Sermon Notes 1/22/2012

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Sermon Text: Genesis 35
Scripture Reading: Genesis 35
Sermon Title: The Way Out

Introduction

Genesis 35 and 36 transition us to the final major section in Genesis.

• 1-11 Creation, The Fall, The Promise, Seth, Noah, Babel
• 12-23 Abraham, The Covenant, Ishmael, Isaac’s Birth, The Death of Sarah
• 24-27 Isaac, Jacob, and Esau
• 28-34 Jacob, Esau, Deception, Laban, Leah, Rachel, Israel
• 35-36 Death of Deborah (Rebekah’s Nurse), Rachel, and Isaac.

The focus now shifts from Jacob to Jacob’s sons (Genesis 35:22-26; 37:2), particularly Joseph from Genesis 37-50. Through these chapters Moses tells Israel how and why they moved to Egypt. From John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress:

So he took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man in an iron cage. Now the man, to look on, seemed very sad; he sat with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands folded together, and he sighed as if he would break his heart. Then said Christian, What means this? At which the Interpreter bid him talk with the man. Then said Christian to the man, What art thou? The man answered, I am what I was not once.
Christian: What wast thou once?
The Man: The man said, I was once a fair and flourishing professor, Luke 8:13, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others: I once was, as I thought, fair for the celestial city, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I should get thither.
Christian: Well, but what art thou now?
The Man: I am now a man of despair, and am shut up in it, as in this iron cage. I cannot get out; Oh now I cannot!
Christian: But how camest thou into this condition?
The Man: I left off to watch and be sober: I laid the reins upon the neck of my lusts; I sinned against the light of the word, and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and he is gone; I tempted the devil, and he is come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and he has left me: I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot repent.
Then said Christian to the Interpreter: But is there no hope for such a man as this?
Ask him, said the Interpreter.
Christian: Then said Christian, Is there no hope, but you must be kept in the iron cage of despair?
The Man: No, none at all.
Christian: Why, the Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
The Man: I have crucified him to myself afresh, Heb. 6:6; I have despised his person, Luke 19:14; I have despised his righteousness; I have counted his blood an unholy thing; I have done despite to the spirit of grace, Heb. 10:29: therefore I have shut myself out of all the promises and there now remains to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, faithful threatenings of certain judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour me as an adversary.
Christian: For what did you bring yourself into this condition?
The Man: For the lusts, pleasures, and profits of this world; in the enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight: but now every one of those things also bite me, and gnaw me like a burning worm.
Christian: But canst thou not now repent and turn?
The Man: God hath denied me repentance. His word gives me no encouragement to believe; yea, himself hath shut me up in this iron cage: nor can all the men in the world let me out. Oh eternity! eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet with in eternity?

"It is a vain thing for me," says the sinner," to set upon repentance; my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me." "Return now everyone from his evil way . . . And they said, There is no hope" (Jer. 18:11,12). Our sins are mountains—and how shall these ever be cast into the sea? This is dangerous. Our sins need mercy—but despair rejects mercy. Judas was not damned only for his treason and murder—but it was his distrust of God's mercy that destroyed him. Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God? Mercy rejoices over justice. God's anger is not so hot—but mercy can cool it; nor so sharp—but mercy can sweeten it. God counts his mercy—his glory (Exod. 33:18,19) (The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson, 1668).

Urgency

“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’” (Genesis 35:1).

Remember, Jacob was originally supposed to go to Bethel (house of God), not Schechem. Jacob built a house and settled (Genesis 33:18-20), much like Lot, in the midst of idolatry and paganism. We all, at various times, are in danger of becoming entrenched in life-dominating sin (love for the world). Sometimes, like Abraham (Genesis 14), we are called to rescue those who have gradually moved towards the world (Lot) and are now captive (Chedorlaomer). Sometimes, we are like Jacob, with nobody to rescue us. Remember what happened in Genesis 34? Jacob’s choice to dwell in Shechem led to the rape of Dinah. As you remember, Simeon and Levi then made a decision for revenge that placed the entire family in great danger (Genesis 34:30-31). The same physical danger that Lot and Jacob faced is nothing compared to the spiritual danger many of us face this morning. [I Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:1-7; Colossians 3:1-10; I Thessalonians 4:1-8]

Regardless if you need to help someone (like Abraham) or if you need help (like Jacob), I believe there are some very instructive principles, that if applied, will greatly help the Body of Christ. The two great graces essential to a saint in this life, are faith and repentance. These are the two wings by which he flies to heaven (Thomas Watson).

