God is the secret and source to power over sin and temptation we see that Judah was finally forced to see how far he had wandered from the True and Living God. Refusing to confess his sin , Judah had adopted the world’s way of dealing with sin- by rationalizing his actions, excuses and blaming others, until like David confronted by Nathan, realized he was at fault., he was that man. But one of the themes of  Genesis and the Bible is how to make new beginnings after you fail.  
 

In contrast, we see the story of Joseph who evidently walked in the light as the Lord is in the light and experienced fellowship with the Lord. Over and over we will read the phrase –‘ and the Lord was with Joseph.’.  It was this fellowship with the True and Living God that was the secret and source of power over sin and temptation in the life of Joseph. 
 

When Joseph arrived in Egypt at the age of 17 it must have been a source of amazement in spite of his fears and not knowing what would become of his life.  
 

Egypt was mostly a country of small villages and peasants who worked the land and raised the grain and vegetables. The Egyptians were in many ways an advanced civilization using a system of irrigation from the Nile River and its annual flooding to provide an ample supply of water for both the crops and cattle. There were major cities, two of the most prominent were Hieropolis and Memphis. Hieropolis was where the sun god, Ra was worshiped and Memphis was devoted to Apis the sacred bull.  
 

There was a caste system in which shepherds were at the bottom of this system and considered despicable by most Egyptians. A perfect place for the small family of Israel to be left alone and develop into a nation of two million in the land of Goshen. Religious superstition flourished with over 2000 gods and goddesses including the Pharaoh himself. There was great interest in the life after death where they believed the god Osiris would judge their deeds. The pyramids and embalming were all a part of Egypt’s fascination with life after death.  
 

The Egyptians were great builders. They built many great buildings and the pyramids of which some are still here today. Some of the pyramids contained stones weighing as much as 15 tons. When Joseph’s great-grandfather, Abraham, went down to Egypt the Great Pyramid was already 1000 years old. The Egyptians had horses and chariots, understood and  practiced the art of war; developed medicines, embalming and developed a sophisticated calendar with 365 and 1/4th days.  
 

As the story  of   Genesis continues our focus will now be on Joseph. A young man who had a dream that must now wonder if his dream was a nightmare.  Verse36 of Genesis 37 tells us Joseph was sold to Potiphar, one of the Pharoah’s officials, the captain of the guard.  
 

Verse 1 of Chapter 39 tells us Potiphar has taken Joseph down to Egypt.

Verse 2 tells us the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and lived in the house of his master.

In verse 3 we see the results of the fellowship of Joseph with the True and Living God.- his master saw that the Lord was with Joseph and Potiphar recognized it was Joseph’s God that gave him success in everything he did.  Matthew 6:33 comes to mind as Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount tells us the secret to successful living. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything you need will be added. There it is again- this principle of fellowship with the True and  Living God.  
 

God tells us in the book of Jeremiah of His plans for us. Plans to prosper us and not harm us, plans to give you hope and a future. But this promise is conditional. First you must call on the Lord and come and pray to Him. You must seek Him with all your heart- no half-hearted efforts will work. These are all a description of fellowship with the True and Living God.  
 

So there are actions to be taken on our part. We are to pursue holiness. We must choose to walk in the light as He is in the light. There are two ways- the narrow way, which few enter and the broad way which many enter. The narrow way leads to eternal life and the abundant life, the broad way leads to destruction.  
 

One can figure out some things about Joseph- everywhere he went, he did his very best. Finding himself a slave in foreign land, Joseph decided he would be the best slave Potiphar ever had. Potiphar noticed because you do not get to be the captain of the palace guard without being a shrewd judge of men.  
 

Consider the following that the traits of Joseph and you will see the traits of a good employee and even a good manager.

Joseph was loyal. Very important and very noticeable trait.

Joseph could be trusted.

Joseph worked well with other people.

Joseph was creative; always looking for a better way to do things (Potiphar, prison &pharoah).

He was always willing to do more than asked, willing to take on more responsibility.

Because of his loyalty, he was always looking for ways to advance his master’s cause.

He evidently educated himself and was always learning  and improving.  
 

Consider how Joseph faced these adverse circumstances, how long they lasted and seemingly   how unfair the whole situation was and we marvel at his ability to have a positive attitude. How did he do this?  There is only one answer – the Lord was with him.  
 

Potiphar recognizing what a resource he has in Joseph and quickly turns over everything he has to Joseph.

Verse 6 gives us a description of  this young Jewish man: he was well-built and handsome. I have always maintained, Joseph got his mother’s good looks and his daddy’s work habits and  head for business.  
 

Mrs. Potiphar has noticed this young handsome man and once again we see the enemy uses the power and lure of sexual sin to tempt another man.  Mrs. Potiphar propositions Joseph and he refuses. He is a young virile man in a strange country, a slave who is in a position that depends on the favor of his master. She continues to pursue and Joseph continues to resist, refuses her advances and runs when all else fails.   
 

Joseph refuses on two grounds.

One is his loyalty to his master, Captain Potiphar.

The other is his loyalty to his God. How can I do such and wicked thing against God.? 
 

Our sin can be against others and affect others- but our sins are first and foremost against God.  
 

Let’s consider Joseph’s precarious situation. Mrs. Potiphar was his mistress. A person of authority to whom Joseph was to obey. If he gave into her requests- his situation would more than likely improve. However to refuse her request would put him in a peril, as we will see.  
 

Joseph seems to have made his mind up beforehand how he would handle this situation and what he would say based on who he was.  We must consider what situations we will face and  how we will  respond to them beforehand, rather than in the heat of the moment. Young people will all face the same temptations at some time in their life.They must either decide beforehand I will not do certain things before the situation arises or else face making a decision when the pressure is greatest.   These situations include; drinking alcohol, smoking, sex before marriage, drugs, cheating on a test, stealing and lying.   Convenience often replaces conviction in the moment of decision unless the decisions have been made beforehand.  
 

If you walk in the light in the presence of His power- there is no gray area. Everything is black and white.   You see we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. When you walk in the light in the fellowship of the God the Father- He is the Father of Light in whom there is no shadow or turning. 
 

Listen to Paul’s instructions: ( Ephesians 5) “ For you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth and find out what pleases the Lord.( Joseph knew what pleased the Lord and what did not please Him, didn’t he?) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything is exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: Wake O Sleeper, rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.”  
 
 

When God’s Spirit came and restored life in our spirit- He also reestablished the standards of absolute values and made moral judgments possible. This is exactly why Joseph was able to have power over sin and temptation. I was powerless over sin and could not stay sober when I walked in the darkness. But the Light of the World came into my life in September of 1977 and He began to direct my path. His word became a light upon my path and a lamp unto my feet.    
 

The compromised, conformed- by –the- world, carnal Christian walks in the gray areas.

The Christian who walks in the light as He is in the light enjoys the fellowship and presence and power of Almighty God. There are no gray areas when you walk in fellowship with God.  
 

God wants to teach each of us- just like He did Joseph how to respond to these situations. The Bible is our textbook, the Holy Spirit our teacher and life our classroom. We will have pop tests, and major exams. We will pass some, fail others and have to repeat the lessons until we learn. 
 

When you and I became Christians we needed to know  what to do next.

What are the steps we take?

Where do we find the instruction?

What actions should we be taking?

We need this at every phase of our Christian Life.

This is why God has given us spiritual gifts and made us interdependent on one another and dependent on God.

This is why God has given us teachers and pastors that we might grow up and be mature Christians.  Every parent wants their child to grow up …and so does our Heavenly Father. 
 

In Joseph’s situation, he kept refusing and Mrs. Potiphar kept on pursuing. This went on day after day we are told- is this not the way sin is? The enemy goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Our Lord Jesus told us we must watch and pray lest we fall into temptation.  
 

On this fateful day, the mistress of the house caught Joseph by his garment and said come lie with me. Joseph took off once again- but this time Mrs. Potiphar held onto his garment. All of a sudden a plot, a diabolic plot was hatched. She screamed and the household servants came running to see what was the matter—holding his garment the woman lies to the servants that Joseph has attacked her.  
 

I think probably the servants knew what was going on- but they would not dispute their mistress.   
 

When Captain Potiphar comes home she tells her lie again and Joseph falsely accused is placed immediately in the prison where the king’s enemies were kept. This was probably the most secure prison-more than likely a dungeon filled with all types of vile men and ruthless jailers.  
 

But once again, God in telling  this story of Joseph reassures us—He is with Joseph. Joseph and Almighty God are walking in fellowship. And God lets Joseph know He is with him as Joseph finds favor with the jailer. Soon Joseph is running the prison.  
 

Joseph seemed to have developed the philosophy and attitude of learn to bloom where you are planted.  
 

But what is different about Joseph is his relationship with God affects his relationship with others. We would call it visible Christianity in today’s terminology.  
 

When we walk in the light- this is the picture of fellowship with God the Father and the Lord Jesus and with one another.  
 

It is what Jesus described in John 15 as the abiding life.

We know that God is love.

We know that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord thy God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as your self.  
 

Do you see in the book of Genesis that Adam broke the first commandment when he took the forbidden fruit that Eve gave him?  He was placing his love and concern for Eve before his love for God. And then one chapter later Cain kills his brother Abel and breaks the second commandment.  
 

You cannot hate your brother and walk in the light- that is enjoy fellowship with the Lord.  
 

Joseph would not lie with Mrs. Potiphar for two reasons:  
 

He loved his God with all his heart, mind soul and strength.

And Joseph loved his master, Captain Potiphar and would not do this thing against His God and his employer/owner.  
 

Jesus came to show us how to love this way…and He told us to love one another as I have loved you. He was our example; He was and is our light who reveals, who measures and who energizes.  
 

Joseph found favor with men because his love for God and others was visible in his actions, deeds, attitude and words.  
 

Remember what John wrote in I John.. These things we write to you that your joy might be full.

Walking in the light is the picture of fellowship with God and others.

This fellowship is the source and secret to resisting sin and temptation.

Sin breaks this fellowship.  
 

You see Joseph exhibited a visible kind of Christianity – that truly was from his fellowship with the True and Living God.  
 

It was joy which is often described in this way. J O Y… Jesus first others second and yourself  last.  
 

JOY that is full.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 38: The Story of Judah and Tamar 
 

(Additional scripture: I John 1: 5-2:1)

Verse1 tells us “ at that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.   ‘At that time’ refers to the time after they had sold Joseph into slavery ( Judah’s idea) and deceived their father into believing Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.  
 

Why do you think Judah moved away from his father and brothers?

Jacob in his grief was inconsolable and I believe living in the presence of his father’s grief for which Judah was responsible so nagged his conscience  he could not stand to stay there any longer. But moving away and doing some of the things Judah did as we will see in this story did nothing to relieve him of his guilt. The world’s solution to sin is not recognizing it as sin and turning from it but rather covering it with a variety of deceitful lies.They attack the word of  God and God Himself and say these commandments and laws are not applicable in today’s society and culture. They  create their  own laws that excuse their sinful behavior  and label  the laws of God as antiquated and old fashioned. They seek to make their sinfulness acceptable and God’s truth irrelevant. But the Word of God says they are without excuse. 
 

His sin was ever before him- his guilty conscience followed him wherever he went. There may have been periods where he was distracted for a time- but then events would bring back the problem.  
 

There are some important themes running through this unsavory story. One is of course, God’s grace. Let’s face it, at this point in the story, we would not be willing to forgive Judah and his brothers for what they have done. But God is rich in His mercy, His compassions fail not –so He demonstrated His love for us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. That’s why the Bible is a story of hope for sinful mankind. 
 

But also we see why it was important for God to move the budding nation of Israel to Egypt where they would be despised by the Egyptian people. This would protect them from intermarrying  and over the next 400 years God would grow them into a nation of over 2 million people. This is why God has allowed the favored son of Israel, Joseph to become a slave who will one day rule Egypt  and save them all from a great famine.  
 

Left in Canaan at this time- intermarrying would continue until the patriarchal line would become polluted as we see Judah, the very one from which the Messiah would come marry a Canaanite woman.  
 

Judah in his guilt attempts to rid himself of the guilt not by confessing his sin- but by moving away. He moves away from the reminders of his guilt- his saddened father and his co-conspirators, his brothers. He moves down to Adullam and becomes friends with a man named Hirah. He not only moves into the world- he becomes friends with the world.  
 

The world- the unbelieving world and society does not hate sin- they hate guilt that is associated with sin. They hate being told by a Holy God they do not meet His standards and their self righteousness is as filthy rags. Like Cain the unbeliever is angry that God will not accept them on their terms. And the creation wants to tell its Creator what they will do and not do.  
 

Judah knows of the covenant of his father , and Isaac and Abraham. He knows of the importance of their offspring.  
 

You see Judah wanted to make a new start- but until he takes care of old sin- and gets a new heart there will be no new start..  
 

So Judah moves. He moves into the world and makes friends with the world. Hirah, an unbelieving heathen becomes not only his friend but advisor. Hirah evidently introduces him to a young woman, a Canaanite, the daughter  of a man named Shua. 
 

Judah evidently marries quickly without much thought to the covenant promise and completely disregarding what he knows Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had clearly demonstrated – not to marry a Canaanite woman.  
 

Seeking to salve his guilty conscience, Judah marries and starts a new life. He and his pagan wife soon have  three sons. Er, Onan, and Shelah.  
 

In verse 6, Judah secures a wife for his oldest son, Er. Her name is Tamar.  
 

In verse 7, we are told Er was wicked in the Lord’s sight and the Lord slew him- put him to death. God sometimes deals with wickedness with death. The flood in the day of Noah was God’s response to a wicked people whose hearts were evil all the time, and God also put to death the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah.  We are not told what wicked Er did that caused God to put him to death. But rest assured God has the right to do anything and He always does what is right. He has told us- the wages of sin is death. 
 

Then Judah tells  Er’s brother Onan to lie with his brother’s wife, marry her and produce offspring for his brother.  This custom was called a ‘levirate marriage’. The survival of a line was very important to these ancient people. Therefore their laws called for the surviving brother to do this in order to perpetuate his brother’s name.  
 

Onan proved to be selfish- not wanting to produce offspring that would inherit the inheritance of the older brother- he selfishly satisfied himself sexually with Tamar but practiced a crude form of contraception so she would not become pregnant.  
 

Again in verse 10, we see God deal with Onan’s wickedness and put him to death.  
 

Judah is now faced with only having one son left. He tells Tamar, twice widowed now, to go home to her father’s house. Judah tells her when Shelah, the youngest son was old enough he would marry Tamar and give her an heir.. Tamar goes and waits and waits…

While Tamar goes to live with her father as a widow and wait for Shelah, we are told what Judah is thinking. He is thinking Shelah may die too like his brothers. It appears that Judah believes Tamar is the one at fault and causing these deaths.  
 

In verse 12, we are told after a long time, Judah’s wife dies. So evidently Shelah is now of marriageable age- but it is evident Judah is not going to give him to Tamar as a husband.  
 

Enter Hirah, the unbelieving buddy of Judah. Finding Judah recovering from his grief, Hirah seems to be the catalyst  for the trip to Timnah. 
 

We can imagine, Hirah showing up to console his friend Judah in his grief. Hirah says let’s go up to the sheep-shearing convention at Timnah. We will see all our old buddies, take in a few shows, have a few drinks and some fun. It is just what you need to get you out of  this pit it will do you a ‘world of good.’ The world always has diversions to offer : a drink, some entertainment, a pill, sex, something to take our mind off of one’s problems.  
 

Judah has by this time become accustomed to choosing the world’s way to deal with his problems, his guilt and his grief.  
 

In the meanwhile, verse 13-14 tells us Tamar having heard of the death of Judah’s wife, and his planned trip to Timnah comes up with a plan of her own. She has by now figured out- the promised marriage to Shelah is never going to occur.  
 

Once again we see the principle of sowing and reaping: Tamar takes off her widow’s clothes and disguises herself with the veil and dress of a prostitute. 
 

What follows is hardly the type of action one would expect of the man selected by God to be the line through which the Messiah would come. Surely we would not have selected Judah- we would have more than likely chosen Joseph. And certainly not Tamar- but there it is in black and white in God’s word – not only this story but also found in the genealogy  listed in Matthew 1.    
 

Interestingly you will find in this human lineage of the Lord Jesus, four women: Tamar, a Canaanite, Rahab, a Canaanite and a harlot, Ruth, a Moabite, and Bathsheba, an adulteress. For truly God is able to work all things together for good and God’s intention always was to bless all nations through the descendants of Abraham.  
 

As we look at God’s choices rather than clucking our tongues and shaking our heads at the sins of Judah and Tamar, the Lord Jesus tells us to be careful how we judge others- for in the same way we will be judged by God.  
 

Tamar must have known something of her father-in-laws character or else she would not have come up with a plan to lure him into sexual sin.  
 

Judah sees her and wants her. Believing her to be a prostitute he bargains with her for the price. He offers a young goat as a price- to be sent to her later.  
 

Tamar responds like a hard-headed business woman accustomed to dealing with men in such situations. She must have a pledge.  
 

“What would you have?”, responds Judah. Give me your seal and its cord( bracelet) and your staff which also carried his insignia.  These three items represent Judah’s person, possessions and position. He risks all for a moment of lust.  ( AA story).  
 

Afterwards Judah sends a young goat as payment for her services. His accomplice? None other than good ole Hirah. Hirah takes the goat back to pay the prostitute but cannot find her.  
 

Judah is upset- not because of his sin but because  he feared his reputation might be ruined and he would become a laughingstock—embarrassed about the whole sordid affair.  
 

But be sure your sin will find you out… three months later, Judah receives word his daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution and is now pregnant as a result.  
 

Judah, the hypocrite is incensed and demands justice. He wants her brought out and burned to death.  
 

As she is being brought out, she sends a message to Judah and says I am pregnant by the man who owns these- Judah’s seal, cord and staff.  
 

Examine these to see if you recognize whose seal, cord and  staff these are.

These are almost the identical words Judah and his brothers said when they brought Joseph’s blood-stained, torn robe to their father and said: Examine this robe to see if you recognize whose robe this is.   
 

I am reminded of the story of Nathan’s confrontation of one of Judah’s descendants, King David.

Nathan, aware of David’s sin with Bathsheba and his involvement in Uriah’s death- confronts him with a story of a rich man who had exceeding flocks but instead took the poor man’s pet lamb and killed it for a visitor to eat. David in his anger said he would find this man and take his life—put him to death. 

Nathan then told King David—‘ you are that man.’  
 

Two hypocrites  who showed no mercy – were revealed for who they were-self-righteous hypocrites.  David recognized his sin as did Judah.  
 

Judah admits she, Tamar, is more righteous than he.  
 

God had taken away two of Judah’s sons- but now He gives him back two sons, twin boys named Zerah and Perez. Perez will the one through whom the royal line will proceed.  (Matthew 1)  
 

And now you know the rest of the story.   A story that reveals not only the sovereignty of God, the Holiness of God, the Grace of God and the mercy of God- but shows us something else about ourselves.

When we look at Judah and judge him guilty and deserving of death are we not like David in his response to the story Nathan told him.  
 

And finally do we not realize- ‘thou are that man!” 

Like Judah and David we would often judge others of their sins- only to realize later that only those who are without sin are qualified to judge and can first cast stones. None of us are without sin- for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

We demand justice be done –but justice is the shield of the innocent and the sword to the guilty. What we really want is mercy when our sins are found out.  
 

What we can also observe in the book of Genesis is this is the story of man- frail, sinful man who try as he might can never live a life in his or her own strength that will be acceptable to a Holy God.   Our characters are flawed for we are born with sinful natures.

In these biographies of these ancient patriarchs we see that their character had to be changed.  
 

The recognition of our own sin , instead of always looking at other’s sins, is the beginning of our transformation. In this first step we realize we are powerless over sin. God’s Word is unlike any other word. It is alive and powerful and like a sharp two-edged sword it divides soul and spirit joint and marrows. It cuts away the cancer of sin that  causes our sickness of character. Our diseased hearts become like stone- and we need a heart transplant.  
 

The only way to receive a heart transplant is from someone who dies and is willing to have their heart taken to be given to another.  “ I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you, I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of  new flesh.” (Ezekiel 36) 

We did not have to worry about a perfect match…for we had the perfect donor- the Lord Jesus.  
 

Judah has to face up to his sin.

Judah has to come to realize- he cannot make a new start without a new heart.

Why did I read those verses from I John 1 & 2?  
 

It contains not only  some of the greatest truths regarding our power to resist sin but also the defense available to us when we sin.  
 

I do not know what excuses or deceptions or rationalizations Judah used to not confess his sin. Perhaps Judah’s defense was- if it was not for me his brothers would have killed Joseph. My actions were taken to save Joseph’s life. We know he blamed Tamar for the death of his two sons. Nor can I imagine what David must have told himself to escape the guilt of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. 
 

