A Blueprint for Blessing

INTRODUCTION:

One of the most helpful ways to understand the Bible is to see it through the lens of a big idea.

You might think of them as lenses through which to look or an organizing principles around which you can situate all the stories and characters we read about.

Academically this is an enterprise called “Biblical Theology.” It’s takes all of the pertinent information about a given topic or themes and weaves it together in light of the biblical narrative/redemptive history.

You could take, for example, the idea of Kingdom and trace it from Genesis to Revelation and you’ll see how the idea presents itself in one way in the book of Genesis and develops gradually from Exodus to Psalms to John to Revelation.

This morning I’d like us to tackle one of those biblical themes and it’s the theme of blessing.

Last week we examined a blueprint for backsliding and this week we’re going to examine the blueprint for blessing.

Blessing and cursing are two themes that show up over and over again throughout the biblical story.

We first see the idea in Genesis 1:28 when God blesses mankind and tells them to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” He blesses the Sabbath and makes it holy. (Gen 2:3)

We see the idea of cursing in Genesis 3:14-15 when God curses the serpent because he had tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God by taking fruit from the forbidden tree. He curses the ground as well. (Gen 3:17-19)

We see blessing in cursing in the lives of Cain and Abel. (Gen 4:11-12)

We see blessing and cursing in the life of Noah (Gen 9:1) and his sons. (Genesis 9:25-27) Ham’s son Canaan is cursed whereas Shem is blessed.

It’s been the big idea behind the life of Abraham who God had chosen as his covenant mediator to bless every nation on the earth through his chosen offspring. (Gen 12:2-3)

This promise of blessing is repeated to Isaac (Gen 26:3-4) and again to Jacob (Gen 27:27-29)

Most recently we’ve seen the theme of blessing and cursing between Jacob and his brother Esau. Esau is cursed to live away from the richness of the land and live the sword all his days. (Gen 27:39-40)

Not only is Jacob blessed but God also blesses all those who Jacob comes into contact with. (Gen 30:27)

Why Some Not Others?

So the big question is “Why are some people blessed and not others?”

While some people might point to magic or witchcraft or spells or incantations - the truth is much simpler.

A life of blessing or cursing really boils down to one question. Will you embrace God’s design or Satan’s counterfeit on how to live your life?

God is the creator of everything we see and experience in this life. As creator he has a design for what things should look like and how things should go.

When you embrace that design it’s invites his blessing into your life because you’re operating according the instruction manual.

When you reject that design, take shortcuts or embrace counterfeits - it invites a curse into your life because you’re trying to force things to be what they were never designed to be.

In other words, God never “curses” anybody. God cursed the serpent. God cursed the grown. But nowhere in Scripture does God ever curse a human being.

Human beings place a curse on themselves by rejecting God’s design for their life.

So what is the blueprint for the blessed life? That’s what I want us to look at from Genesis 35 and 36 this morning.

It’s the conclusion to the story about Jacob, Esau and their family lines. One leaves a family line of blessing the other a line of cursing.

One a believer. One an unbeliever. One finds God’s design the other embraces Satan’s counterfeit.

Genesis 35:1–7 CSB

1 God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me everywhere I have gone.” 4 Then they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and their earrings, and Jacob hid them under the oak near Shechem. 5 When they set out, a terror from God came over the cities around them, and they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. 6 So Jacob and all who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 Jacob built an altar there and called the place El-bethel because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.

SINLESS PERFECTION

The first thing that stands out to me is that you can have a blessed life without sinless perfection.

People who leave a legacy of blessing for the next generation are often just as broken, just as a weak and just as sinful as those who leave a legacy of cursing.

Jacob was NOT a good man. He had one wife and two concubines too many.

He was deceptive and manipulative.

He cared way too much about what people thought about him.

He was cowardly, greedy and fearful.

Yet even though all of those things were true of his life God still chose to bless him.

I think some people feel like they’re doomed to a life of cursing because of the things that they’ve done or the compromises that they’ve made.

No doubt our sins have their consequences and we sleep in the bed that we make.

