WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.820 We're continuing our series in the book of Genesis this morning. 00:00:03.820 --> 00:00:06.520 If this is your first time with us or first time in a while, 00:00:06.640 --> 00:00:08.740 we've been walking through the book of Genesis, 00:00:09.140 --> 00:00:13.359 and we've made our way here this morning to chapters 32 and 33. 00:00:13.620 --> 00:00:16.339 You notice we're kind of taking some bigger chunks at a time now 00:00:16.339 --> 00:00:18.960 as we get into the later portions of Genesis. 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.879 These narratives kind of expand a little bit. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.240 And so it's our practice that as we read the Word of God, 00:00:26.240 --> 00:00:29.920 we stand in honor and in reverence of the Word of the Lord. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.119 If you are physically unable or hindered in any way from standing, that's okay. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:35.159 You can take a seat. 00:00:35.299 --> 00:00:39.219 But if you would, when you found Genesis 32 and chapter 33, 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.420 let's stand this morning in honor of the reading of God's Word. 00:00:50.299 --> 00:00:53.039 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.760 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's camp. 00:00:57.159 --> 00:00:59.600 So he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.099 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau, his brother, in the land of Seir, 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:08.900 the country of Edom, instructing them, Thus you shall say to my lord Esau. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:13.659 Thus says your servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. 00:01:13.819 --> 00:01:18.159 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants and female servants. 00:01:18.539 --> 00:01:21.939 I have sent to tell my lord in order that I may find favor in your sight. 00:01:21.939 --> 00:01:27.939 And the messengers returned to Jacob and said, We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you. 00:01:28.259 --> 00:01:31.000 And there are 400 men with him. 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:34.099 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. 00:01:34.439 --> 00:01:39.159 He divided the people who were with him and the flocks and the herds and the camels into two camps, 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:44.379 thinking, If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape. 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:46.280 And Jacob said, 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:52.239 O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, 00:01:52.579 --> 00:01:55.859 Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good. 00:01:56.379 --> 00:02:02.620 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant. 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:06.900 For with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.259 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau. 00:02:11.259 --> 00:02:16.079 For I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers, but the children. 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:21.519 But you said, I will surely do you good and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.959 which cannot be numbered for multitude. 00:02:24.179 --> 00:02:29.120 So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him, he took a present for his brother Esau. 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.199 200 female goats and 20 male goats and 200 ewes and 20 rams, 00:02:34.659 --> 00:02:38.239 30 milking camels and their calves, 40 cows and 10 bulls, 00:02:38.459 --> 00:02:40.959 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys. 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:46.299 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, 00:02:46.819 --> 00:02:49.639 Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove. 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:51.599 He instructed the first, 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:54.079 When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:56.199 To whom do you belong? Where are you going? 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:57.979 And whose are these ahead of you? 00:02:58.539 --> 00:02:59.560 Then you shall say, 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:01.459 They belong to your servant Jacob. 00:03:01.979 --> 00:03:03.959 They are a present, sent to my lord Esau. 00:03:04.459 --> 00:03:05.979 And moreover, he is behind us. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:10.280 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:13.080 You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.939 And you shall say, Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us. 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:20.479 For he thought, I may appease him with a present that goes ahead of me. 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:22.819 And afterward I shall see his face. 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:24.539 Perhaps he will accept me. 00:03:24.539 --> 00:03:29.199 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp. 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:35.319 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:37.419 And crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 00:03:37.959 --> 00:03:41.399 He took them and sent them across the stream and everything else that he had, 00:03:41.959 --> 00:03:43.459 And Jacob was left alone. 00:03:43.460 --> 00:03:47.280 And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 00:03:48.040 --> 00:03:50.280 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:55.120 He touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 00:03:55.740 --> 00:03:57.960 Then he said, Let me go, for the day has broken. 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:01.960 But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. 00:04:02.580 --> 00:04:04.219 And he said to him, What is your name? 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:05.760 And he said, Jacob. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.899 Then he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, 00:04:11.500 --> 00:04:14.500 For you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed. 00:04:15.219 --> 00:04:17.500 Then Jacob asked him, Please tell me your name. 00:04:17.939 --> 00:04:19.920 But he said, Why is it that you ask my name? 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:21.480 And there he blessed him. 00:04:22.120 --> 00:04:25.240 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:30.079 For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered. 00:04:30.819 --> 00:04:34.860 The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:40.240 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:44.439 because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:50.819 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. 00:04:51.460 --> 00:04:55.420 So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel into two female servants. 00:04:55.939 --> 00:05:00.000 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:02.319 and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:06.659 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:08.259 until he came near to his brother. 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:15.180 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, and they wept. 00:05:15.819 --> 00:05:19.000 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, 00:05:19.159 --> 00:05:20.219 Who are these with you? 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.219 Jacob said, The children whom God has graciously given your servant. 00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:28.120 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:31.699 Likewise, Leah and her children drew near, and bowed down. 00:05:32.259 --> 00:05:35.420 And last, Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:39.079 Esau said, What do you mean by all this company that I met? 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:42.819 Jacob answered, To find favor in the sight of my Lord. 00:05:43.740 --> 00:05:45.800 But Esau said, I have enough, my brother. 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:47.100 Keep what you have for yourself. 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:49.060 Jacob said, No, please. 00:05:49.060 --> 00:05:52.319 If I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:58.379 For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:03.379 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:04.439 and because I have enough. 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:07.199 Thus he urged him, and he took it. 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:11.100 Then Esau said, Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you. 00:06:11.100 --> 00:06:14.960 But Jacob said to him, My Lord knows that the children are frail, 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.640 and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. 00:06:17.820 --> 00:06:20.800 If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 00:06:21.460 --> 00:06:24.960 Let my Lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:27.379 at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me, 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:30.720 and at the pace of the children, until I come to my Lord and see her. 00:06:31.700 --> 00:06:35.340 So Esau said, Let me leave you with some of the people who are with me. 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:37.400 But he said, What need is there? 00:06:37.700 --> 00:06:39.500 Let me find favor in the sight of my Lord. 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:42.680 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir, 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:44.779 but Jacob journeyed to Succoth, 00:06:45.339 --> 00:06:48.139 and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:51.139 Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 00:06:51.899 --> 00:06:54.199 And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.579 which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan Aram, 00:06:58.079 --> 00:06:59.399 and he camped before the city. 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:01.980 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.379 he bought for a hundred pieces of money 00:07:04.379 --> 00:07:07.519 the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:13.579 There he erected an altar and called it El Elohe Israel. 00:07:14.699 --> 00:07:16.779 The grass withers and the flower fades, 00:07:16.859 --> 00:07:19.579 but the word of the Lord endures forever. 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:24.759 Father, we pray once more as we sit under the preaching of your word. 00:07:24.859 --> 00:07:27.319 God, would you empower the preaching of your word 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:30.219 for the good of your people and the glory of your name. 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:31.299 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:32.259 Amen. 00:07:32.259 --> 00:07:34.079 You may be seated. 00:07:37.659 --> 00:07:39.879 Are you a confident Christian? 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:46.860 If so, what is the source of your confidence? 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:51.659 It's been a long time since I watched the movie The Lion King, 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:53.500 but I remember it well. 00:07:53.579 --> 00:07:54.420 Maybe you do as well. 