Motive

Read Genesis 35:1, 9-12; II Corinthians 5:14-15; Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-20

Method

Radical Amputation: Matthew 5:27-30; Romans 8:13

“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’” (Genesis 35:2). "Smite your soul," said Chrysostom, "smite it; it will escape death by that stroke!"

Both Ahab and Judas had great trouble of mind. It is one thing to be a terrified sinner—and another to be a repenting sinner. Sense of guilt is enough to breed terror in the conscience not because sin is sinful—but because it is painful. This kind of resolution will vanish. – Thomas Watson

Realize: What you strongly believe will bring you life (Genesis 30:1, 22-24) will kill you (Genesis 35:16-21).

The journey is hard (Genesis 35:8, 16-19, 27-29).

Radical Accountability: Hebrews 3:12-13. “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” (Genesis 35:4).

Radical Appropriation: II Timothy 2:22; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10. “…and change your garments. 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” (Genesis 35:3). It is through your pursuit that you change (Genesis 35:9-14).

You Worship your way in. You Worship your way out. When is a door no longer a door? When it is AJAR. Artistically drive it into your heart (Sing Barren Woman; Built an Altar)

Rape, Revenge, and Rage 1/15/12

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Sermon Text:  Genesis 33; Genesis 34

Sermon Title:

Scripture Reading: Genesis 34

Introduction

Jacob and Rachel escape almost certain death from Laban, only to face the certain inevitability of meeting his brother, who was to be dreaded immensely more.  It was the threat of Esau that causes him to flee twenty years earlier. Now Jacob returns to a possibly worse situation, with Esau prospering and bitterness brewing.

Read Genesis 32:31 Jacob was exhausted, without sleep, and crippled

Being this way before God: (Genesis 32:9-12) leads to being this way before man: (33:1-4).

“Through his Peniel experience, Jacob has been reborn as Israel. Courage replaces cowardice as Jacob himself strides ahead of his family to meet Esau. Humility takes the place of arrogance as he bows down seven times before his brother. And penitence prompts him to attempt to give back the blessing out of which he had cheated Esau (Genesis 33:10-11)” (Gordon Wenham).

Jacob attempts to give Esau a gift, Esau refuses, Jacob presses Esau and Esau accepts (33:9-111).

Genesis 33:10 – Jacob is not comparing Esau to God. Jacob expresses the fact that, as with God, he came face to face with what should have rightfully been justice, but received mercy instead.

Esau offered to escort Jacob into the Promised Land and Jacob declined due to his weary livestock (33:12-14). Esau offered to leave men with Jacob to assist him, but Jacob declined (33:15-17).

Genesis 33:18-20 – Many scholars liken this account to that of Abraham and Lot. Jacob should have gone to Bethel, yet settled in the lucrative land of Shechem. Jacob bought land in Shechem, erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel (pronounced: ale) meaning The Mighty God of Nations.

Genesis 34

Dinah was raped (34:2, 13, 27, 31)

Shechem wanted to marry Dinah. Hamor and Shechem wanted much more than Dinah (34:23).

Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers from Leah, were outraged and out for revenge.

Two observations from Genesis 34

First, do not miss the significance of Simeon and Levi’s request for circumcision. Circumcision was similar in significance to Israel (yet very different in many ways) as baptism and the Lord’s Supper are to the Church. Foundational to circumcision was God’s covenantal commitment and  affection for His people. To be circumcised was to, by faith, commit to the covenant community and vow love and allegiance to the LORD. The outward act of circumcision was a shadow of God’s future promise to circumcise the heart (the eradication of the old man).

Genesis 34:20-24 Hamor and Shechem persuaded their people to participate in outward conformity by motivating them with the promise of selfish gain.

As John Bunyan so beautifully illustrates in the Pilgrim’s Progress (pp. 190-194):

HOLDTHEWORLD: I like that religion best that will stand with the security of God’s blessings to us. Abraham and Solomon grew rich in religion; and Job says, that a good man shall lay up gold as dust.

