Sermons – Grace Evangelical Free Church // Wyoming, MN

Genesis 35:1-15 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob 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. 3 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.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

5 And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.

9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

INTRODUCTION

The main point of this passage is that Jacob finally made it back to Bethel—the house of God, the place God had met with Jacob, the place he’d been forced and commanded to flee from many years earlier, and the place he’d promised to return to if God would protect him. Throughout the entire time of Jacob’s exile, God had been wholly faithful to Jacob and, as we see in His visit and covenant reminder, would continue to be wholly faithful as well. For his part, over the years since leaving Bethel, Jacob had come in and out of faithfulness. In this passage, however, he is almost entirely exemplary in his obedience to God. He did just what God said, put off idols, watched as the holy terror of God held back his enemies, put up an altar and a pillar to honor God, made offerings to God, and led his family to join him in all of this.

God had determined and promised to save a people, and to do so through one particular family, not because they were special or deserving, but precisely because they were not. God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob so that all would know that it was God alone who saves. Their sin was truly sinful, but it was also, as Paul noted in Romans 5:20, an unmistakable declaration that if anyone were to be saved, it would be because of God’s mercy and grace, not their merit. In this passage we move further along toward the fullness of that salvation in the offspring of Abraham. Let’s pray that God would help us appreciate both what this meant in Jacob’s day and what it means in ours, in order that we’d be able to honor God because of it.

GOD SAID (1-4)

Before we get to the heart of the text, would you look at the first two words of chapter 35? I’ve pressed on this before and I’ll press on it again. Fight with me to appreciate what these words mean: “God said”.

The Voice of God

It’s hard (probably impossible) to quantify the significance ...

Genesis 34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.”

13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed,

INTRODUCTION

For the past several years we’ve had child dedications on Mother’s Day as a way to highlight the life-giving nature of motherhood. This year we decided to do dedications and baptisms as a means of highlighting the goal of dedication and motherhood (that the babies/kids we dedicate to the LORD would one-day place their trust in Jesus). What a sweet picture that was of God’s kindness and faithfulness to his people. And what a sweet picture that was of the God-infused, life-giving power of motherhood.

When we decided to do both dedications and baptisms, we also decided that we’d need to shorten the rest of the service, including the sermon. For that reason, this is a short sermon with two simple points and one simple objective. (Point #1) by God’s design, mothers are physical life-givers. (Point #2), also by God’s design, mothers are spiritual life-givers. In the next few minutes, I mean to root these two claims in God’s Word (show you where in the Bible we find these truths) and (Objective) encourage the moms in this room to recommit to finding joy in seeking these kinds of fruit in motherhood. Let’s pray that God would be pleased by my preaching, your listening, and our response.

MOTHERS ARE PHYSICAL LIFE-GIVERS

Mothers are physical life-givers. I imagine that this is among the most obvious points I’ve ever made in a sermon. I say that because it is confirmed by basic observation, biology, etymology, and the first few pages of the bible. It’s simple, but it’s also foundational. For that reason, there are a handful (6) of things that I’d like to draw your attention to about the physical life-giving nature of motherhood.

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Mothers being physical life-givers was part of God’s design from the very beginning. The most straightforward passage comes in Genesis 3:20.

The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

The very name of the first woman meant (or sounded like) “life-giver”. Every human being who has ever walked the earth has come from Eve, the very first life-giver on earth and the very first mom. The simple fact is that a mom is one who gives physical life to another.

Again, to be clear, this is not something contrived by any creature, but the Creator himself. And as is the case with everything created by God, it was/is very good. It’s a great tragedy that many today reject these things—God as the author of mothers as physical life-givers and the very goodness of that design. Let us settle our hearts and minds on this afresh this morning, Grace Church: the unique ability of moms to give physical life is from God and, therefore, it is also very good. Be encouraged moms. In bearing children, you are tapping into the very beginning of time and the very deepest good. Be encouraged.

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Physical life-giving (along with everything else) is made harder by the fall (Genesis 3:16). As a result of their rebellion against God, Adam and Eve brought death into the physical world. At the moment of their sin, they immediately died spiritually and eventually they died physically as well. This consequence was not only for Adam and Eve, but for all of their offspring as well. In addition to these steep consequences, God gave them each a particular curse as well. This too passed from generation to generation.

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.

