Jan 20
19

Sermon: Genesis 40: Because He Cares For You

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 40

“Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, ‘Why are your faces downcast today?’ They said to him, ‘We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.’ And Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.’ So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, ‘In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.’ Then Joseph said to him, ‘This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.’ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, ‘I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.’ And Joseph answered and said, ‘This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.’ On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.” (Genesis 40, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Philippians 2:1–11

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:1–11, ESV)

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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.]

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, we now return to the story of Joseph. And as we do, we should remember where Joseph has been.

Remember that Jospeh was the favored son in his fathers house. He was thrown into a pit and left for dead by his own brothers, who were envious of him. And after realizing that they could make a profit by selling Joseph into slavery, they did. He was taken by Ishmaelite traders down into Egypt and sold to Potiphar, who was a high ranking official, the captain of the guard.

While a slave to Potiphar Joseph was blessed by the LORD. In due time he rose to a position of power within Potiphar’s house. In 39:4 we read that, “Joseph found favor in [Potiphar’s] sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had” (Genesis 39:4, ESV). Trouble arose when Potiphar’s wife took notice of Jospeh — he was a successful and skilled man, handsome in form and appearance. She desired to lay with him. And when he refused to sin in this way out of his love for God and man, she grew envious and falsely accused him of assault. Potiphar was enraged, and Jospeh was sent to prison, “the place where the king’s prisoners were confined…” (Genesis 39:20, ESV).

In 39:21 we read, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed” (Genesis 39:21–23, ESV).

It is here that our passage for today picks up. Joseph is in prison, but he had been blessed by the LORD there. Much like in the house of Potiphar, Joseph had charge over everything in that place.

Notice, therefore, the trajectory, pattern and quality of Joseph’s life thus far.

Considered from a merely human perspective, the trajectory of Joseph’s life to this point was downward. He had been brought down to a very low point. Not only was he enslaved in Egypt, but also imprisoned.

But notice the pattern — Joseph remained faithful in every circumstance.

And notice the quality of Joseph’s life. Though the circumstances were very trying and difficult, Joseph was blessed of the Lord.

It is no wonder that many students of the Bible have been moved to compared the life of Joseph with the life of Christ. I have said it before: Joseph was a type of Christ. And when I say that Joseph was a type of Christ I mean that, though he was not in fact the Christ, his life functioned as a preview of the life of Christ.

Consider the trajectory, pattern and quality of Jesus’ life and compare it to Jospeh’s.

Considered from a merely human perspective, the trajectory of Jesus’ life was at first downward. He, being the eternal Son of God — the favored one his Father’s house, if you will — took on the weakness of human flesh. He was mistreated and betrayed. He suffered to the point death, even death on a cross. But Christ remained faithful in every circumstance. And the Lord blessed him.

Of course, there will be an upward swing of exultation that will occur in Jospeh’s life, and this also typifies the upward swing of exultation in Christ’s life — he was not left in the grave, but was raised and exulted to the Father’s right hand — but we are not there yet in the story. We are still considering Joseph’s humiliation.

As we consider this narrative today I would like to look at in three ways. One, I wish to consider how Jospeh behaved in his humiliation. Two, I wish to consider how the life of Joseph prefigured the life of Christ. And three, I wish to consider how Joseph might serve as an example to us, especially in times of difficulty.

We will notice three things about Jospeh: One, in his humiliation, he cared for others. Two, in his humiliation, he revealed God’s will. And three, in his humiliation, he was forsaken by men.

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Verses 1-8 — In His Humiliation, Joseph Cared For Others

Consider, first of all that, in his humiliation, Jospeh cared for others. This we see in verses 1 through 8.

In verse 1 we read, “Some time after this…” We do not know how long Jospeh had been in prison before the events that are described to us in this chapter transpired. But it is worth noting that Jospeh was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery by his brothers, and he was 30 years old when he raised to power by Pharaoh. So, for thirteen years Jospeh was either a slave in Potiphar’s house or imprisoned. Jospeh had his prime years stolen from him. Circumstances like this can cause people to grow bitter towards God and man, but not so with Jospeh. Joseph’s faith remained strong, and his heart soft to God and man, as will see.

Now, I think it would be naive to think that Jospeh did not struggle during those 13 years. Im sure that wept. I’m assume that he experienced times of darkness and despair. But as we consider the whole of his life we see that he persevered in the faith and waited upon the Lord to exult him in due time.

This is also what Christ did.

And this is what you and I called to do. We are to “Humble [ourselves]… under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt [us], casting all [our] anxieties on him, because he cares for [us]” (1 Peter 5:6).

“Some time after [Joseph was thrown into prison], the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined” (Genesis 40:1–3, ESV).

It is a mistake to assume that these men merely held a cup and baked for the Pharaoh (though this they did). They were high ranking officials and trusted by Pharaoh.

We are told what they did to anger Pharaoh, but the text makes it clear that they did commit an offense (or sin) against their lord. So, unlike Jospeh, they deserved to be in prison. “The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody” (Genesis 40:4, ESV).

“And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation” (Genesis 40:5, ESV). Dreams were very important to the Egyptians. Their view was that through dreams they had contact with the spirit world. There was an entire class of men in Egypt who’s job it was to interpret dreams. We hear of them in chapter 41. After the Pharaoh himself had dreamed a dream “he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men” (Genesis 41:8, ESV) for an interpretation. The NET translation calls these men “diviner-priests” and “wise men”, which I think is more helpful.

The Christian view of dreams is quite different. We know that in times past God spoke to his Prophets and Apostles through dreams, but that mode of revelation has now ceased given that the Christ has come. This is what Hebrews 1:1 speaks to, saying, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV). I do not doubt that Lord may use dreams to encourage the people of God today. But he does not reveal himself and his will for man through dreams today as he did in ages past, for the Christ has come. In times past he spoke through the prophets, but now he has spoken supremely through his Son, and we have his word.

In other words, this passage that we are considering today about dreams and the interpretation of dreams should not lead the Christian to seek to know the will of God or the word of God through dreams. To do so is to ignore the progress that has been made in the history of redemption. To view dreams as a current source of revelation is to ignore what that New Testament says — that God spoke through the prophets in ages past, and supremely through his Son, The New Covenant church of God is repeatedly encouraged to look to the Word of God previously revealed and now inscripturated to know God’s will for us.

With that said, it is not difficult to understand why the chief cupbearer and the chief baker were troubled by the dreams that they dreamed. They had both experienced something traumatic when they were thrown into prison by the Pharaoh. They were afraid. They both dreamed dreams on the same night. As we will see, the dreams were similar, indicating to them that they were meaningful. And, finally, they did not have access to the “diviner-priests” and “wise men” of Egypt who, in their minds, could interpret the dreams for them, for they were in prison.

Verse 6: “When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, ‘Why are your faces downcast today? (Genesis 40:6–7, ESV).”

I think you are able to see why I have made the point that “in his humiliation, Jospeh cared for others.” Even in his extreme hardship, Joseph was a true servant. And it seems to me that he did not just go through the motions in his servanthood, but truly cared for others.

He was a wonderful servant to Potiphar. And when he had opportunity to sin against him and to please himself, he would not do it. He refused to sin against his master and God. And as he served within the prison he truly cared for those whom he served, even saying, “Why are your faces downcast today?”

Friends, this was also the way that Christ lived. He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, ESV). Though “he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV).

And this is also to be the way of the Christian. In that same Philippians passage that was just read, Paul commands us, saying, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3–4, ESV). And then he says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5, ESV). In other words, the servant hearted attitude that Jesus had is to be ours as well.

Brothers and sisters, this servant hearted attitude is to be in us always. We should have the mindset of Christ the servant day by day. It is to be in us when things are going well. And it is also to be in us when things are difficult.

I’m afraid that many assume that when things get difficult it is time to be served rather than to serve. And it is no wonder that people think this way, for there is some truth to it. There are times for mourning. There are times when, because of sickness or injury, the service of others is needed. I do not intend to undermine this obvious truth. But here I am addressing the tendency that some may have to sulk in their sorrow, and to grow self centered in their grief.

When the circumstances of life are difficult you can choose to respond in one of two ways. You can feel sorry for yourself, complain against God, and assume that everyone around you should be your servant, or you can choose to be thankful to God, to give glory to him even for the hardship, and to serve those around you, remembering that others are hurting too, and that Christ served in his humiliation. This second way is the Christian way. God will be glorified in this, and it will be a blessing to you and to those around you.

Joseph is to be admired for the way he responded to the terrible circumstances that came upon him. He kept the faith, he honored God, and he served others.

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Verses 9-22 — In His Humiliation, He Revealed God’s Will

Secondly, see that Joseph, in his humiliation, revealed God’s will.

After Jospeh inquired concerning the downcast faces of the cupbearer and chief baker “They said to him, [verse 8] ‘We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them’” (Genesis 40:8, ESV). Again, these men knew that there was something significant about their dreams, but they were discouraged because they did not have access to the “diviner-priests” and “wise men” of Egypt, whom they believed had the sole ability to interpret their dreams.

Joseph’s response to them was very bold. He said to them “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.” In saying this Jospeh challenged the trust that these men had placed in the “diviner-priests” and “wise men” of Egypt, and also asserted that God alone has the ability to reveal truth to men. The God that Joseph referred to was his God — the God of the Hebrews — and not the gods of the Egyptians.

Does this not show that Jospeh was a faithful witness while in captivity. Remember that the he told Potiphar’s wife that he would not lay with her because to do so would be to sin against God. And here he gives glory to God when he testifies before these men that it is his God — the God of the Hebrews — and not the false gods of the Egyptians, who is able to reveal truth to men and to provide the interpretation.

These men were desperate. They had no one else to turn to. And so they told their dreams to Joseph.

First, the chief cupbearer described his dream to Joseph, saying, “So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, ‘In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand’” (Genesis 40:9–11, ESV).

Jospeh, being illuminated by God, provided the interpretation, saying, “Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer” (Genesis 40:12–13, ESV).

So confident was Jospeh that this would happen that he made a request of the cupbearer, saying, “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit” (Genesis 40:14–15, ESV). Again, it should be remembered that the cupbearer was more than a cupholder for the king — he was a trusted advisor. Jospeh knew that one he was restored he would have the ability to vouch for Jospeh before the Pharaoh.

The chief beaker was understandably encouraged by the favorable interpretation given to the cupbearer, and so he shared his dream as well, saying, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head” (Genesis 40:16–17, ESV).

Jospeh, being illuminated by God, again provided an interpretation. This time the news was not encouraging to the recipient. “Joseph answered and said, ‘This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you” (Genesis 40:18–19, ESV).

Jospeh was proven to be a true prophet, and not a false prophet, when “On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them” (Genesis 40:20–22, ESV).

I have noted that Joseph, in his humiliation, revealed God’s will. In other words, he functioned as a prophet of God.

Here we have yet another way in which Jospeh was a type of Christ. Joseph was a prophet, whereas Jesus was the prophet of God — the eternal Word of God come in human form.

John 1:1, 14 and 18 speaks to this saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:1, 14, 18, ESV).

Jesus the Christ was the pinnacle of God’s revelatory activity. He was (and is) the eternal Word of God come in human form. It was by the Word that God created the world. It was by the Word that God spoke to the prophets of old. And it was this Word — the second subsistence (or person) of the Triune God — that took on humanity in order to redeem humanity, and to reveal God to us. Again, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:18, ESV).

As I turn now to make application for us I think you can understand why I cannot say, “you also are to reveal God’s will as Joseph and Christ did!”, for Jospeh was a prophet, and Christ was the eternal Word of God come in the flesh — you are not those things.

But I can I ask you, are you looking to the Christ and to his word to know what its true? Are you looking to Christ and his word to know how it is that you are to live in this world? Are you doing what James exports us to do, saying, “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, ESV)?

It is no secret that the non-believer does not submit to God’s word in this way. They look many other places in their search for truth. They have many other things as their source of authority — their unaided human reason, their feelings, their preference, etc.

But it is deeply concerning when one who professes faith in Christ looks to something other than God and his word as their authority for truth? Friends, “The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience” (Baptist Catechism, 4).

Look to the scriptures, friends, to know what is true. Ask God to give you wisdom to apply the scriptures to your individual circumstances. Surround yourself with wise and godly counselors to help to know which way you are to go.

Secondly, though I cannot say to you, “reveal the word of God”, I can say, “proclaim it”. Do not neglect to proclaim the truths of God already revealed in both good times and bad. Could it be, Christian, that the Lord has willed for you to reside in some unpleasant circumstance so that you might testify to Christ there?

Be like Jospeh in this regard — testify to Christ in your humiliation.

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Verse 23 — In His Humiliation, He Was Forsaken By Men

Thirdly and lastly, see that in his humiliation, Joseph was forsaken by men.

Remember that Jospeh made a request to the cupbearer that when he was restored to his position that he remember him. He said, “please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.”

But after the baker was executed and cupbearer restored in fulfillment to the dreams and to the interpretation [verse 23] “the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (Genesis 40:23, ESV).

This must have felt terrible to Jospeh. Certainly, Jospeh must have struggled with feelings of betrayal and abandonment through out this season of his life. His own brothers abandoned him. His master, Potiphar, abandoned him. The cupbearer, to whom he showed this kindness, abandoned him. I wonder if it he did not feel as if God had abandoned him in the pit.

It is no secret that Christ Jesus our Lord also knew what it was to be rejected and abandoned by man. He was hated and eventually crucified by his own people. One of his own disciples betrayed him near the end. And in his hour of greatest difficulty, most had fled. Indeed, on that cross, Christ, in his humanity, even felt as if God the Father had forsaken him. He cried out, saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34, ESV).

Of course, God did not abandon Jospeh, but was with him in the pit and would raise him up in due time.

And neither did God abandoned the Christ. He did “not abandon [his] soul to Sheol, or let [his] holy one see corruption”, in fulfillment to Pslam 16:10.

Friends, if you belong to the Father through faith in Christ Jesus, neither will he abandon you, “for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV).

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:6–11, ESV)

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Jan 20
5

Sermon: Jude 17-25: Beware Of False Teachers – Part 3

OT Reading (Jer 32:36-41)

36 “Now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: 37 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

NT Reading (Jude 17-25)

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Pray

Intro
1. Today, church, we will be concluding a 3 part series on the book of Jude.
2. Over the past several months I have preached through the book of Jude; covering verses 1-7 in part one, verses 8-16 in part two, and concluding today with part 3, as we cover verses 17-25.
3. And before we begin to look at Jude verses 17-25, it would be best to first do a brief recap of Judes epistle up unto this point.
4. You will remember that Jude’s letter is broken up into 3 main parts and contain a series of “proof texts” that reference the Old Testament writings, Jewish Literature, and Apostolic Prophecy; all for the purpose of displaying the destruction of the heretics that Jude addresses throughout his book.
  1. Thus the primary theme of the Jude is the stern warning against the “false teachers” that had infiltrated into the Church;…and the Churches need to be aware of such individuals.
5. In briefly recapping the first 16 verses of the epistle you will remember that in verses 1-2, Jude gives a brief introduction, authenticates his identity, and identifies his audience, (which were those who were “called by God and kept in Christ”)

In verses 3-4, we saw that Jude’s original intent was to write about “our common salvation” but instead felt compelled to discuss the need for the Church to be aware and vigilant of these “false teachers” that had “secretly crept into the Church”.
In verses 5-7 we saw that Jude cites three examples from Old Testament history; all displaying God’s judgment on those who intentionally and blatantly distort the word of God- and thus live contrary to it.
1. Judes three examples were:
  1. The Exodus Generation and their judgement, The fallen angels from heaven and their judgement, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their judgement.

Next, in verses 8-11 we are told that “these men” that had “crept in” blatantly reject divine and God ordained authority, as verses 12-13 elaborate on how these men live as clear hypocrites to the faith.
Then, in verses 14-16 Jude assures and reminds his readers that “these men” will receive their due penalty for their sins and actions.
This brings us now to verse 17; where Jude, again, reminds his readers to remember that, not only had these men been predicted through the prophets of the OT, they were also clearly taught about through the teaching of the apostles of Christ Jesus.

Exegesis of Jude 17-25
1. And so vs. 17 begins with a word that we now know is central to Jude’s, message: Remember; as Jude again instructs his readers to “Remember” that the apostles of Christ had clearly warned the Church of the presence of “these men”.
2. Thus, Jude’s point is not to prepare his readers for a future arrival of “these men”,

Rather, Jude is demonstrating that the central reason for his message is to inform his readers that what was predicted by the prophets and disciples, had now come to pass.