But the stories in Genesis from the very beginning show that man and woman will use a defense of blaming circumstances or others or even God for their actions.  
 

The Word of God tells  us here(I John 1&2) – if we sin( and we will sin) there is a perfect defense and a perfect defender. He is our Advocate before the Father, the Judge. He is our attorney or lawyer.  His title, Our Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous.  
 

Now you realize by now that a Sovereign God will allow you to do as you please- He will not violate your free will. If you want to defend yourself- you can. But everyone knows a lawyer who defends himself in court has a fool for a client.  
 

And what will your defense be?  It was not my fault Lord, the woman You gave me did this unto me.(Adam’s defense) Eve said it was the serpent. Everyone blamed someone else. Or we might use the excuse- it was the pressure of the circumstances. But whatever defense you use- whatever loophole you are looking for to justify your sins- the Bible tells us you are without excuse. You deceive yourself. The truth is not in you.  
 

Do you know what is the sad thing about this?  The Lord Jesus’s blood cannot cleanse us from our ‘excuses’. The Word of God could not be clearer- “ the blood of Christ cleanses us of all our sins.”  Confess your sins- agree with God it is sin. He can cleanse us.  
 

Do you see in these verses that we have power over sin? Do you know the secret of this power?  It is fellowship with God the Father and His Son. If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with the Lord and one another. Walking in the light is the secret to fellowship and fellowship is the secret and source to power over sin.  
 

What cuts off fellowship?  Sin.

What must we do to restore it- confess and appeal to our Advocate.

The unbeliever will not walk in the light- he/she prefers darkness. Calls darkness light and light darkness.

The carnal Christian has cut himself or herself off from the light by neglecting the Word of God and fellowship with believers.

We cut ourselves  off when we excuse our sin- blame it on our circumstances- call it by another name- human frailty, weakness, a bad habit, etc. Excuses and rationalizing. Saying we have no sin- thus making God a liar.  
 

Have you seen like David and Judah – you art that man? Have you confessed your sin- for without a new heart, a cleansed heart- there is no new start.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 37: The Story of Joseph Begins 
 

What we are about to observe in this last section of Genesis is two fold: Joseph must be prepared for his role of leadership and this will involve a 13 year journey whose hardships will humble Joseph and clear the path for fellowship with his brothers. These brothers will also have to deal with and come to an understanding of their sins in order to clear their consciences and prepare them to be the leader of Israel’s tribes. 
 

Let us consider the circumstances in which Joseph at age 17 finds himself living.

His father, Jacob has 12 sons from 4 wives. Four of the sons are from the maid servants of Rachel and Leah- Dan& Naphtali( Bilah); Gad and Asher (Zilpah): six sons from Leah- Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon; and two sons from Rachel- Joseph & Benjamin.  One daughter- Dinah with Leah.  
 

The family was in total disarray. As dysfunctional a family as you will ever see. There was Jacob’s dealings with Esau, his 20 years with Laban, his favoritism for Rachel and Joseph. On top of that was the massacre at Shechem and the death of Rachel and his father Isaac.  
 

Joseph was his favorite because he was the son he had with Rachel. But I believe the descriptions given of Rachel and Joseph tell us that Joseph looked like his mother. He  got her good looks and his father’s business savvy and work habits. Rachel was described as lovely in form and beautiful. Joseph was described as well-built and handsome. Every time Jacob looked at Joseph- he saw his beloved Rachel.  
 

Our story of Joseph begins with Joseph, a young man of seventeen tending the flocks with the four sons of the two handmaidens.  I believe those 4 ( Dan, Naphtali, Gad & Asher) formed a natural team. They were bonded together due to their second class citizenship in the family.  
 

We will see that all the brothers were jealous of  Joseph.

We will observe that Joseph is a picture or foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus.

We do not want to over do this symbolism.

The Holy Spirit’s goal in the life of any believer is conform them to the image of Christ.

From this perspective we see Joseph as an example of how the world will attempt to conform Joseph – just as it attempts to conform us. Paul writes in Romans 12- ‘ be not conformed by the world –but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’  
 

These four sons of the two handmaidens and Joseph were close to each other in age. So let us consider them as 5 teenagers. Joseph is the outsider trying to get along as best he can with his brothers. He is viewed by these four as privileged and the favored son of Jacob.  
 

As we look at these four sons- their names help us understand what they were like. For their names reveal their character and personality traits.

Dan- his name means judge. He had a clever way of making judgments on others. His cutting sarcasm could wound easily. (Dan came up with unflattering nick names, probably the one who first called Joseph- ‘the dreamer’.)

Naphtali’s name means a “hind let loose.” Naphtali was wild, hated restrictions and scorned law and order. (A rebel.)

Gad’s name means ‘troop.’ He liked being part of a gang, bullying people.

Asher’s name infers he liked life’s luxuries, extravagance, life’s riches and pleasures. (Loved $) 
 

Into this group, a natural team, resentful of Joseph’s favored position with their father Jacob- Joseph did not stand a chance. He was alone and unwanted.  
 

If  Joseph wanted to get along with these half-brothers, he would have to go along with them in their actions. Joseph was tempted to conform. Do this and he would be accepted by his half-brothers.  
 

Ever been tempted to conform? Of course we have. Ever noticed your self- holding back saying what should be said for fear you will be criticized? We want to be accepted, especially at this age- those teen age years.  They can be very cruel years- the teen years. The desire to be popular, successful, accepted and one of the group is a very strong temptation to conform.  
 

We have all known and encountered the clever, critical Dan’s with their biting sarcasm.

We have dealt with  the Gads of this world- the bully in phys ed – who took your lunch money. Or caused you to cry on the play ground.  
 

The Lord Jesus was the beloved of His Father and He sent him unto His own- but they received Him not- they rejected Him and despised Him. Even his own brothers were puzzled and somewhat embarrassed by their brother Jesus and believed not in Him. 
 

After spending time with his half-brothers out in the field, tending the flocks Joseph returns with a bad report.   Was Joseph a tattle- tale? What would we have him do? Lie by not telling the truth. Here was the second temptation – the first temptation was to conform. The second temptation was to conceal the truth.  Do you realize that a West Point Cadet takes an honor oath, that he will not only cheat or lie, but will never look the other way when he sees another cheat.  
 

That is what character is about. It is about standing firm in the face of pressure to give in. We must remember that Jesus told us we must be holy as His Father in heaven is holy. I do not want this to sound wrong- but we must practice holiness. We must pursue holiness. We must rehearse in advance our reasons for standing firm. This is what God was teaching Joseph in the fields tending flocks with his brothers.  
 

When you determine in your heart to live holy- to pursue holiness it will not be done accidentally. It will be done on purpose with purpose. We have three enemies who will try to conform us and mold us:  the world, the flesh and the devil.  
 

God was preparing Joseph. Joseph was a natural leader at 17- but he lacked maturity. He could  be perceived in his attitude as prideful, even arrogant as we will see in his telling his family about his dreams. God would humble Joseph and the next 13 years of his life would be a furnace where the dross of pride would be burned away.  
 

You see, Joseph had to learn that God never  exalts a man for the man’s sake but rather to glorify God. Joseph would be elevated to a high position- but he was prepared in a grave-like cistern, on a slave block , as a household servant in a strange land , and as a prisoner before God could trust Joseph with the power and exalted position he would attain.  
 

So at this stage of his life, I doubt that many of us would have liked Joseph if we were his age and in his presence. He was after all, handsome, well-built, smart, intelligent, honest, and favored by his father. Joseph seemed to do everything right. He was the heir apparent even before his older brothers. Joseph was the kind of teenager who was liked by adults but not by his own age group.  
 

Verse 3 tells us Jacob did not help the matter in that he obviously loved Joseph more than his brothers and gave him a coat of many colors. A coat or robe that spoke of authority. 
 

Listen as Joseph tells  his brothers of his dream and they hated him all the more. The first dream described in 5-7 was clearly understood by all:  He told his brothers in the dream of sheaves that they would bow down to him. To which his brothers replied do you think we will ever bow down to you? 
 

In the next dream- he tells of the sun and moon  and eleven stars were bowing down to him. At this dream, even his father rebuked him as the implication was that even Jacob and Leah would bow down to him. But Jacob did not forget this dream- he remembered this dream.  
 

In spite of these conditions and the obvious animosity his brothers had for him, Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers once again. As God the Father sent His Only Begotten Son, so did Jacob also send his son Joseph  
 

Joseph discovers his brothers have moved on from Shechem to Dothan. The name Dothan actually means two wells.  
 

As Joseph approaches his brothers they plotted to kill him. ( Verse 18) After all- Levi and Simeon had killed before. Listen to this chilling plan as these cold-hearted brothers plan to kill their own brother.  
 

“ Here comes the dreamer. Come now let us kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say a ferocious animal has devoured him. Then we will see what comes of his dreams.”  
 

Reuben the oldest brother attempts to rescue Joseph and says don’t shed any blood just throw him in the cistern here in the desert. We are told Reuben was planning to come back later and rescue Joseph. Perhaps thinking he could get back in his father’s good graces- or maybe just knowing this was going too far.  
 

Imagine, Joseph, only 17 coming to his brothers after hard travel. Perhaps even a little glad to see them and then they attack him like a pack of wild dogs. They immediately grabbed him and stripped him of his robe then threw him down in this empty well.  
 

Verse 25 records how hard-hearted these men were. They sat down to eat while Joseph must have called out to them to rescue him. Maybe he thought at first this was just a prank- a hazing of the younger brother. But as the sun rose, and he called out each one’s name to come get him out. Joseph must have realized it was not going to happen.  
 

Then something occurs that if we are not careful we will miss the sovereignty of God. It was not by accident that at the same time God sent a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt coming from Gilead. Look at their cargo and see if it rings a bell. They were loaded with spices and balm and myrrh on their way to sell their goods in Egypt.  
 

Jeremiah would ask this question in Jeremiah 8:  “ Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people? Then in Jeremiah 30, we read: “ but I will restore you to health and heal your wound, declares the Lord.”  For as we know of the many names for our Lord one is “ the Balm of Gilead.”  
 

Joseph will learn of the healing balm of Gilead as the Lord becomes His Physician.  
 

Judah comes up with the plan. What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come let us sell him and not have his blood on our hands. So they sell him to this caravan for 20 shekels of silver. Less than two pieces of silver apiece. They will come to loathe money as we will see later on. But we cannot  help but see a picture of  the betrayal of our Lord sold for 30 pieces of silver- that Judas came to loathe.  
 

Now Rueben, the oldest brother, returns to the group to discover they have sold Joseph to a passing caravan. Reuben tears his clothes in sorrow- as he must have realized what this would do to their father.  
 

Now watch this eerily familiar deception. Using a robe and the blood of a goat, the brothers prepare the deception. Remember what  Jacob and his mother did to deceive his blind father, Isaac? They killed a goat and prepared it to taste like venison and Jacob dressed in Esau’s robe to complete the masquerade. Now Jacob would be deceived by the blood of a goat and the robe of his beloved son.  
 

I don’t believe these sons, as hard-hearted as they  might be were prepared for the depth of grief and sorrow this would cause their father.  
 

Can you see the pain on their faces as they cannot look their father in the eye as they hear him all through the camp crying and wailing in his sorrow and mourning. They tried to comfort  him but they could not.  Jacob said I will go to my grave mourning  Joseph.  
 

How their consciences must have convicted them as we see a Sovereign God begin His work through the evil acts of men in order to save many.  
 
 

What we are about to see in the story of Joseph and his brothers is the truth of Romans 8:28 portrayed in great detail. This verse known by many proclaims : “ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  
 

God did not force these brothers to act against their will in order to accomplish God’s sovereign purpose, rather God brings about His plan through the willing choices of men, for which they are accountable.  
 

In a way we cannot understand, for God’s ways are higher than our ways; God causes man to make willing choices to do what  they do.  
 

Example :  Acts 2: 23: ( Peter speaking: “ this Jesus delivered up according to a definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hand of lawless men.”  
 

This is what Joseph will come to understand as he looks back on the journey of his life and  says to his brothers: ‘You meant it for evil, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done- the saving of many lives.’ 
 

Do you understand how the Trinity works in the life of a believer?  
 

1. God the Father determines the agenda of our lives- orders our steps.
2. God the Son communicates the Father’s agenda to us through His Word, and His life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
3. God the Holy Spirit’s task is implementation. He works in us a desire and the power to do God’s will.

 
 

“ Faithful is He who calls you who will also do it.” ( I Thess. 5:24)  
 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

Genesis 35:  Jacob Returns to Bethel.

Verse 1 of this chapter starts out with God speaking to Jacob. It makes me wonder had Jacob been calling on the Lord since the slaughter of the men of Shechem by his sons. Surely given the circumstances of what had happened in Schechem, Jacob was desperate to hear from the Lord. He feared for his life and his family after what had occurred.
If you recall during the crisis of Dinah in Shechem, we did not see or hear of Jacob calling upon the Lord. His worship and time with the Lord seems to have been sporadic ever since his peaceful reunion with Esau following a night of wrestling with the Lord.
But as we are cautioned – our enemy goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Have you ever watched a cat sneak up on a bird? How quietly- sometimes stopping completely – they creep toward the object of their hunt. Jacob and his family were the enemy’s target. Just as we believers are the object of the enemy’s hunt.
When we neglect personal devotion time with the Lord in reading His word and prayer- we open the door for the enemy to slither in. Jacob had allowed some seemingly small things to happen that turned into a crisis. Unsupervised  visits by Dinah to the village of Shechem where she began a compromised relationship with the girls of the village. Lack of discipline among his sons and lack of devotional time with the Lord will add up to a crisis. A big fat mess!
We also see that during the crisis- we did not see Jacob calling upon the Lord, no altar time. Sometimes we allow things to creep into our lives and our homes thinking they are no big thing. We become lax in our worship of the Lord, devotional time, confession of sin and prayer. Then it should come as no surprise the Lord allows a crisis to wake us up.
If you have not learned this yet- take heed.  Personal devotion time is the source of personal spiritual growth. You cannot grow spiritually without  personal devotion time. As Jesus told Martha is Luke 10 regarding Mary’s choice to sit at his feet rather than help her in the kitchen.  Jesus told Martha- ‘ you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.
Both Martha and Mary loved Jesus and desired to serve Him. What Jesus said to Martha was she was so busy doing things for Jesus, she was actually neglecting Jesus.
There is another truth here we must not miss.. if you want to avoid worrying about so many things, the one thing that is needed is to spend time at the feet of Jesus hearing His Word. ( Turn your eyes upon Jesus…)
It appears that Jacob had since he was a youth been interested in spiritual things- in particular the blessing of Abraham. Jacob coveted  the spiritual blessings- the promises, the protection, the land were always important to him. Sometimes- the blessings of God become more important than God Himself.
Remember what Hebrews 11:6 tells us: “ For without faith it is impossible to please  God and those who come to Him must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Notice the last phrase- ‘those who diligently seek Him- God Himself not the rewards and blessings of God. The child who runs to meet her father returning from a trip- hugs him and immediately ask – what did you bring me? Is not the father’s return- present enough?   This is what started the conversation between God and Satan in the book of Job. Satan held that Job was blameless and upright and reverenced God and shunned evil because God was so good to Job. God had built a hedge around Job and blessed him bountifully with flocks and herds and family. In other words, Satan says Job’s devotion to You, God, is self serving. Job is serving you because You, God reward him so richly.  In fact, Satan says- you have put a hedge of protection around him and his household.
Is it wrong to desire the blessings of God? No. But we must be sure we do not want the blessings more than we want God Himself. How must the father fill- if when he brings no gift- the child is no longer eager to be with him? How must our Heavenly Father fill when we only spend time with Him, call on Him, pray to Him- when we need something from Him?
Thus Jacob finds himself once again in a dilemma and in need of God’s direction. God says to Jacob: Go up to Bethel, and settle there ( dwell there) and build an altar there to God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.’
Let me remind you of the Bethel experience over two decades ago. Jacob has a dream at Bethel in which he saw a ladder resting on earth with its top reaching into heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it. There above it stood  the Lord who told Jacob- I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. I am with you and will watch over you and wherever you go I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
Jacob’s response to this dream is Jacob’s vow. Jacob vowed: “ If God will be with me, and will watch over me on this journey 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 that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Surely Jacob is reminded of this dream and his vow as he prepares to go back to Bethel. Bethel means the ‘House of God.’.
Jacob takes control of his family- finally. He tells his household and all( servants) with them to prepare to go to the House of God.

1. Get rid of the foreign gods and idols.
2. Purify yourselves.
3. Change your clothes- your garments.

 

When spiritual awakening comes, when revival occurs we are to put away our idols. Remember an idol is anything that comes between you and the Lord- He must be first. These are the things of the world that have crept into our lives, seemingly small things that did not seem to matter. But they have taken hold  in our lives and we have become compromised. Burying them speaks of a funeral and the death of the old nature.
Notice what Jacob says as his attention is now turned not to the blessings of God but to God Himself. “ I will build an altar to God who answered me in the day of my distress who has been with me wherever I have gone.” *Jacob realizes the presence of God in his life is more important than the presents or gifts of God in his life.*
Second purify yourselves. Cleansing that comes from confession that goes with putting away the idols- the sins that so easily beset us and keep us from running the race. The things that Paul said to the Galatians ‘ you were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?’ I John 1: 9 tells us if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all  unrighteousness.
Then Jacob instructs them to change their garments. Putting off the old and putting on the new. We are clothed in the righteousness of God. Not our self righteousness which is described as filthy rags.
But do not miss this- they are moving. Sometimes we just have to move away. When I got saved and began the process of getting and staying sober there came a time early in the process where I realized that staying in the optical business  which I loved, and traveling and being gone over night was not the best thing for me to do. I had to leave that job- I had to move on. I would not return to the optical industry until I had three years of sobriety and  more spiritual maturity.
I was learning in the walk with the Lord that He wanted to teach me the wise thing to do. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom is something He gives liberally to those who ask and do not doubt.
Here is what God has taught me and we see He is teaching Jacob about wise decisions. You see Jacob and us have something in common- we have done some really dumb things. Most of the dumb things  we have done could have been avoided if we had asked for and sought the wisdom of God that He promises to provide. Here is the best question you can ask?  What is the WISE THING TO DO-  for we are told by the Word of God – ‘ be careful how you walk(live) not as unwise men- but as wise. We are told if any man lacks wisdom he should ask God who gives liberally( generously) to all without fault and it will be given to him. But when you asks you must believe and not  doubt. Are you ready for this simple solution? The best and wisest question to ask:  What is the wise thing to do, Lord.? Then ask this question in the context of three situations:

• What is the wise thing to do in light of my past experience?
• What is the wise thing  to do in light of my present circumstances
• What is the wise thing to do in light of my future goals?

Satan actually teaches us a great spiritual truth in the Book of Job. Satan and all his demons could see the spiritual hedge of God’s protection around Job. Job had a hedge of protection around him and  Satan could not take it down.  The enemy can tempt you to come outside the hedge of protection by sin but the enemy cannot take the hedge down. And did not God promise Jacob He would protect him?  And furthermore are not the spiritual promises of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob applicable to us who are in Christ? You want to walk outside the hedge of protection by disobeying God? You can- but you will reap the circumstance.s

So here in this story we see God protect Jacob and his family by causing a supernatural fear of God that fell upon the towns all around  them so that no one pursued them.
Jacob has a time of revival and renewal and God re-affirms His promises to Jacob and re-affirms his new name, Israel.
This does not mean adversity and trouble will not find  its way into our lives. Jesus told us we would have trouble. We are in a battle. Adversity comes to the righteous. In fact the attacks of the enemy can come on the heels of revival and spiritual awakening.  It  is interesting to note in today’s story that the idols were not the only things that got buried.
There will be three funerals: Deborah, Jacob’s childhood nanny; Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel will die in childbirth; and Isaac, his father will die.
Surely Deborah was an old woman and we are told that Isaac was 180 years and full of years—but Rachel was of child bearing age. It is one thing to lose a loved one who has lived a long and full life but it is entirely different to lose your spouse, especially early in his or her life.
Just as a side note- many will consider the one exception to abortion as when the mother’s life is in danger. But let us be reminded of who this child was- Benjamin. Do you know who is a direct descendant of Benjamin?  The Apostle Paul. Let us leave the matters of life and death in the hands of the God.
That will not be the only sorrow- as Reuben, his oldest son will sleep with Bilhah, Jacob’s concubine.

After this chapter we will see the focus turn to Joseph. So as we  leave this chapter in Jacob’s life, now called Israel, we see him as a sadder but wiser man.
Let me return to the matter of wisdom.

The verses from Ephesians 5:15-16 are our warning for today and all our tomorrows:
“ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time because the days are evil.”
Making the most of your time means redeeming the time. Time lost is never regained. Add up enough misappropriated time and you will come up with a misappropriated life.
The important areas of life require small deposits all along the way.