It is likely that this particular curse is not limited to the actual act of delivering a child, but includes every aspect of bringing forth children—pregnancy, delivery, and the raising of children.

Moms, have you ever wondered why something so good could be so hard at times? Have you ever struggled with feeling like a failure in your attitudes and actions toward your kids? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by motherhood?

Genesis 33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

18 And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

INTRODUCTION

Picture with me, if you would, your greatest relational conflict. I know that’s not a pleasant prospect, but bear with me for just a few moments. I’m sure that some of you don’t have anything major to recall. Others, I know, have really broken and painful relationships still looming over you. Either way, imagine God commanding you to do something that would force you to reengage that person directly. What would your response be? What would you think about? How would that make you feel? What’s the first thing you would do? Would any of those answers change if you thought there was a good chance they would attempt to kill you as soon as they saw you? Would any of those answers change if God had met with you and made specific and repeated promises to you to protect and bless you?

If you’re able to get your head around those things, then you’re rightly imagining the situation Jacob found himself in. Sort of overwhelming, isn’t it? Overwhelming or not, in light of where we’ve been, that’s where we are in our walk through Genesis. And that leaves us with the two critical questions: Did Esau still want to kill Jacob and had Jacob’s last encounter with God had truly changed him. We’ll find answers to both of those questions as this passage unfolds in three phases: the somber, prioritized approach, the unexpected, happy reunion,

Genesis 32:22-32 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. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 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. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 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.” 29 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. 30 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.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 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.

INTRODUCTION

Growing up I watched a bit of WWF. Even at a young age, though, I recognized that it was just a soap opera for a different demographic. Nevertheless, it was hard not to be intrigued by certain aspects of it. There was so much drama leading up to certain matches. This, I knew even then, was simply a marketing gimmick, but it was hard at times not to get drawn in.

The matches that were most intriguing either had two of the biggest names going against one another or on huge name and one huge underdog. Who wouldn’t get fired up about Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant?! When Hogan lifted Andre above his head! And, of course, after each big match there was some sort of new drama that would carry the day until the next event.

I don’t mean to make light of this passage, and I promise not to carry this illustration beyond this paragraph, but there are some parallels between it and a main event in a Wrestlemania. It contains a made-for-PPV wrestling match. The match was preceded by a period of buildup. It features a massive underdog who, in a TV producer’s dream, seems to hold his own. And the dramatic result introduces even more drama.

That’s right, kids, this week’s text is mainly about a wrestling match! Given the context you might expect that it was between Jacob and Esau. Instead, shockingly, it was between Jacob and God. We’ll consider the setting of the stage for the match, the match itself, and the result. And through these things, in the way of application, we’ll see plainly that our identity and victory are both exclusively from God. Let’s pray that God would help us understand and appreciate the significance of this strange passage and its implications for the Church today.

THE STAGE IS SET (22-24A)

You probably remember that twenty years before this passage, Jacob fled from his brother because Esau wanted to kill him for stealing his father’s blessing. You probably also remember from last week that Jacob was now heading back toward his homeland and his brother. Having sent messengers ahead to Esau to announce his coming and discern his intentions, having heard that he was on his way with 400 men, and having sent three waves of gifts in an attempt to gain his favor, last week’s passage closed with this line, “So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.” Our text picks up on the same night.

High drama.

What would happen? How long would it take Esau and his men to get to Jacob? Did Esau still want to kill Jacob? If so, would Jacob’s gifts pacify him at all? Interestingly,

Genesis 32:1-21 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”

6 And 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.” 7 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, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.”

9 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,’ 10 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. 11 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. 12 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.’ ”

13 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’ ” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

INTRODUCTION

Way back in the 1900s (as my kids like to call it) I was heading east on I-96 on my way home from college. In the moment it took me to glance at a car passing me on my left another car pulled out right in front of me (at a very slow speed). In an instant I knew that I had two choices. I could either slam into the back of that car or try to swerve in order to avoid it. I chose the latter. I hit the brakes and pulled the steering wheel hard to the left, narrowly missing the car in front of me. What a relief, right?! Sort of. It was a relief in that I didn’t slam into the car, but in order to avoid it I turned so hard that I started sliding across the three rain-soaked lanes of interstate traffic. The solution to my initial problem was the direct cause of another—potentially greater—problem. In other words, as the old adage goes, I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Well, that’s exactly what happened to Joseph in our story for this morning. Having been commanded by God to do so, Jacob fled from his father-in-law (Laban) after being exploited by him for 20 years.

