Genesis 35:1-29

December 18, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 17:13 in the audio file.

Or, Jacob’s Return to the God of Bethel

Genesis 35 is the end of the longest sub-book in Genesis. We’ve been reading Book 8, “the toledot of Isaac” according to Moses’ divisions, since Genesis 25:19. Chapter 36 is Book 9 with the generations of Esau, then chapter 37 begins the tenth and final focus on Joseph through the end of Genesis. Chapter 35 includes the last days of Isaac and is the last concentrated look at Jacob.

It is filled with ups and downs. As Job once put it, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Jacob takes a holy turn in chapter 35, the LORD points him toward a glorious future, and he also loses two of the most significant people in his life.

His life has been filled with hardship and hope, with dysfunction and triumphs, with panic and prosperity. Most recently, good times became dangerous times very quickly.

Jacob made it away from Laban, made it past the God-man who wrestled him, and made it through a reunion with Esau. He made it back into the land of Canaan after more than twenty years. But he camped too long outside the city of Shechem; he lived in Succoth and Shechem for probably around ten years. He was attracted to something he saw, just as Shechem—the man—was attracted to Dinah when he saw her. Jacob’s sons were enraged by the rape of Dinah, so two of the sons murdered all the men of the city after which the rest of the brothers plundered the goods, including women and children. Jacob knew that this would cause him to stink to the surrounding Canaanites, which is true, but his own failure to respond stunk it up in another way.

If he had moved more quickly to Bethel it is unlikely that any of this would have happened. It’s too late now. But not too late for grace, and God calls Jacob to go now. Chapter 35 finishes the focus on his story with ups and downs.

Ups (verses 1-15)

It’s mostly up in the first three paragraphs.

Repentance from Idolatry (verses 1-4)

The idolatry isn’t a positive, but turning away from false worship is heading in the right direction.

The turn begins with hearing God’s word. God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” God refers not only to His provision of protection but to His promise of protection from twenty years ago. Jacob could look back on every mercy, including the recent ones, such as the LORD delivering him from Esau again in chapter 33, as evidence that God fulfilled His word. It also reminds Jacob of the vow he made, a vow he has not fulfilled.

Jacob responds, but with a surprising instruction. He said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.” Better late than idolatry, but when did Jacob let all this idolatry into his house? Those who were with him could include the women of Shechem, but his household describes his family. Was Rachel worshipping the figurines she stole from her father? Had they picked up other gods along the way? Superstition and idolatry are like darkness, always creeping in. But it is a sign of repentance that Jacob finally has the conviction to call for an end to it. Fathers should not allow it.

Jacob called for repentance as part of the worship. There can be no other gods before God. ”Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” God said to go and build, the repentance was necessary to step toward obedience. God can be depended on, He answers in trouble; He is dependable, with me at all times.

So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under t[...]

Genesis 34:1-31

December 11, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 17:19 in the audio file.

Or, The High Cost of Dishonorable Conduct

We’ve been told that crime doesn’t pay. And actually, because we live in this world, the one created by the eternal, sovereign, holy Lord, no sin is worth it in the long run. We don’t always see justice, poetic or punitive, but divine math always trumps the rebel’s formula that two wrongs make a right. We do not have a right to do wrong, even in response to a wrong. We’re supposed to do what is right before God.

When Jacob left the land of Canaan some twenty man-years before the events in Genesis 34, he had not done right. He deceived his father to steal his brother’s blessing, and his sin kept him from absolute blessing. But the LORD was gracious to him and met Jacob in Bethel. The LORD personally affirmed that He would give covenant offspring and land to Jacob and promised to be with him and bring him back.

In the meantime, Jacob got married (four times) and had kids (11 sons and at least one daughter). While the circumstances weren’t great with the Laban, it worked in one way to keep Leah or Rachel from being tied to their father or their home when the LORD told Jacob to return. Even in the last chapter, Genesis 33, Jacob’s humility (and God’s common grace) enabled Jacob and Esau to reunite and then walk away again in peace. All is set for Jacob’s return to Bethel to fulfill his vow (see Genesis 28:20-22).

