Category: Saturday Study

Saturday Study

Rachel & Leah (4-9-16)

Desperate Tent Wives

This is as bad as reality television or a soap opera. The drama in these text would be entertaining if it was not so sad. Leah gets stuck with a guy who did not want her. The text says Leah had weak eyes, this could be a nice way of saying she was not pretty, especially compared to Rachel who is ‘beautiful in form and appearance’.  Leah’s father tricks Jacob in to consummating a marriage with Leah.  How can this be?  Jacob more than likely was drunk from celebrating and or the bridal tent was dark. Jacob didn’t notice till the morning. This had to be so lowering for Leah. The only way her father could get her married of is to trick a man into it.

Jacob goes to Leban and ask for Rachel’s hand again and works seven more years to gain her as his bride. The text tells us that Jacob loved Rachel. Now Jacob has two wives, and he has broken the command of God in Genesis 2:24 of having one wife. Understand that whenever we do not follow the commands of God things work our extremely poorly.

Leah is married to a man who does not love her. She knows that Jacob has worked seven years for Rachel and is in the process of working another seven years for Rachel. This is a great display of love. The Lord sees this reproach of Jacob for his wife, and the Lord opened her womb. This is a constant theme in this text, it is the Lord who brings about life, He is the author of life. In this time and culture, to be a barren wife was to be a useless wife, you did not bring value to the household (this is a statement of fact of the culture, and not a view of the value God places on women, who are created in His image).

Leah believes she has no value because she is hated, and childless. God looks down and gives her four sons. Notice the caption of each son Rueben (the Lord has looked on my affliction and now my husband will love me). Simeon (Because the Lord has heard I am hated He has given me this son). Levi, (now my husband will be attached to me that I have born him three sons). Judah (this time I will praise the Lord). Leah is finding her value not in who she is according to her relationship with God, but who she is based her own means or how her husband values her.  Because of this she is jealous, envious, and bitter. She is desperate for the attention of her husband. Is this desire for love, and acceptance by her spouse a bad thing? No it is not, but in this case it has become an idol in her heart. Leah cherishes this acceptance above all things even her relationship with God. She places the value of culture and her husband above the God.

Rachel should be happy in that she has the love of her husband. He is showing his love for her in a great way he is working fourteen years so she can be his bride. Notice in verse 1 of chapter 30, it states that when Leah had children and Rachel was barren she envied Leah. Rachel proceeds to place her barrenness on Jacobs shoulders. Jacob in his anger makes a great statement, “Am I in the place of God who has withheld the fruit of the womb?”.  Jacob had it right God is sovereign over the womb and granting of life. We have no right to choose who lives or dies. Abortion is an affront to this, God has specifically granted life. He has not given us authority to take the life of a baby in Scripture. God condemns the harming of children, and the sacrifice of children, and anything that would lead a child astray.

Rachel turns to her own means to accomplish what God has withheld from her. This is a dangerous way to do things, whenever we try to go around God things never work out well. This text is full of examples where people are doing what they want. Making sinful choices for which they will give an account. We also see in this text that God is clearly working His plan of redemption despite all the selfishness, pride, envy, and strife.

When a servant is given to a spouse in this culture she does not become a real wife, so the servants baby is actually claimed by Rachel. If the surrogate has the baby while in the lap of the wife, then it is a symbol for the baby coming from the womb of the true wife.  Notice the telling words of Rachel after the second son is born to her servant, “With mighty wrestling, I have wrestled with my sister.

Now the competition in sues, because Leah doesn’t find value in who in God and her relationship but in being better than her sister, by providing a son. This would give her value to her husband. She has to one up her sister. Leah then proceeds to do the same thing Rachel did and that was give her servant to her husband to gain a child.

Do you see what the jealousy here is doing to these two women? They are jealous of each other because rather than compare themselves to God’s standard, they compare themselves to one another. They cannot let the other one have what they don’t have. They are selfish. All through this competition is selfishness. Notice that Rachel had Jacobs love but she thought little of it. So much so that she would give him up, so that she could have some mandrakes (flowers). In ancient times mandrakes had been believed to help fertility.

