Genesis Series #54 July 21, 2002
Title: 5 Ways That God is Active in His People’s Lives Pt 1 of 3
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Website: www.newlifeinchrist.info
Welcome to New life in Christ. Today we continue with message #54 in our verse-by-verse study of the Book of Genesis.
Read Genesis 29:1-14a
Opening Prayer
Last week we looked at the story of Jacob’s dream of a stairway reaching to heaven, with the angels descending and ascending upon it. I noted that this revelation of God’s presence occurred at an unexpected place and time and yet God was present and active, even though Jacob was unaware of it. In Jacob dream, God promised to continue to be with Jacob and to actively bring about his good plans for Jacob’s life. I noted how this promise applies to all of God’s people and how it is encouraging in uncertain times.
After the dream, Jacob continued on his journey. Chapters 29-31 are a summary of that journey and the next 20 years of Jacob’s life. These chapters are more than a biography of Jacobs’ life; they’re also a history of God’s presence and activity in Jacob’s life. They are example to us of the way that God works in all of his people’s lives. In particular I see in these three chapters 5 ways that God actively works in his people’s lives. The first way is found in Genesis 29:1-14, which we read a few moments ago.
1. God actively works in his people’s lives by guiding them.
In other words, the Lord is providentially directing his people’s lives so that his good plan is fulfilled. Our lives are not controlled by fate, chance, or luck, whether good or bad. God’s active guidance of our lives may not always be obvious but it is always there. It is easy to see God’s guiding hand in Jacob’s life.
Think about it, did Jacob just happen to arrive at the very well where there were shepherds who were from Haran and knew Laban? (Genesis 29:4,5) Was it just coincidence that Laban’s daughter Rachel shows up at the very time Jacob is asking about the family? (Genesis 29:6) Was Jacob just lucky enough to have encountered lazy shepherds who were unwilling to move the large stone from a well? (Genesis 29:8-11) This laziness gave Jacob the opportunity to demonstrate his strength and kindness to Rachel and therefore capture her heart. This feat of strength also gained Laban’s recognition and acceptance of him because Laban could recognize what an asset Jacob would be as a worker for him. The answer to all of the above questions is "no." Clearly the circumstances were not coincidence but were evidence of the unseen God actively working in Jacob’s life.
1. God actively works in his people’s lives by guiding them.
In verse 12 we’re told the Jacob "kissed Rachel and began to weep allowed." These were the first "kissing cousins." Actually the kiss on the cheeks was an appropriate greeting in that culture. Jacob’s weeping was tears of joy at having everything work out so wonderfully, but we know that things did not just "work out"; they were instead directed by God. When Jacob left the Promised Land he was not sure if he would ever make it to Haran, or if Laban was still alive, or if he would be accepted by the family. Remember that Rebecca, who was Jacob’s mother, left Laban’s household against his wishes. (Genesis 24:54-59) Nevertheless God guided Jacob’s life so that everything did work out, including Laban receiving him into his home as a member of the family. (Genesis 29:13-14 a)
1. God actively works in his people’s lives by guiding them.
What is true Jacob is also true of all of us. Whether we encounter seemingly good circumstances like Jacob did or seemingly bad circumstances like Joseph does later in Genesis, we can be sure that God is present and active in them to bring about his plan. Sometimes life may seem out of control and it may seem that were heading in the wrong direction. Sometimes it may seem that we are all alone. During those times we need to know by faith in God’s word that God is at the helm. He is a pilot who was directing our lives. Now let’s read the next passage of Scripture where we see another way that God is actively working in his people’s lives.
Read Genesis 29:14b-30
2. God actively works in his people’s lives by disciplining them.
In other words, God orchestrates the circumstances of life to sometimes cause us pain and trouble so that we’re disciplined for those wrongs we have committed and learn not to do them again. He does this not to harm us or in anger but rather to shape and develop us as his people. We must learn that certain actions have consequences. When we disobey God’s standards or act in distrust of him we’re going to pay a price. We’re going to be disciplined by our loving Father.
God’s activity of disciplining is what this passage is primarily about. This passage certainly is not primarily about marriage. What positive thing can be learned about marriage in this passage? Jacob chooses Rachel over Leah because she is better looking (Genesis 29:16-17) so there’s nothing positive in that example. The only positive thing is that Jacob was willing to wait seven years for Rachel and that he and she both maintained sexual purity during that time. (Genesis 29:20-21) After seven years of hard work, Jacob was deceived by Laban and woke up to discover that he had married Leah and would have to work another seven years for Rachel.
