Month: August 2022

38.a. “He strove with the angel and prevailed”

 

 

Genesis 32:24  The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

 Hosea 12:3-5    In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.  He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—  the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is his memorial name

  Many think that as the narrative makes no mention in express terms either of sleep, or dream, or vision, it was a real transaction; while others, considering the bodily exhaustion of Jacob, his great mental anxiety, the kind of aid he supplicated, as well as the analogy of former manifestations with which he was favored—such as the ladder—have concluded that it was a vision [Calvin, Hessenberg, Hengstenberg]. The moral design of it was to revive the sinking spirit of the patriarch and to arm him with confidence in God, while anticipating the dreaded scenes of the morrow. To us it is highly instructive; showing that, to encourage us valiantly to meet the trials to which we are subjected, God allows us to ascribe to the efficacy of our faith and prayers, the victories which His grace alone enables us to make. (Jamison-Fausset=Brown)

This wrestling was real and corporeal in its nature, though it was also mystical and spiritual in its signfification, as we shall see, and it was accompanied with an inward wrestling by ardent prayers joined with tears. (Poole)

 “this wrestling” was real and corporeal on the part of both; the man took hold of Jacob, and he took hold of the man, and they strove and struggled together for victory as wrestlers do; and on Jacob’s part it was also mental and spiritual, and signified his fervent and importunate striving with God in prayer; or at least it was attended with earnest and importunate supplications. (Gill)

When we come nearest to God, we must have a deep sense of our own personal weakness; it must never be supposed, if our suit prevails with heaven, that there is anything in us, or anything in our prayers, to account for our prevalence. Whatever power we have, must come from God’s grace alone; and hence, usually, when we pray so as to prevail with the Lord there is at the same time a shrinking of the sinew, a consciousness of weakness, a sense of pain; yet it is just then that we are prevailing, and therefore we may rest assured that our prayer will be answered. (Spurgeon)

Notice that we are told that “a man wrestled with Jacob;”  not Jacob challenged the man.  God took the initiative!  God started it!!!  And it lasted all night long. At this point in time, Jacob represents the fleshy nature of man – our old sinful nature that is constantly fighting against the Lord.  Our old natures are stubborn, unyielding, fighting and self-sufficient.  That is everything the saint of God should not be. The fact is, many of us are just like Jacob!  We fight the Lord at every turn in our lives.  God will tell us something is wrong and the old nature rebels against the Lord’s truth. (Johnson)

He will wrestle with us to break down our stubbornness; He will touch the sinew of our strength till we can hold out no more; He will withdraw from us till we insist that we cannot let Him go; He will awaken a mysterious longing and urgency within us, which He alone can satisfy. And as the memorable interview ends, He will have taught us that we prevail best when we are at our weakest, and will have whispered in our ear, in response to our entreaty, His own sublime Name, Shiloh, the Giver of Eternal Peace! (Meyer)

I have to confess I find this passage hard to understand and though there are some varying thoughts on it from very godly men, there is common agreement or alignment of the struggle’s significance. When we get alone with God and our heart is filled with worry, fear, and confusion over what tomorrow will bring, we have a struggle with it until we come to grips with who God is, and finally (we may need to be hindered in some physical way)  surrender all trust and reliance in one’s self to the power, refuge, peace, and comfort in giving it over into God’s perfect plan and purpose for His honor and glory.

38. “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed”

 

 

Genesis 32:6And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

Jacob, seeking to reconcile with his brother (who 20 years before swore to kill him), first began by humbling himself and beginning his message with “your servant Jacob.” He wanted Esau to know that he was a man of wealth and that he did not come to take anything from Esau. Jacob tried to anticipate his brother’s thinking and to answer Esau’s concerns. When the messengers returned, Jacob heard news that gave him great concern – Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. Because Jacob could not bring himself to think the best of Esau (for understandable reasons), he was convinced the 400 men were an army intending to destroy him and his family. Before Jacob left home, after his brother swore to kill him, Rebekah told Jacob until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Rebekah never sent for Jacob; therefore, he had every reason to believe that Esau was still angry with him 20 years later. (Guzik)