However, Jacob only fulfilled part of the vow. He has recognized the LORD as His God; “he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel,” meaning, “God, the God of Israel,” his new name (Genesis 33:20). But he doesn’t erect that altar in Bethel or pay his vow of a full tenth. Instead, he went to Succoth and built a house and sheds on the outside of Canaan, then went to the city of Shechem inside Canaan where he bought property and settled.

Chapter 34 is a lengthy chapter listing some of the price that Jacob paid for not going to back to Bethel. At the beginning of chapter 35 God directly commands him to return there. If he had gone there, none of this would have happened in the first place.

The “safely” into Canaan and altar building in Genesis 33:18-20 is good. Even camping before the city of Shechem is okay, or it would have been if they had kept going. But he liked something about the city. Jacob even bought some real estate from the sons of Hamor. He didn’t know at the time how much it would cost he and his family.

Problems (verses 1-7)

Jacob had eleven sons and at least one daughter named back in chapter 30. The daughter was identified then because of what happens to her now.

There are two problems that open the chapter, one that leads to the other.

Passionate Dishonor (verses 1-4)

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. Moses doesn’t tell us why. John Calvin faulted her and Jacob since girls were to stay home under the eye of their father. Dinah was the daughter of Leah, significant because of her full-brothers Levi and Simeon who play a major part in a few paragraphs, and she was probably around 14-15 years old. Was she going out to serve the less fortunate ladies? Was she going out to look for a babysitting job? Was she going out to see her friends at the mall? It’s even possible to translate the infinitive as a passive: “went out to be seen by the women of the land” (see Hamilton).

She was seen, but by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land. Dinah attracted the attention of the regional royalty, which is impressive. It was also dangerous. He saw her and lay with her and humiliated her. This was sexual assault against an unwilling woman. Where were they? What time of day was it? How did Shechem get her into a private place? Or did he not need to? Shechem forced himself upon Dinah and showed no moral, traditional, [...]

Genesis 33:1-20

December 4, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 20:28 in the audio file.

Or, Jacob and Esau’s Short Reunion

Jacob and Esau are about to meet for the first time in around 21 years. They have not been keeping tabs on each other; they’ve exchanged no correspondence. We know some about what happened in Jacob’s life during that time but nothing about what Esau’s been doing.

The last Esau knew, Jacob was a conniving deceiver who grasped for what wasn’t his, namely Esau’s birthright and blessing, and ran away to a distant relative because mommy and daddy said they didn’t want him to marry a Canaanite woman like his brother. Esau has had two decades to marinate in that bitter sauce. The last Jacob knew, Esau wanted to kill him, even though he planned to wait until their dad was dead. Jacob had two decades to marinate in that fearful suspense.

The LORD told Jacob to go home, though. He’d been working for his mother’s brother, Laban, for all this time. Laban was a worse cheat than Jacob. Laban kept cheating the cheater, and so Jacob was eager to be out from under his uncle / father-in-law / boss. But having escaped one mess, Jacob is heading into a potential disaster.

In Genesis 32 Jacob sent messengers ahead to make contact with his brother. What he heard back, that Esau was on his way to meet Jacob, with a small army of men, made Jacob “greatly afraid and distressed” (verse 7). Yeah. So he prayed to the LORD based on the LORD’s promises. Then he sent waves of presents to Esau in hopes to “appease” him, in hopes that Esau “will accept” him (verse 20). We’re about to see.

Before we see what happens, a “man” wrestled Jacob for most of the night. This man broke Jacob’s hip, then changed Jacob’s name to Israel, then he left. Jacob realized that this man was God in flesh.

Jacob hasn’t slept, he’s wrestled all night, and he can’t walk right; he’s limping. He doesn’t have energy or strength. And now, in that condition, he meets his brother and his brother’s army. He can’t run, he can’t fight, he needs to find favor in his brother’s sight or he’s dead.