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:56.959 It was one of my favorite movies to watch as a kid, 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:01.959 and you probably remember that it follows the story of this young lion named Simba, 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:04.919 who is full of confidence. 00:08:05.139 --> 00:08:09.359 He knows that one day soon he will inherit all of Pride Rock. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:11.579 He's going to be king of the animal kingdom. 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:16.179 He has these promises ahead of him, so he's very confident. 00:08:16.359 --> 00:08:22.060 But unfortunately, what we learn about Simba is that his confidence is misplaced, 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:25.300 and it makes him reckless. 00:08:26.339 --> 00:08:29.360 He goes headstrong into the elephant graveyard, 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.799 and right before the hyenas come and they come for him, 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:34.120 he utters that famous line. 00:08:34.179 --> 00:08:34.899 You remember what it is? 00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:37.279 I laughed in the face of danger. 00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:38.480 Ha, ha, ha. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:41.879 Of course, what he didn't understand, 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:45.100 and what he realized quickly when the danger came, 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:49.919 was that he was not, in fact, prepared for the danger around him, 00:08:49.940 --> 00:08:51.279 although he thought he was. 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:54.839 He was not, in fact, strong enough to handle it on his own, 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:56.539 although he thought he was. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:00.839 The only reason why he was safe and secure out there up to this point 00:09:00.839 --> 00:09:04.600 was that Mufasa, his father, had watched over him 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:09.959 and protected him and safeguarded him from the danger. 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:13.179 His confidence was sadly misplaced. 00:09:14.319 --> 00:09:17.839 In our passage this morning here in Jacob's story, 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:21.000 what we see is that Jacob comes to a similar realization. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:24.839 Jacob, up to this point, you remember, he has relied on his own strength. 00:09:24.839 --> 00:09:31.259 And like many of us, Jacob wrestles with this problem of self-sufficiency. 00:09:32.439 --> 00:09:34.959 He's wrestled, he's relied on his own tricks. 00:09:35.079 --> 00:09:37.100 He's relied on his own effort to get him through. 00:09:37.220 --> 00:09:41.659 But what we see here this morning is that God loves Jacob enough 00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:44.279 to teach him a hard lesson. 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:54.299 God wants him and us this morning to understand that this is misplaced confidence. 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:57.819 When danger comes into the life of a believer, 00:09:58.339 --> 00:10:03.000 we can be confident, not because we are strong, 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.860 but because God is strong on our behalf. 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:11.700 So the big idea for us here in our passage this morning is this. 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:17.700 The believer can face their fear of man by looking to the face of God. 00:10:18.560 --> 00:10:24.879 The believer can face their fear of man by looking to the face of God. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:26.139 So let's take a look here at our passage. 00:10:26.259 --> 00:10:27.740 We'll see it in three parts this morning. 00:10:27.860 --> 00:10:28.519 This is our outline. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:30.600 If you're a note taker, this will help you follow along. 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:35.139 First, we see that the believer sometimes fears man. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.920 The believer sometimes fears man. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.540 Look there to verse 1 of chapter 32. 00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:45.680 And let's just kind of recap here and remember where we've been up to this point 00:10:45.680 --> 00:10:49.460 with Jacob and his story because we're kind of coming to an end of Jacob's story. 00:10:49.620 --> 00:10:53.019 And we have followed him literally from the womb, haven't we? 00:10:53.659 --> 00:10:57.360 We saw Jacob come out of the womb grasping his brother's heel. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:00.379 We've seen him lie and cheat his way into the blessing. 00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:02.820 And you remember how Esau felt about all of that? 00:11:03.500 --> 00:11:06.100 Esau wanted his brother Jacob dead. 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:11.860 And so Rebekah, Jacob's mother, sends him away to family members off in Haran 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:13.360 to go and find a wife. 00:11:13.539 --> 00:11:16.300 And on his way there, Jacob goes to sleep. 00:11:16.419 --> 00:11:18.919 He lays his head on a rock and he takes a nap. 00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:19.700 And what does he see? 00:11:19.700 --> 00:11:26.120 He sees this miraculous vision of angels ascending and descending, 00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:29.480 this stairway or this ladder up to heaven. 00:11:29.800 --> 00:11:36.520 God met with Jacob there and reassured him of his plans and his promises for him. 00:11:37.580 --> 00:11:39.379 Jacob makes his way over to Laban. 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:40.800 20 years go by. 00:11:40.900 --> 00:11:43.259 We see the Lord has blessed Jacob tremendously. 00:11:43.560 --> 00:11:44.860 He has wives. 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:46.240 He has 11 sons. 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:47.180 He has flocks. 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:48.120 He has herds. 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:53.560 God has delivered Jacob from all the family drama with his father-in-law Laban. 00:11:53.779 --> 00:11:58.120 And now God has said, it is time, Jacob, for you to go back home. 00:11:58.200 --> 00:11:59.480 But there's just one problem, isn't there? 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.139 What about Esau? 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:09.700 Jacob knows that that threat of Esau is still looming there in the background. 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:12.360 I mean, do you think that maybe he's forgotten about being tricked? 00:12:13.539 --> 00:12:17.419 And maybe 20 years have gone by and Esau has kind of calmed down just a little bit. 00:12:17.419 --> 00:12:17.919 I don't know. 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:20.199 Maybe Esau's dead. 00:12:20.339 --> 00:12:21.500 Jacob has no way to know. 00:12:21.579 --> 00:12:23.019 He can't pick up the phone and call. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.579 He can't check social media and see how Esau's doing. 00:12:25.819 --> 00:12:29.279 He has no way to know whether or not that threat has been resolved. 00:12:29.579 --> 00:12:31.679 Maybe Esau has just forgotten about the whole thing. 00:12:31.979 --> 00:12:38.699 Or maybe Esau has been waiting for 20 years for the chance to squash his little brother, Jacob. 00:12:38.700 --> 00:12:43.720 And now Jacob is walking right into the path of danger. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:46.080 Jacob's on his way. 00:12:46.180 --> 00:12:53.780 But just as God did with Jacob on the way out of Canaan, so now on the way back into his homeland, verse 1, 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:57.160 it says the angels of God met with him. 00:12:58.220 --> 00:13:00.740 And we don't have any more information on this meeting, do we? 00:13:00.740 --> 00:13:08.419 But I think it's probably safe for us to assume that they have come yet again to assure Jacob and to remind Jacob, 00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:12.759 yes, there's danger ahead, but Jacob, remember, God is with you. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.840 Jacob, God is for you. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.460 Jacob, God has called you to go into this place. 00:13:19.560 --> 00:13:21.639 His word has compelled you to go. 00:13:21.940 --> 00:13:26.000 Your circumstances have changed, but God's promises haven't changed. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:31.139 The danger is there with you, but God is there with you. 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:36.000 These messengers come and they comfort Jacob. 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.659 They assure him of God's presence with them. 00:13:38.740 --> 00:13:43.159 And so Jacob, he comes out of this meeting with these angelic messengers of God. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:44.360 And then look what he does. 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:49.000 He sends his own messengers before him to go and meet with Esau. 00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:50.480 And here's what he says. 00:13:51.419 --> 00:13:52.279 He says, verse 4, 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.240 Tell my brother, I've been sojourning with Laban. 00:13:56.339 --> 00:13:57.419 I've stayed there until now. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.480 I have oxen. 00:13:58.579 --> 00:13:59.759 I have donkeys. 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:00.720 I have flocks. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:02.039 I have male servants. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.259 I have female servants. 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:08.500 Translation, go tell my brother, I am rich beyond your wildest dreams. 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.819 And buddy, my checkbook is open. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.759 I can give you anything you want. 00:14:13.819 --> 00:14:17.459 Just please, please, please do not kill me. 00:14:18.579 --> 00:14:22.120 The messengers come back to Jacob and they say, well, we've delivered the message. 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:24.740 Esau is coming to meet you. 00:14:25.620 --> 00:14:29.860 And he has 400 men coming with him. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:33.299 You can imagine how this seems to Jacob, right? 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:36.220 Jacob, he has the promises of God. 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:38.980 He knows God's plans for him. 00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:42.139 And yet, look at this threat that's right there in front of his face. 00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:47.579 Jacob knows intellectually what God has said. 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:51.519 But the reality that's right there in front of his eyes says something different, doesn't it? 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:57.539 That danger that he can see with his eyes is terrifying and it's overwhelming for Jacob. 