We see  how a consciousness of sin tends to weaken faith, and to produce fear and dread. For, notwithstanding the repeated experience Jacob had had of the divine protection; though he had just seen himself surrounded with a host of guardian angels; though he had undertaken his journey in obedience to God’s express command, and had God’s renewed promise to assure him of a safe return, yet a consciousness of having injured his brother, and of his brother’s having it in his power, should God permit him, to avenge himself, damps his faith, and fills him with the most painful and distressing apprehensions. A lively sense of danger, however, may very well consist with a degree of confidence in God’s power and goodness. (Benson)

A lively sense of danger, and quickening fear arising from it, may be found united with humble confidence in God’s power and promise. (Henry)

Faced with the possibility of his brother’s wrath, Jacob is conflicted.  He was told to leave Laban and come back home.  He was visited by angels. He was promised good and offspring numbering as the sand of the sea. He has heard God’s direction for him.  Now he hears that after his messengers have told Esau that Jacob is coming with gifts for him, Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men.  Jacob’s mind has to remember how he stole Esau’s birthright and blessing.  He surely remembers how Rebekah sent him away in haste because of Esau’s anger and threat to kill Jacob. 20 years does not remove consciousness of sin because it is a distant memory.  A hard heart may bury remembered sin so deep and cover it up with self-confidence, denial, or some form of justification. A humble heart will not. The act(s) will be remembered and the conscious seared with the memory of the wrong.  Wrongs cannot be righted.  They have occurred and cannot be undone. If you hurt someone physically or mentally the pain inflicted cannot be taken away.  It may be forgiven or forgotten but the reality of that pain did occur. Some wrongs like lying, cheating, and stealing can be made acceptably right by confessing the truth or repaying what was cheated or stolen, however the feeling of being lied too, cheated on, or  stolen from cannot be removed from the person who experienced it.  For man it is impossible. Jacob wants to offer Esau gifts as a way to reconcile himself for what he had done.  He does not ask for forgiveness. I am unsure of his repentance. He wants to make amends by offering a great gift to Esau – to whom he has wronged more than once. Shame and guilt surely have found a place in Jacob’s mind.  How much easier would it have been to seek forgiveness and reconciliation this way rather than trying to buy it with gifts.

How many people miss the importance of the gospel because they want to barter with God and offer Him some means of “good works” as a means of being made right with Him? All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. God gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. 

37.z. “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 

 

 

Genesis 32:1  Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

 Psalms 91:11    For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

 2 Kings 6:16-17    He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 Isaiah 31:1    Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

We don’t exactly know what this means. In some way, angelic beings that are normally unseen were now made visible to Jacob, and they met him. Perhaps God wanted Jacob to know how great His care was for him and his family. This wonderful revelation of God’s presence and care came after Jacob finally separated from Laban, the worldly man. Separation from the world brings greater insight to the believer.  It was not as if God’s angels just joined Jacob. They were with him the entire time. Now, Jacob could see God’s angels with him and it provided great encouragement. (Guzik)

“I do not ask that you may see angels: still, if it can be, so be it. But what is it, after all, to see an angel? Is not the fact of God’s presence better than the sight of the best of his creatures? Perhaps the Lord favored Jacob with the sight of angels because he was such a poor, weak creature as to his faith.” (Spurgeon)

 He has just left the house of Laban, his father-in-law, where he had lived for many years, and in company with a long caravan, consisting of wives, children, servants, and all his wealth turned into cattle, is journeying back again to Palestine. His road leads him close by the country of Esau. Jacob was no soldier, and he is naturally terrified to meet his justly incensed brother. And so, as he plods along with his defenseless company trailing behind him, as you may see the Arab caravans streaming over the same uplands to-day, all at once, in the middle of his march, a bright-harnessed army of angels meets him. Whether visible to the eye of sense, or, as would appear, only to the eye of faith, they are visible to this troubled man; and, in a glow of confident joy, he calls the name of that place ‘Mahanaim,’ two camps. One camp was the little one of his down here, with the helpless women and children and his own frightened and defenceless self, and the other was the great one up there, or rather in shadowy but most real spiritual presence around about him, as a bodyguard making an impregnable wall between him and every foe. We may take some very plain and everlastingly true lessons out of this story. (MacLaren)

  1. Angels are heavenly created by God
  2. Angels of God are all around us on the roads of life
  3. Angels are always near us 
  4. Angels are at the command of God
  5. Angels may be visible but more than likely they are known to be there by faith
  6. Angels may be heard either if seen or unseen

Assurance of God’s divine protection, care, love, strength, presence, and power is every believer’s refuge, by faith, reliance, and trust in God who is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

37.y. “You have known the distress of my soul”

 

 

Genesis 31:42  If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

 Psalms 124:1-3 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side— let Israel now say—  if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

 1 Chronicles 12:17    David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”

 Psalms 31:7    I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,

Proverbs 20:22  Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.

