Absolute Surrender: The Story of Jacob’s/My Life Part 2.

Genesis 29:35

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah.

Introduction:

It is a great mystery, but a truth none the less, the doctrine of the providential working of God in the lives of His children. We believe and the bible teaches, summed up in Roman 8:28, that God causes all things to work together for the good of them that love God, and those who are the called according to His purpose. Because of our own self righteous attitude, we would at times want to interpret that verse to mean all things except personal failures, shortcomings and weaknesses. We declare in our own understanding that God can work providentially over here where if there are any negatives, they are all external. But over here, where the negatives are internal or personal, God’s providence is not active. Might I suggest that the “all” in Roman’s 8:28 means just that “all”. God is in full control of all things, and is not limited but more than able to work His purposes in all the circumstances of His child. Including the failings, shortcomings and weaknesses of His child.

To every person who has come to know God and has drifted away from Him. And you feel as though God has left you to your own devices. Or that He has written you off. Or that all the things that you have experienced, or done, or been thought during your time in the wilderness are all stacked up against your account. Or for those of us who has had many, many wasted years, who think that God does not desire, nor is able to once again use you. This message is for you.

Background:

Last time we looked at Jacob, that trickster, he was fleeing his homeland because he had stolen the birthright of his brother Esau, and his brother was seeking to kill him. We saw that despite this, God met Jacob at Bethel, and promised him that He would be with him, protect him, provide for him, and bring him again to his father’s house. God promised to fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather, and to Isaac Jacob’s father, to Jacob. If you haven’t already, you can read about Jacob’s encounter with God at bethel in the post Absolute Surrender: The Story of Jacob’s/My Life Part 1.

Our account is taken from Genesis 29-31, so we will be looking across these three chapters. We see Jacob journeying from Bethel and coming to a place called Harran. Jacob was fortunate enough to find Rachel, the daughter of His uncle Laban, and thus found Laban his uncle and ended up working for him in the land of Harran. Now as the story goes, Jacob who was the trickster or supplanter, had met his match in this man called Laban. We are told that Jacob fell in love with Laban’s daughter Rachel. He loved her so much, that he bartered with Laban to work for him for seven years if Laban would give him Rachel as his wife. The bible says that the seven years seemed unto him but a few days (Genesis 29:20) because of the love he had for Rachel. Well as it turned out, Laban tricked Jacob and gave him his older daughter Leah, and Jacob did not realize until the morning after the honeymoon. Laban’s reason was that he could not give the younger daughter, Rachel, to marry, before he had given the older daughter, Leah. Jacob was no doubt furious, but because of the love he had for Rachel, he worked seven more years for Laban so he could have her as his wife. So Laban gave Rachel to Jacob and he worked for him seven more years.

Jacob then negotiated with Laban for his wages for working for him for a another number of years. His negotiation was, that while Jacob tended Laban’s flock, any of the flock that were born speckled would belong to Jacob. Jacob devised and elaborate plan, to ensure that when the strong cattle conceived, they would be born speckled. We’ll look at this more later on. All in all, Jacob spent 20years in the land of Harran. Twenty years away from his father’s house.

These two incidents, can basically describe the tone for Jacob’s entire stay in the house of Laban. It was not a fun time, it was not an easy time. It was a time of hardship, difficulty, contention and malice. Nevertheless, we will see that all this time, God who had met Jacob at Bethel, had not forsaken him. Not only so, but was working His purposes in and through what we would call Jacob’s wasted years.

I. Evidence of God’s Provision Through Wasted Years

We have no evidence during Jacob’s stay with Laban, that he was a man that was trusting in God for his daily bread. Jacob had resorted to what can only be classified as shady dealings and superstition, to provide for himself and for his family. The word of God tells us that when Jacob left his father’s house, he only had his staff, but by the time he left Laban, he was a very wealthy man.