As the apostles and other NT authors had taught, these men are amongst us in the Church Age (the time between Christ’s first and second coming).
1. In Mark 13:22–23 Jesus had explicitly warned of the presence of these men, stating:
  1. “False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.”
The apostle Paul, too, provides further warning when he spoke to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29–31, saying:
1. “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.”
We should also be reminded of the fact that even among Christ’s 12 disciples, a wolf existed within them, as Judas would betray Jesus.
Yet, this was no surprise to Christ, nor did it thwart his plans in any way. Rather, even through the evil of Judas’ actions, God’s perfect will was brought about.
Furthermore, in verse 19, Jude states that:
1. It is “these men” who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
And so it is vital that Judes audience realize that “these men” are the ones whom the prophets, the apostles, and even Christ himself spoke about.
Thus, the warning in scripture is clear. These men have infiltrated and will infiltrate the Church. But Jude’s purpose in informing the Church of the presence of these men is not so that the people of God would be surprised or overly anxious with this knowledge. Rather, Judes instructs that the people of God “Remember” that “these men” exist and will come about in the Church; and therefore, must be prepared when they present themselves.
And given Judes statement that “these men” are ‘worldly’ and ‘devoid of the Spirit’, brothers and sisters, we must clear on Judes point pertaining to “these men”: that there are only 2 types of people that exist in this world- those who are real Christians, and those who are not. For this is Jude’s primary purpose in going to such great lengths in describing “these men”; so that they could be identified and properly addressed when as they make their way into the Church. And the fact that “these men” lived according to no higher values other than their own, was very clear evidence of their depraved and unregenerate state.
Therefore, Brothers and Sisters, “these men” have no part in the true church; for they do not have the Spirit. Indeed they are ‘godless’, as stated in verse 4…
1. However, as was made clear in the Sunday school hour, we cannot know the depths of the heart of these men. For though their actions clearly display that of an unsaved soul, we do not know if the Lord would call a man unto himself.
2. Therefore, we must only act according to the behaviors and actions of such individuals, for it is the Lord who both judges and transforms the heart of a man.
Transitioning into verse 20, Jude takes a sharp turn in the direction of his letter. As it is here, that he returns to the tone of encouragement, that he had began at the beginning of his letter in verses 1-2.
And so, after commanding the church to “Remember” that “these men” exist, that they will creep into the church, and that they act as they do because they are unregenerate;
1. Jude, then merges into verses 20-23 with a list of several commands for the people of God on how to respond in light of the presence of “these men”.
In Verse 20, Jude states: But you, beloved building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.
Here, Jude emphasizes the immense importance for the Believer to have a strong and solid foundation in Christ. For It is essential, Church, that true believers not be carried away into error when false teachers attempt to distort both the true teachings of scripture, and the God ordained structure of the Church. Hence, the emphasis that Jude places on needing to be built up in “Your most holy faith”
And the phrase “Your most holy faith” in verse 20, refers to the learning and applying of the whole counsel of God, found within the entirety of the scriptures..
1. Brothers and Sisters, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you are diligent in studying, learning, and applying the scriptures to your lives.
2. In fact, I have become overwhelmingly convinced that the only way that a true believer in Christ can successfully walk daily in the faith is through a complete and utter devotion to daily practice of the spiritual disciplines: specifically that of Scripture reading and prayer.
  1. As if this was some hidden message though. As scripture time and time again speaks of the importance of communing with God through through the continual study of His word.
    1. Take for example Joshua 1:7-8, while succeeding Moses, The Lord directly addresses Joshua, stating:
      1. 7 Be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
    2. Or when David, in the beginning of the book of Psalms in Chapter 1:1-2 states:
      1. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
    3. Or when Paul states in reference to the importance of reading and studying the scriptures in Romans 15:4:
      1. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
    4. And again Paul instructs Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13 on how to properly lead the Church, telling him to:
      1. Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching
    5. Or as Christ himself commands his followers just prior to his crucifixion in John 14:15, stating:
      1. if you love me, you will keep my commandments.
    6. And how, Church, how in the world can we know or keep Christs commandments if we do not thoroughly study to know them and work hard to apply daily to our lives.
    7. The teaching of Scripture is clear! We, as the Bride of Christ must study the word of God. We must crave it. The reading of God’s word must be a central part of our Christian walk.
  2. Brothers and Sisters, I do not know what is on your new year’s resolution list, but I can assure you that if knowing Christ and His word more deeply this year is not at the top of your list, I would highly suggest that you revise your goals for 2020.
  3. And Church, my prayer is that we all would make growing more in the grace and knowledge of Christ our primary focus for not just this year, but also every year thereafter that the Lord graciously blesses each and every one of us with…
However, after stating how important it is that we are diligent in our study of God’s word, I also want to make a point about properly applying and understanding Judes teaching in verse 20. For though Jude is clearly teaching that we MUST be dedicated and diligent in building up our most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, He is not saying that our survival as Christians is dependent upon our ability in: keeping our faith- verse 21, or our ability to love God properly- verse 22, or our ability to have mercy- verse 22. Our survival as God’s people, brothers and sisters, is dependent upon God’s grace, and God’s grace alone.
As stated a few months back in part 1 of this sermon series, Jude begins his letter by referring to his audience as those who are: “called by God’, loved by God’ and ‘kept by Jesus Christ’. For our faith is fully credited to the gracious acts of our merciful God.
1. As Luther once put it: ‘Faith is the foundation on which one should build. But to build up means to increase from day to day in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.”
2. And it is, therefore, because of this that we should respond with so much fervor, love, and dedication to our most Holy God.
3. And in light of what was discussed in the Sunday school hour, this is a good reminder that true believers in Christ were chosen by God and will persevere to the end because of the power and wisdom of God.
Furthermore, in verse 20, Jude instructs us to also “Pray in the Holy Spirit”. For our need for earnest and continual prayer is absolutely vital if we are to stand properly against those who would attempt to distort and lead astray. As our prayer life is a direct reflection upon our dependence on God for help and strength.
1. As Paul states in Ephesians 6:18, that we should commit ourselves to “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”
And as we are faithful to pray, the Holy Spirit, who is with God’s people, takes these prayers directly into the presence of our heavenly Father.
1. Church, in as simple terms as I can put it. If you want your faith to flourish, if you want to be prepared when false teachers come, if you want to be obedient to the commands of Christ, then this is what I advise you do: know the word of God, pray continually in the Spirit, and walk daily with Christ…
As we move on to verse 21, Jude gives another command, saying to his audience to: Keep yourselves in the love of God. This command would have reminded his readers of the covenant that their Lord and Master had already made with his people, as it was Christ who first called them and first loved them (verse 1)..
1. For God’s electing, ever-faithful, covenant of love with his people does not ever leave. Indeed Christ is with us, and Jude reminds us of this in commanding us to respond to this truth. As Christ first loved us; we, therefore, are to to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Jesus spoke clearly of this relationship between the love of God for his people and their love for him in John 15:9–10, when he stated:
1. ‘As the Father has loved me so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.’…
Jude then merges into an additional command at the end of verse 21, stating: as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads you to eternal life.
It is vital, Church, for all Christians to remember they are living in an age that will come to an end. These ‘last times’ as mentioned in verse 18 will eventually lead to the inevitable Last Day when this age will come to an end and Christ will bring about the full consummation of all things.
And the life of the Christians during these “last days” (the day we now live in up until Christ’s return) will not be easy, as Jude has shown. But we are to persevere with the help of the Holy Spirit; for a great and glorious eternity awaits us when we shall see God’s mercy and salvation in all its fullness. At the moment we experience it through faith, but one day we shall know even as we are known (by God,) and we shall see our saviour face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Jude then, in verses 22–23 moves on to explain that there are three categories of people who will each need to be dealt with in a slightly different way in response to the effects of the presence of these “false teachers” within the Church:
1. 1. those who, under the influence of the false teachers, have doubts;
2. 2. those who, being weak spiritually, are in danger of being harmed by the sin brought about by these false teachers;
3. And 3. those who, deeply affected by these false teachers, could be genuinely dangerous to the faithful.
In verse 22, Jude addresses the first of the 3 categories, as he speaks of those who have doubts. As, Jude commands his readers to Be merciful to those who doubt.
1. At some time in our lives, brothers and sisters, we all will have doubts about our faith. However, what Jude portrays here is an extreme and dangerous form of doubt; brought about as an effect from the actions of false teachers within the Church (hence a reminder of why they are so dangerous).
And as we have seen, these ‘godless’ men, ‘devoid the Spirit’, have led people away from God into a volatile state of faith and understanding.
1. Note, Church, that “these men” not only come in and try to openly distort the true teachings of God, they are often at opposition with the leaders within the Church. For God has ordained overseers to detect and deal with such individuals; which is likely why false teachers are often so hostile toward those appointed within the Church.
2. And as “these men” attempt to deceive and distort, there most certainly will be some casualties involved; as some will become confused and misled by their teachings. We, therefore, must all must remember, as Jude reminds us in verse 22, to have mercy and compassion toward the deceived and misled individuals. Being patient and merciful with them, in the attempts to bring them safely back into the fold of God.
The second group that Jude addresses is found in verse 23, where he directs his audience to snatch others from the fire and save them. This group refers to those who are in real and imminent danger of being impacted by the actions of the godless men amongst them. This category is one step further than the previous. For the state of these individuals has moved from mere deception to some form of tangible sinful impact. And the state that these individuals are in is one of such imminent danger, that Jude uses the term “snatch” in describing how we are to address them.
1. In Amos 4:11, we have a picture of God snatching Israel from the fire, as the Lord states: “You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire”
2. And Zechariah 3:2 also provides interesting insight into Jude 23 where the high priest Joshua is standing before the angel of the Lord with Satan ready to accuse him. The Lord then defends Joshua by saying, ‘Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?’ (3:2).
3. Thus, the use of the word ‘snatch’ is very fitting; as it depicts one hastefully and purposely grabbing an object from the fire before it becomes destroyed.
And to be clear on this point, Church, Salvation belongs to the Lord alone. We know this. However, God has ordained His people to be His hand in protecting and intervening when fellow brethren become entangled in the sins of false teachers. And we to be active by bringing our wandering brother or sister back to Christ, to His Word, and to the ‘faith once and for all entrusted to the saints’ (Jude 3).
So in this sense, Brothers and Sisters, we are in fact our brothers keeper. Just as a father might snatch his child out of the path of a bus, so it is our duty to watch over each other and pull back those who, through weakness of faith and understanding, find themselves drawn towards the fire. We need to be concerned for each other, constantly exhorting and helping one other to contend for the faith and remain steadfast in the love of God…
This now brings us to the third and final group that Jude describes; as they are those who have moved so far under the influence of the “these godless men” that they actually become dangerous to the entire Church. This gives rise to another of Jude’s commands, that: to others, we are to show mercy, with fear—hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Jude again instructs the believers to be merciful to those who have strayed due to the influence of the false teachers, just as Christ is merciful to us. However when dealing with those who have become involved with the teachings of ‘these men’, there is a real danger that the True Believer might also be tempted to stray in his or her faith.
1. For, Brothers and Sisters, the attraction of sin must never be underestimated. Too often people feel that somehow they are immune to certain temptations of the flesh, but such feelings often result in downfall as they succumb to sin themselves. So Jude gives sensible advice to the true believers within the Church. And Jude emphasises this with his next comment, that when responding we are to this group, we are to—hate even the garment stained by the flesh.
  1. The picture that Jude paints, is strong. The idea is that Jude’s readers would steer clear of someone else’s dirty, filthy, and ‘stained’ undergarments. For the type of sin that Jude is portraying is a type that will spoil and infect all that it comes in contact with. Indeed, these men and their godless ways must be removed from the flock with urgency and precision, before their ungodly ways spread throughout the entire congregation.
  2. However, in concluding verse 23, Jude pleads for a sensible balance in judging confronting sinful people within their flock. For we are to always display love and mercy, even when a Brother or Sister in Christ is caught up in Sin. For a Christian does not need to commit adultery to be able to minister to an adulterer with mercy and with love. The church does not have to lie in order to lovingly confront a person caught in deception. The Church needn’t become drunk, in order to minister to the alcoholic.
  3. As Paul states in Galatians 6:1
    1. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. (But) Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted…

Doxology
1. Lastly, in verses 24-25, Jude begins his doxology and conclusion to the epistle.
2. Jude has finished his exhortation to the faithful. He has finished warning against the ungodly and deceitful people who have slipped into the church, and now he focuses the reader’s thinking (as he did in verses 1-2) on the God of all grace.
3. In verse 24, Jude states:
  1. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
4. Here, Jude has in mind the final day when Christians will stand before their Maker. On that judgment day it will be only justified sinners who will ‘stand’; For they are the ones who have been declared ‘not guilty’. And though this saving grace is appropriated through faith, it comes entirely from God’s grace alone. And so it is fully appropriate, as Jude ends his letter, that he should direct his audience to the God who alone is able to keep them from falling and to make them stand in his glorious presence. For our God and Savior who ‘began a good work’ in us ‘will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:6).
5. Verse 25, then, concludes Judes epistle with a praise to the wonderful Saviour, stating:
  1. to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
6. And It is not surprising, Brothers and Sisters, that these last two verses of Jude have become one of the most popular benedictions to be used within the Church. For these words do for us what they also would have done for Jude and his audience:
  1. they summarise the continuing sovereign work of God (through Jesus) on our behalf; and ascribe to Him all the glory.
7. For nothing is beyond God’s majestic and sovereign control. It is He who keeps his people from falling; It is He who knows that “these false teachers are among us”: It is He who has provided a way for his people to deal with “these men” as they make their way into the Church; and it is He whom all of Gods chosen throughout all of time, will worship for all eternity.

Applications:
1. As I begin now to work toward a conclusion, I would first like to make 4 brief and clarifying points of application.
2. 1. We Must Remember (vs. 17-19)
Brothers and Sisters, as stated in my previous sermon we must not be ignorant to the presence of “these men” that Jude describes.

For this was predicted by the apostles several times throughout the New Testament.

Christ himself even taught about such men, explaining that these men have always been at work trying to corrupt God’s elect.
So we must remember this teaching, Church. We must remind ourselves so that we are not surprised when such men come. And we must remind ourselves so that we might rest in the sovereignty and power of our almighty Savior.
So study the scriptures diligently and cling closely to Christ.
This brings me to the 2nd point of application.
We Must Be Prepared (vs. 20-21)
1. Brothers and Sisters, we must work hard, as Jude states at building up our most holy faith!
2. And as previously stated, If this is not at the top of your new year’s resolution, I strongly advise you change your list! For what could be more important than growing more intimately in your faith with Christ!
3. And we must also be a praying people, knowing that there are those who are attacking from above, outside, and even within our very midst!
4. And so, we must keep ourselves in the love of God, reminding ourselves continuously that this is not our permanent home! For we will all experience difficulties in our lives. Whether it is a false teacher infiltrating into our congregation or a personal trial or struggle, the remedy is the same for both: Be prepared through obedience in Christ.
5. I think the words of 2 Tim 4:2-5 are most fitting on this point, as Paul instructs Timothy, saying:
  1. preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6. This brings me to my third point of application.
We Must Be Active in the Sanctification (and Salvation) of Others (vs. 22-23)
1. Church, As Jude has made clear, “these men” are not regenerate. And their ways within the church create a volatile and confusing message to those who are involved in their presence.
2. And we must be merciful and patient with those who become confused by the teachings and actions of “these men”.
3. Whether it is from a false teacher within the church, a false teacher outside of the church, or a well meaning brother or sister who simply has strayed from a proper understanding and application of the scriptures; We must always respond with mercy and patience, especially with those who are weak, confused, or struggling (Romans 14:1;15:1)
4. Yes, Church, you are your Brothers keeper. And you are your Sisters keeper. And if one of us is found in sin, we all have an obligation to restore our Brother or Sister to Christ.
5. As James 5:19-20 states:
  1. 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
6. This brings me now to my fourth and final point of application.
It is only Through Christ that this is Possible (vs. 24-25)
1. Brothers and Sisters, only in Christ does this world exist. And only in Christ is our salvation possible. And only in Christ are we able to respond to and endure the onslaught of “these ungodly men” that have infiltrated the Church.
2. But it is he who is able to keep us from stumbling. And it is he that presents us blameless before God.
3. Therefore, take heart Church. Be encouraged by the words of Jude. Be strengthened through the power of the Holy Spirit. And be reminded of the power of Christ.