But the sins of our past don’t have to become the prison of our future. We can break free.

We can exchange a cursed life for a blessed life.

How do I know that? Because a soon as Jacob repents of his sin God’s commits to blessing his life.

Genesis 35:8–15 CSB

8 Deborah, the one who had nursed and raised Rebekah, died and was buried under the oak south of Bethel. So Jacob named it Allon-bacuth. 9 God appeared to Jacob again after he returned from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. 11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you. 12 I will give to you the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac. And I will give the land to your future descendants.” 13 Then God withdrew from him at the place where he had spoken to him. 14 Jacob set up a marker at the place where he had spoken to him—a stone marker. He poured a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

These words from God are eerily similar to the words that were spoken to Abraham two generations before him and to Isaac one generation before him.

Abraham had been given God’s promises, blew it, and upon his repentance had those covenant promises renewed in his life.

The same was true Isaac. It’s a powerful reminder about a life of blessing under God.

Past failures do not nullify God’s plan for our future.

That’s not to say you won’t experience the necessary consequences for your sin.

That’s not to say God is somehow happy about or condoning of your sins.

In fact, I believe a life of sin will delay and undermine the will and promise of God in your life.

There’s a connection between obedience and God’s blessing.

Disobedience invites God’s discipline and curse.

The point it, it doesn’t matter how far you run or how messed up you are, if your heart is still beating there’s an invitation from God to experience his MERCY and GRACE.

Repentance

How did Jacob do that?

Jacob was not a sinless man but he was a man of repentance. He eventually came to a place of humility and recognized that the sin in his life was WRONG.

A life of blessing requires a spirit of repentance.

You can see Jacob’s repentance in the words that he provides to his family.s

Genesis 35:2 CSB

2 So Jacob said to his family and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.

A little bit later he takes those foreign gods and he buries them under an oak tree in Shechem. (Gen 35:4)

You’ve heard me say before that repentance is agreeing with God about the facts. You can’t have repentance without a spirit of humility.

You’ve got to get to the place where you can see and agree that God’s design was better than Satan’s counterfeit.

Notice in the case of Jacob’s family they had begun to worship “foreign gods.” We don’t know exactly what/who these foreign gods were but it is illustrative of one important truth.

Human beings were made to worship. If we reject God’s design the alternative is not to worship nothing but to worship something or someone other than God.

This is what the Bible calls idolatry.

Human beings have an insatiable thirst for safety and security, pleasure and love. If these appetites are not satisfied in God then we’ll attempt to satisfy them in something or someone else.

In that way, all sin stems from disordered desires. Repentance is reorienting our desires around the one person who can truly satisfy them.

What Needs To Go?

There are some of you here this morning who can’t experience a life of blessing because you’re not willing to reorder your disordered desires.

You’ve allow your love of money or the opinion of others or the pleasure of XYZ to outweigh the good of God’s blessing on your life.

You’re playing with mud pies when God is inviting you into the ocean.

If you were to go home and go through your house (TV, Fridge, Pantry, Closet, etc) would there be any items in there that are HINDERING the proper worship of God?

I bet for MOST of us the answer is yes. For some of us, it’s been so long since we’ve taken an inventory of our world that we’re miles away from a life of of God’s blessing.

We’re living on the counterfeit when God wants something for us that is so much better.

Recommitment

But Jacob doesn’t just repent. He also renews his commitment to a life of worship and walking in the will of God.

Genesis 35:6–7 CSB

6 So Jacob and all who were with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 Jacob built an altar there and called the place El-bethel because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.

To be clear, Jacob was not ALWAYS obedient to the Lord. Again, sinless perfection is not the goal.

The point is that Jacob eventually caves and resubmits himself to the will of God for his life.

I remember growing up when we’d go to church camp there would always been a slew of decisions on the third night, after everybody was super tired and emotional and encouraged by the days spent in the presence of God.

By that time all of the students who weren’t Christians were all ready to become one. Moreover, all of the students who came to camp as believers were ready to “rededicate” their life to Jesus.