The word of God tells us in Genesis 30, that Jacob bargained with Laban, that while he tended his sheep any sheep born speckled, would be Jacobs, and any born plain would belong to Laban. The bible tells us that Jacob devised a plan to ensure that the strong cattle would be born speckled. He arranged colored rods with white strakes showing through them, at the place where the strong of the flock would come and conceive so that when they conceived they would be looking at this spotted design that he had set up, and thus, bring forth spotted offspring. This was Jacob’s plan. Well lo and behold, the sheep were in fact born spotted. So what happened was, that the strong cattle and sheep were born spotted and became the property of Jacob as per his agreement with Laban, and the weak were born plan and became the property of Laban.

In Genesis 31, we read that even when Laban tried to beat Jacob’s system and change Jacob’s wages, the cattle and sheep would begin to bear the other way around, so Jacob continue to get the strong cattle and sheep. Now remember Jacob had put together his plan to make the sheep conceive speckled. As unbelievable as it sounds, God was behind the scenes ensuring that the flock that were born, would go to Jacob. We see the evidence of this in Genesis 31:1-9. Well it turns out that Laban’s sons began to despise Jacob because of the wealth that he was gaining. Laban also started to look at Jacob with an evil eye for the same reason.

1. And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.
2. And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3. And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5. And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6. And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
8. If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
9. Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.

So despite Jacob’s elaborate plan, he here acknowledges that it was God at work to ensure that the cattle and sheep born in the house of Laban belonged to him. It’s important to notice here that despite the fact that Jacob acknowledged that God was at work, there is no evidence to suggest that he looked to God before and trusted that God would work on his behalf. That is to say, God was not acting on the faith of Jacob. Do you see that? Jacob did not kneel in prayer, and ask God to make sure that the strong cattle would be born speckled. He was not a man of strong faith to believe God for a bountiful flock. But Nevertheless!! God in His unmerited favor worked on Jacob’s behalf not even requiring the faith of Jacob as a prerequisite to giving him the increase. Jacob’s trust was placed in his elaborate contraption. Jacob’s faith was placed in his own self sufficiency. But God, despite this, took the sheep away from Laban, and gave it to Jacob.

Beloved, please understand that God does reward faith. God does look upon His child who trusts in Him, and rewards that faith. But please understand that that reward is because of the grace of God, and not because God’s stands obligated to do anything on your behalf because of your faith. There are those who teach, that if you exercise faith in God, He becomes obligated to you to acknowledge and reward that faith. Beloved God is no man’s debtor. He has not borrowed anything, nor will he pay to any man again. He owes no man anything. It is the grace of God, the mercy of God that compels him to do anything for His child. Jacob was a recipient of this unmerited favor, of this matchless mercy. God did not count Jacob’s misplaced faith against him, and still blessed him with the increase.

Many of us who have known the mercy of God can testify that even when we were “away” from God, we always had something to eat, we always had clothes on our backs, we always had a place to lay our heads. God was there providing for us every step of the way, even though we did not acknowledge him and did not realize that he was there providing for us. This is the God we serve, the God of all grace and mercy.

II. Evidence of God’s Protection Through Wasted Years

Not only did God provide for Jacob, but he also protected Jacob. The word of God tells us that Jacob journeyed from Bethel, where he first met God, to Harran. If you look at a map of the area. Bethel is actually a distance of about 400 miles away from Harran. Over some rough, harsh desert territory.

All Jacob had when he left his father’s house according to the biblical record, was his staff. He had no camel, he had no horse. He had not caravan. God miraculously protected Jacob, for this entire journey that must have taken close to thirty days on foot.

Not only did God protect him on his Journey to Haran, but He protected Jacob while in Haran, in Laban’s house. We read an interesting thing in Genesis 31. Jacob had taken up his family and flock and fled from the face of Laban unawares (Genesis 31:20). Laban found out three days later, and was filled with wrath and pursued after Jacob. The word of God says they found them towards the mount of Gilead. The word of God says in Genesis 31:24:

And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

We see a picture here of God as a loving Father, coming to the man that purposed to do His child harm, and warning him not to do anything to Jacob. Not even to speak to him, good or bad. Now it’s interesting to note that God did not appear unto Jacob and say to him, “look I have told Laban to leave you alone. See I have warned him that he should not even speak good or evil to you.” In fact it was Laban that made Jacob aware that God had appeared onto him, and warned him to leave Jacob alone. If Laban had not done that, Jacob would not even have been aware that God was behind the scenes orchestrating his protection.