Together Again (verses 1-11)

Putting His Things in Order (verses 1-3)

The two camps, Jacob and Esau’s, are within sight of each other. Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. He can see for himself, and none of the men from Esau’s camp have peeled off for other destinations.

So [Jacob] divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. He starts to make smaller groups, then he put those groups in order by importance to him. He put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. Everyone knew where they stood. If this was for safety by distance from harm, or even if it was for ceremonial purposes, save the best for last. We’ve known Jacob’s preferences for a while, but they’ve not changed.

What’s changed is in verse 3. He himself went on before them. Jacob goes first, he’s out in front rather than behind. He becomes the barrier instead of hiding behind one. This is the man’s way. As Joe Rigney puts it based on King Lune in The Horse and His Boy, a real man is: first in, last out, laughing loudest. Jacob shows courage and humility, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came to his brother. He defers. He submits. He hopes for favor.

Isaac had prophesied about which brother would bow to the other in Genesis 27:29, a prophesy he meant for Esau but went to Jacob. For the time being, Jacob bows before Esau.

Putting His Neck Out (verses 4-11)

No talk, just a flurry of action. But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him. These are four verbs of grace-giving. Four verbs of fear-releasing. Four verbs of big brother, sloppy, man joy. Jacob wasn’t weirded out, he got the message that he was received. Esau embraced him, th[...]

Genesis 32:1-32

November 27, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 17:30 in the audio file.

Or, Jacob Wrestles with God

Moses used only four chapters to cover two decades. Jacob left home in chapter 28 to escape from Esau. He met and married into Laban’s family in chapter 29, started having children at the end of chapter 29 and into the first part of chapter 30, grew his own flock in the last part of chapter 30, and absconded with all he’d acquired in chapter 31. The LORD protected Jacob, even prospered him under the shadow of Laban’s exploitation. But now that Jacob is nearing the promised land he has to face his biggest fear.

His biggest fear was not Esau. Esau is his big brother and a big cause of fear, just not the biggest. Jacob and Esau won’t actually meet until the next chapter, but Esau is definitely in Jacob’s head in this chapter. Jacob sends messengers to begin the pacification process in verses 3-5. He will send waves of presents to Esau in verses 13-21. Yet, as I said, the two brothers won’t actually face off until chapter 33.

Though the previous four chapters reported twenty plus years, this chapter covers only a couple days, with most of the attention on just one night. It’s that night when, left alone, Jacob faces his biggest fear, better, his Fear, and wrestles with the God-man. Things happened that night that changed Jacob’s life, including a change of name and a change of pace. He wouldn’t walk the same way again.

Meeting Angels (verses 1-2)

As we’ve seen in Genesis already, some of the stories intrigue us as much as they inform us. We read the verses and have as many, or even more, questions than explanations.

After Laban’s departure, Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. Why did they meet him? They don’t say anything that we’re told about. They’re just there. When Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp.” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Mahanaim means “two camps.” What are the two? His own and God’s? Jacob will split his group into two camps in verse 7, but that appears to happen after this meeting. Maybe that’s what gave him the idea. Jacob last encountered angels aware when he left the land of Canaan (Genesis 28:10-22), so now he is greeted by similar supernatural beings as he returns.

Sending Messengers (verses 3-8)

I assume that Jacob was glad to be so close to being home, and I also assume that his meeting with the angels was encouraging. But it didn’t make him cocky about potential conflict with his brother. Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. Messengers is the same Hebrew word translated as “angels” in the verse one. Seir sounds like “hairy,” and Edom means “red,” both of which were descriptions of Esau from before, both of which were associated with either the birthright transfer or blessing deception.

The message about flocks and servants was probably not a boast. It may have even been an relief to Esau, as long as he was in the right mood. The description of assets, at this point, may have assured Esau that Jacob wasn’t coming to mooch. Jacob already took the birthright and blessing, he wasn’t coming now to take more. Jacob’s hope in this communication was to make contact with Esau and try to find favor in your sight.