In Conclusion

In closing, I would like to read one final passage of scripture that echoes and mirrors the teachings of Jude.
And so I would like to ask you, one final time, to listen carefully as I read from the words of John 15:12-25 ; 16:33 (hear now the word of the Lord):
1. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
2. 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘ (For) They hated me without a cause.’… I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ……… PRAY

Posted in Sermons, Study Guides, Posted by Mike. Comments Off

Dec 19
29

Sermon: Genesis 39: The LORD Was With Joseph

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 39

“Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?’ And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, ‘See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.’ Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, ‘The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.’ As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, ‘This is the way your servant treated me,’ his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.” (Genesis 39, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Matthew 5:1-16

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’ ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’ ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’ ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.’ ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’ ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ ‘Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ ‘You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.’ ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’” (Matthew 5:1–16, ESV)

*****

Introduction

As you can see we have returned again to the beloved story of Joseph. Chapter 38 of Genesis felt like an unpleasant interruption, didn’t it? I say “unpleasant” because the story told there is truly scandalous (the story is pleasant in the sense that it magnifies the grace and glory of our God). I say “interruption” because the story of Judah, his sons, and Tamar felt out of place given that the story of Joseph began in chapter 37. But as I said in the previous sermon, chapter 38 plays a critical role in the Genesis narrative. It interrupted the Joseph story, but for a reason. The moral decline of the sons of Israel is documented there — they were no better than the Canaanite peoples who surrounded them. Knowing this will help us to appreciate all the more the grace of God shown to them in their election and redemption. In particular the wickedness of Judah is documented there. And this will help us to appreciate the transformation that we will see in him later in the Genesis story. But now we return to Joseph. We are to remember how badly he was treated by his own brothers. They hated him, being driven by jealousy. They conspired to kill him. But seeing that they could do away with their brother and make a profit, they sold him to Ishmaelite traders who then took him down to Egypt, which is where our passage for today begins. Verse 1 of Genesis 39: “Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.” (Genesis 39:1, ESV)

This chapter may be divided into three parts. One, in verses 1-6 we learn that Joseph was blessed by the Lord while in Potiphar’s house. Two, in verses 7- 18 we learn of the temptation of Joseph, and of us his righteous devotion to the LORD. And three, in verses 19-23 we learn that Joseph was blessed by the Lord while in prison.

The central theme of this passage is very clear: the LORD was with Joseph wherever he went. He was with him to sustain him, to bless him, and to make him prosper in every circumstance. Notice the repetition of the phrase, “the LORD was with Joseph…” It is found in verse 2 where we read, and “The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.” In verse 3 we learn that “[Potiphar] saw that the LORD was with [Joseph] and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.” And after Joseph was unjustly thrown into prison we read in verse 21, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” And again in verse 23 we read, “The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.”

Notice that in each of these verses (and in others also) the word LORD is spelled with all capital letters. This signals to the english reader that it is the Hebrew name YHWH that is in use here. And we know that that name for God communicates that he the God who is near. He is the God who makes and keeps covenants. He is the God who is faithful to his people. How appropriate it is, therefore, that this name for God be used in this passage. For here we see that Joseph’s days are dark and filled with trouble. Judging by the appearance of things, one might be tempted to say that God had abandoned him. But this could not be further from the truth. The LORD was with him. The LORD blessed him even in the dark and troubled days. The LORD showed him favor and made him prosper.

[APPLICATION: It is no wonder that the story of Joseph is so dear to the people of God. All who walk with Christ in this world will experience difficulties, trials and tribulations. There will be good days, and there will be bad days. There will be pleasent and unpleasant seasons. How crucial it is for the people of God to know that the LORD is with them even in the evil day. And how important it is for the people of God to know how to walk in days of difficulty. We are to walk faithfully no matter the circumstances of life, just as Joseph did.]

*****

Verses 1-6

Undoubtably, these were dark days for Joseph. Nothing is said in this passage regarding his emotional state, nor are we given any insight into his thinking, but this must have been a very traumatic experience for Joseph. He was a young man when he was assaulted by his own brothers. They threw him into a pit and left him for dead. Try to see these events through Joseph’s eyes. Imagine looking up from the bottom of that deep pit watching your brothers leave you to die. They eventually returned, but only to sell him into slavery. He plead with his brothers, but to no avail. He was taken away by foreigners and sold again in a foreign land. The language in that land was strange to his ears. The food was different. Undoubtably, the customs seemed odd. A traumatic experience like this might cause some to loose their faith, to grow hard towards the Lord, and to be overwhelmed with despair. But Joseph remained faithful. He flourished even as his world came crashing down around him.

How could it be that Joseph remained so strong in the midst of such adversity? Again and again we are given the answer: “The LORD was with Joseph”, we are told. The LORD was near to him, and he was near to the LORD. Everything that Jospeh had was stripped away — his privileged position in his father’s house, his freedom, his wealth, his comfort, his family and friend. To loose all of that at once would bring most men and women to ruin, but the LORD was with Joseph to sustain him in the midst of the trial, and it appears that Joseph clung tightly to the LORD.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, the LORD will sometimes test his people in this way to show if their faith is true. And if it is true, the LORD uses trials like these to make their faith even stronger. Remember that the LORD did something like this with Joseph’s father, Jacob, when he was sent away to Laban for all those years. We know that the LORD did this with Job — he too lost everything, but refused to turn his back on his God. When the Apostle Peter wrote to suffering Christians he reminded them of their eternal reward and then said, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6–7, ESV). Joseph was certainly grieved by various trials. The genuineness of his faith was surely tested. But he was found faithful, for the LORD was with him to bless him. What are we to do in times of difficulty? Well, we are to cling to the LORD and seek his blessing. We are to remember that the LORD does not leave his people, but he does use trials and tribulations to test, refine and strengthen them. And it is for this reason that we can do what James commands us to do, that is to “Count it all joy… when you meet trials of various kinds…[knowing] that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2–3, ESV).]

The text here says that Jospeh was a “successful man”. He started as an ordinary slave to Potiphar, but before long he was moved from working with the slaves in the field to working inside in a privileged position. And yet again, Joseph was promoted until all that Potiphar had — both inside and outside — was left in his charge. So trusted was Joseph that the only thing Potiphar concerned himself with was eating his food!

Why did Potiphar promote Joseph so quickly to the position of overseer? Certainly Joseph was a hard worker. He must have been very responsible. Clearly, he had the ability to oversee and lead people. But none of that is mentioned. Instead we are told that Potiphar “saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands”. For this reason, “he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.” And from then onward, “the blessing of the LORD was on all that [Potiphar] had, in house and field.”

Here we have a little example of a fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham that all of the nations of the earth would be blessed through his offspring. I say it is a “little example”, for this promise really finds it’s fulfillment in the Christ who would be born from Israel — the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. But here we get a little taste of the nations of the earth being blessed through Abraham’s offspring when the estate of Potiphar the Egyptian was blessed of the LORD on account of Joseph’s presence with him.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, we should expect the same to be true of the people of God in this New Covenant era. We should expect the Christian to be blessed of the LORD, and to also be a blessing to the nations. This is what Jesus was referring to when he spoke to his disciples saying, “You are the salt of the earth…” and, “You are the light of the world… ” (Matthew 5:13–16, ESV). God’s people are to live in the world in such a way that the world is affected by them. If we are in Christ then we are blessed. But we must never forget that we are blessed to be a blessing. As we live for God in this world — as we love Christ and keep his commandments — we should expect that those around us will be blessed also. And here I am not only thinking of the blessing of salvation coming to others. Certainly that is our prayer, that others would come to faith through our witness! But here I am saying that the Christian should have an affect upon those around them in other ways too. Sadly, the opposite is sometimes true. Sadly, it is sometimes the Christian who is affected by the culture, and not the culture by the Christian. But if the Christian is strong and mature — if the Christian is faithful and true — they will walk with Christ in such a way that they have an affect, instead of being affected. Such was the case with Joseph. He was blessed, and he was a blessing.]

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Verses 7-20

It is in verses 7 through 18 that Joseph’s faithfulness to the LORD is put on full display. Here we see that he resisted strong temptation because he loved the LORD.

At the end of verse 6 we are told that “Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.” And in verse 7 we learn that Potiphar’s wife took notice of him. She was an unfaithful wife. She was a temptress. She was also very forward and aggressive. When Potiphar was away she spoke to Joseph saying, “Lie with me”. Notice Joseph’s reply in verse 8: “He refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?’” In brief Joseph refused to lie with Potiphar’s wife out of love for his neighbor and out of love for his God. And is this not summary of God’s law? To love the Lord with all the heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself? Joseph resisted the temptation because he would not sin against Potiphar, nor would he sin against God — “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”, he said.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, see that Joseph’s love for God was manafest in his obedience to him. He loved God, and he obeyed him, which demonstrated that his love was true. Those who love God keep his commandments. This is what Jesus said in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). 1 John 2:3-6 makes a similar assertion: “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:3–6, ESV). These texts are not teaching that if we sin at all then we do not love God at all. Instead, they make it plain that love for God and obedience to God go hand in hand. To say that you love God and to live in disobedience to him is a contradiction. To love God is to obey him. The greater our love for him, the greater our obedience will be. Do you love God, friends? Then keep his law. Do you love Christ friends? Then walk as he walked.]

[ILLUSTRATION: This principle should not surprise us. Other relationships function in the same way. Over time a wife will doubt the sincerity of her husbands love if he treats her poorly. He might say “I love you” often. He might even buy her gifts from time to time. But if he treats her badly day to day, his actions will contradict his professions of love. The same is true of the relationship between child and parent. If a child truly loves mom and dad then the love will show itself in obedience and respect, generally speaking. It is easy to claim to love God, friends. It is even possible to act like you do in public worship. But if your love for God is true, it will manifest itself in obedience to God’s law.]

Joseph resisted Potiphar’s wife saying, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” Notice that Joseph knew that adultery was “a great wickedness and sin against God” prior to the giving of the ten commandments, the seventh of those being, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. I say this to support the idea that the ten commands contain God’s moral and universal law which was written on Adam’s heart in the beginning.

In verse 10 we learn that Potiphar’s wife “spoke to Joseph day after day, [but] he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.” Over time she grew more aggressive. Verse 11: “But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment [probably a cloak] in her hand and fled and got out of the house” (Genesis 39:11–12, ESV).

Brothers and sisters, sexual sin is not an exclusively male sin. In Genesis 38 it was Judah who was the aggressor. Here in Genesis 39 it is Potiphar’s wife. She was a temptress.

Notice that Joseph was once again stripped of his cloak. His brothers tore his coat of many colors off of him when they assaulted him, and now Potiphar’s wife tore his cloak from him — perhaps this to was a coat of honor, signifying his privileged position within Potiphar’s house.

Here is where things turned for Jospeh. Potiphar’s wife, feeling scorned and being driven by envy, decided to do Joseph harm by falsely accusing him. She had his cloak and so she used it to claim that he had taken it off to assault her. She bore false witness and slandered Joseph’s good name.

[APPLICATION: Take notice, friends. While it is true that men sometimes do horrible things to women (and sometimes women to men), and while it is true that the testimonies of those who claim to be victims of assault should be taken very seriously, it is also true that people sometimes tell lies. To bear false witness and to slander someone’s name is a terrible sin. It is possible to destroy a person with lies. Never should we bear false witness, and never should we forget that people sometimes do.]

[ILLUSTRATION: Many of you know that my wife works at a public charter school. One thing that she does with some regularity is to look into allegations that students make against others students — “so and so is bullying me” is a common one, I think. A few years ago the school installed cameras so that most of the campus is covered. Lindsay spends a good amount of time reviewing video footage to sort out conflicting testimonies. It is disturbing how often the accusers are found to be lying. And it is even more disturbing to know that often times the accusers are in fact the ones guilty of aggression! This needs to be kept in mind when considering allegations. People do lie.]

Potiphar’s wife lied because she felt scorned. And when Potiphar was told, “his anger was kindled.” But there is evidence that Potiphar wasn’t entirely sure of his wife, for he took Joseph and “put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.” Typically, the punishment for such a crime would have been death. But Joseph was put into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined — an unpleasant place, no doubt.

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Verses 21-23

In verses 21 through 23 we have a repeat of verses 1 through 6. Just as Joseph was made to prosper in Potiphar’s house, so the LORD made him to prosper in the prison. Verse 21: “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed” (Genesis 39:21–23, ESV).

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, it is critical for God’s people to know that God is able to make them prosper even in the most trying of circumstances. In every circumstance of life they are to cling to Christ and walk faithfully before him.

Are you experiencing good days? Are your circumstances pleasent? Then walk faithfully before God. Love him above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself. Or are you experiencing days of great difficulty? Are you circumstances most unpleasant? The admonition is the same! Walk faithfully before God. Love him above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself. For if God is with you — if you have been reconciled to God through faith in the Christ — then you have all that you need.

We have taken an up close view of Joseph in this sermon today. But as we move now to a conclusion I would like to step back just a little bit to gain some perspective. There is a larger story that is unfolding. We know that Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery and plunged down into the prison so that from there the LORD might raise him up to a position of power and, through him, save a great multitude of people, both Egyptian and Hebrew.

And if we step back from this story even further we will certainly recognize that the story of Joseph mirrors another story — that it, the story of Jesus the Christ. Just as Joseph was brought low so that he might be raised up in due time, so also the Christ, but in a much greater way. Paul puts it this way, reminding his that “Jesus… was in the form of God, [but] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5–11, ESV). Jesus was emptied and humbled — he suffered and even died — so that through him many might be saved, not only from amongst the Jews, but also the gentiles, and from salvation, but from the judgement of God in hell forever.

So while it is true that we learn that God is present with his people to bless them in difficult circumstances; and while it is true that we learn how to walk when facing trials of many kinds — we are to be faithful! And while it is true that we learn that God has purposes for our suffering — for this reason we can count them all joy! It also must be recognized that something bigger was happening in the life of Joseph. A bigger story was beginning to unfold. God would provide salvation for Israel in Egypt through Joseph. And more than that, in the fulness of time, God would provide salvation through his one and only son, Christ Jesus the Lord, for all who believe upon him.

Posted in Sermons, Posted by Joe. Comments Off

Dec 19
22

Sermon: Genesis 38: Jesus, The Lion Of The Tribe Of Judah?

Old Testament: Genesis 38

“It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, ‘Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up’—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house. In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And when Tamar was told, ‘Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,’ she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. He turned to her at the roadside and said, ‘Come, let me come in to you,’ for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’ He answered, ‘I will send you a young goat from the flock.’ And she said, ‘If you give me a pledge, until you send it—‘ He said, ‘What pledge shall I give you?’ She replied, ‘Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.’ So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. And he asked the men of the place, ‘Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?’ And they said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’ So he returned to Judah and said, ‘I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’’ And Judah replied, ‘Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.’ About three months later Judah was told, ‘Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.’ And Judah said, ‘Bring her out, and let her be burned.’ As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, ‘By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.’ And she said, ‘Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.’ Then Judah identified them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not know her again. When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, ‘This one came out first.’ But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.” (Genesis 38, ESV)

New Testament: Matthew 1:1-17

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” (Matthew 1:1–17, ESV)

*****

Introduction

I am aware that to some Genesis 38 will seem like a strange text to preach on the Sunday before Christmas. It’s a rather scandalous story that we find here, isn’t it? And I’ll admit, this story doesn’t feel very “Christmasy”. But I hope you can see that Genesis 38 is not all together unrelated to the story of the birth of Jesus the Christ. Perhaps you noticed that the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1 makes mention of the main characters of Genesis 38 — Judah and Tamar. Listen again to Matthew 1:1-3: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar…” (Matthew 1:1–3, ESV).

When Matthew set out to write his gospel concerning Jesus the Christ, he began, not with the story of his birth, but with his genealogy. Matthew was concerned to demonstrate that Jesus was in fact the offspring of Abraham and David. This was important, for Jesus could not possibly be the Christ (that is to say, the Messiah) unless he descended from Abraham and David. For the Old Testament scriptures are clear — the Christ would be born in the line of Abraham and David. Matthew does eventually tell the Christmas story that is familiar to all of us, but only after establishing the descent of Jesus from Abraham and David.

After reading the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38 one might assume that Matthew would be eager to distance Jesus from this mess. But instead he highlights the fact that Jesus’ ancestors include Perez who was born to Judah by Tamar, who was Judah’s daughter-in-law. Notice that Matthew in his genealogy of Jesus does not usually mention the women by whom such and such a person was born. Typically the fathers are the only ones mentioned. But here in Matthew 1:3 we read, “Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar…” As I have said, one my expect Matthew to burry this unsavory story to distance the Christ from the scandal, but instead he does the opposite. He draws attention to the relationship. Not only was Judah the father of Perez (Matthew could have said only that and the genealogy would have been complete), he was the father of “Perez… by Tamar.”

In fact, there are four other instances in the genealogy of Jesus where Matthew mentions the mother of such and such a person. “Salmon [was] the father of Boaz by Rahab”, “Boaz [was] the father of Obed by Ruth”, “David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah”, and “Joseph [was] the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” In each of the five instances where the mother of such and a person is mentioned there is either some scandal or some surprising thing to be noted about the woman. Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah by whom Perez and Zerah were born — that story is scandalous. Rahab was a prostitute and a foreigner (not an Israelite)— scandalous and surprising . Ruth was a foreigner too — it is surprising that the line of the Messiah would run through her. Solomon was born to David by Bathsheba, who was the wife of Uriah — this too was scandalous. And Jesus the Christ was born to Mary, who was a virgin betrothed to Joseph — very surprising.

What then should we think about the surprising genealogy of Jesus. How should we interpret the sin-laden family history of the Messiah? Clearly, Matthew was not eager to bury these unsavory stories, nor to cover the blemished in the family history of Jesus. To the contrary, he seems to draw attention to the scandalous and surprising things as he traces the generations of Jesus from Abraham and through David. What are we to make of this?

