God of Covenant: Exile & Reconciliation Session Six Gen 12
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God of Covenant: Exile & Reconciliation Session Six Gen 12-50 How did the children of God come to live in the land of Egypt? Where did the 12 sons come from? • Jacob is defined by patterns of deception and he has twice deceived his brother, Esau. Self-reliance and going after with self-interest the good gifts God has already set aside for him. • Favoritism in the family. Jacob has picked up the same patterns from his home. He is still a very immature person. He knows God but doesn’t trust Him yet. More interested in the benefits of knowing God than God Himself Genesis 29-32 • Jacob remembers how his father met his mother. When Rachel appears, Jacob wants to get rid of the other men. He saw Rachel “and the sheep of Laban”; Then Jacob kissed Rachel & wept aloud. (overreacts) Similar language from Isaac/Rebecca. • Leah “wild cow” and Rachel “ewe lamb”; Leah is overlooked. Favoritism in this family! • Jacob is being deceived by his senses just like he deceived his father. • Leah didn’t have decision making to refuse. She probably had hope. Would have been hurt by Jacob & Laban. “and he loved Rachel more than Leah”. Jacob plays favorites too. • Gen 2 – marriage is between one man & one woman; one flesh. Jacob should have taken Leah and gone home. Polygamy in the Scriptures doesn’t mean God approves. It leads to enemies of Israel being born. God works through terrible to bring about His will. • Reuben “affliction”, Simeon “heard that I am hated”, Levi “husband will be attached”, Judah “this time I will praise the Lord”, • Rachel “envied her sister” “Give me children or I shall die!” She will die in childbirth. Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel. Jacob & servant Bilhah – Dan, Naphtali (wrestling theme); children legally Jacob & Rachel’s. • Jacob & Zilpah – Gad, Asher. “mandrakes” for fertility. Leah – Issachar. Theology of names getting worse. Leah – Zebulun, Dinah (daughter). Women keeping score “baby wars” No happiness or fulfillment here. Two women & self-centered man. • Rachel – Joseph. • Leah will spend her entire life saying love me and choose me. 4th son of Leah was Judah. Geneology of Jesus shows that God chose Leah. It is through her that the seed will come. • Laban attempts to cheat Jacob so Jacob uses a strange method with flocks although he already had God’s blessing. • Jacob flees with his family. Laban pursues him. God warns Laban. Laban has cheated Jacob for 20 years. “The Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other’s sight.” Mizpah. Gen 31: 49 Didn’t trust each other. • 32:9-18 Jacob prays God of Abraham and God of Isaac not God of Jacob. • 32:22-27 Jacob spends the night alone. Jacob wrestled with the man. He wouldn’t let go. God wounds him so he can no longer push. God knows his name. Jacob says My name is Jacob. I am the deceiver. Confession. • God renames Jacob to Israel at Penuel. God breaks, blesses and renames. He does the same with every one of us. He calls us the children of God. • Lord’s Supper: breaking of bread, giving of blessing. Savior broken, received blessing and then the name above all names. Genesis 33 • Esau greets Jacob in friendship but Jacob deceives again. Altar at Shechem. He should have gone to Bethel. God is the God of Bethel. • “There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.” God the God of Israel. At long last Jacob is acknowledging God as HIS GOD. Jacob had to come to the end of himself. His name, however, waffles back & forth between Jacob & Israel. Repeated mistakes. • Leah is a TYPE OF CHRIST. Character pointing you towards fulfillment in Scripture. Nothing in her appearance to be desired & rejected. Ultimately, Leah gets place of honor. .