Romans 12:17  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.

1 Thessalonians 5:15  See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

6 years Jacob endured hardship of the elements and ever-changing terms of his wages (ten times). Laban sought to change Jacobs’s wages in his favor. God was blessing Jacob and when Laban saw this blessing he would try to capitalize on it by changing Jacobs’s wages toward himself to how God was blessing Jacob. Is this any way to treat your nephew? Is this any way to fulfill and live up to a mutually agreed wage contract? Laban wanted what God had blessed Jacob with and was willing to set Jacob’s wages just opposite. He did this 10 times in 6 years. 

I have to imagine that the first time God blessed the work of Jacob’s hands, Jacob was in awe of God’s provision and blessing. Can you imagine the feeling Jacob must have had at the first alteration of his wages by Laban? The wages change but the blessings did not. No matter how Laban changed the wages, God’s blessing of the work of Jacob’s hands did not change. Jacob having witnessed this cheating 10 times and the attitude of Laban deteriorating toward him and he is told by an angel of God to return to his homeland, he determines to go back taking his rightful wages. Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Laban, and certainly anyone living here would have seen the blessings of God on Jacob. 

We can tell from scripture that Jacob was fully aware of Laban cheating him. Being cheated or trying to be cheated upon never feels good and can affect the heart and mind of the person being cheated, and yet, Jacob continued without recorded complaint.  There was no tit for tat on Jacob’s part. This easily could have consumed him and developed into evil intents, bad work ethic, retaliation, etc…. Jacob did not.  

We do well to trust God in all things, honor and glorify Him in all things, and give careful thought to how we serve Him in regards to these.

37.x. “Whatever God has said to you, do.”

Genesis 31:8  If he said, The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

Even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob, God protected him all the time. God showed Jacob that He was greater and able to overcome what any man might do to Jacob. God’s presence was with Jacob, just as God had promised. Jacob not only believed that he had acted properly toward Laban, but he also believed that his wives knew of his righteous conduct and Laban’s unfair treatment of him.  It is good to remember times and places where the LORD did great works for us and has met us in wonderful ways. As we remember them, God reminds us He is still the same God who met our needs then and wants to meet our needs now. Rachel and Leah noted that their father Laban had already used any potential inheritance they may have once received (also completely consumed our money). This meant they were happy to leave their homeland with Jacob and return to Bethel and the land promised to Jacob. (Guzik)

Jacob believed the dream from God to leave Laban. However, he has a young family and the journey is 450 miles.  He will need the support of his wives – well least he wanted their support.  Explaining the dream and their fathers treatment of his wages for the last 6 years really said it all.  Still there appears to be a bit of greed or cultural inheritance expectations in the response by Leah and Rachel. This may have been how God moved them to think about the last six years; our inheritance is gone, we are treated like foreigners rather than family, our father has taken away money of which should be ours through inheritance and has been given to you by God, it belongs to us, we don’t need anymore evidence that God is leading and blessing you (us), Whatever God has said to you, do!! Understand this fully and apply it fully.  

We might be thinking, “if God would speak to me in a dream I would surely do what He says”.  Remember we are pre-Moses and there is no written word of God, no nation of Israel, only promises made by God through a dream. However, we live in a time where there is the written Word of God, by men inspired by the Holy Spirit, for our knowledge and understanding of God’s s awesome power, love, mercy, grace, promises, plans, purpose, will, commands, guides, direction, eternity, heaven, hell, judgment, wrath, anger, Jesus Christ, redemption, salvation, repentance, obedience, trust, resurrection, faith, and hope, etc… We have been given the Word of God so that we might honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do.  

IS OUR RESPONSE STILL THE SAME????? “WHATEVER GOD HAS SAID, DO IT????? 

If only we would have a deep heart desire to know Him more and more with a seeking mind, and a firm determination to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, maybe then we would consider LISTENING FOR AND TO God speaking into our lives. There should be no room for neglect and complacency that is so common in today’s Christian.

37.w. “God did not permit him to harm me”

 

 

Genesis 31:1  Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.