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I. God’s Plan Of Redemption Was Accomplished Despite The Sinfulness Of Man

First of all, as we consider the genealogy of Jesus in general, and the story of Judah and Tamar in particular, it is apparent that God’s plan of salvation was accomplished despite the sinfulness of man.

This is an important observation, for it demonstrates that God is able to bring about his plans and purposes in a messy world. He is able to accomplish his will even while men and women rebel against him. Our sins — though they be truly ours, and though they be truly sinful — do not frustrate the plans and purpose of God.

In the presence of Adam and Eve it was announced that one of her seed would eventually come into the world to defeat the serpent who had deceived them. From that first announcement of the gospel the people of God awaited the arrival of this promised and anointed one, who we call the Messiah or Christ.

We know now that the Christ did not come into the world immediately, instead he was born in the “fulness of of time”, to use the language of Paul (Galatians 4:4). And he would descend, not from a pure people, but from a mixed multitude — a blemished people with a checkered past. Even the so called “good guys” in the biblical narrative were not really good. Some of them had great faith, and in that respect they are to be emulated, but they were not without blemish. Consider Abraham and his flaws. Consider King David and his. Remember that Solomon was born to him “by the wife of Uriah”, as Matthew points out.

I suppose that some might reason this way: If God accomplishes his purposes despite my sin, then are my sins really so bad? And that answer to that question is “yes”. Yes, your sins and my sins are truly heinous before God. Each one of them deserves the wrath of God. Our sins have terrible consequences in this life and in the life to come (which is why we must washed by the blood go Christ and clothed in his righteousness by believing upon him).

Here I am not trying to minimize the heinousness of our sin, but to magnify the greatness of our God by saying, nothing can thwart his purposes or frustrate his plans.

The story of Judah, the son’s of Judah and their relation to Tamar is truly scandalous. So scandalous is this story that I hesitate to go though it in great detail with small children present. I’ll retell the story generally, and I’ll leave it to you to contemplate the details.

Judah already has a bad reputation in the Genesis narrative. He took part in the plan to kill his brotherJoseph, being driven by jealousy. And remember also that it was Judah’s idea to sell Joseph into slavery seeing that they could make a profit while doing away with him.

It is therefore not surprising to learn in Genesis 38 that Judah’s sons were wicked men. Wicked men do sometimes produce godly offspring, but this is by the grace of God. It far more common, though, for the son’s of wicked men to be wicked also.

Notice in verse 7 that “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was [so] wicked in the sight of the LORD, [that] the LORD put him to death”. We are not told the nature of his wickedness. Onan, Judah’s second born, was also wicked. Instead of having intercourse with Tamar to raise up offering by her, he went into her only for pleasure. This was wicked in the sight of the Lord. If he did not want to take Tamar as wife, he could have refused to do so. Having taken her as wife, it was his duty to raise up offspring by her. Onan did neither. Instead, he took her as wife only to use her for pleasure.

One thing that needs to be taken into consideration when interpreting this story is the significance of raising up “offspring” within Israel. To the serpent it was said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, ESV). With these words the significance of offspring was established. To Abraham it was said, “To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7, ESV), and “I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth…” (Genesis 13:16, ESV), and “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2–3, ESV), etc. Here it is clear that the offspring of Abraham would be of particular importants to the accomplishment of God’s plan of salvation for the world. The same promises were reiterated to Isaac and Jacob. So for the sons of Judah to show such disregard for the responsibility and privilege of raising up offspring within Israel was especially wicked. Clearly, Onan cared little about the promises of God given to his fathers. He cared only for physical pleasure. In verse 10 we read, “What [Onan] did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also.

Judah promised to give his third son, Shelah, to Tamar when he came of age, but he was afraid that he too would die (as if Tamar had anything to do with the death of his first two sons!) and so he withheld him.

Though Tamar’s methods were very questionable (sinful), she does come across as a kind of heroine in the Genesis narrative. She, unlike Judah and his sons, was eager to raise up offspring within Israel. If she did not care about offspring for Israel, I suppose she could have went her way and taken a husband from her own people (she was probably a Canaanite). But instead she waited for one of Judah’s sons. And when the third was withheld, she deceived Judah to bring forth offspring by him. Is Tamar to be condemned or praised in this narrative? If only things were so black and white! What she did was sinful, but again, it appears that her desire to raise up offspring within Israel is to be commended.

Judah comes off all bad in this story. He promised his third born to Tamar, but withheld him. He joined himself to what he thought was a prostitue while on a journey — really she was his daughter-in-law in disguise. And when his daughter-in-law was found to be with child he ordered that she be put to death by burning. Wow! The hypocrisy of the man! But he was put to open shame when Tamar presented his signet, his cord and staff — the very signet, cord and staff that she had taken from him as a pledge of payment when disguised as a prostitute.

The signet was a ring with seal on it. The cord was a ornamental cord probably used to bind Judah’s cloak. The staff was obviously a walking stick. All of these were personal objects which would easily be recognized as belonging to Judah. The irony is that Jacob deceived Isaac with a cloak and goat, Jacob’s sons (including Judah) deceived him with a cloak and goat, and now Judah is deceived by Tamar as she covers herself with the cloak and awaits the payment of goat for her services.

The turning point in the story is when Judah’s hypocrisy is discovered. “As [Tamar] was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, ‘By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.’ And she said, ‘Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.’ Then Judah identified them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not know her again” (Genesis 38:25–26, ESV).

This may have been a turning point in Judah’s life. [Sometimes the Lord works in this way — in order to grow us he first humbles us.] In chapter 43 Judah will appear again in the Jospeh story, but he seems to be a changed man. Instead of cold hearted and self serving, he appears compassionate and selfless. There in Genesis 43 Jacob urges his sons to go back up to Egypt to get food, for the famine in the land was very severe. But Judah protested saying, “The man [who we know was Jospeh] solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you’” (Genesis 43:3–5, ESV). The brother being referenced was Benjamine, the youngest, and the second born to Rachael. As you know, Jacob would not let Benjamine go for fear that he would loose him also. Listen to how Judah responded to his fathers hesitancy. “Judah said to Israel his father, ‘Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever” (Genesis 43:8–10, ESV). And when Jospeh threatened to keep Benjamin it was Judah who pleded for the boy and offered to be held captive instead, saying, “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father” (Genesis 44:33–34, ESV).

It seems to me that one of the reason this story of the wickedness of Judah is told here in Genesis 38 is to help set the stage for the radical transformation that took place within him. We will appreciate the light of Judah’s transformation much more now that it is set against this dark backdrop of Judah’s hardhearted and self-centered way of life.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus the Christ is known as the Lion of tribe of Judah. And now that you know the truth about Judah’s character in the beginning, isn’t it apparent that God is able to accomplish his purpose despite our sin. God is able to use that which evil for good. How exactly he does this, I cannot say. But that he does it is clear. All of the wickedness that we see in the world does not frustrate the plans and purposes of God, and this should encourage us to press onward and to not loose heart.

*****

II. God’s Plan Of Redemption Was Accomplished Because Of God’s Love For Sinful Man

Secondly, as we consider the genealogy of Jesus in general, and the story of Judah and Tamar in particular, it is apparent that God’s plan of redemption was accomplished because of God’s love for sinful man.

When the scriptures say, “for God so loved the world…” it should astonish us. It should astonish us that God — God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, who is radient in glory and unblemished in his purity — would set his love upon sinful and fallen creatures such as you and me.

Stories like this one about Judah, his sons, and their treatment of Tamar, are meant, in part, to convince us of our unworthiness before God. These stories magnify the grace of God. They demonstrate his mercy. They make it crystal clear that the love that he has shown to the world by providing a savior through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is undeserved.

When John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). It does not mean that God has set his love upon all human beings equally and without distinction, as the Arminians and semi-Pelagians say. To interpret the passage that way would make the text to contradict all of those passages about unconditional election and predestination that are found in the New Testament. To interpret the passage that way would set John 3 against John 6 and 17. And to interpret the passage in that way ignores the way that John (and every other biblical author) uses the word “world”. The world “world” stands for the all the peoples of the earth — all nations. And the world “world” also has moral connotations. It is often used to describe a world that is sinful. When John says, “For God so loved the world…” he intends for us to be astonished at the though that God Almighty would bother to set us love upon wicked people such as you and me so as to redeem a people for himself from every tongue, tribe and nation.

Tamar was a Canaanite, as I have already said, and yet God determined to use her to accomplish his purposes for the redemption of the world. Judah and Tamar were sinful, and yet God advanced his program of redemption through them. Judah bore Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and from Perez Jesus the Christ would be brought into the world.

Clearly God’s plan of redemption was accomplished because of his love for sinful man, and not because of our merit. He owes us nothing, friends, except his righteous judgement. Instead he has shown mercy and grace.

*****

III. God’s Plan Of Redemption Was Accomplished By The Son Of Coming In The Likeness Of Sinful Man

Thirdly and lastly, as we consider the genealogy of Jesus in general, and the story of Judah and Tamar in particular, it is apparent that God’s plan of redemption was accomplished by the Son of God coming in the likeness of sinful man.

I’m sure you have noticed that I have been reading a lot of genealogies lately (and sometimes I really struggle with the names!) But why do the scriptures contain so many genealogies? Why did Matthew, for example, begin his gospel with a genealogy?

In part, the answer is that according to God’s plan salvation would be accomplished by one who was truly human. The savior of the world would be of the seed of the Eve. He would be the son of Abraham and of David. Perez is mentioned here because through him the Christ would be born into the world.

And that is what we are celebrating during this Christmas season — the birth of Jesus the Christ. He was born into the world at the perfect time, according to the will of God.

According to the New Testament scriptures, and in fulfillment to the Old, he was truly human, the son of Abraham, and yet he was truly divine, the eternal son of God.

He was truly human because he came to redeem humans from their sin. He was born into this world a human so that he might live for humans, die for humans, and rise for humans. If redemption was to be accomplished for the sons and daughters of Adam, it required that one from Adam’s race accomplish that salvation by the keeping of God’s law and bearing the penalty that rests upon Adam’s posterity.

And yet it was also required that this Savior be divine, for no mere human could possible keep God’s law now that the race is fallen; no mere human could possibly bear the weight of the sins of all of God’s elect; no mere human could possibly raise himself from the dead, thus winning the victory over the evil one.

*****

Conclusion

Friends, Jesus the Christ was both the son of Perez born to Judah by Tamar, and the eternal Son of God. He assumed a true human nature — he came in the likeness of sinful flesh — so that he might provide salvation for you and me. Let us not forget that this Christmas season, but rejoice that God would love us so.

Tags: Genesis 38
Posted in Sermons, Genesis 38, Posted by Joe. Comments Off

Dec 19
15

Sermon: Genesis 36-37: The Generations Of Esau And Jacob

Scripture Reading: Genesis 36:1-8 & 37:1-36

“These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.)” (Genesis 36:1–8, ESV)

“Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully: to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.’ His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, ‘Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ And he said to him, ‘Here I am.’ So he said to him, ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.’ So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, ‘What are you seeking?’ ‘I am seeking my brothers,’ he said. ‘Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.’ And the man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’’ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.’ But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ And Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes and returned to his brothers and said, ‘The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?’ Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, ‘This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.’ And he identified it and said, ‘It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.’ Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard” (Genesis 37, ESV).

*****

Introduction

Before getting to the beloved story of Joseph which begins in Genesis 37:2, I would like to say just a few words about Genesis 36, of which we read only a part.

In Genesis 36 we find the generations of Esau. This is the ninth of the ten main sections of the book of Genesis, therefore. In verse 1 we encounter that very familiar phrase “These are the generations of…”. This phrase functions as a heading over the ten sections of Genesis. And who whose descendents are listed here? We are told that “These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). ”

As you know, Esau was the older of the twin boys born to Isaac and Rebekah, but he was not the elect one. Contrary to the custom of the day, the younger son, Jacob, was elect of the Lord. According to the reveled word of God, he would be the one to receive the birthright and the blessing. He would be the one to inherit the promises of God made to his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac.

Paul, when teaching on the doctrine of unconditional election used these two historical individuals to illustrate his point, saying, “when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated’” (Romans 9:10–13, ESV). When we read that God “hated” Esau we should not think that God hated him with a human kind of hatred, which is imperfect and impure. The meaning is that God set his love on Jacob, but passed over Esau. He chose to bless Jacob and to bless the nations of the earth through him, but he determined to leave Esau in his sin and guilt.

Friends, if this is troubling to you — if upon hearing that God loved Jacob and hated Esau you think, “that’s not fair!” — then I would suggest that you have not grasped what the scriptures have to say concerning the majesty of God and magnitude of our sin. Truth be told, all deserved to be as Esau (passed over by God and left in their sin — hated), and none deserve to be as Jacob (chosen and pursued by God, having the love of God set upon them). This precisely what Paul said when he anticipated the objection of “unfairness” or “injustice”. Verese 14: “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:14–16, ESV).

Jacob was elect of the Lord; Esau was passed over. This is made clear in the narrative of Genesis in three ways:

One, this was announced to Rebekah before the children were born, before they had done good or evil. The Lord spoke to her saying, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23, ESV).

Two, the narrative of Genesis also demonstrates that Jacob was the blessed and chosen one. The Lord reiterated his promises to him time and time again. The Lord persued Jacob and was present with Jacob to preserve him. The Lord even wrestled with Jacob, and having humbled him, he blessed him. And finally after serving Laban for all of those years Jacob reentered Canaan, and — take special note of this — Esau left. Think of the significance of this fact. At the end of the day it was Jacob who was brought safely into the the land of promise, while Esau left.

Look again at Genesis 36:6: “Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob…. [Verse 8] So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom)” (Genesis 36:6–8, ESV). And in 37:1 the text says that it was Jacob who “lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 37:1, ESV). The narrative of Genesis emphasizes this development, for it is very significant. Jacob was chosen one — the one to whom the promises of the Lord were given.

This really is a surprising development. Jacob was the one who was sent away from the land as he fled for his life from his brother Esau, while Esau remained in the land. From a human perspective it seemed as if Esau had won. It seemed as if Esau had retained the birthright and his father’s blessing. But it was the will of the Lord that Jacob possess the land. And who can possibly resist the plans and purposes of God? If it is the will of the Lord that such and such a thing happen, then it will happen, even if it is against all odds, humanly speaking, for who can frustrate his will?

What I am saying is that not only was Jacob’s election announced to Rebekah before the children were born, but the stories of their lives show it to be true. Jacob, though he clearly was undeserving, was chosen of the Lord. He was called, pursued and kept by the Lord. The promises of God were given to him. And he was brought safely into the promised land, while Esau was expelled.

Three, the structure of the book of Genesis also shows that Jacob was the elect one, whereas Esau was passed over.

Notice how brief this section is which tells of the generations of Esau (only chapter 36) and compare it with the length of the section which will tell of the generations of Jacob. That section will begin in 37:2 and run all the way through to the end of Genesis, which has 50 chapters. The “generations of Jacob” occupy 13 chapters of Genesis. That is more space than was devoted to the entire time from Adam to Abraham. But Esau’s generations are described in only one chapter.

This pattern has already been observed in the “genealogies” or “generations” of Genesis. The non-elect lines are minimized, whereas the elect lines are emphasized and expanded. Remember Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was the older son of Abraham, but he was not the son of promise. Isaac the younger was. The generations of Ishmael are recorded in Genesis 25:12-18 — only seven verses! — whereas the generations of Isaac occupy 25:19 through to the end of chapter 35 — ten and a half chapters.

Mind you, it is not that Ishmael and Esau were not blessed. Both men prospered greatly and against all odds. Both men became great nations. The Ishmaelites descended from Ishmael, and the Edomites descended from Esau. Clearly these men were blessed. They were blessed in the things of this world. But notice this — they were pools of God’s blessings, and not rivers. They were cul de sacs God’s blessings, not thoroughfares. They were recipients of God’s earthly blessings, but they were not the conduits through whom the blessings of God’s salvations would come to the world.

The Christ would not be born from Lot, Ishmael or Esau. Instead, the Christ would come into the world through Abraham, Isaac and Israel. And in him — that is, in the Christ — all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

Here in Genesis 36 we see that Esau was clearly blessed. But notice that he was blessed only in an earthly way. He had many offspring. A nation and kings descended from him — Esau would become Edom! This is really incredible to think that little Esau would become a nation. But he was not the chosen one. Jacob, his younger twin brother, was blessed of the Lord spiritually. Jacob knew the Lord. And through Jacob and his offspring all the nation of the earth would be reconciled to God through faith in the Christ that would descend from him in the fulness of time.

Having now briefly considered the generations of Esau, let us now turn our attention to tenth and last section of the book of Genesis. In 37:2 we read, “These are the generations of Jacob.” The rest of Genesis will tell the story of Jacob’s offspring. Jospeh, who was the firstborn of Rachael, Jacob’s favorite wife, will be the central figure of this story.