Relationships are built on small consistent deposits of time.

Your check book and your calendar reveal what you have spent your time and money on.

Your time is your life. What is the wise thing to do?
Jesus told Martha she was troubled about “ many things. But ONE THING is needed. And Mary had chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.” What one thing had Mary chosen? She had chosen to sit at the feet of  Jesus and hear His Word. You and I can choose to sit at His feet and hear His Word every morning when we wake and all through the day. “ Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full into His Wonderful Face and the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of  His Wonder and Grace!”  The things of the world not only vie for our attention- they take away time from the Lord Jesus. Our Heavenly Father knows what we have need of even before we ask- He knows the ‘things’ we need; but His priority- the One Thing needed is to spend time with Him- to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness.
This is another thing we all have in common with Jacob- or at least most of us do. We are slow learners.
That is why we need teachers, mentors or coaches.

Isn’t it interesting that the greatest athletes- the ones who become that small group who can compete professionally realize they can never reach or maintain their peak apart from outside input. In other words, they have a coach. They need the wisdom of experience, another set of eyes to help them and judge their performance realistically.
So let me say this- do not make decisions especially big ones without outside input. A wise counselor.
“ The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” ( Prov. 12:15)
Asking for help is not a reflection of your lack of wisdom- asking for help is evidence of your wisdom.
Wise men sought Jesus- wise men still do.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

Genesis 34: Dinah Defiled

In this chapter, you will not read or hear the name of God. His Name ended chapter 33- it starts chapter 35. But in this chapter there is no mention of His Name. We do not see Jacob or anyone calling upon the name of the Lord.

How can any of us expect to respond to a crisis correctly if we do not first turn to the Lord?   

In verse 1, we see young Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter visiting the Shechemite women.  Obviously Dinah wanted and needed some female companionship her own age- she needed some girl friends. But she was soon to find herself running around with the wrong crowd.
There is a time in a young person’s life where their peers quickly become the most important opinion makers in their lives. That is what peer pressure is all about.
Dinah began to compromise her beliefs and what her parents had taught her in order to be accepted by her new  friends.  Sound familiar?
In verse 2- we read about Shechem. Shechem, the son of Hamor, heir apparent to the wealth and power of all that belonged to his father. He appears to be the typical spoiled rich son. More than likely, handsome & a charmer- he was used to having his way with young women in the godless, pagan society he lived in. In a few words, we are told the story- he saw- he wanted – he took. The NIV states ‘ he violated her.’ KJV says ‘ he defiled her.’ Was it a crime of rape- or seduction of an innocent young girl?  Probably a combination- but a violation and defiling of an innocent young woman that resulted in  the taking of her virginity.
Verse 3 tells us Shechem falls in love with her. In fact, from this point in the story until verse 26, Dinah is actually living in his home. Shechem speaks tenderly to her and  tells his father he wants to marry her. In fact, ever, the spoiled brat that he tells his father-“ get this girl as my wife.” (Verse 4)
Vs. 5; Jacob hears about Dinah’s defilement. He seems to be paralyzed by the news. He does not consult  the Lord. He does not tell his sons. He keeps quiet until his sons return from the fields. Jacob seems to always want to put off confrontation, doesn’t he?  This is a family crisis- but Jacob does not call on the Lord, he does not bring in his sons to tell them what has happened.
Vs. 6: Hamor went out to talk with Jacob.
Vs. 7:  Good news travels slow- bad news travels fast. Jacob’s sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what happened. They were filled with grief and fury because of this disgraceful thing.
Vs. 8-10: Notice  Hamor offers no apology for his son’s behavior. He looks at the whole affair as a perfect business opportunity. Intermarry with us and we will both prosper from this union. You do understand this proposal to intermarry is the work of the enemy, the devil, who wants to wipe out the budding Jewish nation via intermarriage with heathens- thus polluting the patriarchal line in a single generation.
This offer is made to Jacob.

However, before Jacob responds, young Shechem jumps in and says to Jacob and his brothers:  “ Let me find favor in your eyes and I will give you whatever you ask. Make a price for the bride and I will give you whatever you ask.” ( Vs. 12-13)
We are about to see the sons of Jacob have learned well from their father, Jacob and their grandfather Laban, the art of deceit.
Jacob’s son take over the negotiations at this point.

From this point on we will see:

• What the results of running with the wrong crowd can do.
• What happens when you are out of touch with God
• How vengeance and judgment belong to the Lord.
• How destructive an emotion hatred is

These brothers, perhaps with Simeon and Levi taking over the negotiations, then reply deceitfully to Shechem.

In verses 13-17: they lay out the “payment” they expect from Shechem and the men of the town. Using their faith, their religion to deceive , they tell Shechem, that he and all the men must be circumcised for religious purposes. All through history, we have seen mankind use religion as a basis for all types of cruelty, wars, and deceitfulness.  Christians are not immune to this behavior and many actions and words spoken and done in the name of Our Lord have nothing at all to do with what Jesus has taught us.
Shechem and his father, Hamor, go back and convince the men of Shechem- this a good thing for them. So they all submit to circumcision.
Verse25-29 describe the horrendous events that follow:  On the third day after being circumcised, the men of Shechem were in great pain and helpless to defend themselves. At this point, Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed every man in the village. They rescued their sister Dinah from Shechem’s house. Then they proceeded to loot the dead bodies and village, taking women and children captive and seizing their flocks.
Verse30:  Jacob looking at the actions of his sons, whom he seems to have no authority over- Jacob is scared to death over what he now fears will be sure retribution by the people living in the land. His sons, showing no sorrow- remark- should he have treated our sister like a prostitute.
What a dysfunctional, un-disciplined family. What a heart ache they are to Jacob and his  wives.
Some questions and comments I have in regard to this awful account:
Did Jacob leave the room when his sons began to negotiate with Hamor and Shechem?
Where were the older brothers- Reuben and Judah?
Dinah was living in Shechem’s house- did she want to or not?
Had these sons resorted to violence before to solve a problem?
One thing we can observe: Jacob did not take control of the situation.
Jacob is the one who decided without consulting God to live close to Shechem, ( the world) and do business with Hamor and his sons.
Jacob had allowed Dinah to make unsupervised visits to Shechem.

Jacob seemed to be lax in discipline.

His  sons seemed to be beyond his control.

Where is the man who had such perseverance he wrestled  with God all night and refused to give up?
Can you imagine how disappointed  Jacob was with his sons?

But can you also imagine as Jacob thought  it through and replayed in his mind how all of this came about- how disappointed with himself he was?
Ever been disappointed with your actions or in some cases- you lack of action?

Ever replay a certain scene from your past- where you wish you could go back and make the right decisions instead of  some of the ones you did?
Do I wish I had never taken the first drink of alcohol?  Yes and no. See some learn from examples of others- some are the examples. I just happened to be both.
Alcohol controlled my life for almost 14 years. However- I would not be what I am today and who I am if I had not chosen that path.
I would not know God as the God of Hope and the God of Comfort had I not become so hopeless and in need of comfort.
Here is what I have learned from my mistakes and from the Word of God and its stories of others who have made mistakes and suffered:
*We all have troubles. Life is hard and it is harder for some than others.
*God comforts us in times of trouble.  “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of All Comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  ( 2 Cor. 1:3-4)  Those words were written by the Apostle Paul. Can you imagine how the Apostle Paul must have looked back at some the decisions he made, and actions he took to persecute Christians? He was responsible for their imprisonment, their punishment and in some cases their death.
*God  does not shield us from trouble and suffering because it has a purpose- to conform us to the image of His Son and teach us some lessons we will never forget.
*This also prepares us to comfort others with the comfort we have received. You see the verse in I Cor. 10:13 states there is no temptation or test that has come to me that is not common to man. This tells me others have suffered the same as I have suffered and you have suffered. Even the Lord Jesus suffered and was tempted and tested as we are- but without sin. God does not intend for us to have suffered for nothing- there are lessons to be learned and comfort and hope to be shared.
*Troubles, disappointments, heartaches, broken hearts and hope deferred have made us weary – bone tired and life is a struggle some days just to get out of bed. Can you imagine how Jacob must have felt?  Listen to what the Lord  said to those of us who are weary and heavy laden:  “ Come unto me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ( Matt 11:28-30)

When you are traveling on a long trip by car- you often stop at a place called a Rest Stop. That is what the church should be- a Rest Stop. A place of restoration and refreshing. A comfort station.

Worship is an activity and a choice. The wrong  view is that we, the worshippers, are the audience, the ministers are the entertainment and the performers and God is their prompter. True worship is as follows: God is the audience, we are the  performers and the ministers are the prompters.

 

Guess where Jacob will head next?  To a place of worship and restoration- Bethel.

We will also discover that Jacob had knowingly tolerated idols in his household.

Give the enemy a foothold  and he will build a stronghold.

Had Jacob become over confident after having seen how God prepared the heart of Esau to favorably receive him?

Had Jacob become prideful in his spiritual maturity? Remember pride goeth before a fall.
God’s Grace, His Wonderful Amazing Grace is likened unto a perpetual source, a spring of water. Think of the Mississippi River- it just keeps on flowing.
For this grace to flow through us, we must first desire God’s grace, and we must present ourselves in order to receive. Paul writes: “Therefore I urge you brothers in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, as holy and pleasing to God, for this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed by the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” ( Romans 12:1-2)
We must decide to spend time with God in His Word and prayer.  Only then we will be alert to the deception of sin. Set our minds on things above not on the things of the world and the things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of His wonder and grace.
Have you ever noticed any inconsistency in your behavior based on the people you are around?
That is being conformed to the pattern of the world.

This is exactly what happened to Dinah, to Jacob and his sons.

It happened so gradually- they did not realize the small decisions and compromises they made daily plus the absence of real worship and time with God brought them to this Godless chapter in their lives.
May we learn from this example.

 

Genesis 33:  A New Name – a New Walk?  
 

Jacob has a new name- Israel- he has also acquired a pronounced  limp. A reminder of his encounter with the Living God.  He is , as we continue to see, a flawed man who has a tendency to fall into old patterns of behavior.  
 

Verse 1: Jacob looks up and there was Esau coming with his 400 men. What is Jacob’s reaction?  He divided his family among his wives- placing the maidservants and children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 
 

He could not have been more obvious in his favoritism and where each member stood in their importance to Jacob. Jacob cannot seem to refrain from leaning to his own understanding. His old nature – a schemer, a manipulator is still at work. Jacob has been broken and he has been blessed. He has a new name and a new walk- but the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.  Jacob’s dependence upon the Lord does not seem to be complete, he is cautious in his approach to Esau. He is fearful and suspicious of Esau’s intention, thus he puts Rachel and Joseph his favorites in the rear. Like Peter when he stepped out of the boat, showed great faith- but a rising wind and waves, caused Peter a fisherman to become fearful and he begin to sink. Jacob’s new found faith, name and new walk were halting at best, when the winds of adversity blew- Jacob’s faith seemed to falter. He had to learn to trust the Lord with all his heart. To trust in the Lord with all your heart is a difficult lesson to learn.  
 

When God teaches us a new truth about Himself or about ourselves or both- we can then expect an opportunity to apply the new truth in obedience. Let’s give Jacob/Israel credit- he did put himself first. Are we not slow learners like Jacob?  
 

I imagine, Peter’s steps out of the boat were cautious ones, don’t you? He was cautious but courageous. Walking by faith is sometimes a scary proposition. Jacob’s walk of faith had taken a new turn- but his steps were cautious- yet courageous.  
 

Verse 3, does tells us Jacob puts himself in the front ahead of all of his family. A true shepherd always goes in front. The Lord Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, went ahead and told us to follow him. Jacob also bows down seven times in his approach to Esau.  
 

Verse 4- a reunion and a relief.  Esau upon seeing his brother runs to meet him. Can you see the picture- Jacob, now Israel is limping and bowing- Esau is running full speed. Do you get it?  Jacob, the chosen of God is limping- in pain. His limp is as noticeable as our walk with the Lord should also be. It is made even more evident by Esau’s running. Esau’s last 20 years have been good to him, as we hear of his family and wealth later on- while Jacob’s last 20 years have been seemingly one struggle after another. We see the two brothers embrace-Esau threw his arms around him and they embraced and they wept. I like to believe for  several minutes they did nothing but hold each other and weep. Tears of joy perhaps mixed with laughter as they looked at each other and how they had changed. Ever have one of those types of reunion?   For a few minutes words are not necessary. Then the words tumble out in a torrent of questions and answers.  
 

Several scriptures and  observations come to mind.

First: Proverbs 16:7- “ When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies at peace with him.” God had prepared the heart of Esau to welcome his brother and forgive him. You will see in a minute how this reunion and Esau’s forgiveness remind Jacob of his encounter with God.  
 

Second:  As far as the struggles and adversity and painful limp of Jacob, we are reminded of what the Apostle Paul told us: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” ( 2 Cor. 4:17)  
 

When I think of the Esau’s of this world running, while God’s chosen saints are limping it brings to mind the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:Listen to what Abraham says to the rich man who has found himself in Hades:   “But Abraham replied , “ Son remember in this life you received your good things and Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”   Want to trade places with this rich man who in this world  had it made? If I interpret this parable told by the Lord Jesus literally- the lost in Hades have memory of the past. Can you imagine that? Want to exchange your future for the future that awaits the Esau’s of this world?  
 

Sometimes God chooses to wound us, His own children in order to make us walk differently while the unbeliever seems to run with confidence and enjoy the successes of this world. But what does it profit a man if he gain the world- but loses his soul?  
 

Keep these scriptures in mind as you deal with life’s seeming inequities and realize that in the end God will balance the scales and will reward accordingly and punish with sure justice.  
 

“ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting  away,yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary,but what is unseen is eternal.” ( 2 Corinthians 4)   In other words, things are not what they seem. (Keep in mind- those who are serving the Lord in ministries that are impacting the world and walking by faith are more vulnerable to attack- and the attacks can be devastating.) We are told in the early days of the church: “ the apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of Jesus. ( Acts 5) 
 

I love the words of this song we often sing: “ No guilt in life, no fear in death. That’s the power of Christ in me.” Oh, that our walk with the Lord could give us this as the song of our heart. A walk that keeps us in the light, as He is in the light that keeps us continually and immediately confessing our sins- so there is no guilt in life and no fear in death for  that is the power of Christ in us.  
 

Was Jacob afraid?  Yes, of course he was. And even though the ways of his old nature would still cause him to act according to the flesh sometimes- there he is, Jacob, the limping liar who is learning how to walk by faith- out in front facing his problem and his past. 
 

We have all experienced fear and will experience it again. That is why the one of the most often repeated commandments of the Lord Jesus is  “ Fear Not.”  Many times our fear comes from a lack of  confidence, or being called to leave our comfort zone. Apparently this was the situation the Apostle Paul was addressing in his young protégé, Timothy’s life.  
 

In 2 Timothy 1:7, we read: “ For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I love this verse for it reminds me I serve a Triune God who has given me three weapons to overcome the spirit of fear.

1. God has enabled us with His Power- the Holy Spirit.
2. God has enriched us with His Love. ( How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we shall be called children of God. I John 3:1)
3. God has enlightened our minds  with His Truth. (If you continue in my words you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8)

 
 

Judge Jacob at your own risk…I, for one, will not make judgment. The Lord Jesus said: “ Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Jesus goes on to say we are hypocrites who need to take the plank out of our own eyes first then we can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.  
 

Verse 5: After several moments of what has to be one of the most tender moments in the book of Genesis, Esau looks up and saw the women and children. “ Who are these with you?” he asked.  
 

Jacob replies they are the children God has graciously given your servant. Then each maid servant and children approach, then Leah and her children and finally Rachel and Joseph. I am sure Jacob must have introduced each one and  said something about them. Esau is looking for the first time at nephews and a niece he has never seen. You can imagine Esau- hugging and laughing at this brood. What a reunion- what a relief as the tension went away like the air out of a balloon.  
 

Vs. 8: Then Esau asked Jacob what he meant by sending all those flocks as a gift.

Jacob replies – to find favor in your eyes.  
 

In verse 9-11; I want us to look carefully at what each person says and to do that means we must understand the meaning of the original Hebrew words.  
 

There are two different words used in the original Hebrew that reflect the difference. The KJV says Esau responded to Jacob’s gift by saying “ I have enough.” The original Hebrew word is more closely interpreted as plenty ( NIV) or much.   
 

In Jacob’s response, the KJV again uses the word enough  “ I have enough” But the Hebrew word used originally is closer to the meaning provided in the NIV- “ I have all I need.”   
 

Jacob also mentioned God’s graciousness as the source of his supply.

Esau says I have much…Jacob says I have all I need. Do you see the difference? Jacob realizes he has a supply that cannot be exhausted because God is the source. God is the supplier of all his needs. Esau has accumulated much- but he does not state that he has all he needs.  In his pride, Esau wants to let his little brother know he doesn’t need anything from Jacob. Esau is proud of his accomplishments- he is a self-made man- who is saying to Jacob- look what I have become.  
 

Jacob insists Esau accept this gift if he has found favor in Esau’s eyes. Then Jacob makes a statement in verse 10:  “For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.”  
 

Remember after wrestling with the Lord all night at Jabbok, Jacob named the place Peniel, which means I have seen the face of God.  
 

How is it that Jacob could see in the face of this profane pagan, Esau, the face of God? When Jacob looked at the tear-stained smiling face of his twin it triggered his spiritual memory. He remembered his experience at Bethel, God’s protection from Laban, angels sent both coming and going, and the answer to his specific prayer for God to save him from his brother was standing right there in front of him. As physical an answer to a prayer as ever one could hope to see.  Esau’s forgiveness  was to Jacob a reminder of God’s forgiveness and favor.  
 

Jacob has humbled himself before his brother  and made amends. We must note to NOT humble ourselves and make amends to those we have offended can keep us from our promised lands and from the greater works Jesus said we would do. Remember “ that he who loveth God loveth his brother also.” (I John 4:21)  
 

Following this Esau says to Jacob come on with me and my men- I will accompany you. Jacob says you go ahead, we are a slow moving group- I will see you in Seir.  
 

Esau, being a gracious host, says let me leave some of my men with you. Jacob says don’t do that – we are fine. Esau gets the message and leaves.  
 

VS. 17:  Next we see Jacob going to Succoth where he would stay for some years. Now you have to have knowledge of  the geography of that day and if you look on a map, you will see Jacob and his family did not enter Canaan, but stayed for some years on the other side of the Jordan River. In other words, Jacob stopped  short of entering the Promised Land, which God had told him to return to. He also builds a house. That he will be there for some years is evident for Dinah, the baby sister will grow up to be a young woman.  
 

After spending those years in Succoth, Jacob crosses over the Jordan River to an area near the city of Shechem. The Word of God tells us he camped within sight of the city. Remind you of anyone?  Lot pitched his tents toward Sodom.  Jacob buys land from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This tells us the city is named for Hamor’s son. Hamor is like the ruler of that area and his son, Shechem would be like a prince, and heir to his father’s rule.

Now we will soon discover that Jacob’s children are an unruly, undisciplined group. This will soon become evident in the events in chapter 34.  
 

VS.20: Notice as this chapter ends, we find mention for the first time of Jacob building an altar. When did this occur?  AFTER his business dealings  with Hamor’s sons. Did Jacob sense that something was amiss?  Or was this the old Jacob trying to get God’s approval after the fact rather than before?   
 

Have you ever made an important decision without consulting the Lord?  Have you then, like Jacob, asked God to bless it after you had done it?  Did you see what Jacob named the altar?  El-Elohe-Israel.  The God of Israel- the new name God gave him at Jabbok.  
 

Ever try living as close to the world as possible without actually living in the world? It is a dangerous place to live. And what about Jacob’s children? Children watch what their parents do- more than what they say, especially when there is a difference between the two.  
 

Forbidden fruit is always tempting, isn’t it?  Did you ever stop to think, that Eve was standing next to the tree of good and evil when she was tempted by the serpent, the old devil himself?  Young people especially- like the forbidden fruit.  Sin appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Sin is pleasurable for a season- but that is its deception. 
 

Jacob has led his family into a dangerous place.

He has chosen a land and a place to live without consulting the Lord.

Like Lot, he has appeared to have chosen for himself.

There was obviously good pasture land.

There was a city nearby- so there was commerce and trade.

The principle of drifting is we not only drift from something- we drift toward something.  
 

There was an old radio show called  “ The Shadow”. It started out with this statement:  “ Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of man?”  God knows and God will reveal the evil in our hearts if we ask Him to search our hearts..  
 

But we must learn as the Apostle Paul tells us—good and evil travel on a parallel path. The path of evil is broad- the gate is wide and many enter through it. But small is the gate and  narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. Have you found the Way?