It wasn’t that Jacob had taken anything that belonged to Laban. Rather, it was that his wealth was increasing in proportion to Laban’s wealth. The problem wasn’t that Jacob stole; it was that Laban’s sons were filled with envy. Envy will distort the truth. Jacob had not taken anything of Laban’s, but envy will lie. The envy of Laban’s sons poisoned Laban’s heart against Jacob. Before, Laban was entirely pleased with the agreement. Envy is bad not only on its own, but also for the company it keeps: For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. Instead, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy. God wants to deliver us from envy: For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Envy is no small sin. It put Jesus on the cross: For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. (Guzik)

Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men’s overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other’s way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not fear. The perils which surround us are so many, that nothing else can really encourage our hearts. To remember favored seasons of communion with God, is very refreshing when in difficulties; and we should often recollect our vows, that we fail not to fulfill them. (Henry)

37.v. “What shall I give you?”

 

 

Genesis 30:25 As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.” But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. Name your wages, and I will give it.” Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it: let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages. So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons. And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock.

Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban’s flock. Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks, but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away.—After Jacob had served Laban fourteen years for his two daughters, he continued with him for twenty years without any settled hire, receiving merely maintenance for himself and family. During most of this time he would be too encumbered with pregnant wives and young children to wish to take so long a journey. (See “Excursus on Chronology of Jacob’s Life.”) In these thirty-four years of service there would be time for the vast increase of Laban’s wealth referred to in Genesis 30:30. But at length Joseph is born, and as his other sons were most of them grown to man’s estate, as soon as Rachel was fit for the journey Jacob desired to return to his father, if for no other reason, yet because now it was time to provide for his children, and at Isaac’s death he was joint heir of his property. (Ellicott)

This shows that Jacob had no stock from Laban to begin with. “I will pass through all thy flock today” with thee. “Remove thou thence every speckled and spotted sheep, and every brown sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats.” These were the rare colors, as in the East the sheep are usually white, and the goats black or dark brown. “And such shall be my hire.” Such as these uncommon party-colored cattle, when they shall appear among the flock already cleared of them; and not those of this description that are now removed. For in this case Laban would have given Jacob something; whereas Jacob was resolved to be entirely dependent on the divine providence for his hire. “And my righteousness will answer for me.” The color will determine at once whose the animal is. Laban willingly consents to so favorable a proposal, removes the party-colored animals from the flock, gives them into the hands of his sons, and puts an interval of three days’ journey between them and the pure stock which remains in Jacob’s hands. Jacob is now to begin with nothing, and have for his hire any party-colored lambs or kids that appear in those flocks, from which every specimen of this rare class has been carefully removed. (Barnes)

In the same way, blessing comes from the LORD to us not because we are great or good, but because of the covenant God has made with us through Jesus, and promises He has given us in His word.

We may note Jacob’s principles for prosperity:  Don’t make wealth your goal. Don’t be afraid to work for others and try to increase their wealth before or as you work to increase your own wealth. Work hard, dedicating yourself to your employer’s success. Trust God. (Guzik)

37.u. “Sin? Who, Me?”

 

 

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Job 9:2  “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Job 14:4  Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.

Job 15:14  What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?

Job 25:4  How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?

Proverbs 20:9  Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?

Ecclesiastes 7:20  Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Isaiah 53:6   All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 64:6   We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Jeremiah 2:23 How can you say, ‘I am not unclean

Romans 3:23   for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

1 Corinthians 3:18  Let no one deceive himself.

More people are claiming they don’t believe in sin. With the rise of secularism, the concept of sin is fading. If there’s no God—at least, no personal God—there are no divine rules to govern us. So why feel guilty? One person said, “I came to the realization that I don’t believe in sin. I still admire Jesus a lot.” The contradiction of that statement was lost on the man. He has a form of godliness without its power, purpose, convictions, or realities. As one preacher said, “You have to get people lost before you can get them saved.” In other words, if people don’t realize they are lost, they won’t sense their need for salvation. That’s why we must preach the “whole counsel” of God, including its demands, warnings, and judgments. In times like these, it’s dangerous to ignore the reality of sin. But how wonderful to embrace the grace of God’s full and free forgiveness! (Dr. Jeremiah)

37.t. “The Sons of Jacob” “The birth of the 12 Tribes of Israel”

 

 

Genesis 29:31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.

In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

Wow, two wives and two servants gave birth to 10 sons of Jacob. This seems that it would be a bit complicated to manage for anyone. I do note that just as Sarah and Rebekah were barren for a time and gave birth through and by the promise of God, Rachel likewise was barren for a time until God gave her children.  