Even so beloved, the child of God who is in the midst of wasted years, may not be aware of how many time God was behind the scenes protecting them. Keeping them from harm. Ensuring that no tragedy would befall them. Again, it is not dependent on them, but the mercy of God. God made sure, that no harm came to Jacob, even though Jacob failed to see that God was there. That God was all the while acting as a hedge of protection. A fortress. This is the God of the bible. Yes there are times when he allows tragedy to come into the life of his child, but it is not for his child’s hurt, but for his good. God is able to work it out for good. In Jacob’s case and in many of the cases of God’s children, we can proclaim that yes! even when we were not aware of it God in His mercy protected us, kept us, delivered us.

III. Evidence of God’s Presence Through Wasted Years

Jacob started off his journey from Bethel, making a bargain with God. Basically telling God, that if He did such and such for him, Jacob would reward God with his obedience and worship. This in and of itself, was an affront to God, but God mercifully did not rebuke Jacob, but made unconditional promises to him. We see in Genesis 31, that when Jacob was arguing with Laban, he acknowledged that it was because God was with him all this time, that he was able to withstand the treatment meted out to him while in Laban’s service. In Genesis 31:42 we read:

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty.

Jacob says, if it was not for God’s presence with me, I would have come out of those twenty years of hard labor empty. He would have had nothing if it was not for the fact that the God of his father Abraham, and Isaac was with him. Testifying that all this time God was with him.

I recall hearing the personal testimony of Pastor William Carrol one of the associate pastors of Times Square Church. Where he testified that for a period of his life he lived on the streets. During this time, he said basically that he did everything he could to get as far away from God as he could. But every time he looked around, he could see something that made it clear to him that God’s presence was still with him.

Even in my own life, despite all the things I have done, and all the places I’ve been. I can look back now and see that it was the presence of God with me that brought me through those years. It is God that must receive the glory, not me. If it were not for the fact that His presence was with me, surely I would have wasted away a long time ago.

IV. Evidence of God’s Providence Through Wasted Years

In Genesis 29, as we said before, we read the account of how Laban outsmarted Jacob and got him to marry both his daughters Leah and Rachel. Leah was not loved by Jacob, but Rachel was. The word of God says that when God saw that Leah was despised, God shut up Rachel’s womb, and opened the womb of Leah. Therefore Leah bore Jacob child after child, and Rachel bore Jacob none. As a result of the fact Leah was not loved, and Rachel bore no children, the bible tells us Jacob’s home was not a happy one. There was contention and strife between Jacob’s wives and then between Jacob and his wives.

The two women were basically competing for the love of Jacob, and trying to out do each other. During this time of contention and there was born to Jacob 12 sons. The twelve sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. He also had a daughter Dinah. There is a nice chart that outlines the sons, what their names mean, who their mother’s were and the a reference verse for their birth. This chart can be found at Bible101.org. But basically, there was contention in the house so the children that were born and who grew up in that house, did not learn about family love from their father and mothers.

Now the Lord opened my eyes to his matchless mercy and grace in providentially working in the live of Jacob. To bring about his eternal purpose. Despite the fact that Jacob’s house was less than Ideal. Was less that godly. Was less that righteous. God was still at work to bring about His perfect will.

Joseph:

In this home of contention was born Joseph. The very same Joseph whom the Lord would raise up and cause to be sold into slavery by his brothers. The same Joseph who through many difficult circumstances would end up second in command in Egypt. A place from which he could preserve his father and brothers and the whole house of Israel from a devastating famine that came upon the land that surely would have wiped them out.

Levi

In this house of contention was born Levi. The same Levi from whom would come Moses whom God would raise up and miraculously save from the murderous plan of Pharaoh. The same Moses whom God would allow to be brought up in Pharaoh’s house until it was time to bring him out into the wilderness. The same Moses whom God would meet at the burning bush, and call to be Israel’s deliverer. The same Moses who would through God’s miraculous signs and wonders, lead the house of Israel out of captivity and across the Red Sea as on dry Land. The same Moses whom God met with face to face and used him to deliver to His people God’s Law. The Law that would be our schoolmaster, that would point us to the redeemer.