BY-ENDS: Give me leave to propound unto you this question: Suppose a man, a minister, or a tradesman should have an advantage lie before him to get the good blessings of this life, yet so as that he can by no means come by them, except, in appearance at least, he becomes extraordinary zealous in some points of religion that he meddled not with before; may he not use this means to attain his end, and yet be a right honest man.

MONEY: If his desire for gain makes the preacher more studious, more zealous, and so makes him a better man, and helps people - this cannot be contradicted. And the tradesman: by becoming religious he may mend his market, perhaps get a rich wife, or more and far better customers to his shop – for my part, I see no reason but this may be lawfully done. Besides, the man that gets these by becoming religious gets that which is good of them that are good and becomes good himself.

CHRISTIAN: For if it be unlawful to follow Christ for loaves (John 6:26), how much more abominable is it to make of him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy the world?

1)      Heathens: for when Hamor and Shechem had a mind to the daughter and cattle of Jacob, and saw that there was no way to come at them but by being circumcised, they said to their companions, If every male of us be circumcised, as they are circumcised, shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beat of their be ours?

2)      The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion: long prayers were their pretense, but to get widows’ houses were their intent; and greater damnation was from God their judgment (Luke 20:46-47).

3)      Judas the devil was also of this religion: he was religious for the bag, that he might be possessed of what was put therein; but he was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition.

4)      Simon the wizard was of this religion too; for he would have had the Holy Ghost, that he might have got money therewith (Acts 8:19-22).

5)      Neither will it out of my mind, but that man who takes up religion for the world, will throw religion for the world; for surely as Judas designed the world in becoming religious, surely did he also sell religion and his Master for the same.

If you any promise appeals to you more than satisfaction in Christ, you will leave for the very same reason you came. Why are you disgruntled? Why are you frustrated? Are you losing influence, significance? Are you still single? Do you have an illness? When someone else is blessed, you are secretly envious. When preachers hold out the promise of anything above that of Christ, it is false religion – it is idolatry starring Jesus as your errand boy. Hyper-Charismatics preach a “look what Jesus can do for you” religion. Legalists preach a “look what you can do for Jesus” religion. The Gospel is a proclamation of what has been done.  The Gospel is an announcement of what has already been done. When the Gospel is proclaimed as good advice or a good example, people strive to respond by works (following an example) rather than resting and being moved by what has been done, apart from works. Only then can striving be done in freedom, because we understand we are not God's debtor, nor can God be in our debt.

What you are won with is what you are kept with. The shallowness and busyness of program-based ministries are fueled by guilt and sustained by pride. The heresy of the Word of Faith movement and Roman Catholicism takes Scripture, twists it, and says, “Do this for God” with an underlying assumption “To get Him to serve your selfish desires.”

Secondly, notice the lasting impact of Simeon and Levi’s decision:

Genesis 34:30-31

Genesis 49:5-12

Deuteronomy 33 – Simeon is not included in Moses’ final blessing on Israel

Joshua 13:14, “To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the LORD God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.”

Joshua 19:1, 9; 21:4

Judges 1:1-7

Striving to See

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Sermon Text Part 1: Genesis 30:25-31:55
Sermon Text: Part 2: Genesis 32:1-32

Review (12/18/11)

We covered Genesis 29:1-30:24 on December 18, 2011. The sermon (Idolatry: Its Cause, Characteristics, and Cure) documents Jacob’s first 14 years in Laban’s house. It also is a vivid illustration of idolatry. The narrative was about Jacob, his uncle Laban, Leah, and Rachel. Idolatry is accurately described by Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Remember, Idolatry is caused by forsaking God as the fountain of your ultimate satisfaction, which inevitably results in you seeking satisfaction somewhere elsewhere. The characteristics of idolatry are bitter disillusionment, addiction, and cynicism. The cure for idolatry is a greater affection: glorifying God by drinking from Him to satisfaction.
 The section is also monumental in that it records the birth of what would become the twelve tribes of Israel.

In Genesis, chapter 30, we saw a Jacob who is tempted to trust in his own skill and his own schemes to bring about his own prosperity. By Genesis 31, when he is relating the source of his prosperity to his wives, Leah and Rachel, he does not mention one thing about his own skills, but he entirely credits the Lord with what has happened to him (Genesis 31:4-11).