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no man comes to the Father except by Him.  
 

No Guilt in life;

No Fear in death-

That’s the power of Christ in me.  
 

Do you ever wake up afraid?

Is there something in your life that is a stronghold- that is producing guilt?

Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart- the eyes of faith, so that you might see the unseen.

Ask the Lord to enlighten your heart that you might see the hope to which you are called, the glorious inheritance of the saints and the exceedingly great power in us who believe.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 32:  Jacob’s Return. Let’s Get Ready to Rumble! 
 

Having left Laban behind, Jacob’s journey and thoughts turn toward his return to Canaan and meeting with Esau – face to face.  
 

As it was at Bethel, Jacob is met in some fashion by the angels of God. Consider the following:  Jacob was greeted by angels when he was fleeing from Esau 20 years ago and going to meet Laban; now he is greeted by angels as he is fleeing from Laban and going to meet Esau.  A reminder from God that He, God, is with Jacob coming and going.  
 

But also a reminder that after 20 years, Jacob still finds himself either running from someone or something – only to run into someone or something. We cannot run from God and we cannot run away from who we are.  
 

Jacob’s story is such a rich source of illustrations and  examples. It seems Jacob turns to God only in troubling times, in adversity and desperation. Surely the Bible tells us:  “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” ( Psalms 56:3)   But can we come to a place in our walk with the Lord where the following would be true:  “ Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.” ( Isaiah 12: 2)   Or “ The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?” ( Psalms 27:1-2)  
 

But we can see by the actions that Jacob takes- he is imagining the worst. Esau, his big brother, may have always been someone Jacob feared physically. For we will see in this story Jacob is terrified and dreads this meeting with Esau. I believe his actions also reveal that Jacob realizes what he did to Esau and how he did it was wrong. But before Jacob faces Esau- he must, as we all must, honestly face God. 
 

I wonder- do you and I have someone or something in our lives- we dread facing? If you are facing a struggle or battle in your life- your real struggle may be with the Lord. And although you may go for some years without facing that something or someone-  God  will not leave this issue unresolved, but will in Him timing see that we deal with it- as we are about to see in the story today.  
 

In verse 3, after seeing the angels, Jacob begins to make preparatory actions for this long dreaded face-to-face meeting with Esau. In verses 3-5, Jacob sends messengers ahead with carefully worded greetings. The messengers were instructed by Jacob to call Esau, Master, and refer to Jacob as ‘your servant’.  The meaning behind those words were evident- Jacob is telling Esau, I come with no political agenda to exert control or authority over you. Then there is a brief explanation of where he has been for the last 20 years- with Laban. He also lets Esau know he has cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, menservants and maid servants- in other words, I have substantial possessions- so I am not coming to take anything away from you  by right of the blessing. Jacob says through his message to Esau- I have come to find favor in your eyes. Jacob wants to set the stage for peaceful negotiations.   
 

In verse 6, the messengers we return to inform Jacob – ‘ your brother Esau is now coming to meet you with 400 men.’. 
 

In verses 7& 8, Jacob is thinking the same thing you and I are thinking—this does not sound good. Jacob reacts with fear and distress. His imagination goes immediately to the worst-case scenario- Esau is coming to attack us. He divides his people into two groups. His thinking is if Esau attacks one group- the other group can have an opportunity to escape.  
 

But in verse 9, we see that Jacob’s fear and distress drive him to his knees in prayer. Let us carefully review and observe this prayer of Jacob’s. God has shown us in the story of Jacob, what an imperfect sinful, manipulative man Jacob is. If Jacob can pray effectively, the surely there is hope for us. Remember Paul said these were written to teach us. For if Jacob can get his prayers answered, it is of great encouragement to us. For God is the same today as He was in the day of Jacob. If God is faithful to answer the prayers of a schemer like Jacob- there is great hope for schemers like you and me.  
 

Jacob, like us, has some clear promises from God, in other words Jacob has the Word of God. Already we have seen that Jacob is fearful, because he ‘ imagines’ the worst. Fear is the companion of doubt and uncertainty. They are attacks of the enemy- they are at the root of the spiritual battle we wage.  We are told in 2 Corinthians 10- “ the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension( imagination) that sets it self  up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive the thoughts to make it obedient to Christ.” ( 2 Cor. 10:4-5)  Remember every action we take began first as a thought; that is why it is a battle for the mind. 
 

Do you see that we have access to the same mighty weapons that Jacob used to pull down this stronghold? Let us understand what a stronghold is. A stronghold is an area of sin that becomes a part of our lifestyle. It may be a harmful habit involving drugs, pornography, or sexual sins. This stronghold may be an attitude of  loneliness, inferiority, pride, worry or doubt. These strongholds use a whole arsenal of rationalizations to support these positions. But the knowledge and reasoning on which these habits or attitudes are built directly oppose the truth of God’s Word. We have prayer and the Word of God-these are our mighty weapons to pull these strongholds down. It is in prayer that battles are won and lost. We can ask God in faith to tear down these strongholds and He will do it. Then we must renew that part of our minds with the truth of God’s Word or we will be subject to those lies again. Therefore it is essential that we learn to pray.  
 

Jacob is outnumbered- he is weak, Esau is strong. Esau is many, he is few- at least in the eyes of the world. Jacob has done everything he knows to do physically and in his own strength. Now realizing he is no match, that he is powerless – he calls upon the Lord. 
 

The Prayer or Jacob: Verses 9-12. 
 

First notice the prayer of Jacob is very specific. Protect us from the hand of my brother.

It is also the prayer of a desperate man- who realizes the outcome does not depend on him but on God. Let us carefully consider this prayer:

First Jacob states the purpose of God. Jacob says to God- it is You, God, who said to me to go back to your country and your relatives and I will make you to prosper.  Jacob is saying back to God what God has said to Him. This is the essence of praying back to the God the Word of God. Jacob is saying to God I am where I am- because I am following your directions. Remember this- where God guides He provides.  
 

Notice also,  how Jacob is humble. God gives grace to the humble. Jacob confesses he is not worthy of all God’s kindness and faithfulness that God has shown to him.  Having observed Jacob’s life, his deceitfulness and manipulating ways, we would certainly agree he is not worthy. ( For me this is a great encouragement- for like Jacob I consider myself unworthy of God’s kindness- but that is what Grace is and why we call it Amazing. ) 
 

Jacob then does something, we need to do. Look back and see what God has done. Jacob declares as he looks back, I left home with a staff and now I have returned 20 years later with all of this, You have given me.   
 

The Jacob pleads with God as a desperate, fearful man to protect him and his family from the violence of Esau.  
 

Then Jacob boldly reminds God of God’s promises to him, Jacob. That is always a potent argument with God to take Him back to His promises.  
 

This is a very important point- don’t miss this. WE ARE TO ARGUE OUR CASE WITH GOD BY TAKING HIM BACK TO HIS PROMISES- NOT TO CONVINCE GOD BUT TO CONVINCE OURSELVES! 
 

( Verse13-21)Now Jacob arises from this prayer and prepares a gift for his brother Esau. He arranges for his servants to bring these gifts of herds in sections- so that Esau with each gift will hear the same message: this is a gift from your servant Jacob sent to my lord, Esau. Were these gifts meant as a bribe or as a gift of goodwill?  Not sure. But I believe Jacob arose from prayer more confident and having succeeded in convincing himself as he recalled the promises of God. These promises of God reminded Jacob not of who he was- but WHOSE he was.  For at Bethel, Jacob had experienced a personal relationship with God. He became a believer. Now Jacob will be broken.  We need to realize the two go together. For when we are weak, when we realize we are powerless- then we become strong in the Lord. 
 

(Vs. 22)After sending the flocks Jacob remains behind with his family to await the arrival of Esau in the morning. He takes his two wives , his two maid servants and all of his children and crossed the stream, Jabbok. Then Jacob was left alone- evidently to spend the night in prayer and we are told of a strange occurrence- a wrestling match until daylight.  
 

Sometimes we wrestle with something in the dark that we cannot clearly see until the light of day. Those problems that keep us awake at night- might not really be the problem we are wrestling with- only a symptom of the deeper root of the problem.  
 

Some think the wrestling match is a spiritual allegory- but that does not explain Jacob’s dislocated hip which was physical. Since the Pre-Incarnate Lord had met with Abraham in the desert and eaten lunch and two angels appeared as men in Sodom and Gomorrah- we know this physical encounter can be taken literally.  
 

Jacob wrestles with this unseen, unknown man through the night until daybreak.

Verse 25 tells us “ when the ‘man’ saw that he could not overpower him(Jacob), he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.”  If this is the Pre-Incarnate Lord, or even a mighty angel of the Lord, how could a mere man not be overcome by the mighty angel or the Lord Himself?  Simple answer is God allowed Jacob to struggle with Him. But clearly by touching his hip and dislocating it, God shows He was in control all the time. Jacob would never walk the same again- he would always walk with a limp a reminder of this night.  
 

In doing so, God teaches us that perseverance  in prayer is an important and necessary element. 
 

When this ‘man’ tells  Jacob to let  him go- Jacob refuses  to give up until this man blesses him.

Then the Lord ( I believe this is who this man is) asks Jacob his name.  Jacob answers- I am Jacob.  What does the name Jacob mean?  Heel grabber- supplanter, deceiver, a cheat and a liar.  Jacob has confessed who he is. For the last time he was asked his name by his father, Isaac, he lied he was Esau.  
 

Now that he has admitted who he is and was. This was all God wanted. God simply wanted Jacob to be broken in His Presence and see himself as he really was. A natural born sinner born with a name that described his nature- a cheat and a liar.  
 

His name was changed that early morning by the brook Jabbok, from Jacob to Israel. This new name marked a new beginning and Jacob, now Israel, would never walk the same.  
 

There seems to be a pattern in our walk with the Lord. There is salvation which occurs at once and forever. But then begins the ongoing process of sanctification- the molding and conforming in the image of God’s son. Our walk begins and it should be different than it was before. For the Lord delights to order our steps. 
 

It is clear that God has shared with us in His Word prayers of biblical characters. By searching the scriptures and these prayers we can find those real people in real situation like ours and see how they prayed effectively.  Remember these things were written to teach us.  
 

Let us summarize what we see in this story are the elements of effective prayer and how they relate to us in our situations.  
 

1. A right relationship. Jacob’s right relationship began with God at Bethel, where the God of his fathers became Jacob’s God. Can you look back to your own Bethel experience?
2. Knowing God’s thoughts. God had revealed His will for Jacob in dreams, visions or in some way the spoken word. He has revealed His thoughts to us in His Word with the Holy Spirit to teach us and even pray for us. Saturate your mind with God’s word and you will begin to think like God.
3. Pure heart. We must confess all known sins. Sin means divided loyalty. God will not trust His Power and Authority to anyone not completely yielded. Jacob surrendered to the Lord- he gave up at Jabbok.
4. Pure motive The true desire to know God’s will in any given situation. We can make our requests and petitions known to God –  but realize the point of prayer is not to have God do our will- but for us to have our will aligned with His. Not my will- but Thy will, Father, prayed Jesus in the Garden.
5. Persistent confidence in the faithfulness of God. Pray until we receive an answer. Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it will be opened. These instructions speak of a persistence.

 
 

If you are a believer you have the right relationship with God- you can call on Him as your Heavenly Father.

You and I are commanded to study to show ourselves approved- spending time in the Word and saturating your mind with the word of God. By studying His Word we will come to know what God’s will is.  
 

Then confess your sins- now with a clean heart you will have a clear mind and a clear mind will produce the right motives.   
 

Let’s think about something for a minute- if Jacob had the promises of God that He, God was with Jacob and would watch over him wherever he went and bring him back to this land  and prosper him- why was he afraid and in distress?  Because the enemy, satan had a stronghold in Jacob’s mind. The stronghold was based on a lie- that Jacob’s situation was unchangeable- he would be defeated and destroyed by his brother Esau. But this was contradictory to the will and promise of God.  
 

Remember the battle is the Lord’s.  
 

So let us remember the following truths:  
 

Remember your position in Christ. We have been raised from the dead with Christ and are seated with Him in heavenly places. ( Eph. 2:6) We are to therefore set our minds on things above, not on things on earth. (Col 3: 1-2) He(Christ) is head over all rule and authority.( Col 2:9-10)  I am in Christ and Christ has authority and rule over satan. The enemy will retreat before the authority that comes from Christ. You and I can bind the enemy on the basis of our position in Christ.  
 

Rely on God’s provision. His provision is His Grace. I am not talking about saving grace but the grace, the unmerited, undeserved favor of God that gives us power we need to live victorious lives.  James 4: 6 states: “But He gives us MORE GRACE. That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” In other words the grace that God gives you to tear down the strongholds is far greater than the power that set up those strongholds.  
 

Obviously we want to know- how do we obtain this grace that is greater?  And the word of God tells us:  Submit yourselves therefore  to God. ( James 4:7) Surrender to the Lord. Completely yield to His power – quit trying to do it in your own strength- it hasn’t worked and it never will. That is why as a 32 year-old man- I had to confess I was powerless over alcohol.  
 

How do we plug into this power?  We disconnect from what had not worked- self effort and plug into Christ’s power. “Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.” ( James 4:8) Drawing near results from spending time in God’s presence in prayer, worship and study of His Word.  
 

Repent of our sins.  James 4: 8-9 says: “ Wash your hands you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve mourn and  wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.”  We need to get serious about our sin.. confession is cleansing and Godly sorrow leads to repentance. God’s word is telling us- sin is no laughing matter. 
 

Then having done these things we can resist the devil. We can resist only by knowing and using the Word of God. (Matthew 4) 
 

For example when the enemy comes with the lie that you will never be able to change – your rebuttal is ; I am a new creature in Christ. When the enemy tells you that you will never be free- tell him it is written, if Christ sets you free – you are free indeed.  
 

It is time to claim your new identity.

It is time to draw on the inexhaustible provisions that God has provided.

It is time to send the enemy packing and tear down the strongholds.  
 

You wrestle not with flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ( Ephesians 6)  
 

Let’s get ready to rumble! 
 
 
 
 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 31:  A New Beginning. 
 

In verses1-3:  we see that Jacob perceives the resentment and change in attitude of Laban’s sons and Laban himself toward Jacob. Word has come to Jacob that Laban’s sons were complaining and bitter over Jacob’s prosperity and that the wealth Jacob had gained- rightfully belonged to their father Laban. Then in verse 3, God tells Jacob it is time to go back- to leave this place.  
 

Did you ever ask your parents to get you something for Christmas or your birthday and that you would be so content you would never ask them for anything else again?  
 

Did you ever want to a job, a position, to earn a certain amount of money and think if I only had that kind of job making that kind of money it would be all I would ever need?  
 

Let me ask you- once you got those things, once you achieved those goals were you content?  Or did the pride of ownership, did the excitement of the new position, the feeling of accomplishment soon not satisfy you as you thought it would?  
 

Of course we have all had those experiences. Let me be clear- there is nothing wrong with having goals, desires and ambition. Remember this: a goal is simply what we do to accomplish an objective in a period of time. Purpose is why we do what we do. In other words, the goals are the ‘what we do” ; the purpose is the “ why we do it.” Purpose is by nature long term. Goals are what we do to achieve our purpose. 
 

Jacob had two goals soon after he arrived at Laban’s home.

1. Marry Rachel.
2. Get Rich.

 
 

Now after 20 years he has it all and then some. He not only has Rachel, he has Leah and two concubines, 12 children, (11 sons and daughter) plus the last 6 years he has gained great wealth. You see Jacob had two goals- which he achieved but unless the goals are part of the accomplishment of the purpose- they will not satisfy for long. 
 

Do you know what is the purpose of man according to God?  What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Here in what is called the Westminster Catechism we find God’s  eternal purpose: to enjoy Him forever and His earthly purpose: to glorify Him. Jesus told us how to do this and not get caught up in the world’s value system. He told us to” seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the thing we need would be given to us. ( matthew 6:33)  
 

Is Jacob happy? Fulfilled? No. His life has become miserable. God has allowed Jacob to become wealthy- but now God allows the world  and its riches to turn sour for Jacob. They are not the lasting fulfillment Jacob thought they would be.  
 

When God allows the things of the world which attracted us to become sour, even bitter and unfulfilling it is actually a blessing. For now we are willing to listen to God and what God has to say to our souls. The deceitfulness of sin is that a little sin is good for you, fun, fulfilling and not harmful. But we discover sin is not only deceptive- it is a cruel taskmaster. The wine that sparkled in the cup- stings like an adder in the end.  
 

After God instructs Jacob to leave, Jacob calls Leah and Rachel to come out to the fields where he can tell them of the plans God has for them. This is the wise thing to do. Jacob needs for his wives to understand what they are about to do. Marriage has its difficulties because both husband and wife come with parents to whom they are loyal. Many problems in a marriage have come from the parents of the husband and wife. But Rachel and Leah exhibit where their loyalty and allegiance must be- with their husband.  
 

In verses 5 – 13 Jacob tells  Rachel and Leah exactly what is going on. He tells them of the change in attitude of their father and brothers. The threat is real that they would come and take away what Jacob has worked for and what God has provided. He tells them about the dream that God gave him regarding how to increase his flocks, Jacob recalls how their father has changed his wages 10 times.  
 

In verse 13: We notice Jacob in looking back sees how it has always been God who was at work in his life. God in the dream reminded Jacob that He was the God of Bethel. He reminded Jacob of his vow to God at Bethel.  
 

God reminding Jacob of  his Bethel experience is important. When we, like Jacob get caught up in the rat race of life in pursuit of happiness and those things of the world we believe will make us happy, we can get off course can’t we?  Like Jacob – when we lose our way- we need to turn around and go back to where we got off the path and made the wrong turn.  
 

Let’s go back to Jacob’s Bethel experience and remember that as Christians – Paul tells us in Galatians 3- “ if you belong to Christ,  then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”  
 

Listen carefully to this promise made to Jacob by God at Bethel, for this spiritual promise is also ours- we can claim this according to scripture. God tells Jacob and you and me: “ I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land(home). I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you. “  Jacob responded with a vow- which God reminds Jacob of his vow- that if God did those things- God would be his God and I will give you a tenth of everything- meaning I will recognize that all I have gained comes from you.  
 

So Jacob begins the race that God would have Jacob run. Just as we begin the race that God would have us to run after we got saved.  Then something happens.  We get caught up in the ‘rat race’, the routine of setting goals, making lists and checking them off. But the goals of achievement the world recognizes and rewards can distract us from the race God had laid before us.  Listen to this verse from Galatians 5:7:  “ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”  
 

What Jacob wanted and what we want, I can describe in three words:  The Good Life.  
 

Here in lies the dilemma: who gets to decide what is the good life? Confusion exists about how to achieve the good life. It is not that we should not want to improve our standard of living and as Jacob declared to his father-in-law- I have nothing for my household. Jacob wanted something to call his own- and God not only did not condemn Jacob for wanting something for his household- God also helped Jacob get it.  
 

You see the world has a definition of the good life and what it entails and what it looks like. And God has a definition of the good life and what it entails and what it looks like. And we get caught in the confusion of this rat race and the tension between living the Christian life and life in the 21st century. In other words, will we live the good life according to God’s view or the world’s view?  Or like a lot of us we come up with a hybrid good life that combines the two. We are constantly bombarded by messages, seemingly innocent messages that if we have this type of car or live in this neighborhood or belong to this club- we are living the good life. 
 

Jacob had been caught up in a rat race for 20 years. After an encounter with God at Bethel twenty years before, Jacob pledged his allegiance to God and begin a personal relationship with him. But in the years that followed, Jacob got caught up in the pursuit of the good life.  
 

What  God is going to have to do with Jacob- He will have to do with us. When we get caught up in the rat race and let the world and its desires cut in on us and keep us from obeying the truth, God will get our attention. He will have to tell us it is time to go back to where we got out of the race and get back in it. And He will allow circumstances often adverse ones to direct us and steer us and get our attention.  
 

The choice between the Christian life view and the world’s secular life view is the difference between God’s race and the rat race.  
 

What do we need to do? We need to ‘ throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.’ ( Hebrew 12:1)  
 
 

So at this point in his life Jacob will do what we most often do as God intervenes in our lives…we must, like Jacob, make a New Beginning.  
 

Jacob’s wives are in agreement with Jacob regarding their father, Laban, and his mistreatment of Jacob and so plans to leave immediately begin. In fact Rachel and Leah both tell  Jacob do whatever God has told you to do.  
 

Should Jacob have left the way he did? Not sure. But they left soon thereafter. But Rachel does something that at first glance confused me. Why did Rachel go steal the household idols?  Did she still believe in them?  Or did she do this out of spite because of her father’s behavior?  
 