The messengers returned with information but no reassurance. ”We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” But, “What did he say? Why in the world is he bringing so many men? Did he seem angry?” None of that is revealed.

On one hand, if Esau really wanted to make Jacob dead, why wouldn’t he kill the messengers and then surprise Jacob in attack? But it’s hard to envision a 400 man company as a welcoming committee. Laban had a posse that chased Jacob down, but this was a posse. So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He “was beside himself with [...]

Genesis 31:36-55

November 20, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 17:30 in the audio file.

Or, When the Putter-On Acts Put Upon

Worse than a cook who lost his taste is a boss who lost his checkbook. In some situations it could be funny, but only for a while, and probably not if it’s your boss. Laban is the worst. He’s manipulated, lied, deceived, grasped, criticized, accused, and generally been as unpleasant as a migraine. And he thought he was being put-upon.

Jacob went to work for Laban for around seven-thousand three-hundred Mondays and, as he’ll affirm before the chapter ends, “If God…had not been on my side, surely you would have” swallowed me up alive (see Psalm 124:3), or at least “you would have sent me away empty-handed.” That’s not only a reference to the flocks he earned but also to the family he obtained. Jacob sacrificed and suffered and Laban kept taking advantage of his nephew/son-in-law at every turn.

When Jacob heard that his brothers-in-law were bitter about his abundance, when Jacob saw that favor had fallen off of Laban’s face, and when Jacob received word from the LORD that it was time to go, he got up and went. He persuaded his wives to follow, which may have had as much to do with disgruntlement towards their dad as anything. So all Jacob had acquired in Paddan-aram was loaded and left for Canaan.

They did not say good-bye. Laban and his men were shearing the sheep, and he didn’t even hear that Jacob stole away for three days. When he did get the news, he gathered his kinsmen and took off after Jacob in hot pursuit, overtaking him seven days later. He had a lot of time to work on his speech, except that God appeared to Laban one night and told him, in so many words, to leave it alone.

That didn’t stop Laban from launching verbal threats, though he couldn’t quite decide if he wanted to be mad or offended, whether he should rescue or destroy, whether he should ask questions or just criticize. He accuses Jacob of kidnapping his daughters and god-napping his household idols. He informs Jacob that Jacob is foolish and that Jacob is lucky that Laban won’t harm him.

Laban’s one legit grievance was that his figurines were gone. Jacob didn’t know it, but Rachel had stolen them. We don’t know why she took them, but she’s in danger because Jacob pronounces the death penalty on anyone who has them. But Laban can’t find them. Laban “jacobed” Jacob. Jacob “jacobed” Laban. Rachel “jacobed” her dad. And here we are.

In Genesis 31:1-35 we saw three paragraphs with Jacob as the primary actor, then three with Laban. Now there is one paragraph of Jacob’s angry complaint (verses 36-42) and three more with Laban’s last words (verses 43-55).

Jacob Bursts Out (verses 36-42)

The occasion is specific but the anger is historic. Out of the abundance of the hardship the mouth speaks. There has been a lot of hardship, and Laban’s pretensions light the match of Jacob’s fire.

Then Jacob became angry and berated Laban. Here is old whine in new whineskins; Jacob was hot. ”What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? For you have felt through all my goods; what have you found of all your household gods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two.” Jacob “contended with” (NASB, perhaps more accurate that berated) Laban about his innocence before the family jury. Where is the proof of any illegal or immoral acts? He talks as if his guiltlessness is beyond dispute, even though we know that his guilt is just not visible. Rachel is sitting on the evidence in a back room.

Jacob, though, is just getting started. Laban has no case regarding the idols, and Laban has no case regarding the labor. Two decades’ worth of pent up complaints burst out about his work as a pastor.

“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the r[...]