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:00.779 I mean, you may have experienced something like this, Christian. 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:06.860 You know in your heart, you know in your mind the promises of God. 00:15:06.939 --> 00:15:08.600 You know what God has said. 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:16.060 But of course we know just belonging to God, being a Christian, does not remove you from the dangers of this life, does it? 00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:26.259 And sometimes when you come across something that's really overwhelming for you, we can be tempted and prone to be afraid. 00:15:26.560 --> 00:15:30.220 How do you respond when fears arise? 00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:34.840 Jacob, we've seen, he's sort of a mixed character, isn't he? 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:39.680 Jacob, he responds with this sort of mixture, this mixed trust. 00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:45.500 It's partial dependence on himself and partial dependence on the Lord. 00:15:46.300 --> 00:15:51.700 On the one hand, Jacob, he sees the threat coming and he immediately flips into survival mode. 00:15:51.800 --> 00:15:53.240 Some of us, that's our reaction, isn't it? 00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:55.220 And we start strategizing. 00:15:55.399 --> 00:16:00.360 He splits up his people, he splits up his flocks, he splits up his herds and his camels. 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:01.899 He divides them into two camps. 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:03.480 He starts strategizing. 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:05.600 And this guy is never without a plan, is he? 00:16:06.340 --> 00:16:08.000 This is the schemer, remember? 00:16:09.220 --> 00:16:14.720 But then, here in verse 9, in the middle of all of this danger and worry, look what he does. 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:17.980 Jacob stops to pray. 00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:23.879 This is the longest recorded prayer in the book of Genesis, here in verses 9 through 12. 00:16:24.420 --> 00:16:30.720 And I want us to look here at this because Jacob gives us a model of how we can pray, believer, 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:33.560 in the moments of fear and danger. 00:16:33.680 --> 00:16:34.259 Look what he says. 00:16:35.800 --> 00:16:39.700 O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:44.960 O Lord who said to me, return to your country and to your kindred that I may do you good. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:45.980 You notice what he's doing? 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:51.379 Jacob is praying in light of who God is. 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:54.820 God, you are the God of my fathers. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.539 You are the God of Abraham. 00:16:58.340 --> 00:17:00.519 You are the covenant God of Isaac. 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:01.659 I've heard the stories. 00:17:01.820 --> 00:17:03.000 You are faithful. 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:06.039 You're the faithful covenant God who's carried them through. 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:10.059 Jacob prays in light of what God has said. 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:11.960 He prays in light of the promises of God. 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:14.960 In fact, he prays God's word right back to him. 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.420 You see that? 00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:18.160 God, you said go back home. 00:17:19.080 --> 00:17:22.019 You said go home that I might do you good. 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:23.340 You said that, God. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:28.680 He prays with a posture of confession and thanksgiving. 00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.840 You see the humility here. 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:31.720 He says, I'm not worthy, verse 10. 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:39.279 I'm not worthy of the least of all of the deeds of steadfast love and all of the faithfulness that you've shown to your servant. 00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:42.779 I only had a staff when I crossed the Jordan and now look what you've done. 00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:45.500 And finally, verse 11. 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:50.259 After all of this, in light of all of this, he asks God to act. 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:53.319 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.879 For I fear him. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:56.879 God, I'm afraid. 00:17:58.039 --> 00:17:59.819 I fear that he will attack me. 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:02.539 I fear that he will attack the mothers. 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:04.279 I fear that he will attack the children. 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:05.920 But you said, God. 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:09.639 You said, I will do you good. 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:10.500 You said. 00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:11.299 You remember? 00:18:11.460 --> 00:18:15.259 I will make your offspring as the sand of the sea which can't be numbered for multitude. 00:18:15.639 --> 00:18:16.920 You said that, God. 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:20.420 And so, God, would you please do what you've promised to do? 00:18:20.420 --> 00:18:24.019 Church, this is how we ought to pray. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:27.700 When danger comes. 00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:29.060 When, not if. 00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.340 Right? 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.960 When danger comes. 00:18:31.360 --> 00:18:38.680 And when, like Jacob, we experience this fear and this worry and this anxiety of what may or may not happen. 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:40.240 Here's what I want you to do. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.480 I want you to go and find a place. 00:18:43.660 --> 00:18:44.940 Take your Bible with you. 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:47.600 It's okay to pray with your Bible open. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.120 That's good. 00:18:48.360 --> 00:18:48.519 Right? 00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:51.420 Pray God's word back to him. 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:55.639 Pray God's promises back to him. 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:56.599 God, you said. 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:59.139 Praise him for who he is. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.759 God, you are good. 00:19:00.859 --> 00:19:01.660 I know you're good. 00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:03.059 You've shown yourself to be good. 00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:04.619 God, you're faithful. 00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:06.379 God, you're strong. 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:09.000 God, you're sovereign over this and every other circumstance. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.000 Pray humbly. 00:19:11.139 --> 00:19:12.279 Confess your sin to him. 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:15.400 Not from a position of you owe this to me. 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:19.000 But I am unworthy of all of this that you've done for me. 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:21.040 And then ask him. 00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:23.759 Ask him to act on your behalf. 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:28.880 Jacob models for us how to pray in the face of danger. 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.580 But then look at this. 00:19:29.740 --> 00:19:34.620 It's like as soon as he says amen and gets up off of his knees, he gets back to work. 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:35.800 It's like he can't help himself. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:38.640 He can't let go of this sense of control. 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.680 Y'all ever struggle with that? 00:19:40.020 --> 00:19:40.759 I know I do. 00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:44.759 Verse 13 says he stays there that night. 00:19:44.840 --> 00:19:46.340 He doesn't want to keep moving towards Esau. 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:49.020 And so he sends these gifts ahead of him. 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:52.580 He divides up all the flocks, all the camels, all the bulls. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:53.840 He sends them in waves. 00:19:54.300 --> 00:19:54.980 For he thought. 00:19:55.060 --> 00:19:55.800 Now this is interesting. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:56.340 Verse 20. 00:19:57.620 --> 00:20:01.220 He thought I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me. 00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:04.100 And afterward I shall see his face. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.960 And perhaps he will accept me. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.180 You probably have a note in your Bibles if you look down at the bottom. 00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:14.340 That gives you a little bit of a different way to translate that verse. 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.360 And I think that this emphasis is important. 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:22.340 The word face shows up four times in that verse. 00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:27.480 If we were to translate it in kind of a wooden stiff way, it would say something like this. 00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:32.740 That I may appease his face with the present that goes out from my face. 00:20:32.740 --> 00:20:35.059 Afterward I shall see his face. 00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:37.160 And perhaps he will lift my face. 00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:44.400 Jacob is fearful of seeing the face of Esau. 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:49.880 He's fearful that his own face will be ashamed and even destroyed. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:52.279 And see he's so worried about this that he can't even sleep. 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.819 You know how sometimes you lay down to sleep and you're so anxious. 00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:56.740 You're so worried. 00:20:57.500 --> 00:21:00.480 You have so much on your mind that you just can't get any sleep at all. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.380 That ever happened to you? 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:02.940 You get up. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.860 You make sure the oven's turned off. 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:06.579 You go check on the kids. 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.799 Make sure they're all still sleeping in their beds. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:10.000 Make sure the doors are locked. 00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:12.920 And maybe you know that you've got to have a hard conversation. 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:16.299 When you wake up tomorrow and you're worried about how that might go. 00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.319 What you might say. 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:19.279 There's something ahead of you that's keeping you up. 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:20.059 You ever had that problem? 00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:22.299 Verse 22. 00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:22.819 It says, 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:27.460 That same night he gets up and he takes one last safety measure. 00:21:27.460 --> 00:21:31.799 He takes his two wives and his two female servants and his 11 sons. 00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:36.120 And he sends them up north across the ford of the Jabbok. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:39.240 He's just got one last little scheme to pull off. 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:42.299 Jacob's kind of complicated, isn't he? 00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:48.140 His flashes of dependence and then flashes of self-sufficiency. 00:21:48.340 --> 00:21:50.500 It looks for a minute like he's depending on the Lord. 00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:52.200 And then he's right back to scheming. 00:21:52.340 --> 00:21:56.740 It's partial dependence on God and partial dependence on self. 00:21:56.740 --> 00:22:00.240 I know God has promised I'll make it safely home. 00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:03.680 I know that he'll bless me and I know that he'll multiply me. 00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:05.500 But still, here am I stressing out. 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:06.620 I can't even sleep. 00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:10.240 And here I am scheming on how to work all of this out in my own strength. 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:12.759 Aren't we just like this, church? 00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:19.640 Think about whatever it is that you fear the most. 00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:22.560 That could be sickness. 00:22:23.020 --> 00:22:24.900 That could be death itself. 00:22:25.080 --> 00:22:28.860 That could be the loss of a loved one, the loss of a relationship. 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:31.580 Maybe you're like Jacob. 00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:34.140 You have some family issues that you just don't want to deal with. 00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:36.800 You're afraid of seeing that person's face again. 00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:39.440 We can all be prone to fear, whatever that is. 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:40.740 But friend, the question is, 00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:45.920 How do you respond as a believer to the fears that are in your heart? 00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.420 We see second. 00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:54.099 Second, the believer looks to the face of God. 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:59.519 Second, the believer looks to the face of God. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:01.259 Look there to verse 24 with me. 00:23:02.359 --> 00:23:05.779 Jacob is there in the middle of the night all alone, it says. 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:06.380 It makes that point. 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:07.279 He's all alone. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.119 And then it says, 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:13.039 All of a sudden, a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:14.480 What in the world is going on? 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:19.440 It says they wrestle all night long until the breaking of the day. 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:22.399 And when the man sees that he didn't prevail against Jacob, 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:24.319 he just touches his hip socket, 00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:28.180 and Jacob's hip is put out of joint as he wrestles with this man. 00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:30.180 I mean, that's not exactly what you want to happen 00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:33.259 the night before the biggest battle of your life, is it? 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:36.680 This is out of nowhere, right? 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:38.240 Who is this guy? 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.480 And where does he come from? 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:42.299 We have no introduction to him at all. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.600 We just have Jacob by himself at night, 00:23:44.660 --> 00:23:47.279 and then this dude jumps down from the top rope, 00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:48.900 and he's wrestling Jacob all of a sudden. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.820 You read the commentaries. 00:23:53.080 --> 00:23:54.740 You hear what people say, 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:56.840 and some say that this is Jacob's guardian angel. 00:23:57.080 --> 00:24:00.060 Others say that this is Esau, his brother. 00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:02.019 I don't know how they reconcile that somehow. 00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:05.359 Others, they kind of psychoanalyze this, 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:07.639 and they say this is just kind of a story. 00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:09.420 Jacob's wrestling with his guilt. 00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:11.180 He's wrestling with his fears. 00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:14.200 He's wrestling with his emotions and his thoughts. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.359 But Jacob comes out of this with a lip, right? 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:20.539 This is a physical altercation, 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.200 a physical wrestling match. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:25.019 I mean, the best way to understand this, church, 00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:26.740 is to say what the Bible says. 00:24:27.819 --> 00:24:30.660 The prophet Hosea, in chapter 12, 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:32.139 he says about Jacob, 00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:35.099 in the womb he took his brother by the heel, 00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:39.119 and in his manhood he strove with God. 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:42.980 He strove with the angel and prevailed. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:46.000 He wept and sought his favor. 00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:51.119 And Jacob is wrestling here with the angel of the Lord. 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:55.579 This angel who is so closely identified with God himself 00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:58.279 that to see him, Jacob says, 00:24:58.439 --> 00:25:01.159 is to see the very face of God. 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:06.919 This is a physical manifestation of the presence of God. 00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.939 Some even go so far as to say 00:25:08.939 --> 00:25:11.639 that this is the pre-incarnate Christ, 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:13.719 the second person of the Trinity. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:18.179 And I'm not totally certain enough to say to you, church, 00:25:18.239 --> 00:25:19.519 that that is absolutely right, 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:21.420 but it's certainly within the realm of possibility. 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:24.980 It's all just, it's mysterious, isn't it? 00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:28.339 Which means that if you still have some questions 00:25:28.339 --> 00:25:29.200 about all this, 00:25:29.299 --> 00:25:31.220 then I think that that's a good thing. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.139 One thing that we don't want to do 00:25:34.139 --> 00:25:37.139 when we come across a mystery like this in Scripture 00:25:37.139 --> 00:25:39.980 is to try and over-explain it 00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:42.420 and over-analyze it to the point 00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:44.639 where it makes us very comfortable. 00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:47.019 Because church, I don't know if you know this or not, 00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:50.180 but we don't worship a God who fits nicely 00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:52.859 and neatly and cleanly all the time 00:25:52.859 --> 00:25:55.220 into our categories of thinking. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.680 This is one of those times where it's okay, 00:25:58.879 --> 00:26:00.139 it's better even to say, 00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:02.519 I don't know exactly how this works. 00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:05.519 But clearly what we can say, 00:26:05.639 --> 00:26:08.599 because again, the text says it itself, 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:12.959 is that Jacob has engaged in a wrestling match 00:26:12.959 --> 00:26:14.779 with God himself. 00:26:16.439 --> 00:26:18.000 So I have another question. 00:26:19.199 --> 00:26:21.240 Why is God wrestling with Jacob? 00:26:23.459 --> 00:26:26.639 And apparently it looks like Jacob's holding his own, right? 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:29.039 What is going on here? 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:33.599 And here's where I want to get an image in your mind, okay? 00:26:34.159 --> 00:26:36.279 I want you to picture this with me. 00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:39.399 Have you ever seen a dad wrestling with his son? 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.700 You know dads and sons like to wrestle. 00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:44.899 Drives moms crazy. 00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:47.799 I have firsthand experience about this. 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:50.960 Part of that wrestling match 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.279 is the father is allowing his son 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:55.399 to test his strength against him, right? 00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:58.079 He says, son, you can't wrestle anybody else like this. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:00.139 You can't fight anybody else like this, 00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:01.539 but dad can take it. 00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:02.439 So come on, let's go. 00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:04.419 And every now and then, 00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:07.019 dad will even let his son pin him to the ground 00:27:07.019 --> 00:27:08.439 and count to 10, won't he? 00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:11.179 And what do you think that does for the son 00:27:11.179 --> 00:27:13.199 when he gets dad to say uncle? 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:16.899 Now that is a confidence booster for that kid, isn't it? 00:27:16.919 --> 00:27:18.379 He can leave dad and say, 00:27:18.419 --> 00:27:19.960 man, if I can pin dad to the ground 00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:21.220 and make him count to 10 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:22.559 and make him say uncle, 00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:24.439 I can do anything at all, can't I? 00:27:26.179 --> 00:27:28.059 But even more importantly than that, 00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:32.899 is that son is shown in that engagement 00:27:32.899 --> 00:27:36.679 with their father just how strong their dad is. 00:27:37.879 --> 00:27:39.939 And that son knows deep down, 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:41.639 even if they don't want to admit it, 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:44.859 that my dad, he can end this fight anytime he wants. 00:27:46.179 --> 00:27:49.899 And his confidence is strengthened in his dad 00:27:49.899 --> 00:27:50.579 in that moment. 00:27:50.639 --> 00:27:53.679 And he believes that if a threat actually comes, 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:55.779 if a threat actually comes against me, 00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:59.180 I know my dad can step in, 00:27:59.420 --> 00:28:00.460 come to my defense, 00:28:00.560 --> 00:28:01.680 and protect me, 00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:03.140 not because I'm strong, 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:04.940 but because he is strong. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:07.700 And they can go to the playground 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:09.380 and face those playground bullies 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:11.400 and say, my dad is stronger than your dad. 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:14.560 And know that it's true. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:18.580 The Lord jumps in the ring 00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:20.200 and wrestles with Jacob 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:22.800 and Jacob is persistent as ever. 00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:24.900 He fights all night long. 00:28:25.300 --> 00:28:27.759 And when the Lord sees this guy's not giving up, 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.560 what does he do? 00:28:29.060 --> 00:28:29.420 Pop! 00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:31.940 Touches his hip. 00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:34.160 Goes out of joint. 00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:35.460 And he says, 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.779 all right, Jacob, it's time to go. 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:38.180 Let me go. 00:28:38.259 --> 00:28:38.920 It's time to stop. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:39.980 But look at what Jacob does. 00:28:40.039 --> 00:28:40.279 He says, 00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:42.060 I will not let you go 00:28:42.060 --> 00:28:43.680 unless you bless me. 00:28:44.840 --> 00:28:46.120 Dad says we're done. 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:48.100 And the son grips him a little bit tighter 00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:48.360 and he says, 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:50.320 no, you got to give me some ice cream first, dad. 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.400 You see the picture here? 00:28:54.300 --> 00:28:56.120 But here the Lord gets to the point. 00:28:56.120 --> 00:28:56.560 He says, 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.480 son, what's your name? 00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:00.259 And he says, 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:00.800 Jacob. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.360 He says, 00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.019 not anymore. 00:29:04.560 --> 00:29:06.920 Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, 00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:08.400 but Israel. 00:29:08.820 --> 00:29:09.180 Why? 00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:12.840 For you have striven with God and with man 00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:14.779 and have prevailed. 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:15.080 You know, 00:29:15.100 --> 00:29:16.019 in this culture, 00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:17.300 in the ancient Near East, 00:29:17.560 --> 00:29:18.720 to name somebody, 00:29:18.840 --> 00:29:19.740 to name something, 00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:22.860 that's a sign of authority over that person. 00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:24.620 You think of man giving names 00:29:24.620 --> 00:29:26.779 to all the animals in the Garden of Eden. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:28.019 That's a symbol of authority. 00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:31.019 But it's also a symbol of identity. 00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:35.319 It's an indicator of who that person is 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:36.920 or who we hope they might become. 00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:38.819 The Lord says to Jacob, 00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:40.500 from this time forward, 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:43.779 you are no longer that old trickster Jacob. 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:47.940 You're no longer that cheat who grabs by the heel. 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:50.460 You're no longer the schemer. 00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:52.620 Now you are Israel, 00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:55.200 the one who strives with God. 00:29:55.340 --> 00:29:57.160 He gives him a new identity here. 00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.279 Even so, 00:29:59.420 --> 00:29:59.779 Jacob, 00:30:00.059 --> 00:30:01.079 still wrestling, 00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:01.840 he says, 00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:02.680 it's my turn. 00:30:02.840 --> 00:30:03.840 You tell me your name. 00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:06.079 He's still trying to get some authority over this man, 00:30:06.160 --> 00:30:06.440 isn't he? 00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:08.539 He's still wrestling with control, 00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:09.120 but he says, 00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.720 why do you ask my name? 00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.360 He doesn't give in, 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:11.640 does he? 00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:15.039 And there he blessed him. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:17.039 So Jacob calls the place Peniel, 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:19.659 which means the face of God, 00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.079 saying, 00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:22.799 I have seen God face to face, 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:25.039 and yet my life has been delivered. 00:30:25.899 --> 00:30:27.420 Do you see what God's just done for Jacob? 00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:33.039 God has just shifted Jacob's confidence 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:35.539 off of himself 00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:38.539 and where it rightly belongs, 00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:40.460 back to the Lord. 00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:44.980 He has just seen the Lord face to face 00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:46.420 and lived to tell about it. 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:48.680 Sinners don't see the Holy God face to face 00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:49.819 and lived to tell about it, 00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:52.879 apart from the great mercy and grace of God. 00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:56.299 He's seen and experienced firsthand. 00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:57.059 Once again, 00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:59.319 the Lord is for Jacob. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:01.039 He's not willing to destroy him, 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:02.259 although certainly he's able. 00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:05.119 Certainly he's powerful enough to destroy him. 00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:05.899 Rather, 00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:08.219 the Lord in all of his strength 00:31:08.219 --> 00:31:09.559 is for Jacob 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:10.919 to bless him 00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:12.299 and to protect him 00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.179 and to guard him. 00:31:13.199 --> 00:31:15.039 He leaves here with the blessing of the Lord. 00:31:16.139 --> 00:31:17.839 He's just been humbled to see 00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:19.539 all my strength 00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:21.059 and all my craftiness 00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:22.399 and all my ability, 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.299 all my effort. 00:31:23.459 --> 00:31:25.979 I cannot match the power of the Lord. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:26.839 But guess what? 00:31:27.159 --> 00:31:29.459 If this God with all his strength 00:31:29.459 --> 00:31:30.379 is in my corner, 00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:32.379 what do I have to fear? 00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:35.860 He is no longer Jacob, 00:31:36.060 --> 00:31:37.320 no longer the trickster, 00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:39.480 no longer the one who grabs by the heel. 00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:42.380 He is now the one who strives with God. 00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:43.420 Christian, 00:31:43.800 --> 00:31:46.080 do you realize 00:31:46.080 --> 00:31:50.800 that because you are in Christ by faith, 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:55.400 that you share that same confidence in the Lord? 00:31:55.400 --> 00:31:58.320 greater even 00:31:58.320 --> 00:32:00.360 than the confidence of Jacob. 00:32:02.360 --> 00:32:04.360 To be a Christian 00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:06.860 is to know 00:32:06.860 --> 00:32:08.380 with absolute certainty 00:32:08.380 --> 00:32:09.680 that God, 00:32:09.780 --> 00:32:11.440 the most powerful being 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:12.740 in all the universe, 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:14.060 the one who spoke 00:32:14.060 --> 00:32:15.680 all things into being 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.720 with just the words 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:17.420 out of his mouth, 00:32:17.820 --> 00:32:18.500 that God 00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.600 is for you 00:32:19.600 --> 00:32:20.259 in Christ. 