Genesis 31:1-55 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.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 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. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 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. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 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. 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ 12 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. 13 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.’ ” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. 16 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.”

17 So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

22 When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

25 And Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen pitched tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? 27 Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? 28 And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. 29 It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’ 30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the t...

Luke 24:1-12 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

INTRODUCTION

We just heard the story of Jesus’ resurrection. It’s pretty remarkable, isn’t it? But have you ever wondered why the resurrection is so important? I mean, it’s pretty impressive to think that Jesus rose from the dead, but have you ever wondered why it really matters? Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, right? Our salvation comes from His dying in our place, doesn’t it? The cross was enough, wasn’t it?

For years as a new Christian I never even thought to ask those questions. Then for a few more years I thought of them, but didn’t bother to chase down the answers. Eventually, however, as I continued to grow in my faith and understanding of God’s Word, God burrowed the question of the significance of the resurrection deeply enough into my mind and heart that I knew I needed to settle on some things. And by God’s grace, as I did, I came to realize that the resurrection is better news than I had ever imagined. As I share some of that with you, I hope you find it to be soul-satisfying, worship-producing, and life-changing. Let’s pray that He would make it so.

[Much of what I have come to understand is captured in a simple devotional written way back in 1986. It simply listed (with no commentary) a number things “we owe the resurrection of Jesus”. I’ve added and changed a little, but the basic outline comes from that short list from so long ago (from way back in the 1900s as my kids say).]

THE GOOD NEWS OF THE CROSS

I hope to help you see that and how the resurrection is good news in just a minute. For that to happen, though, we must first settle on the good news of the cross. We can’t really understand one without the other, but understanding the significance of the resurrection begins with getting our minds around the point of Jesus’ death on the cross. And to do that we need to go way, way back; back to the very beginning of time and space.

Before anything that has been made was made, was God. God has eternally existed as one God in three persons (Father, Son, and Spirit). He has also eternally existed with a nature and being that are greater than you could ever imagine (Psalm 145:7-9).

Part of His greater-than-you-could-ever-imagine essence is found in the fact that He created, gave purpose to, and rules over everything outside of Himself. And the purpose for which God created mankind and the standard to which He holds us accountable as our King, is this: to glorify and enjoy Him forever (Romans 11:36). That’s right, God, the greatest conceivable being, the most amazing thing in all existence, the true source of all goodness,

Genesis 30:25-43 As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. 26 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.” 27 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. 28 Name your wages, and I will give it.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me. 30 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?” 31 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: 32 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. 33 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.” 34 Laban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” 35 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. 36 And he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flock.

37 Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks. 38 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, 39 the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 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. 41 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, 42 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. 43 Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

INTRODUCTION

We’ve been considering the story of Jacob since chapter 25. But the story of Jacob is only properly understood inside the story of his father, Isaac (which began in chapter 21). But the story of Isaac is really a continuation of the story of his father, Abraham, the man God first made the covenant with. His story began in chapter 12. But the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is ultimately a part of the larger story of God’s determination to rescue a rebellious people. And that story began in Genesis 3 where Adam and Eve fell into the pit of sin and death but God promised to send a Rescuer to lift their children out. From that point on (from Genesis 3 on), God began moving all time and space toward the person and work of Jesus, the One who would die to rescue all who would receive Him, and the one whose death and resurrection we celebrate this week.

For that reason, it shouldn’t be a surprise to find that throughout Genesis (and the entire OT) we find regular promises of and allusions to Jesus. He is the Heel-Crusher and the garment of skins in Genesis 3. He is the saving waters of the Flood in Genesis 6. He is the Messiah predicted in 9:27 (and other places).

Genesis 29:31-35 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 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.” 33 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. 34 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. 35 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.

Genesis 30:1-24 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 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?” 3 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.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.

14 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.” 15 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.” 16 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. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 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. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

INTRODUCTION

Imagine growing up in a large, very well-off family. Imagine being told for generations that your family was special, one of great nobility and prominence. Imagine having a family history that included participation in events that caused awe and wonder—inexplicable military victories, unmatched influence on world rulers, etc. Imagine knowing that your family had significantly impacted the world more than once. If you believed all of those things, you might at some point wonder how it all began. Surely your first forefathers must have been truly remarkable people. Perhaps an athletic genius married a beautiful industrialist in perfect matrimoni...