An Overview of Genesis 30:25-31:55

Jacob demands to leave (30:25-26)
Laban agrees to pay Jacob for his labor (30:27-34). Jacob reminded Laban of how Jacob had greatly multiplied his flocks. So, Jacob asked for every speckled and spotted sheep and goat. Jacob also asked for every black lamb. Jacob was going to breed these animals and take his wages from the flock.
Laban deceived Jacob by removing every kind of animal Jacob requested, and sent them three days journey away (30:35-36).

(30:37-43) Jacob placed the solid colored animals in front of speckled and spotted bark as they bred. Jacob seemed to be employing an ancient custom of placing visual impressions in front of animals that would influence the traits of the offspring. Later, Jacob would attribute this miracle to the LORD (31:11-12).

Because of what Jacob observed (Laban’s manipulation and deceit) and because of God’s Word to Jacob, Jacob convinced Leah and Rachel to flee with him. There was consternation towards Laban from Leah and Rachel as to how they were treated, for he gave them no inheritance (31:1-21). It was also noted that Rachel stole Laban’s gods.

(31:22-35) Laban pursues Jacob and catches up to him. Laban’s words in v. 26, “What have you done?” mirror the words of Jacob to Laban the morning after Jacob’s wedding.  Laban accuses Jacob of deceit and of disregarding cultural customs for departure. Laban accuses Jacob of stealing his gods. Laban searches for his gods, but cannot find them. “The time of women” was upon Rachel, and she hid the gods by sitting on them. The gods of Rachel’s culture were said to help with fertility and inheritance. These gods were saved by a menstruation, functioning as sanitary towels.

(31:36-55) Jacob vents 20 years of frustration on Laban. Jacob in turns says something like this: You, accusing me of stealing? You have been stealing from me for 20 years!  Laban acknowledges Jacob’s superiority by asking to make a covenant that would protect Laban from future harm. Jacob leaves the taskmaster Laban only to face the murderer Esau.

What is Moses’ message to Israel? Jacob’s escape from the clutches of Laban, who had treated him more like a slave than a nephew or son-in-law, prefigured his physical descendants’ escape from Egypt. God causes His children to persevere, even when enslaved, threatened, and tricked.

Look at how Jacob seems to be changing since the blessing at Bethel (Genesis 28):
Read Genesis 30:30
Read Genesis 31:4-13
Read Genesis 31:29
Read Genesis 31:42

Genesis 32

A Review of the Jacob Narrative
It has been made very clear that Jacob is a scandalous, selfish, wicked, rebellious, deceiver (Genesis 27). It is necessary and glorious to be pursued with relentless mercy (Genesis 28); It is inevitable to wrestle with idolatries sway (Genesis 29-30:24); It is discouraging to run from that which enslaves us, only to be deceived, caught and accused (Genesis 30:25-31:55); It is a privilege that few experience to wrestle with God until we break through to intimacy (Genesis 32).

Introduction

Jacob and Rachel escape almost certain death from Laban, only to face the certain inevitability of meeting his brother, who was to be dreaded immensely more.  It was the threat of Esau that causes him to flee twenty years earlier. Now Jacob returns to a possibly worse situation, with Esau prospering and bitterness brewing.


Genesis 32:1-21

“In Jacob’s pilgrimage, the way to the heights now led through a valley of humiliation which he made no attempt to skirt” (Kinder). I want to begin by emphasizing a word Kinder uses, “Through.” There are no CLEP tests in Christianity. Christianity will make your life harder. There is no way to shorten or avoid times of severe loneliness and painful brokenness. We will endure these times when we view them as necessary. We will embrace these times when, although severe and painful, are rightly viewed as the gateway to deepest intimacy with God. How does this really practically occur when my children are wayward, when there is interpersonal conflict amongst close friends, when a Church is divided, when a baby is born dead, when I am abused, when I am still single, when my marriage is in shambles, when I am without a job, when finances seem absent? I will get to the Biblical and practical answer to that question in the conclusion.

Notice first, the formerly prayerless and ambitiously deceptive Jacob was now a humble man of prayer.
Jacob could have fought. Jacob could have arrogantly met Esau with confidence in the Covenant that God would deliver him just as he did from Laban’s army. Jacob did not defend or justify his past behavior.