00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:23.740 And to be a Christian 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:24.359 is to know 00:32:24.359 --> 00:32:25.599 that when you stand 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.740 before the living God, 00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:28.119 he will bless you 00:32:28.119 --> 00:32:29.720 and not destroy you. 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.059 Why? 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:32.000 Because by his great mercy 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.740 and grace, 00:32:32.879 --> 00:32:34.400 he has done everything needed 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:35.359 for sinners like us 00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:36.859 to be made right with him 00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:38.240 by the blood of his own son, 00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:38.579 Jesus. 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.119 It's to know 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.119 that he has sent Christ 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:45.759 to live 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:46.519 and to die 00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.700 and to rise 00:32:47.700 --> 00:32:48.579 for us 00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:49.519 so that any who simply 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:50.819 put their faith in him 00:32:50.819 --> 00:32:51.720 will be washed 00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:53.279 clean of our sin, 00:32:53.659 --> 00:32:55.279 forgiven of our sin, 00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:56.259 made new 00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:57.279 in his sight, 00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:59.079 given new identities 00:32:59.079 --> 00:32:59.819 in him, 00:32:59.919 --> 00:33:01.220 made a new creation 00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:02.159 before him. 00:33:02.399 --> 00:33:04.019 Whatever is in your past 00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:05.059 before Christ, 00:33:05.179 --> 00:33:06.220 that is no longer 00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:07.399 who you are in Christ. 00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.839 God has made you 00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.740 a new creation 00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:12.899 by his grace. 00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:15.399 And to be a Christian 00:33:15.399 --> 00:33:16.000 is to know 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.139 that what lies 00:33:17.139 --> 00:33:18.179 ahead of you, 00:33:18.180 --> 00:33:18.560 church, 00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:19.539 the promises 00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:20.779 that lie ahead of you. 00:33:20.820 --> 00:33:21.620 God has promised you 00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:23.460 such incredible blessings 00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:24.500 in this life 00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.460 and especially 00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:26.440 in the age to come. 00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:28.140 And if he's promised you 00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:29.400 this by his word, 00:33:29.580 --> 00:33:30.380 certainly 00:33:30.380 --> 00:33:31.539 he's capable 00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.779 of bringing you 00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:33.720 safely home 00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.799 through any danger 00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.340 that this life 00:33:35.340 --> 00:33:35.840 might bring. 00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:39.460 Who is stronger 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.240 than your God? 00:33:42.200 --> 00:33:43.680 Who is able 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.620 to stop 00:33:44.620 --> 00:33:45.180 or derail 00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:45.860 his plans 00:33:45.860 --> 00:33:46.539 and his promises 00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.039 for you 00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.659 in Christ? 00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:51.180 To be a Christian 00:33:51.180 --> 00:33:51.700 is to have 00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:52.359 the confidence 00:33:52.359 --> 00:33:52.960 to know 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.319 that no threat 00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:54.980 can stand 00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:55.879 against you. 00:33:56.359 --> 00:33:57.119 No threat 00:33:57.119 --> 00:33:58.259 can ever remove 00:33:58.259 --> 00:33:58.839 God's love 00:33:58.839 --> 00:33:59.319 for you 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:00.180 in Christ. 00:34:00.399 --> 00:34:01.299 No danger 00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:02.279 in this world 00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.500 or any other 00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:04.420 can ever 00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.159 derail 00:34:05.159 --> 00:34:05.960 God's plans 00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:06.639 and promises 00:34:06.639 --> 00:34:07.200 for you 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:07.799 in Christ. 00:34:07.899 --> 00:34:08.259 Do you see 00:34:08.259 --> 00:34:08.820 the confidence 00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:09.559 this ought to give us, 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:09.840 church? 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:09.900 church? 00:34:12.620 --> 00:34:13.320 And when you 00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:14.600 realize this power 00:34:14.600 --> 00:34:15.539 of the gospel, 00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.880 you don't turn 00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:17.320 and say, 00:34:17.740 --> 00:34:18.079 man, 00:34:18.160 --> 00:34:18.780 I'm worthy 00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:19.400 of all that, 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:19.800 aren't I? 00:34:22.240 --> 00:34:22.640 Man, 00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:23.360 I'm strong. 00:34:24.760 --> 00:34:25.600 Whatever danger 00:34:25.600 --> 00:34:26.480 I have to fear, 00:34:26.900 --> 00:34:27.800 I can't fear 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:28.400 because with a little 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.840 bit of help 00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:29.260 from God, 00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:29.880 I can overcome 00:34:29.880 --> 00:34:30.700 anything, right? 00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:31.440 God just gives me 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:31.980 a little boost, 00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:32.740 makes me stronger. 00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:33.960 That's not the message 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:34.500 of the gospel. 00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:36.600 The message 00:34:36.600 --> 00:34:37.200 of the gospel 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:38.259 is you cannot 00:34:38.259 --> 00:34:39.139 do it, 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:41.039 but God 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.960 alone 00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:43.259 has already 00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:44.299 done it 00:34:44.299 --> 00:34:45.079 in Christ. 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.659 God 00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:48.599 is our confidence. 00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:50.519 If you're in Him, 00:34:50.899 --> 00:34:51.480 in Christ 00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.099 by faith, 00:34:52.559 --> 00:34:52.759 church, 00:34:52.819 --> 00:34:53.399 you can face 00:34:53.399 --> 00:34:54.980 anything in this life 00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:56.000 with absolute 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.859 confidence 00:34:56.859 --> 00:34:57.719 in Him. 00:34:57.779 --> 00:34:58.079 And that's what 00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.859 we see here 00:34:58.859 --> 00:35:00.059 in our third 00:35:00.059 --> 00:35:00.859 and final point 00:35:00.859 --> 00:35:01.359 this morning. 00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.099 I promise this 00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:03.480 chapter will be 00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:03.859 briefer. 00:35:04.859 --> 00:35:05.259 Third, 00:35:05.379 --> 00:35:06.159 we see the believer 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:07.099 faces their 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.739 fears 00:35:07.739 --> 00:35:09.139 with confidence 00:35:09.139 --> 00:35:09.860 in the Lord. 00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:11.759 The believer 00:35:11.759 --> 00:35:13.179 faces their fears 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:14.699 with confidence 00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:16.380 in the Lord. 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:18.440 And Jacob 00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.119 looks up 00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:20.019 and what does 00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.360 he see? 00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:21.360 He sees Esau 00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:22.139 coming and 00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:22.900 he's got his 00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:23.759 400 men 00:35:23.759 --> 00:35:24.319 with him 00:35:24.319 --> 00:35:24.719 and so what 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:25.179 does Jacob 00:35:25.179 --> 00:35:25.559 do? 00:35:25.799 --> 00:35:26.219 Again, 00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:27.299 hot and cold, 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:27.719 right? 00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:28.940 He goes right 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:30.159 back to strategizing. 00:35:31.460 --> 00:35:32.159 Verse 1 says 00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:33.219 Jacob divides up 00:35:33.219 --> 00:35:33.779 the children 00:35:33.779 --> 00:35:34.440 among Leah 00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:35.019 and Rachel 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:36.099 and the two 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:36.860 female servants. 