Can we identify with Rachel as an immature believer?  She believed  Jacob’s God, she trusted Him. But she was also reluctant to completely give up some of her previous beliefs, superstitions and ways of life. Rachel like all of us had been conformed by the world, her beliefs had been shaped over years by the world in which she lived. Rachel’s attitude is little different from that of many a new Christian today, happy to know the Lord but not yet willing to enter a life of separation from the world.  
 

In verse 22, we read it was not until the third day Jacob had fled that Laban discovers he has left- with his wives, children and flocks. Laban and his sons take off in hot pursuit. Even though Jacob has a three day head start, he has large flocks and herds and women and children – so his travel is slowed.  
 

In seven days of hard travel, Laban overtakes Jacob and his entourage in the hill country of Gilead. Laban spends the night and will confront Jacob and his family in the morning. But as so often happens in the Bible we read this phrase.. “ Then God…” Then God came to Laban, a pagan in a dream and warns him not to do anything to harm Jacob.  
 

Interesting that Laban did not know God in a personal way, but knew enough about God to know he had better do what God says. James says you believe there is one God..Good! Demons believe that and tremble. ( James 2)  
 

In verses 20-27 we see Jacob accused of being a deceiver three times. Surely he lives up to his name.  As Jacob was counting all the offenses of Laban against him over the last 20 years, he seemed to not be bothered by any of the offenses he had committed against Esau.  
 

In verse 26, Laban  reveals his hypocrisy as he tells Jacob he left and did not even give him the opportunity to tell his daughters and grandchildren good bye and throw them a going away party.  
 

But then Laban  asks a question that catches Jacob completely by surprise for he does not know what Rachel has done when Laban says why did you steal my household gods?  
 

Rachel must have started to get very nervous and begin rehearsing her lie.  
 

Jacob tells Laban he left the way he did out of fear  that Laban would take  his daughters away from him After all, Laban had used his two daughters to get 14 years of work out of Jacob. But Jacob is indignant that Laban would accuse him of stealing his household gods. Jacob says if you find anyone who has your gods, I will execute them. Rachel’s heart rate must have zoomed to over 180! 
 

Laban and his sons begin a search of Jacob’s camp. Rachel has hidden the gods in her camel’s saddle. She had evidently brought the saddle into her tent and was sitting on the saddle like it was a piece of furniture.  She refuses to stand when her father approaches her and explains she is having her period. So Laban’s search ends without uncovering the stolen gods.   
 

Just a thought—why would anyone want to worship a god( small g) who can be stolen.?  
 

Having been cleared of any wrongdoing- in fact it speaks to Jacob’s integrity they found nothing belonging to Laban in Jacob’s possession, Jacob vents 20 years worth of being mistreated.  
 

You might say this is one exit survey – his former employer had rather not have heard.  
 

Jacob begins to talk about what he had done for  Laban and how he born the loss for animals killed or damaged by  paying for them himself. Jacob recounted how for 20 years through heat and cold and sleepless night he had been a faithful, productive employee. And how in return, Laban had changed his wages 10 times.  
 

Then Jacob talks about how God had been with him and protected him and provided for him and even rebuked Laban. The names he uses to describe God are interesting- the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac.  
 

Fear of Isaac- the only time this name is used to describe God. But think about Isaac and what Jacob must have known about his father, Isaac’s relationship with God.  
 

Fear here does not mean a physical fear- like being afraid of  a snake. It refers to a holy fear , a reverence of an awesome God. Isaac first learned about God from his father Abraham.  A day he would remember forever was the day his father took him as a young man to Mount Moriah. There Isaac was  bound and lay on the altar where Abraham appeared to have every intention of killing him. When Isaac asks his father where was the lamb- his father replied God would provide. It was on that day I believe that Isaac intimately in a few moments knew both the terror of a God who would instruct his father to sacrifice him and in the same moments come to reverence for the rest of his days the One would save him.  
 

Jacob used this name, the Fear of Isaac, to remind Laban that God was not to be taken lightly.  
 

Laban then proposes a covenant with Jacob.

God desires for us to be reconciled to Him.

God desires for us to forgive others who have sinned against us.

But sometimes the best way to get along with someone is to separate yourself  from them.

Sometimes two people need God to stand between them who can’t seem to keep from doing harm to one another. Perhaps one person is unreasonable and refuses to give in or neither party seems to be able to reach a compromise.  We are told to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Sometimes I believe it is in the best interests of two parties to let God send them to opposite corners of the ring- like a referee in a boxing match. 
 

Laban and Jacob offer us a prime example of restoration in terms of forgiveness and good  will but not togetherness. There is a restoration and forgiveness without togetherness.  
 

I remember once when we were driving in the car for a long period of time- probably from a vacation. Something occurred that upset one of our children. He was probably 8-10 years of age – but already exhibited a strong will, a quick mind and a way with words. Upset, he began to say he was leaving home- and moving to ‘Fun Town’. There he said you could do anything you wanted, and he made a list of things that little boys like him would like. It was funny and he got caught up in describing Fun Town and we all had a good laugh.  
 

But in those ‘little boy terms’- he really described what is at the heart of  our desires-to live the good life- to live in Fun Town.  
 

Have you ever heard this statement:  “If at first you don’t succeed – change goals.”  It was meant to be facetious – but there is actually a truth hidden there.  
 

You see- we have succeeded in accomplishing some goals in our life- only to find they did not please us- did not give us the lasting satisfaction we thought they would . Fun Town wasn’t that much fun after a while. So having gained some wisdom we change our goals in pursuit of contentment. 
 

We are told the secret of contentment by the Apostle Paul. “ I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” ( Philippians 4:11-13) 
 

The Lord is our source of contentment. The Holy Spirit is given to each and every believer. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to control and direct our lives we will find contentment. There in lies the problem- are you daily seeking His guidance? His Strength? His Wisdom?  Or you still in the rat race trying to get to Fun Town?   
 
 

I Timothy 6: 6-10. “ But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of this world. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that. People  who want to get rich fall into temptations and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men  into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many

griefs.”    So much for living in “Fun Town! 
 

If our purpose is to glorify God- then our goals must be toward that end. Decisions then become clear- will this action, words or thoughts glorify God. If not- change your goals.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 30:  “ Let’s Make a Deal.”  
 

This chapter sees Jacob’s family increase, another encounter with his father-in-law and a series of deals not only with Laban but also with Leah and Rachel.  
 

Jacob sometimes seems to be the man who is always trying to please all those around him.  
 

In verse 1, Rachel has a mini- breakdown. Frustrated at her inability to conceive while Leah, her sister bears one after another, Rachel is jealous or as the KJV states envied her sister. Envy is the offspring of jealousy and is defined as “resentful awareness of another’s advantage.”  Matthew Henry states that envy is grieving at the good of another. Jealousy means you want what someone else has- envy means you not only want it- you also want it taken from the other. Rachel is so upset she says to Jacob “ give me children or I shall die.’.  Remember both of these wives are aware of the covenant of God with Abraham and now with Jacob and the blessing to come through his offspring. How can Rachel the favored wife become part of this – if she has no children?  
 

Verse 2, Jacob becomes angry with Rachel and says: Am I God? And then further implies there must be something wrong in her life and God has kept her from bearing children. We know Jacob loves Rachel and she- him; but in real life there are arguments and quarrels among a husband and wife who love each other.  There is also friction from these multiple marriages and it will grow even worse.  
 

In verse 3 comes the first of several deals in this chapter of Jacob’s life. Taking the same route Sarah did with Hagar and Abraham, Rachel requests that Jacob take her handmaid, Bilhah and sleep with her and the offspring will be legally considered Rachel’s child.  
 

In verses 4-8 we see Jacob father two sons by Bilhah named Dan and Naphtali respectively. Their names express Rachels’ emotions: the name Dan means – God has vindicated me and  given me a son; the name Naphtali means ‘wrestling’ as Rachel viewed this as having wrestled with her sister and won.  
 

Remember at the end of chapter 29, when Leah gave birth to Judah, we were told she stopped having children. Now in verses 9-12, Leah responds to the challenge of Rachel by convincing Jacob to take her maid, Zilpah, as a concubine or secondary wife and Jacob fathers two more sons in quick succession named Gad and Asher. Their names meaning ‘ fortunate’ and ‘happy’ respectively.  
 

But there seems to be no end to this contest of conception, it fact the competition escalates and Jacob seems to be a willing pawn giving into his wives demands as a way of keeping peace. But also probably delighted with the birth of so many sons- for they were considered to be a great asset to any man.   But there will be trouble as we will see among these sons for the Word of God tells us clearly- ‘unless the Lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it.” (Psalms 127:1)  
 

Obviously there are  things about the culture of Jacob’s time that are so different they are difficult for us to comprehend. But we also must realize that Rachel and Leah are the products of their upbringing- they were raised in a family of idolaters. We will later see that after all these years, those household idols were still important to these sisters. We will also see they had come to accept as truth- certain superstitions or what we might today call ‘ wive’s tales’. One such belief was that a rare fruit called mandrakes was an aid to fertility.  
 

For this reason we find Rachel making a deal with Leah for some mandrakes that her son Reuben had found and brought home.  In verses 14 and 15 we see the bitterness between these two sisters as Rachel asks Leah to give her some of her mandrakes . Leah’s angry response is “ wasn’t it enough you took away my husband and now want to take my son’s mandrakes?”  
 

Rachel says- I will make you a deal…give me your son’s mandrakes and I will tell Jacob to sleep with you tonight.  But as we will see the deal backfires on Rachel.  
 

In verse 16- Jacob coming in from the fields from a days’ work is met by Leah who tells  Jacob – you must sleep with me tonight, I have hired you for the night with my son’s mandrakes.  Jacob was truly a hired hand… it makes you wonder sometimes what was going on in his mind and in his walk with the Lord. Jacob seems to drift along sometimes with his only interest being in producing more offspring, increasing flocks and just the day to day business of life and family. We have all had times like that in our spiritual lives, where we seem to be more caught up with the business of everyday life than our spiritual walk with the Lord. If we are not careful – we will drift away.  
 

There is a time and season for everything. The Lord understands we need work and the ability to make a living. Jesus told us our Heavenly Father knows what we have need of before we ask.  But our priority is to seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness- that is His rule and His will must be foremost in our lives .When this is so  He will give us the things we need. We will see as Jacob begins to turn his heart toward God and back home- to seek first His kingdom and His will- God will provide all his needs. Where God guides – He provides.  
 

But underneath this story with its real, ordinary people and strange customs we must not lose sight that God is at work. For as Jesus told us, my Father is always at work. We are about to see how God directs us in our walk with Him as we observe how He directs Jacob in his walk.   
 

The method God uses to direct Jacob will reveal the method He uses to direct us:  
 

1. An inner witness of the heart. A desire of the heart- a longing . Now one must be cautious for as we are told the heart can be deceitful. But if we delight ourselves in the Lord – He will give us the desires of our heart. The Lord first begins to put a desire in your heart. We may be caught up as Jacob was caught up for a period in our lives where our children are being born and raised and where we are establishing our careers. But God will get our attention first with a desire – a longing.
2. Next will come outward circumstances of life. These circumstances will confirm our direction. Adversity will often be used to steer us in the right direction.
3. Then comes the confirmation of the truth of God’s Word. Jacob will develop a longing to return home. Circumstances will steer him in that direction and God’s word to him will confirm it.

 
 

We will observe these not only in Jacob’s situation- but God will also reveal the same truths and steps in the life of Joseph.  
 

It is also wise to consult those closest to us who will also be affected by our decisions. Jacob will consult with Leah and Rachel.  
 

Back to our story- Jacob sleeps with Leah  and verses 17-18 tell us Rachel’s Mandrake Deal backfired on her and rather than making her fertile- God allows Leah to become pregnant again and  another son is born, named Issachar. ( Meaning reward.) This is the fifth son, Jacob has fathered by Leah.  
 

Verse 19 reveals Jacob must have decided to spend more time with Leah for she gives him a sixth son, Zebulon. The name means dwelling…for now she felt her husband would dwell with her.  
 

Evidently Jacob did continue to spend more time with her, for next she bears what is recorded as the first daughter, named Dinah. This baby sister would be much loved by her brothers as we will see later on.  
 

Finally, in verse 22 we are told that God remembered Rachel and she has a son, named Joseph. Although Judah will the line through which the Messiah, the Lord Jesus would come, Joseph was destined for greatness in his day. But his greatness would come as result of great adversity and patience.   
 

So at this time- close to 14 years with Laban, Jacob has 12 children- 11 sons and one daughter. Leah has produced 6 sons and 1 daughter, Zilpah- 2 sons, Bilhah- 2 sons and Rachel -1 son. Rachel will later give birth to Benjamin the 12th son and baby of the family. We will see the divisions in the family and the favoring of one wife and one son by Jacob create a very divided family. Surely, the four sons of the two maids would form a natural alliance as their status of secondary sons was obvious, then there would be the natural rivalry between the sons of Leah and the sons of Rachel. Yet in all of this God was at work as we are about to see.  
 

Verse 25 tells us after Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob begins to have a desire to return home. God has awakened in Jacob a longing to do what God has willed him to do. For as we will see it is God who works in us a desire and power to do His good purpose. So begins the next phase of the story of God’s dealing with Jacob. Jacob has an inner witness of the heart- a strong desire a longing to return to his homeland. Perhaps by now knowing his mother has died but his father and Esau are still alive.  
 

Verse 26- Jacob says to his father in law Laban- it is time for me to return. I have worked my full 14 years paying for your two daughters. I have worked faithfully for you and done much good for you.  In other words, Jacob says, I have fulfilled my end of the bargain and then some. All I am asking for is my wives and children. 
 

Laban says to Jacob, please stay. I know your God has blessed me because of you, name your wages ( Laban’s favorite ploy) and I will pay them.  
 

Let me make a comment about Laban. By now Jacob knows Laban is not a reasonable man. Laban is an unreasonable man. Laban is also a dishonest man.  
 

Unreasonable people are the most difficult people  to deal with. They can certainly be the sandpaper God uses to refine us- for they do wear us down physically and emotionally. The problem is not that unreasonable  people do not understand- they refuse to understand, they will not understand.

Their refusal is their method of control.

This type of person is not ever going to be “ fair.”

The only type of agreement they will agree to is an arrangement that is grossly in their favor.  
 

Jacob has learned this lesson and knows  how Laban operates. As we will see not only has God given Jacob a desire, God will give Jacob the plan that Laban an unreasonable man will agree to.  
 

First Jacob states what he knows Laban already knows. Jacob has increased Laban’s flocks greatly. Jacob also is careful to give the Lord credit- for Jacob knows the Lord has blessed Laban through Jacob.  ( Joseph would be a chip off the old block as his efforts were blessed by God wherever he ended up and clearly helped Potiphar, the prison warden, and the later the Pharoah.)  
 

Next we will see the deal Jacob offers Laban and Laban takes him up on. It was a deal Laban could not refuse.  
 

It was Laban’s kind of deal- a deal that weighed heavily in his favor….or so he thought.  
 

Let’s make a deal continues with Jacob fashioning a deal that Laban could not refuse. We discover later in Chapter 31, Jacob tells Rachel and Leah that God gave him the plan in  a dream.  Here was the deal:  Jacob said to Laban I have worked hard for you and prospered you- but I have nothing of my own for my household. Remember God knows what we have need of before we ask Him.   
 

So Jacob proposes to Laban a deal that seems to grossly favor Laban.

First Jacob proposes to continue to tend Laban’s flocks and herds. This would immediately please Laban.

Second, Jacob proposes to remove from the flocks all spotted, speckled goat and dark sheep. Keep in mind that the predominant color of goats in that part of the country was black and that eastern sheep were predominantly white. The speckled, spotted goats and the brown sheep would be removed from the herds and flocks and taken three days journey away from the flocks. Jacob would continue to tend the remaining flocks for Laban which would be all white sheep and all black goats.  
 

Third, Jacob said what will be my wages will be any speckled, spotted goats or brown sheep born in the future.  
 

Now Jacob was going to work hard as he always did, try a trick or two he had learned but trust God who we discover later is the One who gave Jacob this plan.  
 

I do not understand what Jacob’s actions with the peeled branches accomplished- but we do understand Mendel’s Law- a law of God’s by the way that Mendel discovered. What occurred over the next six years was the work of the Lord. The law of genetics  tells us a scientific fact that some animals have the recessive genes for speckles, spots and brown color. These are called heterozygous and those having only the genes for pure colors without the recessive traits are called homozygous.  
 

Here is the bottom line- God who created all things and controls all things – who can cause a great number of fish to swim into a fisherman’s net; or a fish to bring a coin or a rooster to crow at a particular time; or a raven to bring food- has no problem causing those animals with recessive genes- the heterozygous animals to mate and restrain the homozygous animals from mating. This produced a greater number of speckled, spotted and dark colored offspring.  
 

Jacob then culled these from the herds and allowed them to mate with one another producing even great number of their own kind. For the law of genetics as decreed by God says each will reproduce after its own kind.  
 

Thus as we come to the end of this ‘deal-making’chapter, we see Jacob’s flocks had grown exceedingly prosperous and he came to own large flocks, and maid servants and men servants, and camels and donkeys.  
 

But remember how God directs us:

1. A desire – a longing in our heart, an inward witness.
2. Circumstances that direct us- an outward witness. Often adversity is used to steer us.
3. The Word of God instructs and guides us.

 
 

This will be exactly what happens with Jacob.  After the birth of Joseph, Jacob’s heart turned toward God and home. He had a desire a longing, an inner witness.  
 

Where God guides He provides, the next six years, God is able to provide all of Jacob’s needs.  
 

Then we read in the beginning of chapter 31 there comes the outward circumstances and adversity God uses to confirm our direction and steer us. Jacob heard that Laban’s  sons were saying Jacob had stolen their father’s wealth. Laban’s attitude had changed toward Jacob. Circumstances and adversity were about to move Jacob in a different direction.  
 

Then comes the confirming Word of God. The Lord said to Jacob,” Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:3) 
 

Looking back at your life can you see God’s hand in directing your life?

Can you see how like Jacob, you were introduced to the God of your father, your parents- but you had to personally develop that relationship with God?  
 

Can you look back to a time in your life when you had a ‘Bethel Experience” where like Jacob the God of your parents became your God?  
 

Then can you observe how your life seemed to fall into the same routine of Jacob’s? Look how many years we seem to do the same thing over and over— the getting up, going to work, coming home, eating dinner, watching television to go to bed and get up and do it again. 
 

Somewhere along the way- the Bethel Experience becomes a distant memory- the worship of God becomes as routine as the rest of your life and you wonder sometimes am I missing something?

Then comes an event- ( for Jacob it was the birth of Joseph) that wakes you out of your spiritual slumber and God begins a new, fresh work- there is a longing in your heart, a desire to do God’s will.

Then comes the circumstances- sometimes the adversity that steer us as God re-directs our lives. All of a sudden His Word becomes the source from which we seek guidance and He speaks to us and directs us – for He delights to order our steps.  
 

Then you realize- every day you wake up:

God the Father has a will for your life; He has an agenda.

God the Son communicates the Father’s will and agenda to us through His Word and His life. For the Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

God the Holy Spirit’s task is to implement. His mission is to work in us the desire and power to do God’s will.  
 

You see, the One and Only God Father has made you a deal you dare not refuse: for God so loved the world- you and me- that He sent His only begotten Son, and that who so ever should believe in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. He has promised if we seek Him first and His righteousness that He will supply all our needs. 
 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 29: Jacob Arrives at His Uncle Laban’s House.  

The next three chapters of Genesis record the 20 years Jacob spent in the employment of his Uncle Laban. 

Jacob left Bethel a different man from what he was when he left his home. In New Testament terminology, Jacob was saved at Bethel. Now would begin the journey of sanctification. Jacob had a spring in his step. The phrase ‘ Jacob went on his journey’ can be rendered Jacob lifted up his feet.   

Jacob had experienced a dream in which the God of Abraham and Isaac spoke to him. God gave Jacob the promises of assurance of  what He, God would do for Jacob. You might be thinking- I would walk with a spring in my step if I had such an encounter with God as Jacob did.  But think about it…Jacob had the memory of a dream and God’s promises. But we have even more- we have God’s promises to us in writing- so we can check them as often as we want to for assurance. We also have the Holy Spirit deposited in us guaranteeing what is to come. Should we not walk with a spring in our step? 

In verse 2, Jacob comes upon a well in a field. This was probably the same well that Abraham’s servant came upon when he went on his mission to find a bride for Isaac. The scene is described exactly as Jacob saw it that fateful day- a well in the field with three flocks of sheep lying by it with their shepherds and a great stone covering the well.  

