Returning to Vomit

The Joseph Journey.

Last week we talked about family curses. Those struggles that get passed down through the generations. This morning we see some more fruit of the curse in Jacob’s life. Everyone but spoiled Joseph is out in shepherding the families sheep. Since Israel was nomadic at this time they moved from place to place so it was customary for the shephards to travel for long periods of time and while in that stretch not to be heard from. They didn’t have cell phones or homing pigeons so they it was just a fact of life.

But at the beginning of our text this morning. Jacobs sends Joseph on a journey.

Genesis 37:12–14 ESV

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.

Genesis 37:12

If you recall back to last weeks sermon the man the raped Jacob’s daughter was named Shechem. The son’s interestingly enough went to the first place they committed murder. They went back to their sin. Most people would think to stay away from there. They tricked those town people. They slaughtered all the men in that town. Why, unless murder was on your heart, would go to a place you destroyed?

The sons knew of the dreams Joseph had at this point. Think about it. When Satan wants to do something devastating in your life he tends to tempt you things your are familiar with. Satan will never take you to a new level of destruction until he has you at an old familiar place of sin. Whether that sin is doubt, fear, anger, hurt, resentment, or pain.

When we desire to remove ourselves from God, when we begin to question his plan—old habits rear their head. Habits you thought you destroyed begin to become tempting again.

Why?

What’s tSatan’s easiest way into your life?

Proverbs 26:11 ESV

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

A Door He knows is already open

Why spend the time prying at a new door. Trying to get you to open up just a small crack when there is already an entree way into your life. There is no record of the brothers seeking forgiveness for the sins they committed. There is no record of them redeeming themselves through Jewish law. The door of murder is still open. The door of evil schemes is still open. Remember they schemed before they murdered. They lied well before they took people’s lives.

I don’t know why Jacob was worried about his sons. Maybe it was because he was worried the people of Shechem would kill them. Or maybe he thought his sons went looking for trouble. Whatever the reason he was worried about his sons so he sent Joseph to make sure they were ok.

I find a few things interesting here in these texts.

The first being

If, Jacob knew his sons were going to Shechem, why didn’t he stop them and redirect them to a safer route. It is a parents job no matter the age of their children to warn them of the dangers ahead. If my 10 year old son was going into danger I would stop him. Now some may say you can’t stop them because they aren’t ten anymore; and your right, but there is no evidence that Jacob had even tried to convince his sons not to go.

The second thing is:

I wonder if Jacob was hit so hard by Joseph’s dead because he realized what the sin of passivity had cost him. You see sin has a price. Many people think that just because they got away with the lie, the theft, the slander, the gossip the whatever the first, second, third, fourth or 100th time that they are getting away scott free.

When I worked for the Alleghany County Drug Court. We had a Judge who, like Satan, would trap people. I’d bring my people who violated probation to his court room and he would let them go sometimes with a slap on the wrist and sometimes with nothing at all. After seeing this time and time again and spending a few years under this judge I got wise to him. I would warn my people that they weren’t getting away without punishment just because they walked out of court this time.

You see this judge knew if he got them on one little thing he couldn’t hold them long, but you let those little infringements tally up they amount to 2-10 years. And it always surprised me how blind sided the people where when after 10 times of being let go, they get a 3 year prison sentence. The Judge warned us, the court workers, that he would give us time to help people, but also understood that there are some people that no matter how hard you try will always return back to Shechem. They will always return to the sin that is familiar.

In this case Jacob’s familiar sin was passivity. He didn’t confront anything head on. He didn’t even confront his sons when the knew they were walking into a dangerous place.

Paul understood the importance of watching yourself.

1 Timothy 4:16 ESV

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy

During my the time when I was in the research phase of flipping houses I read a book that I long forget the title too, but this quote always stuck with me.

There are two numbers I constantly watch; My weight and my Credit score.

In that one phrase you can tell the two most important things in this person’s life. His health, and his wallet. But the point still remains.

What we don’t monitor we don’t control.

If you don’t know your struggles your are consistently going to struggle.

If you don’t know your failures you will consistently fail.

If you don’t know where you fall into sin you will consistently sin.

You need to be honest with yourself on both your strengths, your weaknesses and that area in your life where you are just mediocre. You cannot improve on what you don’t know.

Luke 11:21 ESV

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;

When you know what doors to watch Satan cannot sneak into your life, but understand watching isn’t enough. Jacob could have very well known that he was a passive person. I have known people who knew where they fell into sin, but still fell into sin. Watching your weight while you shove donuts into your mouth isn’t going to make you skinnier.

The rest of that verse in Luke is crucial.

Luke 11:22 ESV

but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.

If we aren’t exercising faith, if we aren’t attempting to control our desires and lusts then knowing about them isn’t enough because Satan who is stronger than you or I will over take you even if you are guarding the door. If I was breaking into a house I would not run away from a guard chiwqawa but my 160 lb english mastiff barked and scared away a would be robber.

So how does one exercise their faith and ability to ward off sin.

Jesus taught his disciples this in the Garden before his crucifixion.

Matthew 26:41 ESV

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Watch—but it has to mixed with prayer. Nothing can be overcome in your life through complaining

Complaining=talking with self and failing

Praying=Talking with God and overcoming.