Jacob's Dark Night of the Soul

Genesis 28:  Jacob's "Dark Night of the Soul" Sunday, March 02, 2008

I. Introduction and Anticipatory Set

A. A deeply flawed individual

To truly understand this passage we must come to terms with what a deeply flawed individual Jacob was and also the deeply flawed family circumstances from which Jacob arises as the central figure in the Genesis narrative.

·         Jacob is often criticized, but keep in mind that his is a very significant portion of the total Genesis narrative.

·         He was the father of God's people.

·         He would be venerated throughout the 400 year ordeal of the stay in Egypt.

·         In my view Isaac was the weak link in the succession of the Patriarchs.

B. Punctuated equilibrium

Jacob is a good illustration of a kind of spiritual "punctuated equilibrium" a term from system theory. In this theory, a system is observed to continue along in relative equilibrium from day to day. Then suddenly a tipping point is reached in one or more of the forces that sustain that system. It might be temperature or pressure or demand for a certain product in economics. It depends on the system. As we look at the lives of men and women whose stories are told in the Bible, we often see God working in a way that looks a lot like punctuated equilibrium.

There are lots of examples:

• Noah when God told him to build an Ark
• Moses when God spoke from a burning bush
• Abraham when God told him to get up and move
• Peter when Jesus invited him to go fishing for men

In each case their lives were moving along in some kind of comfortable pattern. Suddenly everything was different.

This doesn’t just apply to the great names of the Bible. It also happens in our lives. Once in a while God puts something in our lives that turns everything upside down. A punctuation mark that signals that nothing will ever be the same.

In systems theory everything gets jumbled up and the word for it is chaos.  Eventually, however, a new order appears as the system settles back into a new equilibrium.

In terms of our relationship with God, these events of punctuated equilibrium:

·         Are uncomfortable

·         Put us in a condition of dependency

·         Demonstrate that we are not in control

·         Test us

·         Strip away our defenses

·         Open our eyes, making us suddenly aware of God's presence and movement

·         Clarify for us we have nothing that we can truly depend on except God’s blessing and promise

In short, they demonstrate, as Francis Schaeffer wrote, that “God is there, and He is NOT silent.”

C. St. John of the Cross

Often these events in our lives are dark and difficult and painful. They are what John of the Cross in the 16th century described as "the dark night of the soul."

I think we will find that Jacob faced just such a punctuated equilibrium.  He faced a "dark night of the soul."  We will also find that he, like many of us, responded to it in a fundamentally inadequate way.

Maybe some of us have had similar dark nights. It is my prayer that this message will open your eyes to see how God works in times of trouble and how we should face trials in our lives in a way that Jacob would never have understood.

Let's examine some background that shows the family situation and sequence of events that led up to this dramatic encounter with God.

II. Background

A. Genesis 25:21-23: The older will serve the younger

What is important here is that the whole family knew that Jacob would inherit the covenant of Abraham.

·         It was God's will

·         They had a choice to accept God's plan or to live their lives as if they didn't know.

B. Genesis 25:32-33: Disregard for God's blessing

·         Esau put no value on eternal things.

·         His moral failure caused him to "despise" his own place in God's plan.

·         NT calls him Godless.

<<See Hebrews: 12:16-17>>

C. Genesis:26:34-35: Isaac's family’s separation from Canaanite culture begins to erode

·         Remember Abraham had gone to great pains to make sure Isaac did not marry into a Canaanite woman.

·         Here Esau disregards this moral imperative of his past.

·         The result was "bitterness."

D. Genesis 27:1-4: Isaac's misguided blessing

We see here which choice Isaac made.

·         He chose to disregard God's promise.

·         His plan to bless Esau was a deliberate act of disobedience.

E. Genesis: 27:9-10: Rebekah's choice

·         She could have confronted Isaac.

·         Chose instead to trick him.

F. Genesis: 27:36: Esau's anger grows

·         The bitterness and pain is deeply rooted.

·         We see the results of this anger.

<<See Genesis: 27: 41>>

G. Genesis: 27: 46: Rebekah again manipulates Isaac

·         It is curious that Rebekah would confront Isaac over the Hittite wives but not over the blessing for his sons.

·         Here she again manipulates Isaac to protect her son.

H. Genesis: 28:1-5: Isaac confirms the Abraham covenant on Jacob

·         Isaac does not take action to get Jacob a wife because of his own moral compass. He does it because of the urgings of Rebekah.