Genesis 31:1-35

November 13, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 18:50 in the audio file.

Or, When the Putter-On Acts Put Upon

To be “put-upon” is to be used, taken advantage of, exploited, victimized. For the last two chapters of Genesis Jacob has been put-upon again and again. He has been the victim of deceit, which he sort of deserved as a consequence of his own deception, though the LORD protected him from being completely devastated, which he didn’t deserve but got because of God’s grace. The LORD even started to cause Jacob to prosper, with sons and “large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys” (30:43). But his blessings were starting to make the in-laws bitter, and the one who’s been doing the victimizing whines like he’s the victim. It’s common for the putter-on to act put-upon.

It’s a long story, taking fifty-five verses in Genesis 31. As the ESV breaks it up there are ten paragraphs. The main character in the first three is Jacob: “Now Jacob” (v.1), “So Jacob” (v.4), “So Jacob” (v.17). Then there are three with Laban: “When…Laban” (v.22), “And Laban” (v.25), “So Laban” (v.33). The last three are also Laban: “Then Laban” (v.43), “Then Laban” (v.51), “[And] Laban” (v.55). Right before that is one with Jacob: “Then Jacob” (v.36), a response to Laban’s confrontation. Let’s look at the first two today, Jacob’s Steals Away (verses 1-21) and Laban Runs After (verses 22-35).

Jacob Steals Away (verses 1-21)

Jacob had started to think about returning to his homeland after Joseph was born (30:25). But at least six years have passed since then.

His Reasons (verses 1-3)

There are three reasons in as many verses that caused Jacob to think that now was the time to go home.

First, 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” (verse 1). This is maybe a quarter true. Jacob didn’t have anything when he arrived twenty years ago. His increase did come because of his service to Laban. But it was all earned as part of a contract. Jacob had been working for his wages which were paid out of Laban’s possessions. The sons, however, were bitter and would have voted for more wealth for themselves without more work for themselves. They saw their father’s holdings, their future holdings, going to someone else.

Second, Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before (verse 2). A better translation would be, “the face of Laban was not with him.” That is, Laban didn’t put on a happy face for Jacob anymore. Laban never fully trusted Jacob or treated him with full-hearted favor, but at least he masked his selfishness. Now the mask was off and Jacob was a persona non grata, a person not pleasing.

Third, and most decisive, Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you” (verse 3). God’s word made leaving an obedience issue not a wisdom call. Along with the command was a promise, that the LORD would be with Jacob, which makes his way of leaving unnecessary, and possibly detrimental.

His Persuasion (verses 4-16)

Jacob wants to go home with what is his, not all by himself, empty-handed like he had left. But what would his family say, in particular his wives for whom Paddan-aram was home?

So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Lean into the field where his flock was in order to sound them out away from eavesdropping ears. Maybe they wouldn’t be favorable, or maybe Laban’s servants would overhear and run to tell their boss.

Next Jacob gives them a long speech to persuade them in verses 5-13.

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 [...]

Selected Scriptures

November 6, 2016

Evening Service

Sean Higgins

Every generation throughout church history has seen doctrinal struggles and debates. But perhaps no doctrinal dispute has ever been contested more fiercely or with such far-reaching, long-term consequences as the ultimate issue, the issue of justification.

The controversy over the doctrine of justification in the sixteen century focused on the nature of the gospel and, therefore, the essence of Christianity itself. The church must always struggle with errors, but this controversy involved an article of the faith that is fundamental to faith itself.

The Bible itself makes justification a hill to die on. The Apostle Paul frequently admonished and instructed Christians not to be quarrelsome, divisive, or combative. He extoled the virtues of patience, love, and tolerance. Yet when it came to a battle over the gospel itself, this same apostle was utterly inflexible. He considered some things intolerable, and one is the distortion of the gospel. He wrote to the church in Galatia:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)

Paul used the strongest speech to condemn perversion of the gospel. He insisted there is only one gospel. And the gospel he preached in his letter to the Galatians is the gospel of justification by faith alone. The Judaizers were corrupting the gospel by requiring works in addition to belief as a necessary for justification. Twice Paul pronounced a curse on this distortion, using the Greek word from which we get the English word anathema.