*****

I. Joseph’s Brothers Hated Him

The story of Joseph, which is one of the most loved stories in all the Bible, begins with a description of the hatred that his brothers had for him.

By the way, anyone who thinks that Israel was chosen and blessed of the Lord because of some inherent goodness or worthiness within them has not read the story of scripture very carefully. Time and time again Genesis highlights the sin of Abraham, Issac and Israel, and the same is true here. The children of Israel were plagued by sin. Clearly, any grace shown to Israel was by God’s grace. Any favor bestowed upon them by God was unmerited.

Three reasons are given for the hatred of Joseph:

One, in verse 2 we learn that Joseph brought a bad report to his father Jacob concerning his sons born to Bilhah and Zilpah. “Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father” (Genesis 37:2, ESV).

It is unclear whether the report that Joseph brought to Jacob concerning his half brothers was true. Some commentators suggest that Joseph either lied or exaggerated when he brought this bad report to his father, and that is why his half-brothers hated him. I suppose that is possible. I could be that Joseph, desiring to have first place in his father’s house, slandered his brothers before his father. But narrative of Genesis leads me to think otherwise. It is more natural to see that Jacob’s half brothers were indeed bad men. Consider what has been said about them previously, and consider what will be said about them in just a moment. These were not good people! The hated Jacob, not because his report was untrue, but because he dared to tell Jacob of their bad behavior, whatever form it took. If Jacob erred in some way, perhaps he erred in telling his father. But even that is questionable. Sometimes we are wise to keep our mouths shut and to refrain from sticking our noses into the business of others, but sometimes the only right thing to do is to tell. This is especially the case when some evil thing is being done that will bring harm to others. Jacob told on his brothers, and they hated him for it.

[APPLICATION: This scenario reminds me of what Peter says in 1 Peter 4:2-5. There he exhorts the Christian “to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. [And then he makes this observation:] With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:2–5, ESV). Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised if these who are worldly hate you when you refuse to live as they do. They will “malign” you, Peter says. That means they will speak evil of you. It is quite natural to want others to like you. Who doesn’t want that?! But we cannot be driven by this desire. Sometimes doing what is right, and refusing to do what is evil, will mean that those who do evil will hate you. The Christian must come to terms with this. This must be a burden that the Christian is willing to bear.]

Not only did Joseph refuse to run with his half-brothers in their evil ways, he even opposed them by informing his father of their bad behavior. It is not surprising to learn that they hated him for it.

Two, Joseph’s brothers hated him because their father, Jacob, showed favoritism to him. This provoked them to jealousy.

Verse 3: “Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him” (Genesis 37:3–4, ESV).

One lesson that we can learn from the life of Jacob is that we should not show favoritism. Jacob showed favoritism to Rachel over his other wives, and this contributed to the division within his family. And Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph over his other sons, and they resented him for it. They resented Jacob and they hated Joseph.

There would have been nothing wrong for Joseph to have a special place in Jacob’s heart. After all, he was the son of his old age, one of the sons born to Rachel. It is evident that Joseph was good boy, especially when compared to the others. But it was very foolish for Jacob to show favoritism to Joseph. Clearly he showed favoritism, for the other could see it. They knew that Joseph was the favored one. In fact, Jacob made a beautiful and lavish coat for Jospeh to wear — it was a costly coat of many colors. That Joseph was the favored one was far from hidden. In fact, Jacob put it on full display.

[APPLIACTION: Brothers and sisters, we should be careful to not show favoritism to any of our children. When I think of my four I give thanks to God for each one of them. Each one holds a special place in my heart in one way or another. And this is how it should be. And it is only right that each of them receive the same treatment from their father and mother. Each should be loved, instructed and disciplined equally. Time should be invested into each one. They should know for sure that they are loved. Without a doubt they will grow aware of the fact that they themselves have strengths and weakness. They will probably be able to guess that mom and dad love this or thing about me, but this they probably don’t like so much. But they should know that that won’t change our love for them, for they are our children.]

Jacob may be criticized for showing favoritism to Joseph, but that does not excuse the bad behavior of his sons, for at the end of the day, they were responsible before the Lord for their own actions.

[APPLICATION: In our day and age it is common for people to blame their bad behavior on their parents. If only my mom and dad were better parents, I would be better, they say. Or, I am this way because of my dad. And while I do not deny that our parents have a powerful impact upon us, this also needs to be said: you are your own person. The choices that you are making are your choices. You yourself will stand before God someday to give an account, and on that day it will not do to blame mom or dad for your sins. At some point we must come to this realization and take responsibility for our own actions.]

The scriptures do indeed teach that the decisions mothers and especially fathers make will have an impact upon their children. We see that principle here in the story of Jacob and his sons. We also see that principle in the ten commandments where we read, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Deuteronomy 5:8–10, ESV).

This is how things work, especially in a national setting. The sins of the fathers affect the children. Read Exodus and you will see that many children wandered for a long tim in the wilderness, not for their lack of faith, but because of the lack of faith of their fathers. Read Kings and Chronicles and see that children would offen suffer the consequences for the sins of their fathers. Many were born to Israel while in Babylonian captivity, brothers and sisters. And why were they born there? They were born there, not for their own sins, but for the sins of the previous generation. Clearly, this is how things work in a national context. Our children will pay our debts in this country, friends.

But as it pertains to the individual, each one stands before God alone. This is especially true under the New Covenant now that the national dynamic of Old Covenant Israel has been abolished. Jeremiah, speaking of the days of the New Covenant said, “In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29–30, ESV).

Have you ever eaten sour grapes and felt the sensations that Jeremiah is talking about — the sensation of your teeth being set on edge? In Jeremiah’s day there was a saying that the fathers eat sour grapes, but it is the children who experience the sensation of their teeth being set on edge. In other words, our fathers were idolators, etc., but were are paying for it! We are reaping what they have sown! Jeremiah is saying that it will not be so under the New Covenant. That generational principle is gone, for the New Covenant people of God are not a nation. They are not a mixed multitude as Old Covenant Israel was. To the contrary, Jeremiah says that under the New Covenant, “no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34, ESV).

Parents have a HUGE impact on their children. This I do not deny. But if you are in Christ you are “a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV). You cannot blame your current bad behavior on others, but must take responsibility for yourself and look to Christ for the help you need to progress in your sanctification.

Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph. In this he was wrong. But this does not excuse the sin of his other sons who hated Joseph because they allowed their jealousy to consume them.

Three, Joseph’s brothers hated him because of the dreams he dreamed concerning his superiority over there rest of the family. When Joseph shared these dreams with his family, he provoked them to jealously even more so.

Jospeh dreamed two dreams.

Verse 5: “Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.’ His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” (Genesis 37:5–8, ESV).

We know that this dream was from the Lord, for it came true! Not only would Joseph’s brothers eventually bow down to him, but they would do so because they were seeking grain in a time famine. Not only did the dream communicate that Joseph would be superior, it also hinted at the circumstances that would bring it about — it would have something to do with harvesting grain.

Here we can criticize Joseph a bit. It was probably foolish for him to share this dream with his brothers. It would have been wise for him to keep these things to himself especially given that jealousy was already an issue amongst the brothers. It is wrong to be jealous, but it is also wrong to provoke others to jealously.

[APPLICATION: Friends, if the Lord has blessed you in some way, don’t flaunt it. Walk humbly before God and man. Don’t put a stumbling block in front of others.]

Jacob’s second dream is found in verses 9-11: “Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, ‘Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind” (Genesis 37:9–11, ESV).

The sun symbolized Jacob. The moon signified Leah, given that Rachel had already died. And the eleven starts symbolized his brothers. This imagery of the sun, moon and stars has a national significance to it in the rest of scripture. Here it is Israel as a nation considered. But the meaning is the same — in due time his family, including his parents, would own before him. Even Jacob was offended when Joseph shared the dream with him, but instead of being jealous as the brothers were, “kept the saying in mind.”

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II. Joseph’s Brothers Conspired To Do Him Harm

In the second part of this chapter we learn that Jospeh’s brothers hated him so much so that the conspired to do him harm. Notice that just as three reasons were given for their hatred of him, there are three stages to their plan to harm him.

First, they simply conspired to kill him. You know the story. The brothers were a long way from home, out of their fathers sight and supervision, tending to the flocks. Jacob through they were at Shechem. The mention of this place should remind the reader of the awful thing that the sons of Jacob did there when they slaughtered the people of that land being enraged concerning what was done to their sister. The reader is to remember that these are not good men — they are violent men. Joseph was sent to check on the brothers and to bring them supplies.

As Joseph journeyed towards them [verse 18] “They saw him from afar [they knew it was him because of his unique coat], and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him” (Genesis 37:18, ESV).

Immediately we are to remember the sin of Cain who, being driven by jealously, rose up and killed his own brother, Able. Just as Adam’s sons were divided, so too Jacob’s. “They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams’” (Genesis 37:19–20, ESV).

These are very wicked men. They desired to kill their own brother, and they were willing to deceive their own father concerning the death of his beloved son.

Two, Ruben, the oldest of the brothers, determined to rescue Joseph by suggesting they not shed his blood, but through him into one of the pits instead, to leave him for dead. The others brothers agreed, thinking that it would be more appropriate to kill him this way. Reuben’s intention was to go away and then return later to save him.

What it was that motivated Reuben to do this good thing is hard to say. He is not portrayed as a good man in the Genesis narrative. Perhaps this was simply too much for him. Or perhaps he felt some special responsibility for the wellbeing of the family given that he was the oldest. Latter in the Joseph story that does seem to be the case.

In verse 23 we read, “So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat” (Genesis 37:23–25, ESV).

The depravity of man is truly great, isn’t it? These men did this wicked thing — they treated their own brother brutally and left him to die a horrible death — “then they sat down to eat.”

The third stage of their conspiracy to do Joseph harm came when, Judah, wishing to profit from doing away with his brother, suggested that they sell him to the Midianite or Ishmaelite (they can go by either name (see Judges 8:24)) traders who were passing by. This they did for twenty shekels of silver.

At the end of verse 28 we read, “They took Joseph to Egypt.”

The texts doesn’t say anything about Joseph’s reaction to this. Later in the story when the brothers stand before Joseph in Egypt we learn that Joseph did plead for his life before his brothers, but they showed him no mercy. And with stage is set for the rest of the Joseph story.

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III. Joseph’s Brothers Deceived Their Own Father, Jacob

The third and final section of this chapter describes the deception of Jacob.

Not only did these men sell their own brother into slavery, they even lied to their father, and allowed him to mourn deeply, thinking that Joseph was dead.

First, it was Ruben who grieved. He returned to rescue the boy but found that he was gone. Evidently he was not there when the decision was made to take him from the pit to sell him.

Second, the brothers prepared to deceive their father by following through on the plan to dip Joseph’s coat in goat’s blood and to present it to Jacob saying that he was killed by a fierce animal.

It is worth noticing the irony that just as Jacob used the tunic of his brother Esau and the skin of a goat to deceive his father Isaac in his old age, now he himself his deceived by his sons with a coat and the blood of a goat. Sometimes things come back to bite you, don’t they?

Third, notice that Jacob was left to grieve even though his sons could have easily relieved him by telling him the truth. “ Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father wept for him.” Never did his sons tell him that Joseph was alive and in Egypt. To do so would have required that their sin be exposed, but they were not willing to let that happen. Instead they lefty their own father in a state of perpetual mourning. The callousness of the hearts of the sons of Israel is surprising indeed.

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Conclusion

This story is a very sad story. Why then is it so beloved?

I have three answers, and with these we will concluded.

The story of Joseph is beloved because the people of God can relate to Joseph in his suffering. This is especially true of those who have been mistreated in this world. The story of Joseph will encourage our hearts as we see that the Lord was with Joseph and preserved him in his suffering.

Two, the story of Joseph is beloved because it answers some of our deepest questions regarding the relationship between sin and sovereignty of God, our suffering and God’s purposes. The truth that will be pressed upon us through this narrative is that God is able to use that which is evil for good. Paul says it this way, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). That sounds a lot like what Joseph will say to his brothers after many years of suffering. To them he will say, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20, ESV).

Three, the story of Joseph is beloved because Jesus the Christ is typified in him. It is not difficult to see that in the life of Joseph the redemption that we have in Christ was foreshadowed. Just as Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob was rejected by his own brothers, was mistreated even to the point of death, was delivered from pit of death and raised up to power so that through him many might be saved, so too Jesus Christ our Lord was rejected by his own kinsmen, was mistreated even to the point of death — death on the cross, was raised up from the grave and was seated high above all poweres, so that through him — through faith in his name — many son and daughter may be brought to glory. Amen.

Tags: Genesis 36-37
Posted in Sermons, Genesis 36-37, Posted by Joe. Comments Off

Dec 19
8

Sermon: Genesis 35: Jacob Enters Canaan, Not The New Heavens And Earth

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Scripture Reading: Genesis 35

“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’ So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.’ So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem. And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth. God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.’ So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.’ Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel. Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for you have another son.’ And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” (Genesis 35, ESV)

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Introduction

At first glance Genesis chapter 35 might seem like a random collection of unrelated facts pertaining to the life of Jacob and his family. But upon closer examination we find that this chapter follows a patern already established in the book of Genesis. It brings the section which began at 25:19 concerning the descendents of Isaac to a conclusion while at the same time preparing the reader for what will follow. Chapter 35 functions like a hinge, therefore. It closes the previous section and opens the next to us.

I would like to remind you that after the prologue of Genesis 1:1-2:3 the book of Genesis is divided into 10 sections. Each of these 10 sections begin with the phrase, “these are the generations of…”, or something close to that. For example, Genesis 2:4 says , “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created…” Genesis 4:1: “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” Genesis 6:9: “These are the generations of Noah”, etc. After each of these introductory headings we find a record of the offspring of the figure that was named — the offspring of the heavens and earth, the offspring of Adam, of Noah, the sons of Noah, Shem, Terah, Ishmael and Issac. Notice that in chapter 36 we will consider the generations of Esau, and beginning in 37:2 we will consider the generations Jacob, which will bring the book of Genesis to a conclusion.

Genesis 35 is a very important chapter in that it brings the eighth section of the book of Genesis — that is, the one that tells of the generations of Isaac — to a conclusion while also preparing us for what will follow, namely, a prolonged consideration of the sons of Jacob, with special attention given to Joseph, through whom the nation of Israel would be preserved in the world.

The story of the generations of Isaac began in 25:19. His two sons, Esau and Jacob, were the main characters in that story. I will not repeat the story in detail, for we have been considering it for some time now. But in brief, Jacob and Esau were twins. It was revealed to their their mother while they were still in the womb that, contrary to way of the world, the older would serve the younger. Jacob the younger was to have the birthright and the blessing, and not Esau the older. Even more significant, Jacob would be the one to receive the promises of God that were given first to Abraham and to Isaac. Jacob would be blessed of the Lord and he would be a blessing. He would become a great nation. He would possess the land of Canan. And through him all of the families of the earth would be blessed. These promises were given to Jacob time and time again. And one thing was made very clear — these promises were given to him, not because he was deserving, but by the grace of God alone, for Jacob was a deceptive, self-serving, and manipulative individual at the start. But God pursued him, called him, and changed him in the course of time.

These changes took place within Jacob through suffering. As a consequence of his deceitful behavior towards his father and brother he was driven away into exile. And while in exile he was given a taste of his own medicine. He himself was deceived by his uncle, Laban. He served him like a slave. But God was faithful to call Jacob back to the land that was promised to him. God preserved him. God graciously wrestled with him, so as to humble him further, bringing him to a place of deeper dependence upon him.

In chapters 33-35 we find an account of Jacob entering back into the land of Canan. In chapter 36 we will learn that Esau would leave Canan for what would become Edom in the hill country of Sier.

I say all of this to you by way of introduction not so that you might win at Bible trivia. Instead, I say all of this hoping that it will help us to not loose sight of the big picture of the story of Genesis, which is in fact the beginning of the story of our redemption that is told in the Bible as a whole.

It is easy to loose sight of the big picture of Genesis and of the Bible as we focus our attention on these little stories about the lives of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, but we must not! These little stories — though meaningful in and of themselves — are a part of a much bigger and more important story — the story of the redemption of God’s elect through Jesus who is the Christ, and the renewal of all things in heaven and earth by his finished work.

Please bear with me for just a little while longer while I labor to set this little story (and all others) into the context of the bigger story of Genesis and of scripture.

We must never forget how the book of Genesis begins. The book of beginnings begins with the story of the creation of the heavenly realm and also the earthly realm. There we learned that God’s purpose for creating the earth was to make it a place suitable for human habitation. Not only that, but it was to be a place where man would commune with God. Adam and Eve were created by God and they were placed within Eden. There they walked with God. There they were to worship and serve him. They were to expand that garden paradise. They were to multiply, living in personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience to their Maker.