This was not just a coincidence or a stroke of bad luck but rather was divinely orchestrated discipline of Jacob for his deception of Isaac his father. Think about how Jacob could not help but notice the similarities of Laban’s deception of him to his own deception of his father. For instance, Jacob had deceived his own father but now he was deceived by his father-in-law. Jacob pretended to be the oldest son in order to deceive Isaac, now he is Leah pretending to be the youngest daughter. Jacob deceived Isaac by the disguising himself and most likely he himself was deceived because Leah was disguised by veils. Not only would the circumstances remind Jacob of his sin but Laban’s specifically mentions the rights of the "firstborn" as his reason for deceiving Jacob. The words "older on" in verse 26 of the New International Version are actually the Hebrew word for "firstborn." Even if Jacob had not understood why God allowed this to happen to him prior to this statement, the word "firstborn" would have made it very clear to him. Jacob had discovered a spiritual truth. You reap what you sow. God’s people are no exception to this spiritual principle. God will work in our lives so that we see sin as sin, i.e. that we take sin seriously.
2. God actively works in his people’s lives by disciplining them.
A person cannot stuff themselves with greasy foods and sugar without eventually gaining weight. A person cannot spend money recklessly without eventually going into debt. A student cannot ignore studies and skip class without eventually flunking. And a person cannot engage in wrong behavior with impunity. As Moses would say later, "Be sure of this, your sins will find out." (Numbers 32:23) Jacob had tried to flee the consequences of sin but they eventually caught up with him. The same is true us also.
Illustration: Billy Graham once told following story. I know a man who during the Great Depression lost a job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he tenaciously held to his faith which was the only thing he had left. One day he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of stone. The man asked "What are you going to do with that?" The workman said, "See that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I’m shaping this down here so that it will fit up there." Tears filled the man’s eyes as he walked away, for it seemed that God had used a workman to explain his ordeal. God was shaping him down here so he would fit up there.
This is what God’s purposes are in his correction of us through the circumstances of life.
2. God actively works in his people’s lives by disciplining them.
In the next section of Scripture we see the third way that God actively works in his people’s lives.
Read Genesis 29:31-30:23
3. God actively works in his people’s lives by prospering them.
In Chapter 30 we see that God prospered Jacob by providing the two most important things that he lacked: children and flocks. God still does the same today for his people but it must be kept in mind that the word "prosper" does not always mean money, wealth, or possessions. God prospers us by providing us with what we need to fulfill God’s plan and promises. Jacob needed offspring and flocks but the Christian today can prosper in other ways. For example, we can prosper in our ministries. We can prosper in our relationship with the Lord. We can prosper in our growth in Christian character. The point is that God is actively working to provide all that we need.
Now this family looks like great candidates for the Jerry Springer show. Marrying two sisters was not a wise thing to do (Genesis 30: 1) and was specifically forbidden later in Leviticus 18:18. Nevertheless God work through this dysfunctional family to produce 11 sons who, along with Joseph two sons who each counted as half-tribe, would become the 12 tribes of Israel. I believe that the primary lessons from this chapter is that God actively works, even in the worst of situations, to prosper his people, but we also learn some other valuable lessons from the actions of the characters in the story.
One positive stand-out in this story is Leah. Even though she was not the most beautiful woman, God was going to bless her tremendously. God knew that Leah was not loved by Jacob as she should have been, so he had compassion on her and blessed her with being the mother of six of Jacob’s sons directly, including Levi and Judah, and two more sons indirectly by her maidservant. Even though she never won the affection of Jacob, she did move from an attitude of pity to one of praising God anyhow. In Genesis 29:35 she recognize God’s blessing on her life despite an unloving husband and said, "This time I will praise the Lord." Genesis 30:17 says that God listened to Leah" which indicates that Leah was prone to turn to the Lord to seek his blessing unlike Rachel who turned to superstition.
Jacob stands out in the story for his failure to exhibit leadership in his family, the same as Abraham had done with Sarah and Hagar. Jacob is directed by the ploys and plans of his wives (Genesis 30:16) and the end result is a very messed up family. The same thing is true today. When Christian husbands and fathers abdicate the leadership role they have been given by God then the family will not function correctly.
Rachel may have been beautiful but she lacked the godly characteristics of Leah. Rachel blames Jacob for her barrenness instead of going to the Lord for answers. (Genesis 30: 1-3) She also turns to superstition as a means of resolving her barrenness instead of to prayer. This is what this segment concerning the mandrake root in Genesis 30:14-15 is about. Such plants were thought to magically induce pregnancy. Later it is Rachel who steals idols of false gods from her father’s house. (Genesis 31: 19) Nevertheless, God in his grace and mercy blessed Rachel with two children her own, one in this chapter and one when they returned to the Promised Land. Keep in mind Rachel had these children as a result of her praying instead of her plotting as it shows in Genesis 30: 22 where is says, "God listened" to Rachel and opened her womb.
God blessed Jacob with many sons and at least one daughter, Dinah. (Genesis 30:21) Jacob may have had other daughters but Dinah is mentioned because she plays a significant role in another story later in Genesis.
Conclusion: God had promised to be with Jacob and he has promised to be with us. We may not always be aware of him but he is actively working in our lives.
1. God actively works in his people’s lives by guiding them.
2. God actively works in his people’s lives by disciplining them.
3. God actively works in his people’s lives by prospering them.
Next week I will pick up where we left off and then share two other ways God is actively working in his people’s lives as seen in Genesis 31.
Closing Prayer
