Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Introduction

In our fast paced world, we are always looking for what is ahead. Its all about what is next and where we are going. New projects, new cars, new houses, new pursuits. These things are what tend to dominate our minds. And though it is good to have a mind for the future, there is great danger in failing to see what has already taken place and setting our minds there for a while.

I know, if you are reading the word much, you might be thinking “But what about the scripture that says we are to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what is ahead (Philippians 3:13). Or putting our hands to the plow and looking back makes us unfit (Luke 9:62). Yes and amen. But there is good reason mentioned in the Bible to look back. This part of the narrative in Genesis reminds us of some of those reasons.

God Speaks to Jacob

Jacob began to be looked upon with distrust because of the blessing that was upon him. Tension began building.

For once, Jacob did not cheat to gain this advantage, at least not in any meaningful way.

It was the blessing of the Lord that allowed him to receive all the wealth that he did.

He lost favor with Laban, but he had never lost favor with God.

Jacob’s trusting God had still been on what we might call a trial period.

But God set his gaze on Jacob before he was ever born.

God now calls Jacob to trust him. It is time.

He says, “Leave this place, I will be with you.”

App: All who are in Christ receive this promise from God, “I will be with you.”

Jacob’s context is much different than ours.

But the basic principle remains the same. Those whom God has chosen to be his people by grace alone receive the promise of his presence. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Jacob Responds to God

So Jacob called his wives into the field where he was.

This is the first step of his obedience to God’s call, to talk to the women he has made a marriage covenant with.

Notice it wasn’t a “this is how its gonna be” talk, but a testimony to what the Lord has done and said.

App: When we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations, life changes, or relationship conflicts, do we listen to the LORD or do we listen to ourselves?

For Jacob to obey the voice of God here was not an easy or comfortable thing for him to do.

Though we do not have the audible voice of God, we have his word and we have the Holy Spirit living within us.

Jacob’s testimony and confession is what he speaks to his wives, looking back on the faithfulness of God in order that they might press on to what is ahead of them.

The God of my father has been with me (just as he promised).

God has protected me (from Laban), and did not permit harm to come to me.

God has blessed me, and taken away Laban’s wealth and given it to me.

GOD is responsible for all of this, not Jacob. That is his testimony and his confession.

App: We, like Jacob, should take time to reflect on the ways that God has already been “with us” throughout our lives.

Remember that Jacob’s response to God (Genesis 28:20-22)

Look back and see the faithfulness of God in your life, even when you did not fully trust him.

We get so preoccupied with what is next that we forget the faithfulness of what God has already done!

Jacob’s dream revealed to him it was God all along.

“I am the God of Bethel”

App: This is God’s way of reminding Jacob how he made a vow, and God is essentially saying, “I have kept my promises, and now it is time for you to trust me.”

The fact that God even entertained Jacob’s “we shall see” attitude towards him is nothing but pure grace.

God was not obligated to do anything of the sort, and yet he stooped down, like a father to a wayward child, and gave more grace.

This is our pointer to the gospel in this text. Christ is the grace of God stooping down way below his high estate to take on lowly human flesh that he might do for us what we could never do for ourselves.

Jacob’s Wives Respond to Jacob

Rachel and Leah affirm Jacob

God has preserved their inheritance by giving their fathers wealth to Jacob.

“He (Laban) has sold us” refers to the fact that they have no inheritance left with him. He exploited them.

They affirm the call of God to Jacob and will follow him.

Point: They, along with Jacob, are far from being pure in all of their motives, but they do see the hand of God upon all that is happening. Ultimately, they believe their husband’s testimony.

Rachel stole her father’s household gods.

This proves that Rebekah’s family was not free from their pagan practices.

It also reveals something about Rachel, and he feeling the need to take these fake gods with her.

Her motive is unclear. It could have been so that her father could not use their “help” to find them. Or it could have been because they were valuable.

Either way, it reveals that all the testimony of Jacob and the God of his fathers did not set fully in her mind.

App: There will always be something else. Something shiny and full of empty promises that we will be tempted to cling to.

We shouldn’t look upon Rachel as if we are any better, because we all have been tempted to reach out for idols after God has been nothing but faithful.

The point is, we should stop. Remember the faithfulness of God and the powerlessness of our idols.

Closing

Take the time to look back on the faithfulness of God in your life. For just a moment, stop thinking about where you are going and look back on where you have been. Truly think about all the times where God has been faithful and maybe you missed it because you were already on to the next thing.

Great is his faithfulness.