00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:37.440 He arranges 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:38.320 them strategically 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:39.340 and look at this 00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:39.480 y'all. 00:35:39.539 --> 00:35:39.980 He's not even 00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:40.440 hiding it, 00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:40.660 is he? 00:35:41.640 --> 00:35:42.680 We all know 00:35:42.680 --> 00:35:43.140 that Jacob 00:35:43.140 --> 00:35:43.920 loves Rachel 00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:44.360 most, 00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:44.660 right? 00:35:45.539 --> 00:35:46.200 Sometimes you 00:35:46.200 --> 00:35:46.539 think about 00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:47.039 that question, 00:35:47.140 --> 00:35:47.539 what would I 00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.120 grab from the 00:35:48.120 --> 00:35:49.300 house if the 00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:50.160 fire comes 00:35:50.160 --> 00:35:51.140 and what would 00:35:51.140 --> 00:35:51.860 I grab first? 00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.620 Jacob makes it 00:35:52.620 --> 00:35:53.220 pretty clear he's 00:35:53.220 --> 00:35:53.960 grabbing Rachel 00:35:53.960 --> 00:35:54.559 and Joseph, 00:35:55.019 --> 00:35:55.780 everybody else, 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.260 y'all on your 00:35:56.260 --> 00:35:56.500 own. 00:35:57.700 --> 00:35:58.700 So he puts the 00:35:58.700 --> 00:36:00.059 servants out front 00:36:00.059 --> 00:36:00.980 with their children 00:36:00.980 --> 00:36:02.000 that is like 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:02.920 closest to where 00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:03.780 Esau would come, 00:36:03.780 --> 00:36:04.480 so they'd be the 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:05.060 first to go. 00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:06.260 And then he's 00:36:06.260 --> 00:36:07.100 got Leah with 00:36:07.100 --> 00:36:07.780 her children, 00:36:08.080 --> 00:36:09.100 so they'd go 00:36:09.100 --> 00:36:09.540 next. 00:36:10.100 --> 00:36:10.860 And then way 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.480 at the back 00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.460 he's got finally 00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:13.200 Rachel and 00:36:13.200 --> 00:36:13.840 Joseph and the 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:14.800 idea again is 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:15.500 well if things 00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:16.140 go south, 00:36:16.200 --> 00:36:17.120 my favorite wife 00:36:17.120 --> 00:36:17.680 and my favorite 00:36:17.680 --> 00:36:18.080 son, 00:36:18.240 --> 00:36:18.920 they might have a 00:36:18.920 --> 00:36:19.360 chance to get 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:19.640 away. 00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:20.160 Y'all are 00:36:20.160 --> 00:36:21.060 expendable up 00:36:21.060 --> 00:36:21.240 here. 00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:22.680 No wonder 00:36:22.680 --> 00:36:23.420 Joseph's brothers 00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:23.860 hate him. 00:36:24.900 --> 00:36:26.400 A little foretaste 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:26.860 of what's coming 00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:27.240 next. 00:36:28.300 --> 00:36:29.300 In verse 3 it 00:36:29.300 --> 00:36:30.440 says that he 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:31.519 himself goes on 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:32.180 before them, 00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:33.039 he bows himself 00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:33.620 to the ground 00:36:33.620 --> 00:36:34.600 seven times, 00:36:34.680 --> 00:36:35.340 and that's about 00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:36.260 six times more 00:36:36.260 --> 00:36:37.019 than what's normal 00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:38.060 and expected. 00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:39.640 He is groveling 00:36:39.640 --> 00:36:40.440 before Esau. 00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.220 Please don't kill 00:36:41.220 --> 00:36:41.440 me. 00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:42.660 Please don't kill 00:36:42.660 --> 00:36:42.900 me. 00:36:43.420 --> 00:36:44.140 Please don't kill 00:36:44.140 --> 00:36:44.260 me. 00:36:44.320 --> 00:36:45.019 Please don't kill 00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:45.240 me. 00:36:46.080 --> 00:36:46.840 Look what happens. 00:36:47.900 --> 00:36:49.019 Before he even 00:36:49.019 --> 00:36:50.240 gets a chance to 00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:52.620 speak, Esau runs 00:36:52.620 --> 00:36:53.820 up to meet him, 00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:55.480 and he hugs him, 00:36:55.640 --> 00:36:56.660 and he falls on 00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:57.260 his neck, 00:36:57.380 --> 00:36:58.340 and they embrace, 00:36:58.440 --> 00:36:59.220 and he kisses him, 00:36:59.219 --> 00:37:00.059 and they together, 00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:00.739 they wept. 00:37:00.839 --> 00:37:01.379 This big, 00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:02.579 burly man who 00:37:02.579 --> 00:37:03.239 wanted his brother 00:37:03.239 --> 00:37:04.719 dead is crying 00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.539 at the sight of 00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:05.699 him. 00:37:06.879 --> 00:37:07.759 Now all of this 00:37:07.759 --> 00:37:08.519 fear and all of 00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:09.099 this worry, it 00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:09.719 seems like it 00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:10.939 was for nothing. 00:37:11.939 --> 00:37:12.379 Why? 00:37:13.579 --> 00:37:14.559 Because the Lord 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:16.299 has gone before 00:37:16.299 --> 00:37:17.159 Jacob. 00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:19.379 Didn't the Lord 00:37:19.379 --> 00:37:20.399 tell Jacob to go 00:37:20.399 --> 00:37:20.899 back home? 00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:23.319 Didn't the Lord 00:37:23.319 --> 00:37:23.939 tell Jacob, 00:37:24.279 --> 00:37:24.939 go home so I 00:37:24.939 --> 00:37:25.719 can do you good? 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:28.099 And didn't the 00:37:28.099 --> 00:37:28.859 Lord tell Jacob 00:37:28.860 --> 00:37:29.860 that he would be 00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.539 with him, 00:37:30.700 --> 00:37:31.700 and would bless 00:37:31.700 --> 00:37:32.099 him, 00:37:32.220 --> 00:37:32.760 and would 00:37:32.760 --> 00:37:33.840 multiply him. 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:34.640 All of this 00:37:34.640 --> 00:37:35.340 worry about the 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:36.480 danger that's out 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.019 there was for 00:37:37.019 --> 00:37:37.440 nothing. 00:37:37.579 --> 00:37:37.820 Why? 00:37:37.940 --> 00:37:38.740 Because God has 00:37:38.740 --> 00:37:39.900 already promised in 00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:41.200 his word that he 00:37:41.200 --> 00:37:42.079 would protect him. 00:37:44.240 --> 00:37:44.980 Esau looks up, 00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.660 and he sees all 00:37:45.660 --> 00:37:46.280 these women and 00:37:46.280 --> 00:37:46.920 children, and says, 00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:47.640 who are all these 00:37:47.640 --> 00:37:48.059 with you? 00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:49.519 And now Jacob gets 00:37:49.519 --> 00:37:50.220 to introduce them 00:37:50.220 --> 00:37:50.880 to the family. 00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:51.360 It's a big, 00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:52.200 beautiful family 00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:53.280 reunion after all 00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:53.740 this time. 00:37:53.840 --> 00:37:54.760 Twenty years has 00:37:54.760 --> 00:37:55.380 gone by, 00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:57.059 and Jacob clearly 00:37:57.059 --> 00:37:57.780 was worried about 00:37:57.780 --> 00:37:58.800 how he might be 00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:00.099 received, and here's 00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:01.240 Esau welcoming him 00:38:01.240 --> 00:38:02.480 back with open arms. 00:38:02.559 --> 00:38:03.119 It kind of reminds 00:38:03.119 --> 00:38:03.740 you of the prodigal 00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:04.480 son, doesn't it? 00:38:05.200 --> 00:38:06.039 And before he even 00:38:06.039 --> 00:38:07.340 has a chance to say 00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:08.920 his peace, Esau runs 00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:10.240 and greets him and 00:38:10.240 --> 00:38:11.180 embraces him. 00:38:12.140 --> 00:38:12.860 After they've all 00:38:12.860 --> 00:38:13.700 met, Esau says, 00:38:13.780 --> 00:38:14.460 what do you mean by 00:38:14.460 --> 00:38:15.340 all this stuff that 00:38:15.340 --> 00:38:16.019 you sent ahead of 00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:16.760 me, all this company 00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:17.340 that I'm at? 00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:18.400 And Jacob says, 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:19.940 to find favor in the 00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.800 sight of my Lord. 00:38:21.900 --> 00:38:22.420 And they kind of 00:38:22.420 --> 00:38:23.380 haggle over this for 00:38:23.380 --> 00:38:23.599 a minute. 00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:24.780 Esau says, I have 00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:25.220 enough. 00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:26.100 Keep what you have 00:38:26.100 --> 00:38:26.720 for yourself. 00:38:26.900 --> 00:38:27.980 Jacob insists and 00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:29.500 says, I've seen 00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:31.740 your face, which is 00:38:31.740 --> 00:38:32.960 like seeing the face 00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.600 of God. 00:38:33.660 --> 00:38:34.140 He would know. 00:38:35.080 --> 00:38:35.560 And you have 00:38:35.560 --> 00:38:36.320 accepted me. 00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:37.680 So he urges Esau, 00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:39.620 and Esau takes it. 00:38:39.660 --> 00:38:40.460 And everything here 00:38:40.460 --> 00:38:42.620 is resolving to an 00:38:42.620 --> 00:38:43.860 end, to about as 00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:45.100 perfectly of an 00:38:45.100 --> 00:38:46.120 ending for Jacob as 00:38:46.120 --> 00:38:46.780 you could possibly 00:38:46.780 --> 00:38:47.640 imagine, isn't it? 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:49.900 Look at verse 12, 00:38:50.740 --> 00:38:51.519 chapter 33. 00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.560 And Jacob has one 00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.460 last trick up his 00:38:54.460 --> 00:38:54.820 sleeve. 