BACK STORY: Genesis 28, Jacob’s Dream
There above it stood the Lord, and He said: “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
I am with you,
• and I will watch over you wherever you go,
• and I will bring you back to this land.
• I will not leave you until
• I have done what I have promised you.”
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking, and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
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Twenty years later…
• He’s had 12 sons, as well as many daughters, by his wives and their two maids.
• He has prospered while working for his uncle by the blessing of God, gaining not only a large household, but extensive flocks and servants.
• He’s returned to Canaan and reconciled with Esau.
• He moved his flocks and people to Shechem to put space between his and Esau’s extensive families, households and flocks and herds.
And now we pick up the story…
Then God appeared to Jacob in Shechem and said, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
So Jacob traveled to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, along with all his household, flocks and herds. He built an altar there and called the place El-Bethel, “The House of God,” because God had revealed Himself to him there when he fled from his brother.
Then God appeared to Jacob again there, and He blessed him. God said to him,
But you shall no longer be called Jacob,
• Instead Isra-el shall be your name.
For you have struggled with God
• and with men,
• and you have triumphed.
Thus God named him ‘Israel.’ God also said to him,
“I am El-Shaddai, God Almighty;
Be fruitful and multiply;
A nation and a multitude of nations
• shall come from you,
And kings shall come forth from you.
The land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac,
• I will give it to you,
And I will give the land to your
descendants after you.”
🤔 Thoughts to ponder: God reaffirmed His choice of Jacob to continue the line of the Messiah by repeating the promises of the covenant made to his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah, and with his father Isaac.
Was Jacob chosen because he was a great guy, deserving of these special blessings and promises from God?
Well, NOT REALLY!
The Bible says, “God chooses whom He chooses.” (See Romans 9:18). It’s not that the people God chooses to carry out His plans are particularly qualified, instead God breaks them, then re-makes them and molds them into the people He needs them to be. We can see this in the story of Jacob, also in the story of his eleventh son, Joseph.
🍎 God does that in our lives too. This principle is often summarized in the quote,
❓️When you look back at your life so far, do you see times and places where God was ‘equipping’ you to do things for Him through difficult circumstances?
When we gain that perspective, it can help us with our faith in God when we find ourselves having to go through difficulties again.
❓️Is there some current difficulty that a fresh perspective of the sovereignty of God could help you deal with it better in faith and trust in God?
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Job 11: ZOPHAR speaks,
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than the heavens above—
• What can you do?
They are deeper than the depths below—
• How can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
• and wider than the sea.
If He comes along and convenes a court of judgment,
• who can oppose him?
Surely He recognizes deceivers;
• and when he sees evil, does he not take notice?”
“If you devote your heart to Him
• and stretch out your hands to Him,
If you put away the sin that is in your life
• and allow no evil to dwell in your home;
Then, free of fault, you can lift up your face;
• You will stand firm and without fear.
You will surely forget your trouble,
• recalling it only as water under the bridge.
Life will be brighter than noonday,
• and darkness will become like morning.
You will be secure,
• because there is hope;
You will look around
• and be able to take your rest in safety.
You will lie down,
• with no one to make you afraid,
And many will court your favor.”
(CONCLUSION) “If we do right, we have no reason to be ashamed before God.”
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🔎 Zophar made the same mistake as Eliphaz in trying to put God into a neat, little, cause-and-effect box where he felt he could control how God treated him. The things he said could be considered generally true on the surface, but there was a deeper truth he was missing.
🤔 Think about Zophar’s conclusion and compare it to the ‘bad news’ part of the gospel. For example, verses in Romans say, “There are none good, no, not even one.” And, “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Does it sound like Zophar understands the full picture?
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🙌 III. WORSHIP 3. Revelation 11:13-18
SETTING THE SCENE:
“…there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified, but gave glory to the God of heaven. Thus the second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.”
“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,
and there were loud voices in heaven saying:”
(Begin praying back to God)
“Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven…”
• Our Lord and our Christ,
And You will reign over them forever and ever.”
• Who sit on their thrones before You, O God,
I fall on my face and worship You.
I give You thanks, O Lord God, Almighty,
• Who is and who was,
Because by Your great power
• You reign over heaven and Earth.
• And rage against Your rule.
The day of Your wrath will come,
• When You judge the living and the dead.
The time of Your judgment will come,
• When you destroy those who destroy Your Earth.
But the blessed day of our hope will come too,
When You reward me, Your bond-servant,
• Along with Your prophets
• And Your holy saints,
When you call out all who fear Your Name,
• The small and the great from the grave.
To be forever with You, our eternal reward.
• I choose to serve You with all that I am.
Although I am ignorant of Your Word,
• I choose to listen to it through Your prophets.
Though my sins have stained me scarlet,
Yet You have sanctified me by the blood of Your Christ,
• And washed me white as snow.
Though my eyes fall short, sometimes, of seeing Your glory,
• Yet I revere and honor Your Name,
You are the Lord God ALMIGHTY!
Although I deserve to be condemned by Your judgment,
• And destroyed forever,
Yet You have chosen to save me,
• And give me eternal life with You.
Thank you, Lord God Almighty.
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia, amen!
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