But at the Roman Catholic Council of Trent in the sixteenth century, Rome condemned the Reformed doctrine of justification by faith alone and declared it anathema. They did this because they were convinced that the Reformed doctrine was “another gospel,” a distortion of the biblical gospel.

This was undoubtedly the most explosive issue of the 16th century, and the best place to start is probably with the 16th century’s most dynamic character.

A Monk Named Martin

Luther was born November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany, to a copper miner. His father wanted something better for him; he wanted Martin to become a lawyer. In 1505, on July 2 on his way home from law school, he was caught in a thunderstorm and was hurled to the ground by lightening. He cried out, “Help me, St. Anne; I will become a monk.” St. Anne was the patron saint of miners.

Fifteen days later, to his father’s great displeasure, Martin kept his vow. On July 17, 1505, he knocked at the gate of the local Augustinian Hermits and asked to be accepted. On easter, April 3, 1507, he was ordained as a priest.

If you’ve heard anything about Luther, you’ve probably heard that he was a bit pathological, that is, mentally disturbed. Most of his mental uneasiness grew out of his legally oriented mind which could not escape the relentless necessity for punishment of wrongdoing. Of all the things he knew, he knew that the holiness of God demanded punishment for sin. He also knew he was a sinner. That was bad news.

This is why he became a monk. He thought that he could become righteous.

I was a good monk, and I kept the rule of my order so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery it was I.

Yet it still didn’t work.

This led to one of the most famou[...]

Genesis 30:25-43

November 6, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

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The sermon starts at 16:55 in the audio file.

Or, Provision for Jacob’s Household

The intensities of dysfunction were at danger levels in Jacob’s house, like trying to thread a needle when the thread and the needle are both on fire; it’s not if you’re going to get burnt but how big will the skin graft need to be. His wives envied each other into a baby race, which included Leah and Rachel giving Jacob their servants to be his wives as well. In around seven years Jacob fathered eleven sons and (at least) one daughter. This not a Brady Bunch comedy, the antics are not fun as in Cheaper by the Dozen. This was heavy duty bitterness and bartering over whose bed Jacob would sleep in.

About the same time that Rachel had her first son Jacob was finishing his bridal contract with his father-in-law. Jacob completed fourteen years of work in which he got more than he bargained for. But now that his contract was ending, his favorite wife now had a son, and Esau had to be less angry, it was a good time for Jacob to start thinking about going home.

But he had more mouths to feed than when he made the trip from Canaan to Haran and, if he left now, no provision to feed those mouths.

He approaches his uncle to announce that he’s leaving anyway because he’s tired of being under his uncle’s control and also eager to return to the land the LORD promised him. But Laban doesn’t want him to go. Jacob has been good for business. Laban suggests that if Jacob stays a little longer, then Jacob could leave without being empty-handed. He could earn something for his own household.

There are two parts to the last half of chapter 30, Brokering Another Deal (verses 25-34) and Breeding a New Flock (verses 35-43).

Brokering Another Deal (verses 25-34)

Because Rachel gave birth to Joseph about the same time as the second seven years was coming to an end, Jacob felt as if the latch unlocked on the door to his cage. 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.” Jacob is not really asking for permission, he is telling his superior to send him away. It’s sort of his two-weeks’ notice. He puts his imperative in “Let me leave and let me have” terms because he’s living under Laban’s conditions, but he doesn’t even say “Please.” This begins a back and forth negotiation through verse 34.

Laban is not ready to let go. 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.” First, this has nothing to do with Laban loving his family, this is all about his finances. Second, this is patronizing. Laban doesn’t care if he’s found favor in Jacob’s eyes. Laban isn’t making a humble request in return, he’s asking Jacob to indulge him while he refuses to give a straight answer. The name your wages comment comes because he knows that his daughters were the only wage Jacob had earned in their previous contract. Another deal is required if more wages are to be paid.