·         "Community of peoples" – The language is another indication that Isaac knew that Jacob was the chosen one.

·         SIGNIFICANT: This passage shows that Isaac recognized all along the centrality of the covenant of Abraham.

Once can almost imagine an elaboration of the Isaac's command to Jacob

·         "I know I didn't pay much attention to the covenant."

·         "I know I didn't practice in my own life what I am telling you to do."

Sometimes we take the same approach to life as Isaac.

·         We forget that we are the recipient of a great covenant...the covenant of grace.

·         We fail to confirm our separation from a sinful world.

<<See 1 Peter 2: 1>>

·         The deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander are the Hittite wives.

·         2 Peter 2 calls on Christians to recognize that we are to be in the world but separated from the world. The pattern was set with the covenant with Abraham.

III. Jacob's long dark night of the soul

<< See Genesis 28:10-11>>

·         This passage that follows is somewhat parenthetical. In the verses before, it says Jacob went to Paddan-aram. Verse 10 begins with..."while he was on the way there."

A. Jacob's character

Question: First let’s take stock of Jacob's character. QUESTION: What was Jacob's pattern when he was faced with either an opportunity or a problem?

·         Depended on his own trickery

·         Depended on his mother's watchful eye and her resulting schemes

His name means "one who clutches" or grasps. It means one who attempts to take something away from someone else; a supplanter.

First he supplanted Esau by obtaining his "birthright"...i.e. the double inheritance of the older son.

Second he supplanted Esau by obtaining the covenant of Abraham.

In both cases he used trickery or the intervention of his mother.

KEY TO UNDERSTANDING à on the lonely road to Haran neither of these options was available to him.

B. Jacob's condition

DISCUSSION: Now let's take stock of Jacob's condition. QUESTION: What was the mindset of this man as he settled down to sleep on the road to Haran?

1.       Alienation - from his brother

2.       Fear - of dangers on the road, of the future, of what would he find in Haran

3.       Grief - of separation from his mother

4.       Isolation - out of the land of promise

KEY TO UNDERSTANDING: à Up until this point in the narrative we have no indication of a personal interaction between Jacob and God.

·         This is like a person involved in Church, but never having a life changing, personal encounter with God.

·         The result is the same: alienation, fear, grief, and isolation.

C. Jacob's confirmation

<<Read Genesis 28:12- 15>>

QUESTION: What were the first words spoken in Jacob's dream?

Why is this significant?

·         When God begins to reveal His purpose in our lives, it is important that a first step is the revelation of who God is.

QUESTION: What can we conclude from the way God begins his revelation?

·         Yahweh..."I am"

·         God's power and authority are self proclaiming. He needs no justification, no credentials, and no first cause. HE IS is all that is necessary.

·         His power and authority are ultimate and absolute.

·         His power and authority are not confined to the place where Jacob laid his head.

·         He was also the God who called Abraham and Isaac. So his power and authority are not confined to time or generation or circumstance.

QUESTION: What was significant about the blessing?

·         Remember that the blessing he had already received from Isaac was second hand...it was only hearsay. It was only a blessing of those things that Isaac could give.

·         God’s words were a direct, personal, explicit confirmation that Jacob was the ONE chosen to carry the covenant of Abraham.

·         THIS covenant was unlike any before. It was the God WHO IS proclaiming that he had a purpose in the world of men and those who he chose would be used to accomplish that purpose.

·         The promise from God is also PERSONAL.  "Look, I am with you." For the first time the covenant was personal for Jacob.

IV. Jacob's response

When Jacob woke up, everything was different. God had opened his eyes. But his vision was not perfect.

ILLUSTRATION: When I have my cornea transplant it will make a sudden, dramatic improvement in my vision. But my vision will still not be perfect. It will require correction, continued care, and watchfulness. Jacob's new understanding of God is the same way. And the understanding of new Christians is also imperfect. But at this point the process of sanctification can begin.

A. Jacob's consciousness

<<Read Genesis 28:16- 17>>

·         "God his here”... Jacob still clings to the common notion of his time that God was confined to a place and a people.

·         "I was not aware"...Jacob admits that his eyes had been closed. Recall a common phrase in scripture "let him who has ears to hear and let he who has eyes to see..."