What then was the original creation? We have observed that it was a temple, or sanctuary where man communed with God. We might also say that the original creation was a kingdom. To have a kingdom you must have land, citizens, and a king. In Eden all three were present — land, citizens, and a king. Eden was the place, Adam and Eve were the citizens, and God himself was the king. Adam also had a kingly role to play, but only as a viceregent living under the supreme authority of the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

This is the picture that Genesis 2:4-25 paints. It describes the original creation as a holy kingdom. It describes Eden as a sanctuary where our first parents enjoyed communion with God. But we must not forget Genesis 3, for Genesis 3 explains to us why we do not live in a world that is all “kingdom of God” and all “sanctuary of God”. I do not need to convince you that we do not live in the world that Genesis 2 describes. Far from it! We live in a world that is filled with the hatred of God, sin, suffering, and death.

Those opening chapters of Genesis must not be forgotten for they tell us of God’s original design, his original offer (life eternal through obedience), and the rejection of that offer in Adam’s rebellion. The kingdom of God was offered, but rejected, friends.

What does that have to do with Genesis 35, you ask? The answer is, everything! The stories of Genesis 1-3 are the backdrop to these stories. You will not be able to make sense of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, nor of the significance of Jacob and his family entering the land to worship God without the backdrop of Genesis chapters 1 -3.

Here is my question: What was God up to when he called Abraham out of Ur and promised to bless him, to make his name great and to bless the nations of the earth through him? What was God up to when he promised to make Abraham into a great multitude — into nations and kings? What was God up to when he promised to give Abraham a land? What was God up to when he gave those same promises to Abraham’s chosen offspring, Isaac and Jacob? Was he only concerned to bless those men and their families? Or was this start of something much larger?

The answer is that God was beginning to provide a way of salvation for the world. He was beginning to recover what was lost in the sin of Adam. These stories regarding Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are among the first of God’s initiatives to take back that which was stolen by the evil one. Here in Genesis we find the beginning of God’s redemption. He called one man from amongst the nations, and he promised to make that one man into many. He would also give that one man and his descendents a land. Kings would come from him. A nation would be born! And through that people and nation a savior would come into the world. And he would provide salvation, not only for the physical descendents of Abraham, but for all the nations of the earth.

We must never loose sight of this big picture story of redemption — the story of the in-breaking of God’s kingdom into a fallen world, and the renewal of God’s temple which has been defiled by the sin of God’s creatures.

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I. Jacob’s Journey Into Canaan Was A Preview Of Israel’s Conquest Of Canaan Under Joshua And Our Entry Into The New Heavens And Earth In Jesus The Christ

The first thing that I would like to recognize is that the story of Genesis 35 concerning Jacob’s journey into Canaan was a preview of Israel’s conquest of Canaan under Joshua, and our entry into the new heavens and earth in Jesus the Christ.

You might be thinking, where do you see that in the text, Pastor? Well, this is clearly seen only when we keep the big picture story of scripture in view. You have probably heard it said that we must interpret individual passages of scripture in the context. Most, when they hear the word “context” think of the paragraphs or chapters that immediately precede or follow, and that is right! But we must also remember the whole Bible is the context of any given passage of scripture.

And when we consider the whole story from Genesis to Revelation it becomes clear that Jacob’s journey into Canaan was a preview of Israel’s conquest of Canaan under Joshua and our entry into the new heavens and earth in Jesus the Christ.

Jacob went into exile and found himself in bondage to Laban for many years. The Lord called him out of that “foreign” land to enter the land of promise. Laban pursuit him, but God preserved Jacob. The Lord appeared to Jacob and promised to always be with him. Jacob feared the sounding nations for they were greater than he, but God made them tremble so that Jacob might enter the land safely.

This story should sound familiar to you, for it is a little miniature version of a much bigger and much better known story — the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt under Moses and their conquest of Canaan under Joshua. In other words, Jacob, who was given the name Israel, experience in miniature what his offspring (Israel as a nation) would experience on a larger scale many years later.

[APPLICARTION: Think of the impact this would have upon the people of Israel as the left Egypt, sojourned in the wilderness, and prepared to enter Canaan to conquer it in the days of Joshua. They would have remembered the experiences of Jacob their forefather and been encouraged. They would have been encouraged to know that this was according to the plan of God. They would have remembered the promises of old. They would have remembered that just as God was faithful to Jacob, God would be faithful to them to being them safely into the land.]

But let us also remember that exodus from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan was itself prototypical. In other words, when God redeemed Israel from Egypt and let them safely into the land of promise it was a little miniature version of a much bigger and much better known story — the story of spiritual Israel’s deliverance from the kingdom of darkness, their being transferred into the kingdom of light, and their entrance into the new heavens and new earth under and by faith in Jesus (Joshua) who is the Christ.

[APPLICATION: Friends, Jacob was freed from Laban and Israel was freed from Egypt, but you have been delivered from the domain of darkness. Both Jacob and Israel were defended by the Lord from the power nations that surrounded them, but you are defended from the principalities of darkness. Jacob and Israel entered into Canaan, but you, being the Israel of God, will be brought safely into the new heavens and earth through faith in Jesus who is the Christ. Trust in him. Cling to him. Be found in him. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, ESV)]

You might be thinking to yourself that Pastor has lost it interpreting scripture like this as if these stories all point forward to Christ like this. I would respond by asking, have you read the New Testament scriptures? Do you remember how Jesus spoke to the men at Emmaus “and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27, ESV)? Or have you forgotten the words of Paul who spoke to Christians saying that, “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV), or of Peter who spoke to the Christian, saying, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:9–12, ESV)?

As we read of Jacob escaping Laban and entering Canaan, and as we consider the nation of Israel being freed from Egypt and entering Canaan, we are to remember that these were but little miniature versions of a much greater redemption and blessing to that would be accomplished by Christ in the fulness of time. By his obedient life, sacrificial death and victorious resurrection he has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to [his] kingdom… in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV).

[APPLICATION: One, you, like Jacob, were redeemed so that you might worship.

“God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”” (Genesis 35:1, ESV)

Two, you, like Jacob, must put away your foreign gods.

“So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you…” (Genesis 35:2, ESV)

Why did they have foreign gods?

You might also!

Three, you, like Jacob, must be made pure.

Furthermore he said, “…and purify yourselves and change your garments” (Genesis 35:2, ESV).

Why did they need to be made pure?

It was a ceremonial purity that was required of them to enter Canaan.

Ceremonial purity will not do to enter the new heavens and earth. We must be made pure to the heart.

Four, you, like Jacob, must trust always in the Lord.

“Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone” (Genesis 35:3, ESV).

May this be our resolve each morning. May this be our resolve each Lord’s Day!

Five, you, like Jacob, must be faithful to worship.

“So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.” (Genesis 35:4, ESV)

I think this was like a tithe to Lord. Do you remember what Jacob said when God had appeared to him at Bethel those many years ago? He said, “and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you” (Genesis 28:22, ESV). The worship of God has always involved the giving of offerings. Are you?

Verse 5: “And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother” (Genesis 35:5–7, ESV).

What did Jacob do having entered back into the land of Canaan? He worshipped! And what are we to do now that we have been delivered out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of the son? We are to worship — we are to worship privately, but especially corporately and publicly. And what will we do when enter into the new heavens and earth? We will worship.

If when you reflect upon that fact — that in the new heavens and earth we will worship continually — you think that will be boring, you have greatly underestimated God’s unbounded glory and the pleasure that we will find in knowing him. ]

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II. Jacob’s Journey Into Canaan Was Clearly Not An Entry Into The Final State

The second observation that I would like to make about Genesis 35 is that Jacob’s journey into Canaan was clearly not an entry into the final state. In other words, though his entry into Canaan was a significant step forward in the accomplishment of God’s plan of redemption, it was not the final step. In yet other words, though in the story we are beginning to see the formation of a kingdom — the kingdom of Israel — the arrival of God’s consummated kingdom was clearly not yet (not even close).

Notice that are nations in the world who would do Israel harm were not for God causing a terror to fall upon them (verse 5). When God’s kingdom is consummated — then the new heavens and earth are ushered in — no such kingdoms will exist in the world. All will be God’s kingdom. All will be God’s temple (see Revealtion 21 and 22).

Notice that the pain of death still plagued Israel.

Verse 8: “And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth” (Genesis 35:8, ESV).

How Deborah, who was the nurse of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, came to be with clan of Jacob, we do not know. Perhaps she joined Jacob when she heard that she was reentering the land. And why Genesis tells us of Deborah’s death, but not Rebekah’s, is also a mytery. Perhaps it has to do with Rebekah’s sin in suggesting the deceit of her husband Isaac when the blessing was stolen from Esau and given to Jacob. It’s as if Deborah was highly esteemed, but Rebekah not.

Not only are we told of Deborah’s death, but also Rachel’s, the beloved wife of Jacob. Verse 16: “Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for you have another son.’ And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder” (Genesis 35:16–21, ESV).

Ironically, Rachael had years earlier spoken to Jacob, saying, “Give me children, or I shall die!” (Genesis 30:1, ESV). Rachael gave birth to one child and named him Joseph. And after bearing Joseph she said, “May the LORD add to me another son!” (Genesis 30:24, ESV). Both of her sayings came true. She died in the process of giving birth to her second son. She, in her anguish and grief, named him Ben-one, meaning son of my sorrow, but Jacob called him Benjamin, meaning son of the right hand, a much more positive name, given that the right hand signifies strength.

It is also in the passage that the death of Isaac is reported. “And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him” (Genesis 35:27–29, ESV).

This reference to Isaac’s death brings this section concerning the generation of Isaac to a conclusion.

Notice that both Jacob, the elect son, and Esau, the non-elect son, came together to bury Isaac. The same was true of the burial of Abraham — both Isaac and Ismael were there. I can’t help but think that this is meant to communicate in some way that fact that in and through these men and their elect descendents blessing would come tall the nations of the earth. In due time and through the chosen offspring of Abraham the middle wall of hostility would be broken down and the two peoples would become one through faith in the Christ (Ephesians 2:14).

But the point I am making here is that as significant as Jacoob’s entry into Canaan was in the history of redemption, it is not the final step, for it did not usher in the final state — not even close. Death still plagues the people of Israel.

In the new heavens and earth when the kingdom of God is here in full, for then “the dwelling place of God [will be] with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3–4, ESV).

[APPLIACTION: Brothers and sisters, it right for us to long for that day. But it is also important for us to square with the reality that we are not there yet. In Christ, death no longer has its sting! But that does not mean that we not subject to its power. Joshua did not enter into the final state when he entered into to Canaan. And neither have we entered into the final state through faith in Christ. We have tasted of it, but we still long for the new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells. We still long for that day when God will “wipe away every tear from [our] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” We will still suffer in this world, friends, but God is with us. We will still mourn, but our God will comfort us.]

Not only were there still enemies of God in the world in the days of Jacob, and not only were the people of Israel still plagued by death, they were also plagued by sin.

It is here that we learn that Ruben, the firstborn of Jacob’s sons, did a most terrible thing. Verse 22: “While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it” (Genesis 35:22, ESV). Reuben was hypocritical, for he did something similar to what Shechem had done to the sister Dinah, which the sons of Jacob condemned. It seems that Reuben was interested in usurping his fathers authority. It may also be that he was concerned that Bilhah not take the place as his fathers favorite wife now that Rachel had died. Reuben wanted his mother, and his little clan within a clan, to have the privileged position. Whatever the rationale, Reuben did a very wicked thing. And the text simply says, “and Israel [Jacob] heard of it.” It doesn’t say that he did anything about it, which has become typical of Jacob.

Far from being free from sin as will be in the new heavens and earth, Israel is still plagued by sin. There is sin in Israel’s camp, and the family is divided.

Notice that when the sons of Jacob are listed in verses 23 through 26 they are not listed from oldest to youngest, but according to their factions: first the sons of Leah and then Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah. This will become important as the narrative continues, for it will be the jealousy and division amongst the sons of Jacob that lead to Joseph’s bondage in Egypt and the eventual salvation of Israel through him.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, as the people of God living this side of glory, we will encounter opposition, we will suffer and experience times of mourning, and we have to do battle with sin and it’s consequences. Prepare for it. Do not grow weary in the fight.

In the days of Jacob the kingdom of God was beginning to be prefigured and they people of God straggled with these things. Now that the Christ has come we are living in God’s inaugurated kingdom — we have the victory in Christ Jesus and we have tasted of the glory to come — but we still live in a fallen wold with pressures and heartaches of many kinds. We must persevere until the kingdom of God is consummated when Christ returns to make all things new.]

*****

III. Jacob Was Again Encouraged With The Promises Of God, His Eyes Directed To The Future Fulfillment Of The Promises Made To Abraham and Isaac Before Him

The third and final observation of Genesis 35 will be brief. It is this — In Genesis 35 Jacob is again encouraged with the promises of God, his eyes directed to the future fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and Isaac before him.

In verse 9 we read, “God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.’ So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you” (Genesis 35:9–12, ESV).

Much of this was a reminder of things that God had previously said to Jacob. But this was new: “A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.” Abraham had been told that kings and nations would come from him, but this was the first time it was said to Jacob.

*****

Conclusion

My desire is that you would see and understand the big picture plan of God for the redemption of his elect and the renewal of this world that has been given over to corruption through mans fall into sin.

God determined to provide a savior. This savior would be the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He would be born from amongst the people who would descend from them. And before his arrival this people — the Hebrew people — would be formed into a nation which would prefigure the kingdom of God and prepare for the arrival of the Christ, through whom salvation would come, and by whom the heavens and earth will be renewed.

This is the big picture, friends. This is the story of scripture. It is the gospel of the kingdom. The purpose of the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not to encourage us to be like them (for they were clearly flawed), but to have the faith that they had. For they were “ looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, ESV). In other words, they new that the promises that were made to them were ultimately about the Christ and the promise of a new heavens and earth.

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:13–16, ESV).

Let us be sure to have their faith, therefore. Let us be sure that we believe upon the Christ who descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of life eternal. “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Galatians 3:7–9, ESV)

Tags: Genesis 35
Posted in Sermons, Genesis 35, Posted by Joe. Comments Off

Dec 19
1

Sermon: Jude 8-16: Beware Of False Teachers – Part 2

OT Reading- Ezk 11:5-12

NT Passage- Jude 8-16

Greetings
OT Reading (Ezk 11:5-12)

5 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind. 6 You have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.

7 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot, but I will drive you out of it. 8 You fear the sword, and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 I will drive you out of the city and deliver you into the hands of foreigners and inflict punishment on you. 10 You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. 12 And you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.”

NT Reading (Jude 8-16)

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

Pray
Intro
1. Today, church, we will be covering part 2 of a 3 part series on the book of Jude. If you remember, a few months ago we covered the introduction to Jude along with verses 1-7.
2. And so today’s sermon will be addressing verses 8-16 of Jude. And, Lord willing, we will finish this 3 part series within the next month.
3. And before considering verses 8-16, I want to first recap on verses 1-7 and remind us of the context and purpose of Judes epistle.
4. Introduction (pre vs. 1)
  1. You will remember that Jude’s letter uses a common three part structure that was typical of early church letters. And that Jude closely parallels that of the 2nd book of Peter.
  2. Also remember that the body of Jude lays out and references a series of “proof texts” that reference the Old Testament writings, Jewish Literature, and Apostolic Prophecy; all for the purpose of displaying the destruction of the heretics that Jude addresses in his book. Thus, when broadly considering the overall message of Jude, we must be careful to remember that the entire theme of the book is the stern warning against these “false teachers” that had infiltrated into the Church; and the need for the Church to be aware of such individuals.
5. In briefly recapping the first 7 verses of the epistle we see that in verses 1-2, after giving a brief introduction, Jude authenticates his own identity and identifies his audience, (which were those who were “called by God and kept in Christ”)

In verses 3-4, we see that Jude’s original intent was to write about “our common salvation” but instead he felt compelled to discuss the need for vigilance of these “false teachers” that had “secretly crept into the Church”.
And in verses 5-7 we see that Jude cited three examples from Old Testament history that displayed God’s judgment on those who intentionally distort the word of God and live contrary to it. The three examples were:
1. The Exodus Generation and their judgement, The fallen angels from heaven and their judgement, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their judgement.

