A Limp, a Humbled Spirit, and a New Name (Gen. 30-33)

Are you completely riveted by Jacob's story?  His is a powerful one--lots of lessons we can take away from the chapters of his life.  In today's readings, we watched as God finally opened Rachel's womb to bear him a son, Jacob flee from Laban and return to the promised land, Jacob wrestling with God and receiving a new name, and then the patriarch humbly coming to his brother Esau for reconciliation.  What a section full of beauty!

Genesis 30 began with Rachel being envious of her sister Leah (that was probably a first--tables turned), and in frustration trying to get Jacob to do something about it.  She's rather dramatic, too.  "Give me children, or I shall die!"  I guess us girls can get that way when we are jealous or bitter.  Not a good or godly place for a woman to be.

Jacob naturally gets angry with her and points out that only God can give or not give children.  So, she gives her maidservant to him to bear some children for her.  That seems to work, so Leah takes the challenge and does the same.  Pretty soon we learn how one man can have 12 sons.

1. I love verse 22.  What does it say? 
2. What does Laban recognize about Jacob in verse 27?
3. What are God's instructions to Jacob in Gen. 31:3, 13?
4. What really foolish sin does Rachel commit in Gen. 31:19?  Why do you think she did this, since she seemed to believe in the one true God?

When Laban catches up to Jacob, he tries to paint Jacob as the one in the wrong and himself as the good guy.  Remember, Laban does not only worship God, but the gods of his land, too.  Yet he recognizes that Jacob's God has blessed him on Jacob's behalf.  When I read his words in Gen. 31:26-28, all I can think is, "Yea, right."  But what Laban has witnessed of the power of Jacob's God, and the dream he had of God speaking to him, have put some fear of the LORD into him, thankfully.

1. Notice what Jacob calls God in Gen. 31:42:  "If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the __________________________ had not been on my side...."  What a powerful name!  Jacob seems to be intent on putting the fear of God into Laban's heart!  What did he tell Laban God had done to him in his dream?
2. Notice verse 53 also.  What does Laban call God?  Wait a minute...there's a different name in there than what we are used to!  See if you can go back and remember who Nahor was...and why Laban would include his name here (hint:  Genesis 11).

In chapter 32, we come to a huge turning point in Jacob's life and the history of God's chosen people.  This is evident right away with verse 1.

1. What happened in verse 1?  Can you even imagine what that experience must have been like?  I think we would have responded as he did in verse 2.
2. Take special note of how Jacob refers to himself over and over in this chapter and the next when it comes to encountering his brother, Esau, whom he cheated out of the firstborn blessing and took advantage of to get the firstborn birthright (i.e. not a very humble heart towards his brother in his younger years).  What does his heart condition seem to be now?  Find the words he uses regarding himself and Esau in verses 4, 5, 10, 18, 20.  (There's more in the next chapter, but stay here for now.)

Next, in Gen. 32:22-32, we come to a very climactic event in Jacob's life and the nation that will come from him.  Notice the first five words of verse 24.  This is key.  I can't even begin to emphasize the importance of having time alone so that God can meet you and take you to a new place in your journey with Him.  This is HARD for women to do with all of the demands on our time.  That is exactly why it is absolutely so crucial!

I'm going to speak from very personal experience here.  I have a lot of "Mary" in me (if you've studied Mary and Martha, you get this), but when I am in "mom mode" I turn very much into a "Martha"--which goes against my natural personality and desires.  But something about raising children, managing a home and homeschooling can turn me into Martha lickity-split.  Yuck.  I hate that (although we read about a wonderful faith and relationship she had with Jesus as well...and somebody had to prepare the food for the Lord to eat!).

But I can very closely relate to the psalmist in Psalm 42:1-2:  "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?" (emphasis mine)  There is truly nothing I long for more when I wake up than my time with Jesus (and a good cup of coffee to help me wake up at 5am...but He's still #1).  Sometimes, however, I hear a pitter-patter down the hallway that tells me my longing might be delayed.  "When can I go and meet with you, Lord?"

I could sit and write like this about God's Word for hours, too, because I love His Word more than life itself.  I love sharing His Word and seeing others get excited about all the treasures to be found in it!

Well, back in 2004, I had been seeking God's will for my life because of some unrest in my soul.  I knew He was trying to tell me something, but I was having a hard time discerning what it was.  Then one night I couldn't sleep.  It was the middle of the night, and everyone was asleep, so I decided to take advantage of the quiet and go spend some time with God and His Word.  I had no idea I was about to "wrestle with God" most of the night.