Third, this was pure selfishness on Laban’s part. The ESV translates, I have learned by divination, in other words, other spirits revealed to Laban that Yahweh was responsible for the Laban’s profit by Jacob. Some have translated it, “I have learned by experience,” but experience doesn’t reveal Yahweh. I don’t have a problem thinking that Laban learned the truth through his false worship. And if he did, why did he wait till now to say so? How about a service award? How about just a “thank you”?

Jacob affirms that Laban didn’t need supernatural help to count the sheep. ”You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has faired with me. For you had little before I came,[...]

Selected Scriptures

October 30, 2016

Evening Service

Jim Martin

Or, Why Human Effort Doesn’t Cut It

The post Sola Fide appeared first on Trinity Evangel Church.

The post Sola Fide appeared first on Trinity Evangel Church.

Genesis 29:31-30:24

October 30, 2016

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

Download the bulletin.

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The sermon starts at 18:44 in the audio file.

Or, A Race of Envy

It’s hard to imagine that a family would have problems if that family started out with a business arrangement to work for a bride who was then switched for the older sister on the wedding night when the groom was probably drunk who realized what happened the morning after and then married the younger sister eight days later and gave her all his attention. No, that would cause no problems at all.

It’s a true story, and it’s also just and introduction. Jacob fled from home and came to Laban, Laban (and Leah) deceived Jacob, Leah and Rachel became Jacob’s wives. Jacob already worked seven years and he’s about to begin his second seven year tour.

Jacob left his home when he was around 77 years old. He met the younger of Laban’s daughters, Rachel, at the well outside Haran and the 2555 days he worked for her “seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her” (Genesis 29:20). Rachel was “beautiful in form and appearance” (verse 17) and he offered to work for her because he loved her (verse 18). It’s why he was upset at the switch, and the final thing we saw last week was that Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah” (verse 30).

As offspring are born to Jacob in Genesis 29:31-30:24 (note that the first and last paragraphs in the section begin with God opening wombs) we’ll see that each sister wanted what the other sister had. Neither of them were content, and Jacob did nothing to help. Leah and Rachel were in a race of envy, and the fruit of their wombs struggled with the consequences of that envy for generations. Jacob could have written his own soap opera script, “These Are the Days of My Wives.”

Five stages of the race:

Leah Goes Out First (29:31-35)

Leah deceived Jacob to become his wife. It may not have been her idea, but she was complicit. Regardless of her looks, we understand why Jacob wouldn’t feel attached to her.

But she was his wife and he did not treat her appropriately. The one who noticed was God. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. As we’ve already learned in Genesis, the womb is the LORD’s to open or close as He wills. He does not always close it as discipline, but He always controls it.

Here the LORD disciplined Jacob for his favoritism. Obviously Jacob shared a bed with Leah but apparently not much else.

And Leah conceived and bore a son and called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked on my affliction; for now my husband will love me. Leah seems both sad and hopeful. She’s sad because she’s unloved and she knows it. Yet she’s hopeful that this child, this son, will turn Jacob’s heart toward her. She believed this was the LORD’s doing; it’s interesting that she never gives credit to her father’s household gods (see Genesis 31:19). Reuben sounds like a thankful exclamation: “See, a son!” Reuben was a gift from God.

Did Reuben unite Jacob’s heart to Leah? Leah keeps having sons in quick succession but does not start having more connection with Jacob.

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. (Genesis 29:33–35)

Simeon sounds like “heard”; God saw and God heard her struggle. Levi sounds like “attached” which she still hoped Jacob would become. Judah sounds like “praise.” Maybe Leah has given up and is worshipping God regardless of how Jacob treated her but, based on what’s yet to happen, I think this is just a crescendo of her expectation. [...]