Verse 3 explains what was obviously the custom for watering the sheep. The stone was probably there to protect the water from dust and debris. It would not be rolled away until all the flocks were gathered, then perhaps it was on a first come- first served basis. This may explain why the flocks and their shepherds were gathered   We will soon see the following traits of Jacob and note that he is not shy- but personable. Jacob certainly is not lazy, he is industrious. He possesses substantial physical strength and yet is an emotional man. Jacob is clever in business, shrewd in a deal, has an eye for what needs to be done in order to be more efficient and has amazing abilities as a herdsmen. He was a man with all of the skills to be successful- but in order for God to use him, the potter must flatten the clay on the wheel in order to shape the vessel for His use. We will note that Jacob started this journey with a spring in his step but there will come a time when the Lord will slow down his step and Jacob will walk with a limp and a cane.It will be such a significant change in Jacob’s life, God will give Jacob a new name.  

Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota is quite a controversial figure. He is a former Navy Seal, a professional body builder, wrestler, talk radio host, author, governor and professor.  Once asked his opinion of Christianity- he remarked ; “ it is a crutch for the weak.”  At first many Christians were shocked and outraged- but actually it is perhaps closer to the truth- for unless we realize we can do nothing apart from Him that we must truly learn to lean on Him not our own understanding. So from that perspective- we realize there is much truth in Jesse’s statement- that we must realize we are weak.  

Jacob is about to enter a period in his life when he must be subdued by the Lord. He must be broken in order to be made  whole. Behold as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, Jacob…the Lord God is about to begin to shape Jacob’s life.  

In verse 4- Jacob, never a shy person greets the shepherds with the flocks- ‘my brothers- where are you from?  And they said Haran. Jacob’s excitement builds as he realizes he has arrived at his journey’s end.  

In verse 5 Jacob inquires do you know Laban, the son of Nahor? To which they replied- we know him.  Laban would have been well known for his family and his flocks were substantial in that area.  As we will also observe Laban and his methods of dealing, he was probably known for being the type of person you had to watch closely in a business deal. There may have been some sarcasm in the shepherds’ reply – we know him. Laban may have been the type of business man Dickens described Scrooge as- hard and sharp as flint. 

The encounter continues as Jacob inquires if his uncle is well. To which the shepherds reply he is well and here comes his daughter Rachel with their flocks.  

(verse7) Now Jacob cannot help himself- he is used to telling people what to do and how to do it, having grown up in a privileged home with influential father and grandfather. He observes it is early in day, why don’t they water the flocks and put them out to pasture in stead of sitting around. Jacob would be successful because he was a man of energy who saw what needed to be done and he did it. He was a hard worker and he could not understand why they were sitting around.   

The reply of the shepherds was  we cannot roll away the stone until all the flocks are gathered. In other words, they told Jacob ‘ this is the way we have always done it.’.(vs.8)  

Here is the scene, Jacob, the stranger is talking with the shepherds. He obviously could converse with them in a language he was familiar with- perhaps having learned it from his grandfather, Abraham. But also he could talk about a subject they both had in common, being herdsman. But when Rachel arrives, Jacob forgets about the shepherds, forgets about their custom of watering. Eager to impress, perhaps taken by her beauty and what may have been love at first sight, Jacob rolls away the stone by himself. This display  of physical strength was not unlike the actions of a teenage boy wishing to catch the eye of a pretty girl.    

The next verse tells us Jacob is not only a man of strength but also of emotions. Think about what has happened to Jacob over the past few weeks- there was the deception he and his mother had entered into in order to get the blessing instead of Esau. There was the threat of Esau to kill him.  The official blessing of his father and being sent off a long journey to take for himself a wife. The encounter with God at Bethel. The long nights and days of the journey which had been physically and emotionally difficult. So when Jacob sees the beautiful young woman, who is family, who is beautiful, and perhaps his future  wife, Jacob kisses her and weeps as he tells her who he is. He was overcome with emotions.  

In verse 12, we see Rachel’s reaction, she ran to tell her father Laban.

In verse 13, Laban runs to meet Jacob, his nephew. I am sure he was glad to see the son of his sister Rebekah. But he also remembered the gifts, the gold and the wealth that had accompanied the servant of Abraham all those years ago when his sister Rebekah left to marry Isaac, the son of Abraham.   

Their first meeting and Laban greets his nephew Jacob as bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.  Surely they were related and alike in more ways than just physically. The first month passes and obviously, Jacob being the type of person he is does not sit around the house.  

By the end of the month the following is obvious – as Jacob begins to work  Laban cannot help but notice his nephew Jacob can outwork any two of his sons. It is also obvious Jacob is head over heels  in love with Rachel.  

In verse 15, Laban  decides I cannot afford to lose someone this valuable, with his skills and his family wealth. So Laban goes to Jacob and says I cannot let you work for nothing- tell me what shall your wages be?  Here is our first indication of how clever at a deal is Laban. Rather than making an offer- he first sees how much Jacob thinks he should be paid. Laban  let Jacob name his terms anticipating because of his desire for Rachel he would get a better bargain this way.  

Jacob had been doing some figuring himself. And he probably had been putting in extra effort at work to show Laban what a valuable asset he was. It will  be interesting to watch these two men, so much alike, try to outsmart one another in their dealings. Jacob has a ready answer for what his wages should be…I will work for you for seven years for Rachel. ( Now we are told Laban had two daughters the older daughter, Leah, described as being ‘ tender-eyed’ and Rachel the younger daughter described as beautiful and well favoured.. In other words Rachel was a knock out and Leah was not. How sad that we see judging others on outward appearance has always been the way of the world. The world has always placed a high premium on physical attractiveness. When we know that physical beauty is not an indication of a person’s value.  Yet the forbidden fruit in the garden was pleasant to look at and Satan, formerly known as the angel Lucifer was grand in his appearance.  

Surely Leah knew she was not as attractive as Rachel and perhaps there was some envy there and perhaps some resentment. But remember it is God who made us the way we are and He did so for a reason. But we wonder, did this lack of physical attractiveness and the obvious value that society placed on good looks in any way make Leah feel inferior? 

Verse 20 tells us a lot about the love Jacob had for Rachel. This verse tells us Jacob served seven years but they just seemed like a few days, because his love for Rachel was so great.  

But next we will see what the con artists would call ‘ the switch.’ In the seven years he worked for his uncle, his uncle had time to formulate his plan.  

Laban’s plan is a cunning one. I wonder if during the seven years, Jacob told the story of what he and his mother, Laban’s sister, had done to deceive his blind father, Isaac. Laban would have been impressed with such a cunning plan and it might very well have planted the seed for the deception he is about to carry out on Jacob.  

Jacob had disguised himself like his older brother Esau in order to deceive Isaac, his father and receive the blessing. Now Laban would disguise his oldest daughter Leah to pass her off as her younger sister Rachel.  His plan to switch brides would be tricky. The wedding would take place at night so under the cover of darkness, heavy veils and perhaps wine at the feast  the switch could take place. Rachel was either in on the plot being told by her father she would get to marry Jacob, but he needed to do this for Leah.  

Laban’s plan was based on Jacob’s character and his love for Rachel. He knew having consummated the marriage to Leah physically, Jacob would not desert her. But Laban also knew with his love for Rachel, he could get Jacob for another seven years.  

The plan worked and Jacob did not discover until the next morning in the light of day, he had been deceived.  I believe you could hear the roar that came from that wedding tent all through the camp.   

Angry, deceived and feeling he had been greatly wronged and cheated, Jacob demands of Laban why have you done this to me? Why have you deceive me?  

Laban, cool as a cucumber replies- it is our custom the older daughter must be married first- not the younger.  Stay with Leah and fulfill the wedding week feast, the next seven days then I will give you Rachel also for another seven years of service.  

Jacob was defeated. He agreed. Surely he could not help but notice- what he had done to Esau had now been done to him.  Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. Now Jacob understood how Esau felt. He understood what he and his mother had done in a way he could not have understood before.  

We also will take note of some other information : Leah was given a handmaid to serve her named Zilpah; and Rachel when she weds Jacob will given a handmaid, Bilhah. Both will play roles in the building of the nation of Israel.  

I would caution you as we read about God’s chosen people and see the polygamy involved, that God does not support polygamy, we are just being told the facts. In fact God’s  word is clear- God’s plan for marriage is one man and one woman—the two shall be one…not three or four be one. We will also see that polygamy never works and causes all types of discord and jealousy .  

Now verses 30 and 31 give us an insight into the household of Jacob, Leah and Rachel. Verse 30 tells us Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.  And verse 31 tells us  the Lord who sees all – saw that Leah was hated and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.  

Elvis Presley was once asked in an interview what made him happy. Elvis thought for a minute and gave an answer that I believe revealed a lonesome and in some ways sad man. Elvis said, “ I need someone to love, someone to love me and something to look forward to.”   

As  human beings, God created us with a desire to be loved and  to love. And we all want something to look forward to- the next vacation, the next trip, the next – whatever. For Elvis Presley it was concerts- where thousands of nameless people expressed their love and appreciation for him-though neither he nor his audience knew one another. For the space of that hour- Elvis felt loved.  And for the space of that hour some fans who loved a man they did not know and maybe obsessed about him felt somehow fulfilled. But when the concert was over- they were left empty.   
 

People who are not loved- but love someone else and their love is not returned can become desperate and obsessive.  We all can remember or know of someone who became desperate and obsessive- we see extremes of this obsession in the news where someone will kill that person they love and then commit suicide. John Hinkley shot President Regan to get actress Jodie Foster to notice him.  

Leah became desperate for Jacob to love her. She was miserable. She evidently cried out to the Lord to do something.

 

The Lord opened her womb and in quick succession Leah has four sons. Her names for her sons reflect the desperation she felt in her attempts to have her husband, Jacob love her. Reuben, her first born son, name literally means ‘ God has seen.’ Leah’s comment reveals her heart- ‘surely the Lord has heard me and looked upon my misery and now my husband will love me.   So we see the brief period of hope- hope that Jacob would now love her because she had given him the son that Rachel could not.  

But the very next verse, verse 33 tells us this did not solve her dilemma so pregnant for the second time, Leah remarks because the Lord has heard I am hated He has given me a son. 

I believe the unreturned love of Jacob causes Leah to become obsessed with having children. Beth Moore says the troubled child of desperation is obsession; but the healthy child of desperation is devotion.  But know for sure- desperation will bring about something in your life- what will it be?  Obsession or devotion.   

I believe based on personal experience and stories shared in the Word of God that our Lord has a special place in his heart for people in desperate situations.  

I am sure by now- you have experienced the difference between a situation that concerned you and a crisis that brought desperation. As a 31 year old man, desperate to become sober- I cried out to the Lord. A cry of desperation and He heard me-He rescued me and saved me.  

Can you not see the young man, we know as the prodigal son, desperate for food, for fellowship and for love coming to his senses?  What brought him back to his father- desperation.  

Do you see the woman who had – had it . She could not take it anymore. Her life was miserable, she had dealt with the issue of blood for 12 years. She had been to specialist after specialists for healing- her life was controlled by this disorder- and she was obsessed with healing. She was desperate and in her desperation she reached out to the Lord. At the same time a man called Jarius had come to Jesus- desperate for Him to come to his house for his 12 year old daughter was dying.  

Can you not see the long line of people outside the home of Simon Peter who have come to be healed—the Bible tells us in Mark 1:  “and at evening, when the sun went down, they brought all  that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils and all the city were gathered together at his door. And He healed many that were sick of various diseases, and cast out demons…”  All the desperate people drawn to the Lord. And He turned none away.  

I could go on an on with stories …but you get the point   Read Psalms 107 and you will see even in their disobedience that brought them into their desperate situations the Lord responded to their cries. “ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saves them out of their distress.”  
 
 

Let’s observe Leah’s journey from the desperation of being unloved to the obsession with having children as a way to make Jacob love her to finally a devotion to the Lord. Reuben, her first born causes Leah to say God has seen my desperation (misery, affliction) and now my husband will love me. Next came Simeon and  she remarked the Lord has heard I am not loved and gave  me another son. Then came Levi and she remarked surely my husband will become attached to me. On her fourth son, we see a change from obsession and attempts to find love in her husband Jacob turn to devotion to the Lord. This time I will praise the Lord and she named him Judah. And she stopped having children.  

Leah had found an outlet for her love in the Lord. She no longer had to obsess about whether Jacob loved her as much or more than Rachel. Her joy was the Lord and she was devoted to Him now and found what she had been searching for. The emptiness was filled and the desperation was gone.  

“ Now once I was downhearted, disappointment was my best friend. But then you came and it departed and has not shown his face again. Your love keeps lifting me higher, than I ‘ve ever been lifted before. So keep it up and quench my desire.”  ( Higher and Higher, Jackie Wilson).

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

Genesis 28:  Jacob’s Journey

 

Isaac seems to have been shocked out of his carnal lethargy and now realizes what was almost a huge mistake in blessing Esau rather than Jacob. So now in the clear light of God’s will, he will bless Jacob again with the convenant blessing.  Notice the name of God Isaac uses- God Almighty, El Shaddai.
He is sending Jacob away with some very good instructions for Jacob’s future – marry a believer and walk with God. A wife who is a believer is a suitable helper. And Isaac and Rebekah wanted for their sons what every believing parent wants for their children- a walk with Lord and a suitable help mate. Also- as we will see God has to separate us in order to set us apart.
That is why even though we are to honor our parents, there comes a time to leave your parents. Jacob’s life was dominated by his mother’s constant instruction as long as he lived at home. It would be necessary for God to remove some things from Jacob’s life so that He could work some things into Jacob’s life. For it is God who works in us both the desire and will to do His Good purpose. ( Phil 2: 13)
So Isaac sends  Jacob on his way, alone to travel hundreds of miles to the land of his mother’s family. Isaac blesses him and instructs him- the role a father is to play in preparing his son(s) to go out on their own walking in the light as God is in the light.
In verse 6, we notice a disappointed Esau taking all this in. He notices how important it is to his father and mother, that Jacob not marry a Canannite woman and remembers how grieved they were he married two of them. Putting one and one together- Esau comes to believe the reason for their displeasure and thus the reason for not blessing him was his choice of wives.

So we see Esau, desperate to be reconciled with his parents and maybe with the possibility of having the blessing restored to him, goes to the family of his Uncle Ishmael and takes a wife. But Esau continues to show what his problem is- it is his attitude of spiritual indifference.  His actions show he will put on whatever outward appearance to gain favor with his parents- but in his heart  he cares nothing for the things of God. Esau would be the type of person who joins a church today- in order to appear  religious while using his membership to further his personal and business agenda.
Jacob’s journey begins and I cannot help but wondering what was going through his mind. The next 8 chapters will be devoted to the process that Jacob will go through as God prepares him and changes him in the process of salvation. I believe Jacob did not yet have a personal relationship with God. He knew about God, he had heard the stories of his grandfather Abraham and his own father, Isaac. He knew  about the God of Abraham and Isaac but God was not yet the God of Jacob.
Jacob had been under his mother’s rule. She had him tied to her apron strings. She went before him and covered his back and  made the all important decisions for her son, Jacob.
God would have to separate Jacob from his mother and separate him unto Himself. He would have to cut those apron strings- so that Jacob would learn to depend on Him, God, rather than his mother. God is the Potter- we are the clay. God shapes us to become the vessel He would have us to be. He does this in order to shape us to serve in the unique position He would have us serve. This process initiated by God requires time, pressure and complete yielding to the potter’s hand. That is why in Jeremiah 18, God tells Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house so He, God, might teach Jeremiah a lesson.  Paul writes in Romans 9- ‘ But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it- why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?”
Jacob is about to shaped on the potter’s wheel.

Jacob is to be shaped and strengthened in order to establish the tribes of Israel.

He must first learn to depend on God alone.

It will take time. It will take trials. It will require pressure for that is how a clay vessel is shaped.

This is a process that begins with a personal relationship with God. Jacob knew a lot about God- but he did not personally know God.

The beginning point is about to happen- Jacob had to be separated from his mother and his dependence upon her.That dependence on her must be replaced by a dependence on God.

Each person is different. Some have a dependence on others- while others are dependent on their own abilities and strengths- like a Samson or Peter. But God knows what must be worked out- in order for Him to work in both the desire and the will to do His purpose.
Jacob’s process is about to begin- and we will observe this process for the next 8 chapters which will represent the next 20 years of his life. When we come to Joseph’s story, we will see the process in his life required 14 years- but they were 14 very difficult years. But they were necessary in both cases to prepare the ‘vessels for their purpose.’.
Here is an overview of the process:

1. Knowing God personally. This is what Paul considered to be the primary goal of his life.

2. Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and body. The more we know Him, the more we will love Him. Knowing God personally is a pre-requisite for the process.

3. Obeying God. If you love me, you will keep my commandments, Jesus said . (John 15) Obedience comes out of love- which come from knowing Him.

4. Abiding. If we love Him and obey him, we will maintain a living communion with Jesus- surrendered to His will. “Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in me.” (John15:5)

5. Finally the fruit bearing then comes as a natural process of abiding. This not only pleases God- it brings the sense of fulfilling one’s purpose in their life.
Do you see what had to happen in Jacob’s life?  He had to be separated, cut off from his domineering mother ( good as her intentions might have been) and grafted into the vine- if he were to be able to bear fruit. We can observe the fruit that Jacob was bearing as long as he was abiding in his mother’s will- look at his deeds:  selfish ambition, lies, deception, and envy. Here is what James says will be the results of such actions: “ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice.” ( James 3: 16)  This came from the worldly wisdom that his mother, Rebekah dispatched and the result was a dysfunctional family.
But James goes on to explain what happens when we obey and are instructed with wisdom from heaven:  “ but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  ( James 3:17)
Jacob was in the process of being cut off from his mother and engrafted into the True Vine. He was beginning a  personal relationship with the God he knew a lot about- but did not know personally.
I would imagine, having abruptly left his family, his domineering mother, and all that was familiar to him was an uncomfortable if not terrifying situation. We do love our comfort zones- our cozy, familiar nest. There was also the threat of his brother Esau to kill him. Maybe Jacob kept looking over his shoulder as he left home. Then there was the unfamiliar that lay ahead. He and his mother were a team who worked diligently to control all the situations they confronted. Now he was alone- on his own- separated from the familiarity of a place that had always been home. Jacob was right where God wanted him to be.
THE DREAM.
Jacob stops at Bethel and at sunset and lies down to sleep. Jacob then has a life changing dream.  Now you might wonder why God chose a dream to speak to Jacob, but the Bible tells us in Hebrews 1:1: “ God spoke at sundry times in divers(various) manners in times past unto the fathers by the prophets.”
The dominant feature of Jacob’s dream was a ladder resting on earth with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of  God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord and He said, I am the Lord , the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you  and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south. All peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Simple question:  what is the purpose of a ladder?  To reach somewhere one cannot reach on their own. Notice where the ladder is resting-on earth. And notice where its top reaches- heaven.
What did Jacob see ascending and descending on the ladder?  Angels of God.
Some Biblical facts regarding angels:

*They cannot be  numbered- thousands upon thousands ( Hebrews 12:22)

*They are invisible- but can take on human form. ( Sodom and Gomorrah; also Hebrews 13:2)

* Angels are ministering spirits sent forth to serve those who will inherit salvation. ( Hebrews 1:14)

*They are mighty beings excelling in strength that do God’s commandments hearkening unto the voice of His Word. ( Psalms 103:20)

* They rejoice at the salvation of sinners. ( Luke 15)

* They protect us- guard us. “ For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” ( Psalms 91:11)
Then in the dream, Jacob hears for the first time the voice of God.  Do you remember the first time you experienced God personally speaking to you?  When His word seemed to come alive in a way you had not experienced before?
That night the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac became the God of Jacob.
That night Jacob learned there was a place called heaven.

It not only was a real place.

It was an attainable place. It was possible for man to go up to heaven. But man could not get there by his own ways, he could not reach it. That is the purpose of a ladder – to reach somewhere one cannot reach on his own.
Two thousand years after Jacob’s dream there came down from heaven the only one who could make a way for us to go to heaven.  He was God the Son, the pre-existent Son of God who had always been and would always be. The Lord Jesus came down from heaven to earth via the miraculous virgin birth  to establish a link, a bridge  – a ladder in order to make a way for sinful man to reach heaven and be in the presence of a Holy God.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 1- Phillip tells a dear friend of his, Nathaniel about this Jesus of Nazareth. Upon meeting Jesus, Nathaniel was skeptical at first, but Jesus convinced him telling him things about himself which Jesus could only have known supernaturally. Then Jesus told  Nathaniel- “ here after you shall see heaven open and angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” ( John 1: 51)
In other words, Jesus said I am the Ladder in Jacob’s dream. I am the only way, The Way, by which one can go from earth to heaven.
Jacob not only had begun a personal relationship with God, but also had received a truth centered in Christ. It was a saving truth.
When Jacob awoke – his first thoughts were : Surely God is in this place and I was not aware of it.