·         "He was afraid"...Recalls:

1.       The fear of Moses before the burning bush..."Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God" (Exodus 3:6)

2.       Isaiah before the thrown of God..."Woe is me, for I am ruined" (Isaiah 6:5)

3.       John at the sight of the Son of Man... "When I saw him, I fell at His feet like a dead man" (Rev. 1:17)

4.       When we are faced with the terrible gulf between our imperfection and his power and perfection we are always afraid.

·         "House of God..."gate of heaven" - Jacob became aware for the first time of God's availability

Summary:

(1) God's presence

(2) Jacob's sinfulness

(3) God's availability

Isn't this the essence of the Gospel of Jesus?  God promises to be with us and we become aware of His presence. This presence makes us aware of our own sin and we are afraid, distraught. But then we begin to understand the significance of Jesus's redemptive act on our behalf. Then as the Spirit begins to influence our lives we become aware that God is always available to us to guide us and give us strength.

B. Jacob's commitment

<<Read Genesis 28:18-22>>

List Jacob's actions:

(1) Built and anointed a pillar.

(2) Named the place Bethel

(3) Made two vows (a) that God will be his God; and (b) to give a tenth.

QUESTION: How would you characterize Jacob's commitment?

·         It was a 'bargain"...if you, then I...

·         Failed to recognize that God was Yahweh, he was God whether or not Jacob recognized it.

·         He presumed that needed the allegiance that Jacob offered.

·         He presumed that there was something special about the place.

·         He presumed that God needed or wanted his "tenth."

We are often like Jacob.

·         God doesn't want bargains, he wants our unconditional obedience

·         God wants a life that confirms that we understand that He is God, and we must depend on Him rather than our abilities or our intellect, or our effort. God is not manipulated by our actions.

·         God does not need us. Rather he loves us.

·         It is not the place or the church or the circumstance that is sanctified. It is the quality of our lives and God works in us through ALL circumstances.

·         Our gifts are not given because of God's need, but because of his sovereignty.

V. Conclusion

In an hour of personal despair, Jacob was given a direct personal and unmerited gift.

His response was at best inadequate.

Why was Jacob's response inadequate?

A. Jacob didn't know God.

Jacob did not know God in his absolute power and authority, nor in his gracious love and purpose.

Perhaps the most revealing verse in this whole passage is:

<< Read Genesis 28:16>>

·         God was something you "had" like tents and sheep and herds of cattle

·         Jacob is only declaring that he didn't realize that he had gone to a place where there was a different God.

·         Jacob's hope was only that God's jurisdiction would extend far enough to care for him and protect him on his journey.

Because Jacob didn't truly know God, none of the resources of personal strength were available to him.  Only God's unmerited grace based on the covenant with Abraham would guard and guide Jacob.

B. Jacob didn't serve God.

Serving God was not the central focus of his life.

<<See Hebrews 12:1-3>>

·         The author of this passage suggests that an element of our perseverance is the sure and certain knowledge of what lies ahead...the promise.

C. Jacob didn't know about life.

Jacob did not expect difficulties and did not have the reassurance of knowing that God's purpose is certain.

<<See James 1:2-4>>

·         "Know" is an imperative. It says be assured in advance that these trials will accomplish God's purpose.

NOTE: I am NOT saying that God wills us to have pain and tragedy.  I AM saying that when we suffer these things, God will ensure that they will yield a result consistent with His will and His promises.

D. Jacob didn't know himself.

Jacob had not decided in advance what kind of man he would be when trials come.

<<See again James 1:2-4>>

·         "Consider" suggests that we need to come to terms with this in advance. We MUST know that trials will come and decide how we will face them.

ILLUSTRATION: Kay always told our girls "remember who you are and whose you are."  In other words decide in advance the kind of person you are going to be and don't compromise even when troubles come.

<<See Psalm 27:1>>

E. Final thoughts

There will be trouble in our lives. That much is certain. But if our lives are defined by a daily walk with God....if we are single minded in our desire to love and serve God....if we expect difficulties to come and remember always that God's purpose will be accomplished...and if we decide in advance how we will face these difficulties...Then we will always be aware as Jacob was of God's protection and care. We will see in our lives the angels coming and going carrying the desires of our hearts and bringing to us the assurance of His care.

And some day when the struggles are over we will be able to say as did Calvin:

"When we look back on our life, from the perspective of eternity, we're going to see that the power of Satan was so great, that the weakness of our flesh was so feeble, and the hostility of the world was so strong, that every day of our life--if God had not intervened--we would not have made it through a day" (Calvin's Commentaries, Vol 5, cited in Gregory, 1987).