00:38:56.179 --> 00:38:56.960 He can't help 00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:57.599 himself, can he? 00:38:59.619 --> 00:39:00.619 Esau is ready to 00:39:00.619 --> 00:39:02.159 escort Jacob back to 00:39:02.159 --> 00:39:02.880 Seir, and he says, 00:39:02.940 --> 00:39:03.940 let us journey on our 00:39:03.940 --> 00:39:04.579 way together. 00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:05.460 Come on, bro. 00:39:06.119 --> 00:39:07.179 I'll go ahead of you. 00:39:07.239 --> 00:39:08.400 But Jacob says, no, 00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:09.099 no, no, no, no, no, 00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:09.259 no. 00:39:09.279 --> 00:39:10.219 The kids are weak. 00:39:10.299 --> 00:39:10.799 They're tired. 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.779 All these flocks and 00:39:11.779 --> 00:39:13.059 sheep that they need 00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:13.840 to be cared for. 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:15.279 They'll die if they're 00:39:15.279 --> 00:39:15.779 pushed too hard. 00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:17.279 You go on ahead, and 00:39:17.279 --> 00:39:18.940 I'll go slowly behind 00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:19.099 you. 00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:20.319 I'll go at the pace 00:39:20.319 --> 00:39:21.500 of the livestock and 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:22.500 at the children. 00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:23.619 Until I go, I'll meet 00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:24.559 you in Seir, okay? 00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:26.239 You go on and wait 00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:26.779 for me. 00:39:27.019 --> 00:39:27.980 I'll be there soon, 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:28.759 but don't wait up too 00:39:28.759 --> 00:39:29.000 long. 00:39:30.719 --> 00:39:31.440 And so Esau says, 00:39:31.500 --> 00:39:32.319 well, how about I leave 00:39:32.319 --> 00:39:33.860 some of the people with 00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:34.199 you? 00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:35.579 And they'll escort you 00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:35.699 there. 00:39:35.759 --> 00:39:36.980 Jacob says, no, no, 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:37.559 no, no, brother. 00:39:37.819 --> 00:39:38.779 You go on ahead. 00:39:38.839 --> 00:39:39.500 We'll be fine. 00:39:39.539 --> 00:39:40.219 I'll see you soon. 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:43.199 Of course, Jacob had no 00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:44.699 intention of ever going 00:39:44.699 --> 00:39:46.059 with Esau, did he? 00:39:46.059 --> 00:39:47.739 He wasn't pushing his 00:39:47.739 --> 00:39:48.299 luck here. 00:39:48.460 --> 00:39:49.679 So verse 16 says, 00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:51.079 Esau returned that day 00:39:51.079 --> 00:39:53.400 to Seir, but Jacob, he 00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:55.360 journeyed over to Succoth, 00:39:55.460 --> 00:39:56.639 and there he built 00:39:56.639 --> 00:39:57.880 himself a house and made 00:39:57.880 --> 00:39:59.019 booths for his livestock, 00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:00.320 and therefore the name 00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:01.599 of that place is called 00:40:01.599 --> 00:40:03.039 Succoth. 00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:05.940 Moses ends this story by 00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:07.639 telling us that Jacob 00:40:07.639 --> 00:40:09.239 came safely to the city 00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:10.259 of Shechem, which is in 00:40:10.259 --> 00:40:12.119 the land of Canaan, on 00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:13.079 his way from Paddan 00:40:13.079 --> 00:40:13.519 Aram. 00:40:14.179 --> 00:40:15.279 And he camped before the 00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:16.360 city, and he bought 00:40:16.360 --> 00:40:17.600 land from the sons of 00:40:17.600 --> 00:40:18.760 Hamar and pitched his 00:40:18.760 --> 00:40:20.480 tent and built an altar 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:22.019 and called it El Elohe 00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:23.800 Israel, which means God, 00:40:24.019 --> 00:40:25.960 the God of Israel. 00:40:26.120 --> 00:40:27.060 Would you just look at 00:40:27.060 --> 00:40:28.460 where Jacob has wound up 00:40:28.460 --> 00:40:30.360 here to kind of bring 00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:32.120 his story to an end? 00:40:32.200 --> 00:40:34.620 And finally, after all of 00:40:34.620 --> 00:40:36.920 this, but finally, at 00:40:36.920 --> 00:40:39.720 long last, Jacob is 00:40:39.720 --> 00:40:41.180 finally home. 00:40:42.820 --> 00:40:44.300 His enemies are gone. 00:40:44.300 --> 00:40:46.560 He is back in the 00:40:46.560 --> 00:40:47.460 promised land. 00:40:48.620 --> 00:40:50.240 He has set up booths. 00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:51.900 He's built a home. 00:40:51.980 --> 00:40:53.300 He's raised an altar there 00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:53.920 for worship. 00:40:54.180 --> 00:40:55.500 The promises are being 00:40:55.500 --> 00:40:56.140 fulfilled. 00:40:56.420 --> 00:40:58.680 His pilgrimage is over. 00:40:58.820 --> 00:41:01.180 But most importantly, God 00:41:01.180 --> 00:41:03.019 has proven himself faithful 00:41:03.019 --> 00:41:04.120 yet again. 00:41:05.539 --> 00:41:07.200 By his grace, he has 00:41:07.200 --> 00:41:08.860 sustained Jacob through 00:41:08.860 --> 00:41:10.920 many dangers, toils, and 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.340 snares. 00:41:11.340 --> 00:41:12.940 He has already come. 00:41:15.980 --> 00:41:16.920 Christian, I'll ask you 00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:18.860 again, what do you fear? 00:41:21.600 --> 00:41:23.180 We, like Jacob, are 00:41:23.180 --> 00:41:23.340 pilgrims. 00:41:24.360 --> 00:41:26.240 We are making our way 00:41:26.240 --> 00:41:26.340 home. 00:41:27.079 --> 00:41:27.720 Some of you are just 00:41:27.720 --> 00:41:28.440 setting off on your 00:41:28.440 --> 00:41:28.760 journey. 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:29.500 You're just beginning. 00:41:29.660 --> 00:41:31.240 Others are rounding out 00:41:31.240 --> 00:41:32.100 the final turn. 00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:35.000 But we know that God has 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.340 promised us that eternity 00:41:36.860 --> 00:41:38.740 with him is just ahead. 00:41:38.739 --> 00:41:40.039 If you are in Christ by 00:41:40.039 --> 00:41:42.259 faith, the true promised 00:41:42.259 --> 00:41:44.019 land is waiting for us. 00:41:45.299 --> 00:41:46.739 Soon and very soon, we 00:41:46.739 --> 00:41:48.139 will no longer live in 00:41:48.139 --> 00:41:49.739 these temporary shelters 00:41:49.739 --> 00:41:51.879 and temporary places 00:41:51.879 --> 00:41:53.599 and temporary societies. 00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:55.219 We won't wrestle with 00:41:55.219 --> 00:41:57.239 these tensions and these 00:41:57.239 --> 00:41:59.079 enemies and these fears, 00:41:59.179 --> 00:42:00.079 all these things that give 00:42:00.079 --> 00:42:00.679 us worry. 00:42:01.659 --> 00:42:02.779 If you're in Christ, 00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:05.239 our certain futures that 00:42:05.239 --> 00:42:06.599 you will live forever in 00:42:06.599 --> 00:42:07.779 the new heavens and the new 00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:08.680 earth where there will be 00:42:08.680 --> 00:42:11.200 no sin and no death 00:42:11.200 --> 00:42:13.560 and no enemy and no 00:42:13.560 --> 00:42:15.680 temptation where all of 00:42:15.680 --> 00:42:17.180 God's promises for us in 00:42:17.180 --> 00:42:18.680 Christ will finally be 00:42:18.680 --> 00:42:19.120 realized. 00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:20.160 That's ahead of you, 00:42:20.280 --> 00:42:20.540 Christian. 00:42:22.740 --> 00:42:25.980 But until then, the 00:42:25.980 --> 00:42:27.400 dangers around us are 00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:29.240 very, very real, aren't 00:42:29.240 --> 00:42:29.500 they? 00:42:31.040 --> 00:42:31.840 There seem to be new 00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:32.940 reasons to be fearful 00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:34.540 every day while we still 00:42:34.540 --> 00:42:35.680 journey onward here. 00:42:35.860 --> 00:42:37.200 Fear and danger are in 00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:38.179 every headline. 00:42:38.439 --> 00:42:39.619 Fear and danger are around 00:42:40.299 --> 00:42:41.139 every corner. 00:42:41.379 --> 00:42:43.099 Here, the enemy still seeks 00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:44.239 to destroy us. 00:42:45.079 --> 00:42:46.500 Here, like Jacob, we can 00:42:46.500 --> 00:42:48.619 seem hot and cold, off and 00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:51.099 on, and we wonder how will 00:42:51.099 --> 00:42:52.879 we make our way forward? 00:42:53.539 --> 00:42:55.759 How will I overcome this 00:42:55.759 --> 00:42:56.199 trial? 00:42:57.019 --> 00:42:59.019 How will I face this enemy 00:42:59.019 --> 00:42:59.779 that I fear? 00:42:59.780 --> 00:43:01.200 How will I overcome? 00:43:01.200 --> 00:43:01.500 How will I overcome? 00:43:02.900 --> 00:43:04.500 Friend, you are not strong 00:43:04.500 --> 00:43:07.500 enough to do it, but God 00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:08.240 is. 00:43:09.940 --> 00:43:13.560 We face every danger in the 00:43:13.560 --> 00:43:15.620 confidence, church, that our 00:43:15.620 --> 00:43:18.140 God is for us in Christ. 00:43:19.660 --> 00:43:21.440 Our God will supply every need 00:43:21.440 --> 00:43:22.480 of ours according to his 00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:24.320 glorious riches in Christ 00:43:24.320 --> 00:43:24.700 Jesus. 00:43:24.699 --> 00:43:28.699 Our God will bless us, will 00:43:28.699 --> 00:43:31.559 keep us, will make his face 00:43:31.559 --> 00:43:35.480 shine upon us as we behold 00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:37.159 the glory of God in the face 00:43:37.159 --> 00:43:38.819 of Jesus Christ. 00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:43.079 Father, we praise you for the 00:43:43.079 --> 00:43:45.599 confidence that we have in you 00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:47.639 and that we can only have in you, 00:43:47.739 --> 00:43:50.319 and we acknowledge that there may 00:43:50.319 --> 00:43:51.779 be some here who don't have that 00:43:51.779 --> 00:43:52.799 confidence because they don't 00:43:52.800 --> 00:43:54.300 know you, and so we pray, Lord, 00:43:54.360 --> 00:43:55.780 would you give them the gift of 00:43:55.780 --> 00:43:56.660 faith in Christ. 00:43:57.940 --> 00:43:59.560 And for us, Lord, for the 00:43:59.560 --> 00:44:01.860 church, we pray that we would 00:44:01.860 --> 00:44:03.860 face the dangers that are around 00:44:03.860 --> 00:44:05.560 us in our lives and in the world 00:44:05.560 --> 00:44:07.860 with all the confidence of 00:44:07.860 --> 00:44:10.420 knowing that our good and 00:44:10.420 --> 00:44:12.640 faithful God will guide us 00:44:12.640 --> 00:44:13.220 safely home. 00:44:14.440 --> 00:44:15.360 We love you, Father. 00:44:15.420 --> 00:44:16.400 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:44:17.200 --> 00:44:17.420 Amen.