Do you have a conscious awareness of God at all times?  It is a prayer my mother taught me to pray- a prayer that I believe is centered in the will of God and therefore a  prayer that God will answer.  Did God not tell Jacob I am with you, and will watch you wherever you go and will bring you back home. I will  not leave you until I have done what I promised.
These promises are ours as God’s children. “We are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who are baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. If you belong to Christ then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” ( Galatians 3: 26, 29)   Any physical promises to the seed of Abraham, such as land to be occupied are for the physical descendants of Abraham. But the spiritual promises are for Abraham’s spiritual seed- which as believers in Christ we are.
These are our promises personally from God.

God is promising us- He will never leave us- always be with us.

God is promising us- Always keep us.

God is promising us- He will bring us home.
We can be confident, that He who has begun a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ( Phil 1: 6)
God was telling Jacob- you can depend on me now- not your mother or your abilities. Thus the journey with God begins for Jacob. He had to be separated from his mother and the comfort of his home.
He would have to learn to trust God not his own abilities and lessons he had learned  from his mother.

Trust is a learned response. Jacob was entering the school of faith, where he would learn how to trust the Lord with all his heart and not lean to his own understanding. It is the most difficult lesson we must learn.
Jacob had in  theological terms been justified. Now the process of sanctification would begin.
The next morning upon awakening we see Jacob’s spiritual nature begin to change. It was here, he first realized  that God was in more than one place. He remarked- surely God is in this place. A new awareness of the presence of God was beginning in Jacob’s life because Jacob in New Testament terminology was a new creature.
He poured oil on the stone he had used for a pillow and set it up as a pillar. Jacob called this place Bethel- which means House of God, even though the city used to be called Luz. Luz means ‘separation.
So the names here with their meaning tell us the story of salvation. Jacob was separated from God by his sin but now was brought near to the very house of God. Jacob has not only made an altar- he is responding to an ‘altar call’ and making a public profession of faith.
It appears as we read his profession of faith, Jacob is making a conditional vow to God. Jacob is a new creature, but old things have not yet passed away. Jacob’s vow is the vow of a new believer, not yet mature, who treats this relationship with God as a business deal. He vows he will do his part if God does his part.
But the real change is evident, as Jacob, always one interested in getting- now vows to give to God 1/10th of all that God shall give him.  Jacob was a changed man, just like Zacchaeus, the tax collector. Zacchaeus  said to the Lord, today I will give half of my possessions to the poor and to anyone I have cheated, I will return four times the amount. ( Luke 19) To which the Lord replied, ‘ Today salvation has come to this house.”
Zacchaeus  was not saved because he gave, he  gave because he was saved. The same is true of  Jacob.
Remember:  the just shall live by faith. Faith is God’s way of living. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, did not understand that living by faith was living without scheming.
Reason is man’s way of living- for there is a way that seems right to man, but the way ends in death.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and those whom come to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ( Hebrew 11: 6)
Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God. ( Romans 10:7)
Jacob’s sins were forgiven- he was justified by faith, just as his grandfather Abraham was.

However, over the next 20 years, Jacob would have a difficult life at times. For although God in His Grace forgives us of our sins- the spiritual principle of reaping what we sow will be administered in Jacob’s life with God using Laban to do the administering.
These familiar Bible characters are real people with real problems- many of their problems are of their own making.

But through it all we see God’s hand at work- the hands of the Potter shaping His vessels for use.

We see family problems making life miserable.

We see how to make new beginnings when you fail.

We will see a dreamer’s dream turn into a nightmare- only to reveal it was all part of God’s plan.

We see how to bloom where you are planted.

 

Genesis 27.  
 

The end of chapter 26 tells us Esau was 40 years old when he took to wife Judith a Hittite. We are told this grieved Isaac and Rebekah. It also reveals how little interest Esau really had in the Covenant Promise and blessing and had no interest in God’s Word.  
 

Isaac should have known then- if he had any doubts before- that Esau was disqualified from receiving the blessing. He well remembered how important it was to Abraham that he not take a wife from any of the Canaanite women.  
 

This chapter could serve as the screenplay for a soap opera today. We have so many people doing the wrong thing that Esau looks like the most honorable person.  
 

Isaac should have known better.

Rebekah was trying to do the right thing – but the wrong way.

Jacob proved he was well named- as he was a ‘supplanter’. 
 

Let’s consider the life of Isaac: a miracle child of promise, he had shown great courage and faith when as a young man he had allowed his father, Abraham, to put him on the altar; he was equally obedient to the wishes of his father regarding a bride; and finally, he had found his ministry and left behind a legacy of reopened wells and new wells that blessed many for centuries to come.  
 

As we come to the last half of the book of Genesis we will continue to learn lessons. In Isaac we see one start out well in his walk with the Lord but make some wrong turns. We realize if we are not careful we can make a wrong turn and our walk become unspiritual- even to the point of carnality that no longer discerns the spiritual. A carnal believer is like the unbeliever- in that, the carnal believer comes to rely on his/her senses and live by the flesh rather than the spirit. Surely, the story of Isaac clearly demonstrates this truth. Consider Isaac is physically semi-blind- not completely in the dark but his vision dimmed probably by cataracts. We will see that Isaac is also spiritually semi-blind, his vision of God and God’s word dimmed through his carnality. Thus he lives by his senses- taste, touch, smell and hearing. But eye has not seen nor ear heard , neither has entered into the heart of man, the things God has prepared for them that love him.  Isaac’s spiritual antennae was not picking up God’s word- his carnality had blocked the signal.  
 

The carnal mind grows stale, stagnant and the stubborn. The carnal mind, like the mind of the natural man, is sensual and controlled by its appetite. Let us learn this lesson from the story of Isaac, we will grow carnal or spiritual as we age, we will not stay on the same plateau. A good beginning does not guarantee a good ending. If ever a man was blessed with a great beginning it was Isaac. Yet here we see he has ended his life under a cloud of carnality. Isaac put his interest – his desires above the Lord’s.  
 

What Paul wrote in Romans 8 is a perfect description of what happened in Isaac’s life: “ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded in life is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God,neither can it be.” (Romans 8:5-8) 
 

Isaac should have been acting as his family’s priest seeking a healing in a family that had fallen apart and were at each other’s throats and life in general was miserable. It was a soap opera of deceit, lying, scheming, eavesdropping, spies, sin, and out-of-control appetites . One parent against the other in a feud over their favored child.  A house divided cannot stand- this family was falling apart.  
 

We are warned often about the sins of the father being passed on to become the sins of the children if not dealt with. A child abused becomes a child abuser. The son of an alcoholic becomes the alcoholic himself. Tiger Woods’ father cheated on his mother, something that Tiger hated about his father’s behavior yet finds himself following the same behavior in an almost uncontrollable manner.  
 

So it should not seem strange, although sad, that Jacob will make the same mistakes in his family- would allow favoritism to bring a wedge into his family and make life miserable.  
 

So let us observe this soap opera in the following scenes.  
 

Isaac has grown older and more carnal. His dimmed physical vision is an indicator of his dimmed spiritual vision. We will either put our eyes on things above or things on this earth. We see Isaac now older, perhaps in declining health, although he will live several more years- his vision has now made him less physically active.  
 

Here is the young man who once allowed his father to tie him to an altar, who meditated in the fields, prayed for his wife to conceive and dug wells to bring life- giving, life –sustaining water to many around him- now only interested in the things that appeal to his flesh. Isaac has put his desires ahead of God’s will and God’s desires. He has known since it was revealed to Rebekah she was pregnant with twins, the younger would be the one chosen by God to receive the covenant promise.  
 

We will note how he depends on his senses- smell, taste, touch and hearing.

May our prayer be that we end our lives well- having fought the good fight having finished the race. May we look in the mirror of God’s word and realize we can start out strong- but we must endure to the end. The enemy will not let up in his attack on us or our family.  
 

Notice the division in the family: Isaac does not share his plans for this all important blessing with his wife. Why was he trying to sneak this blessing by her? Because Isaac knew she would not stand for it and because Isaac knew as Rebekah did this was not the will of God.  
 

Isaac had reached a stage in his carnality where he lived by the natural rather than the supernatural and trusted his senses rather than trusting the Word of God.  
 

The repeated phrases in the KJV speak Isaac’s carnality: we read of the ‘savoury meat’-the reference and dependence on smell, taste and touch tell us this is about  the decline of faith and  the rise of self. In the KJV, savoury meat is mentioned six times, venison seven times and eating eight times. Here was a carnal man controlled by his carnal appetite.  
 

The first scene closes with an excited and expectant Esau leaving his father with bow and arrow in hand to go kill and prepare a deer and then receive his blessing.  
 

The drama comes next in the scheme of deception engineered by Rebekah. Rebekah was  a remarkable woman. I believe she loved Isaac from the moment she saw him. Was at times proud of his accomplishments- but as he grew more carnal and more placid and mild- she grew more assertive and controlling. She was truly a strong woman- but instead of using her strength to encourage her husband and minister strength to him- she took matters into her own hands and set about to fulfill God’s  will in her own way- the world’s way.  As we watch and observe the next scenes as ‘ the world turns.. 
 

We will see Rebekah eavesdropping on the conversation between Isaac and Esau. A habit she formed because she and Isaac did not communicate openly. And later being told of Esau’s plan to murder his son, once his father died, reveals she also had her spies in the household. Eavesdropping, spies, schemes- a favorite past time in today’s soap operas.   
 

What happened to the husband and wife who used to share their concerns and pray together?  Truly the family that prays together stays together.  
 

Where is the altar that Isaac had built where he called upon the name of the Lord? What were they thinking?  
 

What would have happened if upon hearing Isaac’s plan and seeing Esau go out with his bow, if she had entered the tent and said Isaac- we have to talk to one another and to the Lord before you make this decision?  We need to look to the Word of God to lead us in His will.  But we know Rebekah did not do this— she had not learned that living by faith is living without scheming.  
 

It seems she almost had this plan already prepared so quickly did she come up with it. If we looked in Rebekah’s kitchen – she might have a plaque or sign or saying on her refrigerator that said: “ If you want something done right- you have to do it yourself.!” For as we will see this recipe for deceit is literally cooked up in her kitchen.   
 

In the next scene, Rebekah brings Jacob into the plot to play his role of the deceiver.. She tells him what they will do. Jacob immediately sees a potentially fatal flaw in her plan. His father, though near-blind, would be able to tell he was not Esau when he reached out and touched his smooth skin rather than Esau’s hairy arms or neck. Jacob whose great interest is the covenant promise of his grandfather, Abraham, is fearful he will be detected then cursed rather than blessed.  
 

His mother said to him, “ my son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say.” Truer words were never spoken… a prophetic statement by Rebekah. For when Jacob leaves soon after this affair- she will never see her  beloved son again; never lay eyes upon any of his children her grandchildren. 
 

The next scene is the one played out with perfect timing by a couple of conniving con artists. Jacob brings a young goat, a kid for his mother to prepare. Rebekah dresses Jacob in Esau’s clothes so Jacob will smell like his brother- then cleverly covers his hands and the smooth part of his neck with goat hair. At the same time we see Esau, perhaps, drawing back an arrow in his bow to kill the deer he will prepare for this all important meal for his father.  
 

Meanwhile,  we see Rebecca preparing the young goat carefully, seasoned to taste like venison. Jacob then went to his father in his disguise carrying the prepared meal. Let’s listen to this exchange and note the ease with which Jacob lies. Remember  how we watched Isaac live a lie in Gerar and noted it is difficult for one to tell just one lie- but must continue to tell other lies to support the first lie?  Let us count the lies that come from the mouth of Jacob:  
 

Jacob enters into his father’s presence with the meal.

Isaac asks ‘ who is it?’ 
 

I am Esau. ( Lie #1)

Your first born. ( Lie #2.)

I have done as you told me. ( Lie#3)

Please sit up and eat some of my game.( Lie#4)  
 

Isaac then asks how he had found and prepared the game so quickly?

Jacob then replies with his most audacious lie- The Lord your God gave me success. (Lie#5)  
 

Isaac suspects something is wrong- he wants to touch his son and  verify this is really Esau. The goat skin convinces him it is Esau, although he remarks the voice sounds like Jacob. Isaac asks one more time- are you really my son, Esau? And again with his sixth lie in less than 60 seconds- Jacob says I AM.  
 

Then Isaac blesses Jacob.

You can imagine a nervous Rebekah scanning the horizon for the appearance of Esau, biting her nails and thinking what is taking Jacob so long?  Finally Jacob comes out of the tent- and none too soon.

No sooner had Jacob left his father’s presence when Esau comes in with his prepared venison.  Jacob had narrowly escaped being caught as it were- ‘red-handed’ in his deceit.  
 

When Esau enters into his father’s tent the two of them would quickly figure out what had just happened. Isaac responded  to the discovery with great trembling. Why did he tremble so?  I am not sure- but perhaps for Isaac it was a moment of spiritual awakening. For Isaac would not revoke the blessing in spite of Esau’s pleading.  
 

Esau’s response reflects the response of the unbeliever. There will be great remorse at the great white throne judgment- there will be the arguments they have prepared to present to defend their actions and place the blame on others- but not themselves.The unbelievers will be judged from the books of their works, what they did in the flesh. They, themselves will have their mouths stopped. We are told they will ‘ be without excuse.’ God has revealed Himself to man. The truth is all of mankind has had some light revealed to them. There are two witnesses that witness to the truth of God’s existence. Creation and the Conscience. ( Romans 1&2) 
 

When the light that is revealed is refused, rejected- darkness increases. These will suppress the truth in wickedness. Light obeyed increases light. And as you live up to the light you have received, you will be given more light. God will judge us by the light we have REJECTED. Romans 2:5  states: “ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when  His righteous judgment will be revealed.” Also we read in Romans 2:11.12: “ For God does not show favoritism. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”  
 

No one is righteous- no one can keep the law. For this reason, God has made a righteousness apart from the Law that comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. It was available to Esau- it is available to all for God sent His son in the world not to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved.  
 

There will be sorrow at the Great White Throne- but it will not be godly sorrow that would have led to repentance- it will be selfish sorrow that having exchanged the truth for a lie- they now would suffer the consequences of their decisions. You see there is really a ‘ pay day- someday’. And Esau’s pay- day had come. He as will the unbelievers at the Great White Throne discover that their sins took them further than they wanted to go and kept them longer than they wanted to stay and cost them more than they wanted to pay. It had cost them eternally.  
 

Be not deceived- God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ( Galatians 6)  
 
 

Esau pleads and begs and weeps for his father to bless him. But remorse alone cannot obtain the spiritual blessing- it takes repentance and we see in Esau’s reaction there is none of that. 
 
 
 

Had Esau learned anything regarding God’s sovereignty?  No. As matter of fact, he still believes there is a way to take control and because of his hatred, he vows he will murder Jacob as soon as his father dies.  
 
 
 

One of Rebekah’s household spies tells her of Esau’s plans to murder his brother. So Rebekah, in best “ Scarlet O’Hara fashion”  goes to Isaac and says she will just die if Jacob marries a Hittite woman, knowing Isaac will agree to send him to the land of her family and her brother Laban to obtain a wife.  
 

As we will see as the story continues- God will deal with Jacob and Rebekah. They will both reap what they have sown.  Jacob himself will be cheated by his father in-law and be deceived by a goat. He will bring the same family dissension through his favoritism for Joseph that his father, Isaac, had with Esau. Rebekah who believes she has cleverly worked everything out- will go to her death never seeing her beloved son, Jacob again. 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 26. Like Father- Like Son. 

This is the only chapter that is devoted to Isaac. It comes at some time after the sons are grown for we will read of the marriage of Esau in the end of the chapter. Also there is no mention of Esau and Jacob accompanying their parents on their move to Gerar.  

In verse 1 we read there is a famine in the land. A famine is one of those providential tests of the Lord. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. Each generation faces their own tests as Isaac does here in this part of his story.  

A test always carries with it a temptation. The temptation is to scheme and manipulate to either avoid the test- run away from it or somehow lessen the severity of it. As far as the tests God would have us go through- you can run- but you cannot hide. God will see to it that you learn the lesson He would have you learn from the test He has allowed or shaped for you to face.  

God tests us to bring out the best in us; while Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us. In one form or another, each new generation of believers must experience the same tests as previous generations. The enemy does not change his mode of operation, human nature does not improve and God is the same today, as yesterday as He will be forever.  

Now we have a promise from God that He will never allow us to be tested above that which you are able to bear,but when tempted He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. ( I Cor. 10:13). As Matthew Henry writes- “He(God) proportions His people’s trials according to their strengths.” 

Isaac faces a famine- a severe time of need when supplies dwindle and his faith in Jehovah Jireh, his  Provider is tested.  The place we want run to – is not a geographic location where we think a better supply is- no; the place we want to run to is the will of God. The will of God will never lead you to a place where His grace cannot provide for us.  

But like his father, Abraham, and like us- Isaac’s faith is not perfect. It never is,is it? Our faith is always a mixture of belief and unbelief.  Like the father of the boy with violent seizures who when being told by the Lord that all things are possible for him who believes- replied: I believe – help my unbelief.  

Want to know if unbelief is your problem when you face a trial – a time of testing?  Here it is:  Unbelief asks: how can I get out of this?   Belief asks: What can I get out of this? 

Isaac went to Gerar to King Abimelech, probably the son of the king Abraham had dealt with.

In verse 2, the Lord appeared to Isaac and told him not to go down to Egypt but live in the land for a while.  

In verses 3- 6- God repeats the promises of the covenant He made with Abraham to Isaac. These are God’s promises to Isaac now. Each generation must lay claim to the promises of God for themselves.  

What we see in God’s promises to Isaac is how important it is in times of trials, tests and temptations to be occupied with the Word of God and the God of the Word.  

In our journey through this world, we will all face times of famine, crisis, tests and temptations- we must learn as every generation of believers must learn- to not take matters into our own hands but to be guided by the Word of God.  

In verses 7-11 we see Isaac resort to lies rather than truth.  We are all natural born liars- you do not have to teach a child to lie- they will lie as soon as they can talk. It comes naturally to our old nature, the flesh, whose father is the devil, the father of lies. Rather than trusting the Lord with all his heart- Isaac leans to his own understanding and trusts his abilities rather than God’s Word.  

We soon learn though, it is almost impossible to tell just one lie, for we soon have to tell another one to support the first one. Soon, Isaac found himself living a lie. His whole life had to be constructed about this lie. ‘ Oh what a web we weave, when first we set out others to deceive..  A web that will trap us sooner or later.  

Isaac is caught in his deception by the King . It is a humiliating experience for Isaac as the king is rightfully angry . The king also reveals to us the other side of the lie- as the king shows how those  lied to and deceived can be potentially harmed if the lie is not revealed and the deception is not uncovered.  

Now the next section of scripture at first reading takes us by surprise. If you are like me you were not expecting God to bless Isaac after this charade he had been living was exposed.  

But here it is: Verses 12-13 tell us:  “Isaac planted crops in that land the same year and reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. The sowing of seed and reaping 100 fold reminds us of the parable the Lord told of the sower and the seed. The seed represented the Word of God and the casting or sowing of the seed represented witnessing to the lost. Could it be Isaac was to begin a ministry? Had his experience of being caught in a lie humbled him? Isaac was forced to get honest wasn’t he? He had to confess he had been living a lie. The carnal life is always a lie for the believer. Now having confessed his sin and repented God can restore and bless him. Thus we read Isaac became rich and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 

How could God bless a deceiver like Isaac? Because God is faithful to His covenant and keeps His promises even when we are faithless- even when we are not behaving like His children . Aren’t you glad our Heavenly Father is like that? You see, the Lord made a promise to Isaac. He told Isaac not to go down to Egypt and I will bless you. His only condition was not to go down to Egypt, which Isaac did not- so therefore God kept His word and blessed Isaac. Isaac  was also a recipient of God’s blessings because of Abraham’s obedience and faith. Sometimes God blesses a child for the sake of the father, just as He blesses us for the sake of His Son, the Lord Jesus.  

It is not as if Isaac did not suffer consequences for his sin for as we will see the next period of his life is filled with strife, adversity and outright hatred and jealousy by his neighbors.  

The more prosperous Isaac grew, the more jealous,envious and resentful the people around him grew. We are told the Philistines envied him so they filled up his wells. Water in an arid land like they occupied was extremely important. Wells were a matter of life and death and survival.  Envy is a destructive emotion. It resents what another has and not only wants what they have, but wants them to have nothing. In this case it resulted in malice which is the desire to cause pain and suffering in another. It causes one to take foolish actions that in this case resulted in the loss of a water supply they all benefitted from. Such foolish, wasteful behavior. 

As the story of this chapter in Isaac’s life continues we see him reopening his father Abraham’s wells; digging new wells; building an altar and pitching his tent.  

These are significant spiritual truths as we will examine each of these with the names of the wells helping us understand the significance.  