Therefore, we must remember, Church, that Jude’s main point in citing these three examples was to remind believers that God justly judges the wicked and their sins.
1. This brings us now to verses 8-16.
Exegesis of Jude 8-16
Meet the Apostates
1. And as Jude 1-7 laid out the warning to the believer to watch out for the “false teachers” that have crept into the church, vs. 8-16, then, go into detail in describing the person, type, and character of these infiltrating “false teachers”.
2. Jude was not content to simply remind his readers of God’s Old Testament judgements in describing these “men”.
3. Instead, Jude chose to expand and give significantly more detail in describing what these “false teachers” were like and what they would do to the church if left unnoticed.
4. In verses 8-16, Jude’s description of these apostates could be categorized into the 3 following statements:
  1. 1. That these men reject divine and God ordained authority (vs. 8-11)
  2. 2. That these men live as hypocrites to the faith (vs. 12-13; 16)
  3. 3. And, that these men will receive their due penalty for their actions (vs. 14-15)
  4. Lets look at each of these statements and their corresponding verses in more detail as we consider the words of Jude today.
  5. First, these men reject divine authority vs. 8-11
    1. Brothers and Sisters, one of the telltale signs of a false Christian is that he or she will reject divine authority and set himself up as his own authority. And one of their main reasons for “rebelling” against God’s authority can be found in Jude’s use of the word dreams in vs. 8.
    2. For not only do these individuals live in a dream-like state of delusion, believing that they can live contrary to the ways of God without repercussion; more specifically, these men are “dreamers” in the sense that they are like the ‘false prophets’ often described throughout the Old Testament. Listen to the words of Jer 29:8-9 pertaining to the use of the word “dreams” amongst false prophecy:
      1. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
    3. Or listen to the words of Deutoronomy 13:1-5, which serve as an even better example and cross reference verse to Jude 8:
      1. “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
    4. Thus, brothers and sisters, what we see is that “these men” described by Jude, are of the same nature of the false prophets of the Old Testament.
    5. And today in our post-modern society, we certainly once again live in a period where people are beginning to justify life actions and ‘religious’ beliefs on the basis of “dreams” and other subjective experiences; rather than on the true teachings of the word of God.
    6. It is very disturbing and sad, Church, when we come across other Christians who would much rather believe a ‘dream’ or ‘vision’ from a Christian friend that had a “good feeling” about something, than to spend time immersed in learning from the Word of God.
    7. And not only do the false teachers that Jude describes love to create their own subjective truth through their own subjective means, they also love to direct others around them through the same means. This is why, both the words of Jude and Deutoronomy take the presence of such individuals within the Church, so seriously. For when these men are left to influence and teach others in the church, great damage comes to the people of God.
    8. And as it was true in Biblical times, so too is it true today; that false Christians will use their emotions, dreams, and other psychological experiences as a means of “direction” from God.
    9. But this is all rooted in their need for complete control; as these “false teachers” reject all God given authority, including: leaders in the church, the wise counsel of godly men, and even the truth directly found in scripture.
    10. But may it not be so for us, Church. For our emotions (and most certainly our dreams) are not only highly distorted as a result of sin, they most definitely are not the foundation of truth and direction.
      1. Please understand, the Holy Spirit can and does work in directing our lives, but to rely on feelings and emotions as direction from God is a very dangerous thing to do. And it is also common amongst the “false teachers” that Jude describes.
    11. Instead, brothers and sisters, study your Bibles and know the truths of God taught within. For by doing so, you will be much less likely to ever fall prey to any form of false teaching, because you will know the true words and commands of God.
    12. But these men that Jude describes, have turned away from God’s truth and instead feed their minds on false doctrines; that in turn only inflate their egos and encourage their rebellion…
    13. Jude 10 reminds us that these individuals are ignorant people who do not know the true teachings of God; they merely live the way that they find fit, believing that their self fulfilling and self serving standards of right and wrong are acceptable.
    14. Furthermore, Jude tells us that these men blaspheme both the word and people of God. The word Blaspheme literally means to speak evil of God. However, it involves much more than just taking God’s name in vain.
      1. For a person does in fact, blaspheme God when they speak evil of Him. But a person especially blasphemes God, when they speak with their actions what they think of the authority of God. For blatant disobedience to the Word of God is the most blasphemous thing of all.
    15. And know, Church, that arrogant and irreverent speech is a very dangerous thing. But it is most dangerous when one despises and blasphemes the authority that God himself has established. For even the Archangel Michael (Dan. 10:13) did not dare to rebuke Satan, but instead respected the authority given to Satan by God.
    16. Brothers and Sisters, we must make careful note of this teaching from scripture. For Jude is very precise to use the two most elite individuals on the opposing sides of Good and Evil in making this point. Because when Michal came into a dispute with Satan, the scriptures tell us that even the archangel Michael respected the authority given to Satan, by God. And this has 2 very large and important ramifications for us in the Church:
      1. 1. That we all must respect authority, especially of the positions given by God.
      2. 2. That it is God’s job to judge evil, not ours.
    17. And this is why, Jude gives 3 additional Old Testament examples of God’s judgement of the wicked: in order to remind the reader that God will be faithful to perfectly judge the evil men who blaspheme the commands of God. These three stories that Jude references are: Cain’s act of murder in Gen 4, Balaams false teachings in Num 22, and Korah’s rebellion of God in Num 16. Let’s take a moment to review each of these biblical stories in order to further understand Jude’s point and purpose in referencing them.
      1. First, In the story of Cain and Abel in Gen 4, we read that Cain rebelled against God’s ordained way of worship. For instead of being obedient to the commands of God, Cain rejected the divinely authorized way of worship and instead came to the altar with the fruits of his own choosing. In other words, Cain thought he knew best. But God rejected Cain’s offering, for the Lord knew the evil intentions of Cain’s heart. But it was by faith that Abel’s sacrifice was offered to God (in accordance with God’s instruction) which was why God accepted it (Heb. 11:4). And it was at this point in Gen 4 that, out of envy and jealousy, Cain attacked and murdered his brother Abel. Thus the story of Cain is not only about his envy and hatred of his brother, but also about his self-love and desire for personal gain.

Second, the story of Balaam is found in Numbers 22 and tells of how Balaam merchandised his gifts and ministry for the purpose of making money. He used the spiritual to gain the material (see 1 Thes. 2:5–6; 1 Tim. 6:3–21). The “error of Balaam”, then, was that he was a prophet of God; but he chose to prostitute his gifts for the purpose of financial gain; and in doing so, brought about much destruction to the people of God. Thus, Balaam became widely known as a false teacher and false prophet.

The story of (Korah) is found in Numbers 16, and it also centers on rebellion against authority. Korah and his followers resented the leadership of Moses and he dared God to do anything about their rebellion. And in speaking against Moses, they were actually speaking against the Lord who had given Moses his authority. And so God judged Korah and his followers and established clearly the authority of His servant, Moses, over him..

Thus, Cain rebelled against God’s authority, for he refused to bring a blood sacrifice as God had commanded. And Balaam rebelled against God’s authority, for he prostituted his gifts for money and led Israel to mix with the other nations. And Korah rebelled against God’s authority, as he denied that Moses was God’s appointed servant and attempted to usurp his authority.

We must be careful, Church, to learn from these Old Testament examples, especially in the context of Jude’s application to the false teachers that have crept into the Church. For God takes His authority seriously. And Jude reminds us of the punishment to those who abuse the Holy things of God within His Holy Church. And in the same way that God brought about Judgment in each of these previous OT stories, so too will he bring about judgement to the false teachers within the Church.
The Second statement that we will now consider is found in verses 12-13, which states: that these men live as hypocrites to the faith.
1. In these two verses, Jude presents us with six vivid pictures of these false teachers and their hypocrisy in order to help to explain why they are such a danger to the church.
2. I will list each of Jude’s six examples, and give a brief commentary on each, in order to better understand and apply each:
3. Hidden reefs at your love feasts (12a)
  1. These men had invaded the “love feasts” in the local assemblies, and it is all but certain that these “feasts” referred to the Lord’s supper.
  2. And all that these men did by partaking with the church, was defile the meal. Instead of adding to the sanctity of the occasion, they detract from it; like Judas at the last Passover that Jesus celebrated with His disciples, these men appear as if they belong to the flock, but their hearts are far from the Lord.
  3. And as a ship becomes wrecked by hidden reefs in shallow waters, so too does the sanctity of the Lord’s supper when a false teacher partakes of the holy meal in an unholy manner.
  4. This is why, brothers and sisters, we must be very careful to fence the table each Lord’s day when presenting the Lord’s supper to the church. And this is why, brothers and sisters, you must be very careful and intentional in approaching the meal.
    1. Not that you must be perfect and sinless in order to partake, for if that were the case, none of us would be worthy. Rather, Jude reminds us that we all must take heed in properly worshiping and respecting God in His ordinances.
4. Shepherds feeding themselves (12b)
  1. Instead of shepherding the flock and caring for the needs of the people, Jude implies that these apostates only take care of themselves. Jude may have had in mind Isaiah 56:10–12 and Ezekiel 34, where the prophets condemned the leaders of the nation (“shepherds”) for exploiting the people and caring only for themselves.
  2. And unfortunately, it would appear that what Jude is impling is that “these men” that have crept in, at times, can also be in places of leadership. Yet, they only use this position to further their own self-righteous agendas.
  3. This is also why, Church, it is so important that we are careful and cautious in appointing leaders within the Church. For to have a leader that is ultimately a “false teacher” would be utterly destructive.
5. Waterless clouds (12c)
  1. Clouds that promise rain, but fail to produce, are a massive disappointment to the farmer whose crops desperately need water. And these apostates that Jude describes may look like men who can give spiritual help, and they may boast of their abilities, but they are ultimately unable to produce. As Prov. 25:14 states, “Like clouds and wind without rain

is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give”.

Fruitless Trees in the autumn (12d)
1. The picture here, is that of an orchard in autumn, the time when the farmer expects fruit. But these trees, “these men” are fruitless! “And we shall know them by their fruits” says Matt. in chapter 7 verse 16 of his gospel… For those who teach and preach the Word have the responsibility of feeding others, but these false teachers have nothing to give. And not only are they fruitless, but they are also rootless (“plucked up by the root”); this is why they are, as Jude states, “twice dead.”
Wild waves of the sea (13a)
1. Jude compares these apostates to “raging waves of the sea” not because of their power, but because of their pride and arrogant speech. Like the swelling of the sea, they make a lot of noise, but what do they produce? Meaningless froth.
  1. Church, have you ever walked along the beach the morning after a storm and seen the ugly refuse that has been washed and strewn upon the shore?
    1. Jude may have had Isaiah 57:20 in mind when writing this example, as Isaiah states: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” For the true teachers of the Word bring up the treasures of the deep, but the false teachers produce only refuse, mire, and dirt.
Wandering stars (13b)
1. Here, Jude was not referring to fixed stars or planets, because these have definite positions and orbits. He instead was referring to meteors, falling stars that suddenly appear and then vanish into the darkness, never to be seen again. For a fixed stars can be depended upon by the traveler through the darkness, but wandering stars can only lead one astray.
And though we only briefly covered each of Jude’s examples in verses 12-13, many more details and applications could be made to each of the statements used. Nonetheless, by looking and reflecting at Judes descriptive analogies of “these false teachers”, we therefore gain a better insight into both recognizing and identifying these individuals, should they ever find their way into the Church.

This brings us now to the third and final summarizing statement which comes from verses 14-15 where Jude reveals that these men will receive their due penalty for their actions
Here, Jude again reminds us that “these false teachers” will receive their due penalty for their wickedness; and the story of Enoch is referenced as an example.
1. All that we know about Enoch from Scripture is found in Genesis 5:18–24; Hebrews 11:5; and these two verses in Jude. And here, Enoch is called “the seventh from Adam” to identify him as the godly Enoch, since Cain had a son of the same name (Gen. 4:17). In addition, the number 7 had great symbolic meaning to the cultural minds of Jude’s audience. This all to display the final, complete, and perfect judgment that the Lord will one day bring upon the entire earth.

And in the story of Enoch, a society that was rapidly being polluted and destroyed by sin is depicted. Yet, Enoch walked with God and kept God’s commandments. And as he ministered as a prophet, he announced the coming judgment to the sinful men around him, saying in vs. 14-15 “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Bible scholars tell us that this quotation is from an apocryphal book called The Book of Enoch. But the fact that Jude quoted from this nonbiblical book does not immediately mean that this book was fully inspired and trustworthy. Rather, the Spirit of God led Jude to use this quotation, and thus made this specific reference a part of the inspired Scriptures.
Furthermore, when Enoch originally gave this message, it is possible that he was referring to the coming judgment of the Flood; which takes place in Genesis 6. For the time that Enoch lived in was an exceptionally ungodly age. Enoch makes it clear to the ungodly men around him that judgment was coming and that they would soon receive the righteous punishment of God.
And though the direct context of this original quote was in reference to the nation directly surrounding Enoch at this time, the final application of this prophecy (according to Jude) is to current church age. For Jude uses this example to say that “these men” creeping into the church today, were the same as the ones referenced by Enoch.
Thus, Jude creates a category of the ungodly that spans the length of time; reminding the church that the ungodly have always been amongst the people of God. And the current church age is no different. For God will come to judge all of the ungodly, from the beginning of time up until His return.

Lastly, in verse 16, Jude gives one final descriptive list to describe these individuals that we are to watch out for within the church. He says (and listen carefully to his words) “These (men) are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.”..
Jude makes certain that these men are clearly seen and noticed within the Church; for Jude’s whole purpose in writing his epistle was to warn those within the Church of the presence of such men, and to remind the reader of God’s judgement on the ungodly.
This final verse serves to emphasize one very important characteristic of “these men”, That is: their extraordinary discontentment. For these men are driven by evil desires, yet can find no satisfaction. Rather, they spend their time enveying, gossiping, self-loathing, slandering, and manipulating. All in hopes of serving their selfish and sinful hearts.
Church, may we hear clearly the words of Jude and heed his advice and warning against these individuals. May we see them clearly if they are ever amongst us. And may we act boldly, godly, and decisively when dealing with them.
There are now 3 points of application that I would like to present to you based on Jude 8-16.

Applications:

1. We Will encounter such individuals (vs. 12-13)
1. Brothers and Sisters, these men have and will make their way into the church. We should expect it. The descriptions that Jude gives in verses 12-13 depict these individuals as being among us. This was Jude’s whole purpose in writing his book. That we must be aware and on guard for such individuals.
2. However, we needn’t fear these individuals either, Church. Though we should be concerned about their presence, Jude continually emphasizes that God is protecting His people and is in the process of bringing about Judgement on these “false teachers”.
3. Thus, we should be vigilant. But fear, we should not.
4. Instead, brothers and sisters, we should be reminded of the need and purpose of things like church membership, church polity, and church officers. For God has created a structure to His church for several different reasons. But one of the primary reasons is for the protection and sanctity of His holy church.
5. This is why one should be so concerned when attending a “megachurch”. For to be in an environment where you can be almost invisible smack dab in the middle of God’s people is like a false teachers dream come true. In order to identify the men that Jude speaks of, we must know each other at a deep level. We must be accountable as provided by church membership. And we must be properly lead and protected, as provided by the Church officers.
6. Ultimately, Church, these people will come. But when we conduct Church the way that God has ordained it, we needed fear, only trust in that which God has provided and ordained.
7. This brings me to the second point of application.
We must be obedient in allowing God to Judge these individuals (vs. 9; 14-15)
1. Brothers and Sisters, even when the archangel michael encountered Satan, he still treated him with respect. And we should do the same when we encounter these individuals, or any individual for that matter.
  1. And there are 3 primary reasons for this:
    1. First- we should treat everyone with respect, for this pleases God. As said in 1 Peter 2:17- Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, and honor the emperor. For showing respect to others is an act of spiritual worship to God.
    2. Second- we do not know how God will use the situations in a person’s life. We only know the actions of an individual. And if one is acting in the ways described by Jude, as a “false teacher” we must treat them as such. But we needn’t do so disrespectfully. For we do not know if God will one day save their soul. Only God knows if the are of the true elect, or not.
      1. This is what the scriptures mean when they tell us to not judge. Not that we are not the act according to the behaviors of an individual, but that we are not to make the final determination (judgement) of one’s fate. Only God knows who his true elect are. Therefore, always treat others with respect, not knowing if God may one day save their soul. For at the very least they are a fellow creation of God.
    3. Thirdly- it is God’s job to ultimately judge the individual, not ours. And God’s judgement will be just. And it will be perfect. Therefore we must learn from the example of Michael in his dispute with Satan. For though he was of the highest authority of celestial beings, his response was that the Lord would rebuke him. For God is the one who will ultimately judge the actions and behaviors of the ungodly. It is our job to be faithful only in that which God has commanded for us.
  2. And this brings me now to the third and final point of application.
That we must recognize these individuals by their character and behavior, and ACT according to the scriptures (vs. 3; 8-16)
1. Church, these men exist. And throughout our lifetime in the church we are almost certain to come across such individuals. And when we encounter these men, we must deal with them in the ways that God has commanded us.
2. It is our job, therefore to act according to what God has outlined in the scriptures. I want to present to you three ways in which God has provided a means to deal with “these men” when they make their way into the Church.
  1. First, Church structure
    1. God created the structure of the Church not just for the sake of His name, but as a safeguard to protect you!
    2. This is why membership, involvement, commitment to your church is so important, brothers and sisters. For when we join ourselves to the Church, we do so as a way of both protecting our self and protecting the Church.
  2. Second, Church officers
    1. God has provided two offices to manage his Church: Elders and Deacons. And each of these offices have particular roles that they are to play in caring for the Church. Both of their roles, however, function to manage, care for, and protect the people that God has provided.
  3. Third, Church discipline
    1. Brothers and Sisters, Church discipline is and must be a central part of any bible believing Church. For to not enact Church discipline as part of a Church’s structure is to allow these men to exist in our midst unchecked. And God has specifically commanded his church on how to respond when one fits the descriptions listed by Jude. Consider the following list of scriptures:
      1. Matt 18:15-20
      2. Titus 3:9-11
      3. 1 Cor 5:11
      4. 2 Thes. 3:6;14
      5. 1 Tim 5:19-20
    2. Though not an exhaustive list, these verses all give explicit examples on how the church is to act when encountering the actions of and unruly or unbelieving individual within the Church.
    3. And we do these things, we respond to the unruly or false teachers within our midst, not out of a hatred of them, rather out of a love for our God and His Church. For our obedience to God is one of the most clear and defined ways that we are able to show our love for him. And He is faithful to fulfill all that he has promised out of His love for us.
In Conclusion

In closing, I would like to read one final portion of scripture that echoes and mirrors the teachings of Jude.
I would like to ask you one final time to listen carefully as I read from the words of 1 John 2:18-29 (hear now the word of the Lord):
1. 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

-Brothers and Sisters, may we abide in Christ, trusting in his promises. May we never be deceived by any form of false teaching. And my we be found faithful in being obedient to His commands until He returns or calls us home.