Judah

In this house of contention was born Judah. The same Judah from which would come the line of King David. The lineage that would produce the one for whom all the earth was created. We read in Revelation 5:1-5:

1. Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.
2. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
3. But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
4. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.
5. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Judah through whom would come the Lion, was born in a house of contention, during Jacob’s wasted years. During Jacob’s time of faithlessness. During Jacob’s time of being away from his father’s house. Don’t tell me, that God is not sovereign, especially in the lives of his children. Even in the lives of those who fail Him, who don’t get it all right. Who have made mistakes, who have failed. Don’t tell me that he’s not able to turn it around, and work it into His plan. It is not in my understanding to know how he does it. And it does not excuse the failures of His people. Least some self righteous pharisee try to say that I’m giving people licence to go ahead and make mistakes and to go ahead and fail. That’s not what I’m saying. I am saying that for the genuine child of God, whom God has put His hand on, whom God has called, God will work out everything, including the failures and shortcomings of that child towards His own mighty purpose. I don’t know how He does it, but bless God He does it.

V. Evidence of God’s fulfillment of His Promise Through Wasted Years

When God met Jacob at Bethel, the day he left his father’s house, God made several promises to Jacob. Genesis 28:15 says:

And, behold, I [am] with thee, and will keep thee in all [places] whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done [that] which I have spoken to thee of.

Beloved, do you realize that every one of God’s promises were kept in Jacob’s life. God’s presence was with him, God kept him and God never left him. God never forsook him. God’s promises to Jacob, were not conditional upon Jacob’s response, but upon God’s grace. Oh beloved don’t miss this. The apostle Paul when speaking of Jacob says that God spoke of what He would do in Jacob’s life long before Jacob was even born, so that the purpose of God might stand, not based on what Jacob did, but upon God who called Jacob. Romans 9:11-13

11. (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13.As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

God chose to allow Jacob’s life to go the way it did, so that no one would be able to say Jacob was a self made man. No one would be able to say Jacob worked his own life out. Everyone would have to say it was God who was working his plan in Jacob. So it is with we who call upon the name of Jesus. When we all get to heaven, no one, NO ONE! will be able to boast or even lift a hand to say that they had a part in their redemption, in their salvation, in their blessing. All will have to say it was God who in His mercy kept them, provided for them, was with the.

Conclusion:
Brothers and sisters all of us have failures under our belt, some failures are greater than others, and in these last days I believe God is calling out His people from the wilderness land of Laban that they have found themselves in. Calling them back to the place in His plan. The devil, the self righteous and at times your own deceitful sinful nature is trying to tell you that because of the things that you have done, in the land that you have found yourself in, because of the contention in your life, God is no longer able to use you. You are no longer part of God’s plan. Your failure, your mistake, the things that happened to you caught God by surprise and He is no longer able to use you. By God’s grace, would to God that His Spirit would open your eyes and let you look at Jacob. Look at the life of Jacob. God is not only able to use you after your mistake, He is not only able to use you in spite of your mistake, but He is able by His sovereign power to turn your mistake around and use it for your good, and according to His eternal purpose. The word of God says in Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

All things. I said “All Things”. Not some things. Not the good things. Not the things I do well. But All things. The good and the bad. God is able to work it out for your good. Do not turn away from Him, or allow your failures to cause you to run away from Him. In fact if you have failed, if you have wasted many years. Run, I said run to Jesus. He will in no wise cast you out. He is said through the prophet Joel to a nation who had suffered the judgement of God for their sin in Joel 2:25.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,

God says to Jeremiah:

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.

He is able. I said “He is Able!” to take those wasted years, those mistakes, those failures and turn them around to accomplish His purpose in your life. Brethren, I am not speaking to you, as much as I am speaking to myself. As I was saying to someone recently, this is not a pipe dream. It is not something I say to myself to make myself feel better about my mistake. This is the word of God. It’s either I believe it or I don’t. I have to make a choice to hold on to God’s word for dear life and cry out to God to have mercy, have mercy. Jesus! thou Son of David, have Mercy on me! Brothers and sisters believe me when I tell you He will not pass you by. Call on Him today.