To be honest, I’ve had pastor friends mock the idea of “rededications” or “recommitting your life to Jesus.”

They argue if you truly commit to Jesus it’s a one and done and you don’t need to “recommit.”

And I do believe that once a person becomes a Christian they will persevere in their Christian faith until the end.

But what other word can you use to describe what regularly happens in the life of a believer wherein he repents of living in sin and recommits himself to a life of total obedience and surrender?

It’s one of the habits that characterizes the blessed life. Not sinless perfection but ongoing repentance and renewal.

Worship and God’s Will

And notice his renewed commitment happens at two levels. He commits to walking in the will of God for his life (obedience) and worshipping God as he did at first (surrender).

As the old hymn put it, “Trust and Obey. Trust and Obey. For there’s no other way to BE HAPPY in Jesus than to Trust and Obey.”

His trust in God can be seen in the fact that he exchanges his former trust in idols with a proper worshipping of God.

But that’s not the only evidence of Jacob’s renewed commitment to a life of worship and God’s will.

A little bit later God instructs them to LEAVE Bethel and head further south so that Jacob could bury his Father and resettle in the land God had given them.

If there’s any legacy you want to leave behind let it be those two things. A life that centered itself in the will of God and a life characterized by sincere worship.

When you prioritize those two things in your life and your family you’ll increase their likelihood of a blessed life 10 fold.

Jacob wasn’t a man of sinless perfection but he did have a life characterized by repentance and renewal.

The second principle about the blessed life is in the second half of Genesis 35.

PERSONAL PROBLEMS

Genesis 35:16–29 CSB

16 They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. 17 During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.” 18 With her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Jacob set up a marker on her grave; it is the marker at Rachel’s grave still today. 21 Israel set out again and pitched his tent beyond the Tower of Eder. 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: 23 Leah’s sons were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 Rachel’s sons were Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Leah’s slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram. 27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived 180 years. 29 He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. His sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

The closing chapter of Jacob’s story is actually characterized by pain and sadness. Why would Moses do that.

I think it’s to remind us we can have a blessed life filled with personal problems.

Just because you’re blessed doesn’t mean you’ll never hurt.

In the case of Jacob, it was while he was walking in obedience in the center of God’s will that ...

Deborah - Rebecca’s nurse - passed away and was buried south of Bethel. (Gen 35:8)

Remember that Rebecca is Jacob’s mom and Jacob was always a momma’s boy. Perhaps this Deborah (in service to Rebecca) followed Jacob up to Laban’s house (her hometown) and has been with him through the highs and lows. Her passing would’ve been a very difficult grief. (otherwise it wouldn’t have been mentioned.)

A little later on the same journey he loses his true and only love, Rachel. (Gen 35:16-19) She was buried just outside of Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus.

She was the mother of his favorite son, Joseph and died while giving birth to their second child Benjamin.

Not only that, Leah’s first born Ruben goes and sleeps with Rachel’s household servant “Bilhah” (probably to ensure Jacob would only have Leah left as an option instead of Bilhah) and so he’s stuck with a woman he doesn’t even love. (Gen 35:22)

God’s Purpose in our Pain

In fact, it’s interesting the difference in meaning for the name Rachel gives Benjamin versus the one Jacob gives him.

Rachel’s name was Ben-oni. It literally means “son of my sorrow.”

My guess is she probably named him that because her life was being ended by the birth of this last child.

Her final moments were ones of great pain, trouble and sorrow.

But Jacob renames the child “Benjamin” which means “Son of my right hand” or “Son of favor.”

To be seated at someone’s right hand is to have rule and authority and power.

The idea seems to be that Jacob was able to find hope for the future even in the death of the one he loved the most.

There’s a theological truth in that name change that’s characteristic of the blessed life.

The blessed life can be experienced alongside of problems, because our suffering will not nullify God’s purpose in our life.

We can live a blessed life in a broken world. When you live in a world of brokenness there are going to be times when you experience pain and suffering.

It’s part of living life in a broken messed up world.

But never allow the presence of pain to blind you to the power of hope.