These are the 11 sons (one more to come) of Jacob; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naptali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Joseph.

Leah’s First Sons. – Jacob’s sinful weakness showed itself even after his marriage, in the fact that he loved Rachel more than Leah; and the chastisement of God, in the fact that the hated wife was blessed with children, whilst Rachel for a long time remained unfruitful. By this it was made apparent once more, that the origin of Israel was to be a work not of nature, but of grace. Leah had four sons in rapid succession, and gave them names which indicated her state of mind: (1) Reuben, “see, a son!” because she regarded his birth as a pledge that Jehovah had graciously looked upon her misery, for now her husband would love her; (2) Simeon, i.e., “hearing,” for Jehovah had heard, i.e., observed that she was hated; (3) Levi, i.e., attachment, for she hoped that this time, at least, after she had born three sons, her husband would become attached to her, i.e., show her some affection; (4) Judah (יהוּדה, verbal, of the fut. hoph. of ידה), i.e., praise, not merely the praised one, but the one for whom Jehovah is praised. After this fourth birth there was a pause (Genesis 29:31), that she might not be unduly lifted up by her good fortune, or attribute to the fruitfulness of her own womb what the faithfulness of Jehovah, the covenant God had bestowed upon her. (Keil and Delitzsch)

Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbours and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, and that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because our Master’s is good. Jacob loved Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss. Faithful reproofs show true affection. God may be to us instead of any creature; but it is sin and folly to place any creature in God’s stead, and to place that confidence in any creature, which should be placed in God only. At the persuasion of Rachel, Jacob took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those times, her children might be owned as her mistress’s children. Had not Rachel’s heart been influenced by evil passions, she would have thought her sister’s children nearer to her, and more entitled to her care than Bilhah’s. But children whom she had a right to rule, were more desirable to her than children she had more reason to love. As an early instance of her power over these children, she takes pleasure in giving them names that carry in them marks of rivalry with her sister. See what roots of bitterness envy and strife are, and what mischief they make among relations. At the persuasion of Leah, Jacob took Zilpah her handmaid to wife also. See the power of jealousy and rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the Divine appointment, which joins together one man and one woman only; for God hath called us to peace and purity. (Henry)

37.s. “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

 

Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

Revelations 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

We can come up with all kinds of reasons why we are consumed by the busyness of life and have little to no time for God and things of God. Young families find themselves going from work to baseball, soccer, volleyball, football, track, tennis, matches, practice, out-of-town events, and other school activities. They get stuck in being busy and end up having no time for God or things of God. They are consumed by life. Their quiet time for God is listening to a gospel song on the way to work, or when time permits a trip to church.  Prayer is reserved for those awful times in life where trials and troubles overwhelm them. Such is life when God and things of God are put “Second” on the priority list.

It is very easy to discern.  

  1. Neglecting God’s Word.
  2. Complacency
  3. Things of God are not given any thought
  4. There is no thought of having everything you say, think, and do for the honor and glory of Jesus 
  5. There is no meditation on His Word
  6. Joy, love, peace, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generosity, self-control, and patience are missing
  7. Fear, confusion, anger, division, and worry find places in your mind
  8. There is no fruit for the kingdom of God
  9. Giving of time or money is weak at best
  10. More time is spent on social media than on God’s Word
  11. More time is spent watching TV than in God’s Word
  12. More thought is given to sports and watching and attending them
  13. World and local news is more important than God’s Word
  14. Life seems to be more of a burden than a joy to experience
  15. You no longer hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit
  16. You are no longer aware of sin and the need for repentance
  17. You are tolerant of things that are not godly
  18. Worldly wisdom seems to make sense
  19. You are never satisfied or content
  20. There is a void in your heart and mind but you can’t put your finger on what is missing
  21. God’s coming wrath and judgment and the return of Jesus Christ is given no thought
  22. The great price Jesus paid for your sin is given no thought
  23. There is no discernment between Godly and worldly

There should be no room for neglect or complacency toward Jesus Christ and the things of God in our lives. We should be very growing in our understanding and knowledge of God and His love, grace, and mercy.  We should be ever growing in our desire to, more and more each day, learn to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in how we think, what we speak, and what we do. 

When we allow ourselves room to be neglectful and complacent it does not end well. Nor will we find satisfaction and purpose for our souls.