God’s kind providence
Introduction
Looking at the providence of God:
Over the next 2 sermons:
God’s kind providence
God’s chastening providence
“Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation”
Two incidents Gen 24 & 29
There are some similarities and differences
Comparison of Eliezer and Jacob
God leads His people
Often through amazing providence
We ought to pray and not take things for granted
Overview:
God’s kind providence (v1-15) – this week
God’s chastening providence (v16-30) – next week
Though this is loving
Event do not work out as Jacob expected – 20 long years of difficulty
God was going to teach him various lessons
God led Jacob
v1 – A 1000-mile journey (by foot)
What did he meet on the way?
God directed him through natural means
God was true to His word (Gen 28:15)
Remember Abraham who made the same journey – he went by faith in God (Hebrews)
God led his family and Tehran, Lahor and Lot
Jacob had made a solemn vow to God (Gen 28:20-21)
He is seeing God fulfilling His promise to him
He was standing on the promises of God
Do we stand on the promises of God?
Are we aware of the Holy Spirit in our daily living?
Do we believe He will never leave us nor forsake us?
Do we believe He will guide us with His eye? (Ps 32:8)
We must stand on the truth that God will guide us
We must live a holy life and walk with God
God will guide our footsteps
Do we accept the blessings and the testing from His hand?
There are different kinds of providence:
Blessings
Tests – when things go well, we can forget God
Teaching us patience
Discipline
Why – because God knows best
Jacob met with the living God and could not forget his extra-ordinary experience
He endures difficulty at Laban’s hand
Yet he trusts in God
Do we look back to trace God’s hand in our situations?
Jacob was in the right place and the right time
Jacob comes to a major well
Did he remember the well of Abraham and Eliazor?
There was a stone over the well
The shepherds were waiting to water their sheep
Jacob speaks to the shepherds
They are from Haran
They know Laban
They point out his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep
She was a shepherdess
He was an indoor man
God has arranged and ordered this
If Jacob had come at a different time, she would not have been there
God does this – personal examples
We must accept the Rachel’s (the blessings) but we must also accept the Laban’s (times of testing)
Jacob was received into the right family
Although some might question this – he did marry into the right family
He was not to take a wife from the pagans
Laban (although ungodly) was from a Godly family
Jacob weeps (v11) – because the prayers of his parents are answered, of relief
Rachel runs to her uncle (v12)
Laban runs to Jacob (v13)
Laban received Jacob into his family (v14)
We know how Laban deceived Jacob
We can say he is not genuine
However, there is no reason to doubt his motives at this time
However, as an ungodly man he starts to see ‘potential’
Even though we know the end of the story – there can be no doubt that Jacob was welcomed into the right family
We might think this – that we are in the wrong place – but we must trust God
Examples
Jacob loves Rachel
He is a man in love
God honours and blesses him despite the difficulties he faced
Today is Reformation Sunday
Actions of Martin Luther
He understands that people were saved by faith alone
He realised that people had to stand on the word of God alone – not religious establishment
The story of how he found his wife was very interesting – explanation
An example of God’s providence
We should thank God for His providence in raising up men like Luther, Calvin, Slain
Closing Remarks
Summary of points
God led Jacob – He will continue to lead us
Often we find ourselves in the right place at the right time
Personal example
Jacob had met God – we must all meet God and have a personal encounter with Him
Remember when going through times of difficulty – we are in the right family
Quote from Martin Luther
God will bless – because of His mercy
Jacob was experiencing the blessings of God – because of the mercy of God