Jacob had a renewed commitment to the worship of God and as a result he was able to see past his immediate circumstances to the assurance of God’s promise.

That’s what the blessed life looks like. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus ‘will be persecuted.’

THE CURSED LIFE

If those thing are true of the blessed life what does Genesis say about the opposite? What are some things we need to remember about a cursed life?

The genealogy of Esau is actually a helpful reminder of what the cursed life is and what it isn’t.

Genesis 36:1–8 CSB

1 These are the family records of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanite women: Adah daughter of Elon the Hethite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These were Esau’s sons, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives, sons, daughters, and all the people of his household, as well as his herds, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan; he went to a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too many for them to live together, and because of their herds, the land where they stayed could not support them. 8 So Esau (that is, Edom) lived in the mountains of Seir.

I’m not going to read the whole chapter and butcher all the names but it continues with a list not only of descendants but kings and chieftains of various different tribes/peoples.

This genealogy is not just to give us a different list of names but to provide a contrast between these two brothers.

Both chapters emphasize kings and kingdoms but of two different kinds. It’s actually setting us up for the life of Jospeh who we’ll finish the year with.

These two men have very different calls, very different destinies, very different lifestyles.

Jacob and his genealogy represent the blessed life that embraces God’s design. Esau and his lineage reflect the opposite.

Power & Prosperity

One of the interesting things about this genealogy is the comment about Esau’s wealth. We already knew about his 400 armed men and wealth from earlier.

But we see in Gen 36:7 that his wealth was so great that it prevented him and Jacob from living together.

Not only did Esau have incredible prosperity he also had a family full of power. If you skip down to verse 15 you’ll see the word “chief” show up over and over again. (Gen 36:15-19)

If you skip down a little further you’ll see an emphasis on the “kings” who “reigned” in the land of Edom. (Gen 36:31-43)

I think that’s intentional by Moses to remind us that you can have a CURSED LIFE and it still be filled with prosperity and power.

Just because somebody has money doesn’t mean they’re blessed by God and just because somebody is poor doesn’t mean their cursed by God.

It’s not about finances as much as it is God’s power and presence in your life.

In fact, it’s often the LOVE of money that leads us AWAY from a life of blessing into a life of cursing.

The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And make no mistake, it was for the love of money that Lot went to Edom.

The language is intentionally similar to that of Abraham and Lot in Genesis 13. (This is the second time Moses has made this connection)

Esau - like Lot - is moving AWAY from God’s channel of blessing (Abraham/Jacob) because he’d rather have the assurance of prosperity and power.

Edom was a bastion of unhindered success and prosperity.

While God’s people are called to live IN this world we’re ultimately citizens of a different world.

Who’s kingdom are you living for?

Under who’s authority have you submitted your life?

You can’t experience the blessed life if your submitted to the wrong authority

Not Of This World

The blessed life doesn’t advance through force but through faith. It’s not conquest but submission and love.

Jesus said in John 18:36 “36 “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.””

Jesus likened his kingdom to a mustard seed or yeast. In other words, it often advances invisibly and under the surface.

It’s not big and loud and bold like some of the earthy kingdoms in this world because it’s main weapon isn’t violence but grace.

It’s not about conquering cities and nations but the souls of people.

It’s not about force but faith. Love, persuasion, forgiveness and hope - these are the attributes of the kingdom of God.

Waiting On God

Which is why the blessed life is often a life in wherein we wait on the Lord.

God’s slowness need not nullify the progress of Christ’s kingdom.

Think about the Israelites who are reading this for the first time. They’re in the middle of the wilderness having been enslaved to the Egyptians and denied entry by the Edomites.

They were probably wondering what many of us wonder - “God why do they have it so good? I’m doing right. Why aren’t you blessing me with this or that success and breakthrough?”

God promised Abraham and now Jacob “Kings will come from you…” But they were looking at the Edomites with a list of EIGHT prior kings.

Moses is acknowledging that on the surface things seem to be advancing quickly for Esau and Edom. On the surface it looks as through Israel is cursed to lag behind and suffer.