Vv. 4, 5, 18, 20 – Even oriental courtesy would not lead to such extravagant humility towards a twin brother (Wenham).
The first recorded prayer of Jacob (vv. 9-12) focuses on God’s mercy and covenant faithfulness.

Vv. 15-16 - Jacob offers a Hebrew tribute, placing him in the position of the lesser. Here Jacob offers a very costly gift of 550 animals.

V. 20 “appease; accept me” literally means “cover my guilt,” which is an expression that acknowledges guilt. Jacob was acknowledging his sin against Esau.

Genesis 32:22-32

The great encounter with God came when Jacob knew himself to be exposed to a situation wholly beyond him (Kinder). His prayer, dangerous dark river crossing, and desire to be alone are evidences. Do you see loving your wife, being a God-honoring parent, being obedient to your parents, being upright in your integrity, as a situation wholly beyond you (John 15:5)?

This was a real physical (32:31) altercation. Theologians agree almost universally that the “man” is a theophany (a visible manifestation of God who is intrinsically invisible).

The altercation was initiated by the LORD (32:24). “With the cunning thou dost wrestle” (Psalm 18:26 AV). It was against the LORD, not Esau or Laban, that he had been pitting his strength, as he now discovered; yet the initiative had been God’s, as it was this night, to chasten his pride and challenge his tenacity (Kinder). Jacob’s real problem was with self. God had freely made covenant with him and graciously delivered him out of Laban’s hand. Jacob saw his primary problem as deficiency rather than self-sufficiency. Many people are demoralized by the realization of their deficiency, disregarding the fact that deficiency, when it leads to intimate striving with God, is our greatest asset.

The blessing is the crippling. Jacob is in fear of his life, Esau is hunting him down, Jacob is strategizing and moving his family, and what does God leave him with? A broken hip and a night with no sleep: the mandate to depend. After the brokenness and exhaustion, Jacob sees the face of God.
After fighting through the discouragement and pain and refusing to let go, Jacob’s interest became, “Who are you; What is your name.” Why was this Jacob’s preoccupation?? There is something that comes through persistent, focused, desperate striving.

Look what happens here in verses:

vv. 24-25 – God will never prevail against “whole” man; God gives victory and defeat in one blow. The breaking causes us to realize what was true all along – we are needy, deficient, desperate, wicked people. Moses’ message to Israel and God’s message to us is this: God does not allow independent, self-sufficient people to enter the Promised Land but only those who rely on God through striving.

vv. 26-27 – The wrestling is not you breaking into God, but God breaking into you. Jacob won’t let go – “I need something from you that I cannot get by myself (remember when we talked about the definition of blessing in chapter 27?). What is the blessing? God asks: What is your name? Jacob then admits “I am a Jacob” (a swindler; a wretch). Even at the bottom – darkest, most painful, most lonely – Jacob won’t let go. Jacob is striving after God. When you let go of God in the brokenness f life, it shows why you were holding on in the first place.

v. 28 – The etymology associates “Israel” with dual meanings: One who strives with God and God strives. What is the point? Is God striving for Jacob or against him? The answer is, both.
It is true for Jacob, for Israel, for you, and for me: When God seemed to be fighting against them, He was simultaneously fighting for them, on their side. He both fights for us and against us.

“This, though at first sight seems absurd, experience and reason teaches us to be true. Since all prosperity and adversity come from His hand and by His permission, it is easy to untie the knot. For we do not fight against him, except by his own power, and with his own weapons; for he, having challenged us to this contest, at the same time furnishes us with means of resistance, so that he both fights for us and against us. In short, such is his apportioning of this conflict that while he assails us with one hand, he defends us with the other; yea, in as much as he supplies us with more strength to resist than he employs in opposing us, we may truly say, that he fights against us with his left hand, and for us with his right hand. For while he lightly opposes us, he supplies invincible strength whereby we overcome” (Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis).

vv. 29-30 When we view God as the chief of the trial and the refuge, we will not cling to Him and avoid the trial, for we will realize that He is the trial. When this is understood, the trial becomes the delight, for in it is the face of God.

She (Elizabeth Elliot at Jim Elliot’s funeral) ended with a poem by Martha Snell Nicholson (a “mendicant” is a beggar):
I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me.”
He said, “My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.”
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face (from www.desiringgod.com).

Here we come!