Answer of 25 that Jacob Experienced (Genesis 28:10-15) 2/12/2023
The 25 Hour Answer of the 1st 2nd 3rd RUTC:
Answer of 25 that Jacob Experienced (Genesis 28:10-15) 2/12/2023
Last week, we talked about Isaac, who enjoyed answers and blessings that transcended those of his father Abraham.
Isaac, who was a model for three things (Answer of 25, Enjoyment, Disciple), had two twin sons. However, very painful things happen to them. They married women among the Canaanites and the descendants of Ishmael, and their children become the Edomites. They constantly quarreled with the Israelites, and King Herod who tried to kill baby Jesus was a descendant of the Edomites.
The problem was the second son, Jacob. He disguised himself and deceived his father to snatch the blessings of his older brother. He feared his father and brother after doing so, so he ran off to his uncle’s land in Haran and faced great suffering. He endured the cold night and day to work without sleep and had a rough life there (Genesis 31:40, 47:9). This may be the life of us, who live as immigrants here. He had four wives, but other than Rachel, the rest were wives that he had to take in because his uncle forced them unto him. We all know how the twelve children he had from the four different wives fought and competed to survive.
The name Jacob means he “grabbed onto his brother’s ankle” (Genesis 25:26). This name signifies many things. From the moment he was born, the name embodies greed, ambition, and victim mentality. Later on, God changes Jacob’s name to Israel, and through the twelve brothers who used to fight and quarrel, the twelve tribes form. Among the brothers arise a political missionary Joseph, who was sold as a slave by his brothers but became the governor of the superpower nation Egypt.
We want to think about two things. Why did these descendants of Abraham and Isaac live in such failures and suffering, and how did God turn Jacob into a main figure that saved the age?
- There is a reason for Esau and Jacob’s life of unavoidable failure and suffering. This becomes an important mirror for our own lives.
1) Esau and Jacob had thoughts and greed based on worldly standards.
① Esau was possessed by the thought and greed of being the first-born, so he resented his brother all his life for stealing it away. Moreover, he lost hold of the spiritual blessings and sold off his rights of a first-born for a bowl of soup (Hebrews 12:16).
② Jacob did whatever he could to gain the blessings that God promised to the first-born and deceived his father. It may seem like they had faith, but they did not. It is more humanistic belief, and belief in receiving blessings. We do whatever it takes to make a lot of money and succeed. We must think about whether or not these are truly God’s blessings.
2) Behind them, there were their parents. There was favoritism (Genesis 25:28).
① Isaac’s faith from his younger days may have faded away as he had children and grew older. The mother Rebekah was focused on Jacob. Jacob was a mama’s boy or a baby boy. The father Isaac was focused on Esau. He liked Esau because he liked the fish that Esau would hunt and bring to his father.
② We know that Isaac was a man of covenant. However, his parenting style was at a lower level. That is why the fundamental of a parent is so important. We must love our children, but not be obsessed with them. We must never do whatever it takes for favoritism, comparison mindset, or success.
3) There is something that is most important. The parents failed to relay the covenant down to their children (Covenant of Christ). If you are inside the covenant, even if you do not try so hard to succeed, God will take care of you and be with you. That is a child of God and remnant. They are those who have been chosen to be used as diasporas, spiritual summits, and evangelism disciples. This must be imprinted into the children, but they only pushed for blessings and success. We need to teach our children that people who truly have the covenant need to know how to yield and know that even in unjust situations and persecution, there are separate blessings that they will receive.
- Within all of this, God still chose Jacob and raised him up as the main figure of Answer 25. There are three mysteries. This is the identity, covenant, and blessing that we must hold onto, enjoy, and experience in this age. For Jacob to experience this identity and blessing, there were times of important resolution and training (Wednesday Service).
1) God had decided to use Jacob and chose him from the beginning (Ephesians 1:3-6). Why was it Jacob and not Esau? There are many people in this world, but why did God choose us, who are like Jacob? It is not because of our actions. It is God’s absolute sovereignty and grace. It is because God took compassion on us (Romans 9:16). This is our identity. We are God’s children; his chosen ones (1 Peter 2:9). We must have deep sense of self-identity. When Jacob was still in the womb, it was told to his parents. However, they lost hold of this because of their physical standards (Genesis 25:23).
2) When Jacob was running away after deceiving his father and brother, God came to him (12-13). This is the gospel. We have no choice but to fail and live inside fate and curses, but Christ came for us. Christ came to die for the original sin that began from Adam (Romans 5:12), the generational sin that comes from our ancestors (Exodus 20:4-5), and the sins that we commit as we live our lives (Romans 3:10, 3:23). He came down Himself to die and bring us back to life (Philippians 2:6-8). We must have deep gratitude and self-worth (self-significance) that comes from this. We have no reason to throw our lives into the world, the dirty things, and meaningless things. That is how precious our lives are.
3) There is a covenant regarding the answer and blessings of God (13-15). He promised three absolute blessings.
① God said He would give him the land you are laying on (Canaan). This is the land where Jesus would come, and in Christ, he will use us as the ones who will conquer the world. Satan tries to step on us with scars, environments, and realities, but we will have victory in the name of Christ.
② All nations on earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. We are not merely to succeed and conquer. We are to save. This is the blessings of evangelism and missions. Look at everything with the eyes of the gospel, and not the eyes of the law. Look with the eyes of God, not the eyes of man. We can save all. God is the one who will save. Our pain, tears, diseases, and disabilities are the heart of God and a message from him.
③ In order to fulfill this promise, God will be with you and protect you wherever you go. This is the blessing of With, Immanuel, and Oneness. God will make the lives we live into evidence. He will be with us when we look to only Christ and share the heart of God for evangelism and missions. When we live holding onto this covenant 24 hours, he promised the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and the blessings of the throne (Mark 16:19-20). We are people who possess everything. This is the greatest self-richness that we must have (2 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Conclusion – We may have lived a life full of scars, loneness, and suffering like Jacob. However, as soon as we hold onto the covenant given to Jacob, all our past problems, present problems, and future problem will be finished. God will make everything into a platform and evidence (Answer 25).