I prayed earnestly, read eagerly, and sought the Lord's guidance, listening with all my might and hoping to hear an answer.  Tears flowed as I prayed and listened.  Prayed and listened.  Then God led me to open my Bible to His Word to me at that moment in that circumstance, and I no longer wondered--I KNEW.  As God changed Jacob's name to Israel after his wrestling experience that led him to cry, "Do not let me go until you bless me!", so God changed my entire world with this Scripture:

At the Potter’s House (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

 ¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ² “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
 ⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁶ “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.  (emphasis mine)

I knew exactly what God was telling me.  It was as if He had changed my name, just like He did Jacob.  He was ready to shape me into a new vessel for His purposes--and I needed to be very pliable and ready for change.  My whole focus in life changed from that point on.  I left my career behind, trusting God to provide as He used me to do His work.  And He has been incredibly faithful.  He always is!

What I want to leave you with as you read over chapter 33, Jacob's encounter with his brother Esau, is this.  Jacob was a completely different man now than the last time he saw his brother.  It was not so much all the wives, children, flocks, herds, servants and possessions that made him different.  What made him different was a humbled spirit.  Time walking with the Lord will do that to a person.

Maturity in our faith doesn't happen over night.  It is a process.  Sanctification is a process.  We must be willing to go the marathon of faith, not just a sprint to the finish line.  Jacob had been through a marathon with God.  His time serving Laban had changed him from a bratty younger brother wanting all the best in life, to a mature patriarch ready to lead God's people.  Sometimes the best thing that can happen to us is to not get what we want.  God does A LOT in the waiting.  Jacob believed in God's promises to his grandfather and his father, and now to him.  The "Fear of Isaac" was His God, and Jacob was a willing servant.

During that wrestling match, something else happened.  In addition to a new name, Jacob was also given a blow to the hip.

• What was he doing, according to Gen. 32:31, as he went to meet Esau?

Picture the scene.  Envoys with gifts to appease his brother, servants with humble words for Esau, and now here comes his younger brother, limping. 

The beauty of chapter 33 is the reconciliation that happens between these two brothers.  That's what our God is all about.  That's why He sent His Son, to reconcile us to Himself.  But it takes a broken spirit and a contrite heart...and sometimes a limp...to get us there.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart,
   O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 24-29)

In our last two days of readings this week, we see the life of the first Patriarch end and the lives of his son and grandson continue the covenantal blessing from God.  Did you LOVE the story of Abraham securing a wife for his son Isaac?  I guess I'm a hopeless romantic, but it doesn't get much more beautiful than this one.

1. How did Abraham go about finding a wife for his son Isaac?  What were his instructions?
2. What did his servant do in Gen. 24:12-14, specifically the first words of v. 12?
3. This was a rather bold and specific prayer Abraham's servant made, but would we expect him to do any less?  Should we do any less?  I am always so blessed when my father-in-law tells me how they prayed for the future spouses of all their children as they were growing up, and how I am God's answer to their prayers for Michael.  Do you pray for your children's future spouses?  If not, why not start today!  The person they choose to spend the rest of their life with will greatly impact their future and yours.  While you're at it, pray for the parents raising those precious children that will become part of your family.  They might just be praying for you and your child, too!
4. What did God do in response to the servant's prayer?  Take special note of these words:  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. (Gen. 24:15a; emphasis mine)  Don't you love how God already has the answer planned--He just wants us to join Him in His perfect plan so we can rejoice in His provision!  (We tend to notice his provision more when we've been praying for it!)  Rebekah's brother and father see God's hand in it, too.  Read her brother Laban's words in Gen. 24:50-52.  How did the servant respond to all of this?

I absolutely love reading the part of this story when the servant is returning with Rebekah and she sees Isaac from afar.  When she learns that the man she sees is her groom, she covers herself with a veil...just like a bride.  Then the two become husband and wife through the act of becoming one flesh, and "Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death."  Now that is a love story worth preserving for all time!

Were you ready for Abraham to die so soon?  I wasn't.  I know he was 175 years old, but I wasn't ready for his part of the story to be over just yet.  But I suppose we can get all the other details of his life one day in heaven.  I might just have to pull up my chair and ask him to tell "the rest of the story."  I can hardly wait!

I cannot even fathom the family dynamics at Abraham's funeral.  Did you notice God is already keeping His promise to bless Abraham's descendants?  See if you can find the verse in ch. 25 that tells us this.