Isaac was the son of a great man, Abraham. He was the father of a son, Jacob, who would become famous as the father of the nation of Israel.

He seemed to be searching for his identity didn’t he?

He was looking for the ministry that God would have for him. If the nations were to be blessed through his actions- what would those actions be?  

It was right there before him. What could he do that would bless others? Reopen the wells his father had dug and dig new wells. We will see the spiritual significance of this- but do not under estimate the practical value and blessing these wells provided. This was a parched and arid land where water was a precious commodity. To provide fresh cool water in an arid land was a blessing in itself that would bless people for centuries to come. You see Isaac started the ministry the Lord had for him. You might call it the “ cold water ministry.’   

Water is the most common substance on the earth. 70% of the earth’s surface is water. 97% of all water is in the oceans and seas. Availability to water is necessary for life. A person can only survive a 5-7 days without water. Water is one of the greatest needs to sustaining life.  

Wells of flowing water, artesian wells, in an arid place like Palestine would be priceless. Water was often the sole reason and purpose for wars, fighting and strife. Those wells would be a source of life and refreshment.  
 

Wells in the Bible are often a type of work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Listen to what Jesus said on two occasions in the gospel of John,

The first incident is at the well near a town in Samaria called Sychar. The well was referred to as ‘Jacob’s Well’.  Which tells us this artesian well had been a supply of water and life for centuries. In John 4: 14 (NIV) :  “ Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of living water welling up to eternal life.”  

And again in John 7, we read:  “ If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit whom those who believed in Him would later receive.”  

Just as wells of water were essential to sustaining physical life in that dry and parched land, the work of the Holy Spirit is essential to sustaining our spiritual life. If one lacks water they will die physically, if you do not experience the work of the Holy Spirit – you will die spiritually.  

One must drink of Heaven’s well from the water that Jesus provides. It is for this reason why every generation of believers must experience the work of the Holy Spirit – fresh and new in their lives. Like Isaac, we must dig wells for ourselves.  

Because of their envy and jealousy of Isaac, the Philistines stopped up his father’s wells. Spiritually the enemy of our Heavenly Father has been trying to stop up the well of living water ever since the Garden of Eden. King Abimelech tells Isaac he must move away for he had become too powerful, too wealthy.  

But God used their evil intentions and their harmful actions for good- for in this adversity- Isaac discovered his ministry. (* Take note of this principle for what we see all through the Scriptures is prosperity which we seek brings more temptations- while adversity which we want to avoid is really our friend and teacher sent to strengthen us.) Isaac’s ministry may not sound very exciting but it was a great blessing to many for years to come- his ministry he discovered was – well digging. Isaac began to reopen the wells his father, Abraham, had dug that had been stopped up by the Philistines. We will notice the significance of the names of these wells.  

What we are seeing the life of Isaac is he has discovered his ministry. I believe Isaac found great joy in rediscovering the wells his father had dug, just as we can discover for ourselves the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ enjoyed by our parents and grandparents and great grandparents, etc. Many had been stopped up by  the enemy, neglect or our own disbelief.  

His ministry was two fold- reopening the closed wells of his father and digging new wells. Isaac fought no battles, he built no cities, erected no monuments, but in his own quiet way he dug wells which means Isaac left behind him a legacy of blessings for years to come.  

Isaac’s three wells are significant because of their names. Their names are significant because they symbolize the response and attitude we can expect from the enemies of our Heavenly Father. For not only did we inherit every spiritual blessing from our Loving Heavenly Father- we also inherited His enemies.  

The first well was called ‘ Esek’.This name, Esek, means contention or strife, arguing, confrontation.  One thing we believe we know  about Isaac, he did not like confrontation. He was a peace-loving man who hated strife. Yet he endured and dug wells in spite of the strife.  

Spiritually what we see is the Holy Spirit who teaches us and  guides us in truth is met by the enemy who says the truth is mine. Just as the Philistines wanted to claim the wells as theirs. The truth belongs to us- says the intellectual atheist and agnostic- they want to stop up our wells of truth. Look around you today- the Muslim says we have the truth and you do not and many want to stop us. Other sects and groups claim their way is the truth. But we believe Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father except by the Son.  

The next well Isaac and his servants dug was called “ Sitnah.’  A word that is interpreted as contempt or hatred. The name Satan comes from the same root word. The enemy of our Heavenly Father and His Son who holds in contempt every thing that comes from God and whose bitter envy and jealousy leads him to attack us and rage against anything that Christ has to offer the thirsty soul. If we dig wells in the enemies territory we can expect opposition.  

Then we see the next well that Isaac digs and no one quarreled over it. Isaac called the well- Rehoboth, saying the Lord has given us room and we will flourish. Rehoboth which mean enlargement is place where we can grow and flourish. But did you notice when this well was found?  It was only found after the difficulties, the adversity the conflicts at the previous two wells. It is through difficulties God enlarges us for the larger places. God grows our faith in times of trouble. Perhaps this is the truth James learned when he said ‘ count it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trial of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith  develops patience and patience must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete lacking nothing.  No pain- no gain.  
 

From Rehoboth, Isaac went up to Beersheba, where the Lord appeared to Isaac. The Lord assures Isaac and encourages him by telling to fear not for He is with him and will bless him and increase him.  

Isaac’s response is to build an altar to worship the Lord.

He pitches his tent which serves as a reminder he is a pilgrim looking for a city whose builder and architect is God. He also digs another well. Well of Gods’ Oath.

So like Isaac, we must reopen the old wells of spiritual truths dug by our spiritual forefathers.

They have been closed, stopped up by the enemies of God who arise in each generation to stop up the wells of truth with their false teachings, intellectual poppycock, indifference and sin. Talk to our missionaries, like the Bufords, and they will tell you how common it is to see the false teachings of a religion  be what has stopped up the well of God’s truth. Reopening those wells is a labor of love but it always invites the striving of the enemy against those who reopen the wells of God’s truth. 

But  also like Isaac, the believer today, the church in the 21st century must start by reopening the old wells of spiritual truths that are eternal. We do not need to modernize the gospel, we do not need to try and make the Bible more relative to today’s society and thus compromise its integrity.  

Digging new wells did not mean discovering new truths- but by using the same truths of our forefathers we stake out new territory for the generations that follow so they can with the same truths of old keep the truth flowing in generations to come.  

As I stated earlier- quit drinking water and within seven days you will die. Your body will send signals you are desperately low on fluid and dehydration begins to occur with some obvious signs and symptoms.   

Dehydrated souls will also send warning signals- you are low on fluids. Know what they are?  Worry, anxiety, fear, tempers—all are signs of a dehydrated soul. As you began to look in your own life and then in our society- you see we are living in a spiritual desert.  

First drink deep of it yourself. What H2O is to the dehydrated body, Jesus is to the dehydrated soul.  

Max Lucado in his book-“ Come Thirsty”  gives us an  acronym for the WELL.  

Drink deep of these eternal truths:  

W = receive Christ’s Work on the Cross.-the power of the Cross  

E =  live in the Energy of the Spirit- for apart from Him we can do nothing.  

L =  recognize His Lordship over your life. Trust and obey. 

L =  His unending, unfailing, unconditional Love 

But do not stop with just yourself…Jesus welcomed into His Kingdom those who gave water to the thirsty. For He said when you did it to the least of these brothers of mine, you did it also for me.  
 

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14

 

Genesis 25:  “ Faith is living without scheming.”  

If you are not familiar with the story of Jacob and Esau- you will soon see why I entitled this lesson- Faith is living without scheming. 

This chapter ends the life of one of the most famous men in the world- Abraham. Revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians, his has been a rich story of the faith walk. Now at 175 it comes to an end and what a peaceful ending it is.  

Abraham got married again- we are not told when. It evidently occurred sometime after Sarah’s death . Sarah died when Abraham was 137 and then Isaac married Rebekah when Abraham was 140. So sometime after that Abraham  married a woman named, Keturah. Her name means – ‘incense’. Surely she added a fragrance to Abraham’s last days. 

He would live to age 175 and father six more sons. We now see the prophecy of God’s that Abraham would the ‘father of nations’. From Isaac thru Jacob would come the 12 tribes of Israel. Ishmael’s offspring would be described as 12 tribal leaders- they would become the Arab nations. Now we see other nations that came as a result of these six sons he fathered via Keturah.  

Before he died, Abraham made sure his estate was in order. He left everything to Isaac, his sole heir. However, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines. ( If you are wondering why  Keturah is referred to his wife in one place and now we see a reference to concubines ( plural) it is obvious the concubines- refer to Keturah and Hagar. Although why the term – concubine is used- I am not sure.  

Abraham has been walking with the Lord for 100 years when he died. He has followed the Lord from  Mesopotamia to Canaan- as he went out not knowing where he was going. And now the end has come. It is said ‘ then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man full of years and he was gathered to his people.’  

Abraham was called a friend of God and in Hebrews 11, the Faith Hall of Fame- he holds the record with 12 verses recorded regarding his faith. Yet, we see in many ways-Abraham was a man like us- insecure and unsure at times- stumbling- leaning at times on his own understanding rather than the Lords. However– he made it to the finish line. He is probably amazed at the things said about him in the scripture. Like many a military man who served bravely during WWII – who never looked at himself as brave or anything special. Abraham would tell us he was just a sinner saved by grace who plodded along  one step at a time- making his share of mistakes.  

Abraham is often discussed in the New Testament- Jesus tells us- Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing Christ’s day ; he saw it and was glad.’ ( John 8:56)  In Luke 16-  a parable the Lord told regarding life after death- we see Abraham in a place referred to both as Paradise and Abraham’s bosom. A place that Jesus went to the day He died on the cross- for Our Lord told the thief on the cross- ‘today- you will be with me in Paradise.’ 

After this we have an account of Ishmael’s sons who would become the Arab nations- the oil rich nations that follow the religion of Islam or Muslim.  Islam is the third oldest religion in the world after Judaism and Christianity.  

Islam was a religion started by a descendant of Ishmael named Mohammed. Mohammed was born in 570 AD in Mecca. He claims to have been given the true religion by the angel Gabriel. The Koran is the book of the law of the Muslims. This is their holy book which they believe is the word of Allah.  Allah is not the same God as we worship.  

Muslims believe Mohammed was the last true prophet. They believe Jesus is not the son of God but a prophet. They do not believe Jesus died on the cross but they do believe Jesus ascended bodily to heaven and will return in the last days to finish his ministry, die and be buried in Medina where they have an empty tomb awaiting him.  

I find it interesting that the three major religions of the world are linked to Abraham and are looking for the Messiah to return. The Jews believe for the first time, the Muslims believe Jesus is  a prophet returning to finish his ministry then die and the Christians are looking for the return of the Son of God- the resurrected Lord Jesus.  

Now the story returns to Isaac as the remarkable story of redemption continues. I want us to take note of something- for we will see it repeated in the life of Isaac.   Abraham was told he would be the father of many nations- that his name would be made great; and all the people of the earth would be blessed through his seed. He would also receive the land the Lord would show him for Abraham and his offspring.  

Sounds easy, right? God promises- we receive it. Smooth sailing- easy as pie- not on your life. The Lord Jesus warned us- in this world we would have trouble. Peter told us we should not consider it strange to encounter fiery trials.  

Let’s think back:  Abraham is promised a land as an inheritance. However when he arrives he finds the land occupied with by a belligerent people, the Canaanites.If that is not difficult enough- a famine soon comes upon the land. As for ownership, Abraham would spend almost 100 years there but own very little when he dies. In fact- when he dies- he will only own the land he and Sarah are buried on. 

He is promised an heir- but his wife Sarah remains barren. Thinking they must help God complete His work, we have the Hagar and Ishmael debacle. Did you notice how easy it seemed for  Hagar  to get pregnant?  Have you ever prayed for a child for your own children who so desire a child and yet they cannot seem to conceive while others easily conceive only to abort, desert or abuse their own children?   

What we saw in Abraham’s life- his journey is similar to our own walk of faith isn’t it?  We met the true and living God and like Abraham when He called us to follow Him to a place and we started out-  even though we did not know where we were going..  

So look back and you can draw your own map tracing the walk of faith.  I believe  because God saw our last days before the first ever came to be- He can see the finished trip.  So we can look with God at the map and He can show us—‘you are here.’ 

His Word is our road map- it shows the way we are to go It is a lamp upon our path and light unto our feet. The Lord delights to order our steps. . In fact, the Lord Jesus is Our Way. Did you ever look in the back of your Bible at the maps that shows the Apostle’s early travels, Abraham’s journey complete with stops in Haran or the circuitous route of the children of  Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land? In the same way- the maps of our lives are being plotted as we journey toward the same thing Abraham and all other believers have journeyed toward – a city whose architect and builder are God.  

How close are we to reaching our destination may not be as important as what will we encounter between here and there. For certainly- there have been times when we wondered just as Abraham wondered—are we headed in the right direction?  Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing?  

But one thing we must know and learn- God does not exempt us from life’s difficulties. In fact they are very much an all important part of the journey that challenge us and prove our faith to be genuine and God to be trustworthy. You cannot enter the Promised Land until you have first been through the wilderness.  

So we should not be taken by surprise that twenty years after marrying – we find Rebekah and Isaac have no children.  Rebekah was for all practical purposes – barren. But they are an all important link in the promise of God, a promise Isaac and Rebekah know.  

What is missing? What is wrong?Is there unconfessed sin? Unbelief? Or simply leaning to their own understanding? Perhaps Isaac thought since this is promised of God- we don’t have to pray about it.   Not sure-although when we think of barren we think of  a fruit bearing plant unable to bear fruit.   Let us not forget- Isaac is a type of Christ. Isaac then intercedes for Rebekah the way the Lord intercedes for us.  

The Lord Jesus told us – the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. However- Jesus told us herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit. ( John 15). The Lord goes on later to tells us- ‘you did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.’  

Even though God the Father knows what we have need of before we ask Him- He still wants us to ask Him. To ask Him shows our dependence upon Him. God sometimes has to bring some barren times in our lives to remind us without Him we can do nothing. That apart from Him we cannot produce any fruit.  We can easily fall into a day to day existence where our needs are met and we don’t expect them to stop or be interrupted- then comes a day or night we awaken and realize we have been leaning to our own understanding or depending on the company we work for, the government or others for our daily bread.  

*True prayer is not about getting our will done in heaven- it is about getting heaven’s will done on earth. (Think of the Lord’s Prayer) 

So Isaac prays- intercedes for his wife and Lord answers his prayer and Rebekah gets pregnant. She is carrying twins- but the children struggled within her.   

Rebekah asks the question- we have all wondered about- Lord if this is you will- ‘ if it be so, why am I thus?  In other words- if this is your will for my life- for our life- then why is this wonderful thing making me so miserable? Rebekah was only being honest with the Lord- she knew of the prophecy the God of Abraham had declared- she believed it and now she was a part of it- so why was this pregnancy so difficult?  

Rebekah has asked the right question to the right person- the Lord.  

The Lord’s answer reveals a spiritual truth for all believers. The Lord answers Rebekah’s inquiry by telling her: “ Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from your bowels; and the one shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” This statement reveals a spiritual truth and a prophecy from God to Rebekah as to which son will be the heir of the covenant promises.  

Herein lies the spiritual truth for our personal application. Rebekah’s physical condition of having two separate, opposing natures in her is the same experience of  every born-again believer. We now possess within us- two opposing natures. The old nature and the new nature. (That’s what Paul talked about in Romans 7- the battle of the two natures within.) 

It is interesting to note that line of Jacob will bring Christ into the world while Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, will bring one ruler named Herod into the world.  

We note the difference in these two natures for they reflect the human nature that is controlled by the flesh and the nature controlled by the spirit.  

Esau was the first born of the twins- described as red and hairy , he would be named Esau which means hairy. He was probably a rugged, strong- willed child.  

Jacob was born second, thus the younger of the two. He was born holding onto his brother’s heel, thus he was named Jacob- meaning ‘ the supplanter’ or ‘ heel catcher.’  

As they grew their differences were obvious. Esau was described as a ‘cunning hunter, a  man of the field.’ An  avid hunter and outdoorsmen – Esau was a rugged man- in the John Wayne mold-  perhaps a naturally talented athletic individual. As far as providing venison- which his father, Isaac, enjoyed- his hunting was not to provide meat for the family it was for Esau’s own pleasure and enjoyment. After all they had herds and flocks and Rebekah was able to prepare goat so that Isaac could not tell the difference. No, Esau did not hunt deer because the family needed meat—Esau  loved going to deer camp. Here is your description of Esau, when all is said and done.  Hebrews 12: 16 tells us Esau was a fornicator, profane who for a morsel of meat sold his birthright. The birthright we are referring to is the spiritual inheritance. For Esau cared only for the pleasing of his flesh and disdained the spiritual.  

Jacob is described as plain man  dwelling in the tents. A quiet man, a more  serious nature. The Hebrew word from which ‘ plain’ is interpreted is ‘tam’. This word carries a more complete description of Jacob which means- ‘ one who is complete or mature’. It is similar in meaning to the word God used to describe Job when God referred to Job as a ‘perfect and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil.’ ( Job 1:8)  

Jacob knew of the promise of God from his father and mother and grandfather. The twins, Esau and Jacob would have their grandfather Abraham in their lives until they were 15 years old. Only Jacob took these spiritual truths more seriously – while his brother Esau cared only for the here and now – the thrill of hunting- the pleasures of the flesh. I believe the skill that Jacob would exhibit as a successful herdsman would be partially because he spent a lot of time with his grandfather Abraham who taught him of such things and more. 

Herein- as we see these two boys grow into manhood, we see another principle of life- what we cultivate – controls us. If we cultivate a taste for things of the world that satisfy our flesh- we will be controlled by those appetites. If we cultivate a taste for spiritual things we will be controlled by spiritual things. No one ever enjoyed smoking tobacco the first time- we had to cultivate a taste for it. We will see how these appetites affected the decisions made later on.  

These two very different brothers remind me of two earlier brothers in Genesis- Cain and Abel. 

In addition, Rebekah, having been told by God the older would serve the younger, knew Jacob was the heir apparent. She would have told Isaac also.  

But Rebekah and Isaac were not perfect parents were they?  In fact- I do not know of any perfect parents. We see this in the next verse which sums up the problems of  the Isaac household.  Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob.  A dysfunctional family due to parental partiality.  When it says Jacob dwelled in the tents and we see him cooking- I believe Rebekah kept Jacob by her side. Rebekah did not understand one does not have to lie, cheat and steal and scheme to get what God has promised. FAITH IS LIVING WITHOUT SCHEMING.  

We will see later on- that Jacob, although a mama’sboy, was not cowardly or afraid to take action. But he would have to learn one does not have to connive- manipulate or lie in order to get what God promises us. We must trust and obey for there is no other way. The problem is Jacob had an authority figure, his mother, who did not understand this and by example taught him the wrong way to do the right thing. As far as deceitful manipulators, I will put Rebekah right up there with Scarlett O’Hara. 

No one is doing the right thing in this story. Isaac, who knew better, is not. Rebekah, who could not trust God  to do it His way in His time is not and as a result we will see a mess. What is sad- is we will see Jacob leave home and his mother who loved him so much- will never see him again or ever lay eyes on Jacob’s grandchildren. 

But let us finish the rest of the story as Esau will reveal what God knew all along- he cared nothing for the promises of God or his spiritual heritage. He cared nothing for the eternal- but then the old nature never does.  

Remember the verses from Hebrews 12 tell us Esau was profane. Profane is defined as ‘ to treat with irreverence; not concerned with religion; serving to debase what is holy.’In other words- godless and sacrireligious.  

This story tells us how little Esau valued the birthright which included the spiritual blessing and the promises of God through Abraham’s offspring. The heart of the birthright were the covenant promises of God.  Esau thought nothing of it- Jacob thought of little else.  

The fateful scene opens with Esau coming in from one of his hunting trips and is famished.  He said to Jacob who was preparing a red stew- give me some of that red stew- I am famished.  

Jacob replied- first sell me your birthright.

Esau answers he is about to die – what good is his birthright?  

Jacob may have said this in jest- or in disgust with his brother’s behavior  and lack of interest in the things of God- especially the covenant promises of the birthright. But with Esau’s reply- Jacob saw an opportunity and took it.  

Jacob said to Esau to swear to him – to take an oath which would mean this transaction was a legal binding contract. Then he gave Esau his payment in exchange for his birthright- a bowl of stew and a piece of bread.  

No wonder, the chapter concludes with this obvious statement regarding Esau:  

Esau despised his birthright.  

 Waiting on the Lord is difficult sometimes- but we must remember that blessed are those who wait upon the Lord. We will see in the coming chapters- not waiting on the Lord will have its consequences. Because faith is living without scheming.  

Even weak faith in the right object is greater than strong faith in the wrong object.

Copyright © 2010 Linda Benthal
Last modified: 08/12/14