The truth is is sometimes God’s kingdom moves slow. It moves silently. It moves under the surface and operates subversively behind the scenes.

So the blessed life is learning to patiently wait for the King .

WAITING FOR THE KING:

Two sons set out on two totally different trajectories. One a life of blessing and submission to God. The other a life of worldliness and rejection of God.

Ultimately, Moses and the people of Israel would come through the line of Jacob and the Edomites would come from the line of Esau.

The Edomites actually show back up several more times throughout the OT. They show NO FAVOR to the Israelites even though they eventually end up inheriting the land.

After Saul they get another king, this time from the line of Judah. His name is King David. David fights against the Edomites and wins, at least for a season.

After King Solomon they would endure more mistreatment and abuse, patiently waiting for an even greater king than David who would fulfill God’s ultimate promise.

Much of the Old Testament speaks to the Edomites.

Many of the prophets address their sin and rebellious spirit. (Micah, Amos, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) They get a whole chapter in the book of Obadiah. (Obadiah 1)

One of the chief sins of Edom was the pride she had in her OWN power.

She thought that she was impregnable. She thought that she could not be conquered.

Obadiah 3–4 CSB

3 Your arrogant heart has deceived you, you who live in clefts of the rock in your home on the heights, who say to yourself, “Who can bring me down to the ground?” 4 Though you seem to soar like an eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down. This is the Lord’s declaration.

Pride of Petra

If you know anything about Biblical history (or Indiana Jones) you’ll know one of the ancient cities of Edom was Petra.

It’s a fascinating place - buried for 1,000 years before being rediscovered. It’s built into the mountains of Seir at the heart of Edom. (might’ve even been it’s capital)

It was an impenetrable stronghold because the only way into the city was though this mile long winding narrow sic. It’s hard to imagine how it’d be overthrown.

But the prophets prophesied that it would not only be overthrown but inhabited by only jackeles and wild animals.

This is the way the Word of God speaks about every city of man, about every kingdom of man. From the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 to Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17-18.

Genesis is making it clear there are only two seeds, two cities, two kingdoms.

One is earthly and temporary, the other is heavenly and eternal.

One appears unstoppable but will perish, the other appears insignificant but will flourish.

One is ruled by earthly kings who come and go, the other will be ruled by the king of kings who will reign forever.

And it is to this king that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Strangers in Exile

In Acts 15 James actually quotes from the prophet Amos about the restoration of a remnant in Edom who will sit under the authority of Jesus as King. (Acts 15:16-17)

But until that day comes, we will remain strangers and exiles in the kingdom of this world.

That is the final contrast I want us to see in this genealogy. It’s a contrast you don’t see easily in the CSB so I’m going to show you this in the ESV instead.

Notice the contrast between Esau’s “possession” of the land of Edom with Jacob’s living in the land of his father’s “sojournings.”

Genesis 36:43–37:1 ESV

43 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. 1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

Edom dwells in their land while God's people remain exiled.

It’s the last truth about the blessed life. We’ll be strangers and exiles in this world as we wait for God’s promised land to come.

It’s the constant refrain of God’s people in the NT. We are aliens and exiles as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise.

It was an Edomite king, Herod the Great, that attempted to kill the king of kings by slaughtering the babies of Bethlehem.

And his successor, another Edomite king, Herod Antipas, was the one who beheaded John the Baptist.

But their attempts to prevent the coming king of kings was futile. Their satanically inspired kings were no match for Jesus, the lion from the tribe of Judah, the offspring of Abraham and savior of the world.

He did not look like a king, and many who patiently anticipated him would miss him.

He would be born in humility, and he would die in humiliation on a cross for the sins of the world.

But through his death and his resurrection, he would conquer the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this world.

He would reclaim what was rightfully his, and then he would begin, as a king of kings, to advance his kingdom by saving a people from every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation.

God is transferring a people from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

Israelite and Edomite, Jew and Gentile, there is only one way to enter God’s kingdom, and that is through the conquering King.

Have you bowed the knee to Jesus as Lord or are you choosing Edom like Esau the older brother?

If God is calling you today, will you turn around and listen?