Now it's your turn.  Study the birth of Esau and Jacob in Gen. 25:19-34, and see how many significant things you can find for this family and the future nation that will come from them.  Remember to take special note of names and their meanings, because they usually prophesy what will happen in that person's life.  See if you can find study notes in your Bible that explain the significance of the birthright in Biblical history.

Did you find some interesting stuff?  Now look at ch. 26.

1. What does God tell Isaac to do in verse 2?  Sound familiar? 
2. Read God's words to Isaac in vv. 3-5.  Why does God promise to do all of this for Isaac (see verse 5)?  The reality is, our obedience (or disobedience) impacts our children and future descendants.  (More about this when God gives Moses the Ten Commandments.)
3. Did vv. 6-11 sound like a rediculous re-run?  I mean, really, did Abraham forget to tell Isaac not to repeat this deception of the "shes's my sister" line?  What was the name of the king, and in what land did they settle?  Compare this with Gen. 20:2.  Really?  A king by the same name in the same country fell for the same sinful deception by the same family of patriarchs.  What a weird coincidence.  Read Matthew Henry's commentary, stating that this was not the same man, but another by the same name.  Soap opera stuff, sister.
4. What did the LORD do in v. 24, and what was Isaac's response in v. 25?  How do we know that the LORD is once again keeping His promise?  Read vv.28-29 for the answer.  Isaac is now God's witness to other nations!
5. As a further reminder of our need to pray for our children's future spouses and raise them to choose godly partners for life, read about the family strife caused by Esau's heathen Hittite wives in Gen. 26:35.  Let us not take this truth lightly!  Not only do we need to pray for the ones they will marry, but we need to prepare our children to be good spouses themselves.

In Genesis 27, Rebekah falls to the temptation of being deceptive.  God had promised her that Jacob would rule over his brother (Gen. 25:23), but she's not willing to wait for God to do this.  So, like her mother-in-law Sarah, she takes matters into her own hands. 

• This is an excellent section of Scripture for you to take and dig deeper, using the 3-question method at the bottom of your reading plan.  Be sure to write down all that you learn.

Genesis 28 opens with Isaac sending Jacob to his brother-in-law Laban to find a wife (same place Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac).  He speaks quite a blessing over his son in the first few verses.  On his way, Jacob lays down to sleep and has an incredible dream.  You may have heard of "Jacob's ladder" in children's bible stories or songs.

1. What promise does the LORD give Jacob during this dream?
2. What does Jacob say about that place?
3. What does he do there, and what does he vow to do in the future?

Genesis 29 is another love story of a groom finding his bride, but this one gets messy (thanks to the father-of-the-bride).  I love how, when the other shepherds gathered at the well tell Jacob they need to wait to remove the stone until the other flocks arrive, but then Jacob sees Rachel approaching and turns into macho-man.  Did you catch that?  What did he do all by himself in verse 10?  Rolling stones away seems to be God's specialty, doesn't it?  Either God or some serious adrenaline helped Jacob roll that stone all on his own!

As you read how things unfolded for Jacob and Rachel, I'm sure you were outraged at Laban's deceitfulness.  This repeated sin seems to be the downfall of this whole family, doesn't it?  But did you feel sorry for Leah, too?  Notice the names she gives her sons and what she says:

1. Reuben--"for now my husband will love me"
2. Simeon--"because the LORD has heard that I am hated"
3. Levi--"now this time my husband will be attached to me"
4. Judah--"This time I will praise the LORD."

My heart goes out to Leah, because it was her father's sin that brought this upon her.  She didn't really have a choice in the matter.  Her words after her first three sons' births are so sad to me.  What woman could endure knowing she is not loved by her husband?  She hopes for the best each time, but it is not to be.

So finally, when she brings forth her fourth son, she gives him a very different name than the others--Judah, the Hebrew word for "praise."  She resolves that in the midst of her difficult life, she will praise the LORD.  God is good, whether or not her circumstances are good.  This son, Judah, is not only a turning point in her life with God but a turning point for all mankind.  From Judah's descendants would come the promised Messiah--Jesus Christ!

Let's close with the blessing Jacob will prophesy over his fourth son in our readings next week, and the words spoken to the disciple John concerning the fulfillment of this prophesy in Revelation.

Genesis 49:8-10 

 ⁸ “Judah, your brothers will praise you;
   your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
   your father’s sons will bow down to you.
⁹ You are a lion’s cub, O Judah;
   you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
   like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
   nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
   and the obedience of the nations is his.  

Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." 

Leah, weep no more, but rather praise your God, because your promised Redeemer will surely come.