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.
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
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).
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)
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