PRAY (thankful for you justice, righteousness, protection, Church, and wisdom)

Posted in Sermons, Study Guides, Posted by Russell. Comments Off

Nov 19
24

Sermon: Genesis 34: The Tribe Of Jacob Defiled

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 34

“Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, ‘Get me this girl for my wife.’ Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done. But Hamor spoke with them, saying, ‘The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.’ Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.’ The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. They said to them, ‘We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.’ Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his father’s house. So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, ‘These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.’ And all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.’ But they said, ‘Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?’” (Genesis 34, ESV)

*****

Introduction

By now you are familiar with this pattern, for it has been repeated many times in the history of the patriarchs of Israel. As Genesis presents us with the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we will in one moment be greatly encouraged by some positive thing — an act of courage and faith, or the promises of God reiterated to the patriarch once again. But in the next moment we will find ourselves greatly discouraged by some detestable thing — a lack of faith, the patriarchs being driven by fear leading to things like deception and to polygamous marriages in an attempt to bring about the plans and purposes of God through human effort, etc.

It is clear that Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was very concerned to say to physical and spiritual Israel, don’t get the wrong idea about your election. The Lord has set you apart to bless you, not because of your inherent goodness, not because of your superior faithfulness, but by his grace alone and for his glory.

Notice that the same pattern is present here in the story of Jacob and his sons. We were greatly encouraged by the previous passage. Jacob was faithful to flee Laban and to return to the land of Canaan in obedience to the command of God. He was filled with faith and he was responsible. He prayed. He even wrestled with the Lord, and prevailed. The Lord blessed Jacob, giving him the name Israel. The promises of God were reiterated to him. And finally, he was reconciled to his brother Esau. At the end of that story we were greatly encourage to learn that Jacob purchased land in Canaan and there “he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:20, ESV), meaning, “God, the (true) God of Israel.” So the story concluded with Jacob worshipping God in Canaan. But now we come to a very disturbing scene — the defiling a Dinah by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, and the unjust slaughter of the Hivites by Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob.

I have decided to organize this sermon by considering each of the main characters — Dinah, Shechem, Hamor, Jacob and Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi. We will consider the role each of these played in this narrative and make some application.

But before we begin I must say, as we take this approach we must be careful to not loose sight of the main point of this text. Yet again, Genesis is concerned to magnify the grace of God shown to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. God’s grace and God’s faithfulness is the central theme. He was faithful to preserve his people and to keep his promises to them, despise their weakness, failures, and sins.

*****

I. Dinah

Let us begin by considering this young lady, Dinah, who was the daughter of Jacob, born to Leah.

In verse 1 we read, “Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her” (Genesis 34:1–2, ESV). No clarification is needed here concerning what happened to this young lady. Those who are mature enough to process this subject matter understand the terrible thing that was done to Dinah.

Remember that we were first introduced to Dinah back in Genesis 30:21, where we learned that Leah, after bearing Jacob six sons, also “bore a daughter and called her name Dinah” (Genesis 30:21, ESV). Up to this point in the narrative, Jacob had eleven sons, and one daughter. We will hear the story of the birth of Jacob’s twelfth son, Benjamin, in 35:16 and following.

The fact that Dinah was born to Leah is probably significant. This will become clear later on, but it seems that Jacob had a bad habit of showing favoritism to the children who were born to Rebekah — he loved Joseph and Benjamine more than the rest. The children born to Leah and the two servants may have been neglected a bit.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, parents should be careful to not show favoritism to their children. Each child is a unique gift from the Lord. Each one will have strengths and weakness. Each one is to be loved, instructed and disciplined consistently, equally, and in a way appropriate to their temperament. It may be that Jacob fell short in this regard.]

Dinah was probably 14 or 15 years old when this terrible thing was done to her. We are told that she “went out to see the women of the land…” That is a rather obscure statement. It is hard to know what exactly it entailed. It probably only means that she went out to socialize. If Moses meant to communicate that Dinah was up to no good, that she was a rowdy and rebellious girl, he could have said so. Instead we are given the impression that her actions were innocent.

[APPLICATION: With that said, I think it is also appropriate to make this application for our young people, and especially the young women in our congregation. It is important for you to be aware of your surroundings. It is important for you to be alert and aware of the dangers that exist within the world. Do not be naive. You know what it means to be naive, don’t you? It means to have a lack of experience, wisdom and judgement. A person who is naive puts themselves in dangerous situations and doesn’t know it. A person who is naive trusts those who should not be trusted. Young men and women must develop wisdom and discernment. And how does a person gain wisdom? By fearing God, by knowing his word, and by learning from others who have proven themselves to be wise.

You have heard me make this application many times in this study. I have often said that the Christian should not live on fear. We are to live courageously in the world as we trust in the Lord. But let me clarify something. By that I most certainly do not mean, that we are live foolishly or recklessly in the world. Live courageously! Do not be hindered by fear. But be wise. Be alert to the evil threats that are around you.

“Dinah… went out to see the women of the land.” Somehow she ended up in this very dangerous situation. Was she at all to blame? Was she careless or naive? The text does not say. I think we should judge her to be innocent, therefore. But the story does provide us with an opportunity to say to our young people, and particularly to our young women, be wise. Be careful. Be alert. Do not put yourselves in situations that can spiral out of control.]

*****

II. Shechem

Secondly, let us now consider this character Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite. This young man was a scoundrel. He was a selfish man, driven by his passions, and lacking in self control.

In verse 2 we read, “And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, ‘Get me this girl for my wife’” (Genesis 34:2–4, ESV).

Whatever we might say about the wisdom or lack thereof in Dinah, the text is clear that Shechem took her by force to lay with her. Nothing can possibly excuse his behavior. It is sin for a man to lay with a women who is not his wife. It is especially sinful for a man to lay with a women without her consent. To lay with someone who is not your spouce is fornication. To lay with someone without their consent — that is, to force yourself upon them — is rape. The scriptures condemn both things, but rape is an especially heinous sin, for it involves a victim.

The law of Moses says, “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her” (Deuteronomy 22:25–29, ESV).

Shechem was clearly driven by his passions. By that I mean that he was controlled by his desires. Instead of controlling his desires, he allowed his desires to control him. He was attracted to Dinah. He wanted to have her as wife. And there is nothing wrong with that! But he allowed the natural attraction that he felt for her to burn out of control. He lusted after her. He obsessed over her. He allowed his cravings for her to run about unchecked and unchallenged within his heart until he did the unthinkable thing of taking her by force.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, how important it is for us to develop self control. To develop self control is to develop the ability to rule over our thoughts, appetites, and actions. I’m afraid that when many think of self control they think only of learning to control actions, that is, the things that we say or do. Of course the person who has self control does have control over their words and deeds, but it is important that we also learn to control our inner life — our thoughts and passions. The things that go on inside of us are not beyond our control. When I say that we must learn to control our thoughts and passions, I mean that we must bring them into conformity to God’s law to make them subject to Christ.

Christian are to think pure thoughts. They are to dwell upon what is pure and true. They must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, ESV). Paul exhorts the Christian concerning their thought life with these words: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8, ESV). I wonder, have you learned to control your thoughts?Have you learned to test them with scripture to see if they are true? Have you learned to put away that which is false and filthy from your thoughts, and to think about things that are pleasing to the Lord?

Christians are also to rule over their passions. To have passion is to be drawn to something, or repulsed by it. All humans have passions. We look at the world around us, we consider things to be either good or evil, lovely or repulsive, and then our passions either draw us to that thing, or drive us from it. The trouble is that our passions have also been distorted by sin. Instead of being drawn to that which is truly good, lovely and pleasing to God, sometimes we are drawn to that which is evil. Conversely, instead of being repulsed by that which is evil, we are sometimes drawn to it. This is why Paul says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5, ESV). Notice that he commands us to put to death, not only evil behavior, but evil passions and desires along with the sin of covetousness, which is a sin of the heart.]

This man Shechem was driven (controlled) by his passions, which were inclined to evil. May it not be said of us. Instead, we are to be self controlled, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV).

*****

III. Hamor

Thirdly, what shall we say of Shechem’s father, Hamor?

Well, I get the impression that Hamor spoiled his son by failing to discipline him. His son is portrayed as self absorbed, self serving and reckless. Perhaps Hamor had something to do with this.

Notice that Hamor did not condemn the actions of his son. Quite the opposite, he advocated for his son. Verse 8: “But Hamor spoke with [Jacob and his sons], saying, ‘The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it” (Genesis 34:8–10, ESV). In verse 19 we learn that Shechem’s was “the most honored of all his father’s house” (Genesis 34:19, ESV).

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, we must take care to discipline our children in love and teach them to keep the commandments of the Lord. Proverbs 13:24 famously says, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (Proverbs 13:24, ESV). Disciplining you children is hard work. It requires “diligence”, as the proverb says. The lazy parent fails to discipline in one of two ways. They are either neglagent — refusing to address the sins and shortcomings of their children all together. Or they are harsh — confronting the sins and shortcomings of their children, but carelessly, in anger, and not in love.

Ephesians 6:4 speaks to fathers, saying, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, ESV). Parents, and especially fathers, have this responsibility to discipline their children, to bring them up in the instruction of the Lord. And this they are to do in such a way that their children are not provoked to anger. Hypocrisy in the parent will provoke the child to anger. Harshness in the parent will provoke the child to anger. Unreasonable expectations will provoke the child to anger. Parents, and especially fathers, are called to discipline and instruct their children, as they themselves pursue obedience to Christ, as they model repentance. When the discipline and instruct they are to do so graciously, lovingly, and with great care. One thing they must not do is ignore the sins of their children, allowing them to go unchecked.]

This seems to have been the case with Hamor. His son was self centered and reckless. His father failed to confront his sin, because he was “the most honored of all his father’s house”. If this was the case when Shechem was a young man, I think it is safe to assume that it was also the case when Shechem was a child. “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (Proverbs 13:24, ESV).

Not only do we damage our children by failing to discipline and instruct them, we also damage society. Look at the damage and destruction that came upon others as the result of self centered Shechem! Oh, that we would be faithful to discipline and instruct our children for the glory of God, for their good, and for the good of our neighbors.

*****

IV. Jacob

Fourthly, let us consider Jacob’s role in all of this. The narrative of Genesis gives the impression that Jacob was negligent concerning his daughter and the terrible thing that was done to her.

Remember that Dinah was the daughter of Leah. As I have said before, this theme will develop as the narrative of Genesis progresses — Jacob is characterized as showing favoritism to the children of Rebekah over the children of his other wives — Leah and the two servants.

Did Jacob fail to look after Dinah? Was Jacob negligent by allowing her to go out to visit with the women of the land unattended? Did he fail to protect her from harm by giving her proper guidelines and restrictions? It is hard to know for sure, but all things considered it seems that Jacob is portrayed as one who was cared too little about the well-being of his daughter. Perhaps he was negligent.

When Hamor came to speak with Jacob about the incident, “Jacob held his peace”. This lack of outrage concerning what was done to Dinah seemed to further infuriate his sons, who then took matters into their own hands. After they did what they did, what did Jacob say to them? “Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.’ But they said, ‘Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?’” (Genesis 34:30–31, ESV). Judging by this exchange it seems that Jacob was more interested in preserving his place in the land than standing up against the awful thing that was done to his daughter. This frustrated Simeon and Levi.

I wonder if this episode in Jacob’s life corresponds to the episodes in Abraham and Isaac’s lives wherein they lied about their wives, saying that they were their sisters, in order to preserve their own lives. As you know, their wives — Sarah and Rachael were taken into king’s harrems. Here it seems that Jacob was negligent concerning his daughter, and that being confronted with the wrong that was done to here, he shrunk back out of fear of the people of the land, his numbers being few, and theirs very great.

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, let us not be found negligent in any of our duties. Instead, let us be found faithful. It is easy to get distracted in this life and to loose sight of what matters most and of our basic and fundamental responsibilities. Sometimes the things that distract us are good things in and of themselves — work, education, friendship, ministry — but if those good things keep us from fulfilling our basic responsibilities, then they have become a distraction to us. Husbands are responsible to lead and to love their wives. Parents are responsible to raise their children in the Lord, etc. The one who is mature in Christ will learn to juggle life’s many demands without loosing sight of that which is most important, and without neglecting the essential work that the Lord has called them too.

Husbands and wives, make it your aim to be good and godly husbands and wives. This is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t allow other less important pursuits to distract you from fulfilling that calling. Parents, make it your aim to be good and godly parents. This is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t allow other less important pursuits to distract you from fulfilling that calling.

Concerning parenting, it is possible to smother your children. It is possible to be so driven by fear of the unknown that you unreasonably restrain your children and rob them of life experiences that might be useful to their growth in godliness. But it is also possible to be nieve and negligent — to let your children run completely free without warning or restraint. Neither is helpful. Both approaches can be harmful.

Brothers and sisters, let us raise our children and teach them to live in the world but be not of it. Let us teach them wisdom and discernment. Let us provide them with boundaries and restrictions appropriate to their age. But let us also remember that our objective is raise them us so that they might leave the nest and fly on their own.]

Jacob may have been negligent. It is possible that he failed to guide and direct his daughter so that harm befell her. But is also possible that he did all that he could and should as a father. Sometimes bad things happen even when we do everything in our power.

*****

V. Simeon and Levi

Fifthly and lastly, let us consider the actions of Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob. They, like Shechem, showed themselves to be reckless men, driven by their passions, and lacking in self control.

It was right for them to be angry about what was done to their sister Dinah. In fact, it would have been wrong for them to not be angry. The problem is that their anger burned out of control. Their anger, instead of leading them to do right, drove them to do wrong.

[APPLICATION: it is very importiant for us to understand that anger is not necessarily sinful, brothers and sisters. It is right to be angry if we are angry about the right things. Often we are angry about the wrong things, though. And even if we are angry about the right things, we must be careful to not allow our anger to burn out of control.

Consider that God is angry concerning the wickedness in the world, but he does not sin. He perfectly hates that which is evil, and perfectly loves that which is good. Never does his anger burn out of control, but it leads him to act with perfect justice.

Listen also to Ephesians 4:26 which says, “Be angry and do not sin…” Paul here commands the Christian to be angry, but never in a sinful way.

Our anger — even if it is righteous anger towards that which is evil — can burn out of control in one of two ways.

Sometimes our anger is explosive. It may be right for you to be angry at your child for their disrespectful behavior, but never should that anger cause you to explode — that is, to loose control.

Sometimes our anger burns out of control slowly. Here I am referring to anger that turns into bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness. Again, it may be that your are angry about some evil thing, but your are wrong to allow that anger to fester in such a way that it leads you to sin.

“Be angry and do not sin…”, brothers and sisters. Be self controlled. Do not allow your passions to drive you. Bring them into submission to the will of God.]

Simeon and Levi were right to be angry about the wicked thing that was done to their sister. In fact, I have said that perhaps Jacob was not angry enough! And Simeon and Levi would have been right to seek justice. But instead they allowed their anger boil within them until it boiled over to this horrible act of injustice. Shechem deserved to be punished for his sin. Instead, Simeon and Levi poured out their wrath indiscriminately upon the whole multitude of that people.

*****

Conclusion

As we move to a conclusion I cannot help but look ahead in the narrative a bit and draw your attention to the grace of God shown to Israel.

Genesis 35:5: “And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob” (Genesis 35:5, ESV). Verse 9: “God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.’ So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you” (Genesis 35:9–13, ESV).

God was truly merciful, gracious and kind to Jacob and his sons, despite their sin. He would preserve them and bless them so that through them the Christ would come into the world, in whom we have the forgiveness of all our sins.

Tags: Genesis 34
Posted in Sermons, Study Guides, Genesis 34, Posted by Joe. Comments Off

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Sermon: Genesis 34: The Tribe Of Jacob Defiled