Jacob
Apologies for the inconsistent audio
Introduction
- Put yourself in Jacob's shoes
- It has been 20 years since he ran away from home
- He got his brother Esau to sell his birthright for food
- He only valued contemporary things
- God had prophesied that the older would serve the younger
- The inheritance would be though Jacob's line
- Jacob valued this, Esau didn't
- Isaac had forgotten this prophecy and played favourites
- He preferred Esau to Jacob
- However, Jacob valued spiritual things
- Yet his name spoke about his character
- A scheme to trick Isaac into giving the birth rite to Jacob
- Jacob ran anyway
- He came across the Lord and saw angels ascending and descending
- He spent 20 years with Laban
- Laban schemed against Jacob
- He had two wives and 11 sons
- Laban fiddle his wages 10 times - yet he became a wealthy man through God's blessings
- We come to chapter 32
- Jacob is not a nice person
- He is not reliable
- He is looking at what he can get out of the relationship
- Yet God is with him
- There are two groups of angels for Jacob - despite His character
- Jacob calls the place two camps/armies
- Jacob sends messengers ahead to Esau
- He is testing the waters
- Esau is coming with 400 men (an army)
- Jacob is terrified - but should he be?
- He has just seen the two armies of angels given for his protection
- He forgets biblical truth when things get tough
- Jacob is just like us
- v7 - great fear and distress
- Jacob's desperate prayer of faith - v9
- God has ordered his return - 9
- He acknowledges his little worth - v10
- He has become two camps
- He asks for salvation - v11
- God has promised his blessing - v12
- Jacob's tries to sort things himself
- He tries to buy his brothers' friendship (the equivalent of £500,000 of livestock)
- But there is no security or comfort in the works of men
- He hides behind his wife and children
- He was left alone - v24
- A man wrestled with him till daybreak
- He initially thought is was Esau
- There was fierce competition - yet the stronger man did not prevail over him
- He realises it is the Lord - who he has been wrestling all his life (but never prevailing over)
- The Lord dislocates Jacob's hip with a single touch
- All his ability to wrestle is taken away - with one touch
- Jacob clings on to the Lord and will not let go until He blesses him
- He realises his need of Jesus
- Example
- Jesus is the only thing that matters
- He is the only thing that lasts for eternity
- Quote from author
- God asks Jacob his name
- Example of names
- He recognises his awful character
- He recognises his sin
- God changes his name to Israel
- Prince with God - the man who wrestles with the power of God
- Anyone in Christ is a new creation
- Though there will be wrestling on earth
- Jacob asks God's name
- He is the Lord Jesus who blessed him
- It is Jesus who blesses us - we know we are His
- Jacob sees the Lord Jesus
- He does not see God the Father or the Holy Spirit
- We see the Lord Jesus
- Jesus is the face of the invisible God
- If we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father
- Jacob walks with his dislocated hip and his pain
- It is not taken away by Jesus
- Jesus' grace/strength is perfected in our weakness
- It is so Jacob continues to trust in Jesus and not himself
- Jesus is enough for us all
- The Israelites are reminded of this to this day - v32
- We have weakness in our lives - so we will hold onto Jesus
- Example of Richard Baxter
- When life is going bad - we think more of Jesus
- When life is going well - we think less of Jesus
- We should cling onto Jesus
Closing Prayer