These women were desperate, they wanted something no man could do for them. Throughout the text we see God actively working to fulfill His promise. God worked through the sinful selfish action of the women to fulfill His plan of blessing the nations. Chapter 30 continually tells us that it is God who opens the wombs of these women that they may bear children. He is also the One who prevents them from bearing children. Even in the midst of the blessing of breathing life into a dead womb, these women keep focused on each other. Almost all the names given to the sons born are names showing that these women where not focused on the giver of life but on how they perceived themselves to relate to the culture.

In summary we see the sister/wives competing in using their maids as surrogates, using child bearing as proof of God’s favor, bartering for time with the husband, in accusing the other of stealing the husband favor, in the naming of the children, praying to the Lord for children for selfish gain. This sinful disobedience of God’s clear command of one man and one women shows us what happens. Jacob is not the only one to blame, Leban, Rachel, Leah are to blame for the sin here. Though bigamy and polygamy were accepted culturally we can see that this disobedience to God’s decree brought about a tough situation.

There are several things we can learn from these women:

1. Find your value in God, who you are in Christ is all that matters. Both Rachel and Leah were looking to Jacob to supply emotional and spiritual support. Humans are sinful and we fail much of the time. When we place our hope in others rather than in God we are creating idols. Idols are anything we place above God. Each one of character had things they place over knowing and trusting in God. They only relied on God to fulfill their own goals but didn’t look to glorify Him.

What is your value in?  Whom do you let define you?  In what do you find your joy and strength and purpose?

In all these things, God should be our true answer!  Only God sustains and completes and satisfies and is worthy of our lives.

2. Selfishness, envy and jealousy destroy lives. Sin never builds up but instead breaks down. You can see the bitterness in each of these women. How they let sin harden their hearts. These were two sisters who should have loved each other but they didn’t. Instead, they tried to outdo each other. These sins crowded out, usurped the good things in their life.

In what ways are you letting your flesh lead your thoughts or actions?  In what ways are you giving into sin lately?  See that all sin dishonors God.  He who things lightly of sin things lightly of a Savior!

3. Not obeying and following God’s plan never works out good. Leban’s deception (sin) leads to Jacobs choosing to be disobedient to God’s design for marriage to be a one flesh union. Sin always compounds on itself, and harms those around us.

Praise God that despite our sin he is at work for his eternal purposes! We see the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham beginning to be fulfilled through Jacob. God used these two women who had 12 sons combined to start bringing about a people that would be more numerous than the sea shore, or the stars in heaven. God is laying the foundation for His redemptive plan as he paves a lineage for the promised redeemer, Jesus Christ!  This is good news to all of us who claim Christ as Lord. We praise God for his enduring work through many generations of sinful and disobedient people in order to bring forth Christ in whom “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7.

Sola Scriptura

Pastor Jason Taylor

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Esau (4-2-16)

Immediate Gratification

The microwave is a great invention, it takes 3 minutes and 30 seconds to boil a cup of water. It can warm up a left over slice of pizza in about 40 seconds. A cinnamon roll can feel and taste like it is fresh out of the oven in about 15 seconds. A microwave can give us a meal warmed up almost instantly.  We can be immediately gratified, our hunger fulfilled, our taste buds excited faster than any other generation in history.

What does this have to do with Esau? A lot! At the beginning of our reading this week we see Esau come in from the field. He was a hunter and apparently he was out hunting for a while. Esau comes back empty handed, he is hungry and says ‘give me some of that red’. This is where Esau gains the nickname Edom. Edom is the word for red in Hebrew. Esau wanted some of that red stuff Jacob was fixing and so Esau was given the nickname Red.

Jacob sees that his brother is distraught, hungry and takes advantage of the situation. Though this is not the right thing to do God does use it for His glory. Jacob takes advantage of Esau and gets Esau to sell his birthright for a bowl of red porridge.  A birth right gives the heir the right to become chieftain, to a double portion of the inheritance, and in this case the covenant blessing and promises given to Abraham will continue through the heir.

Esau knew exactly what his birthright was. But, he held it in to little esteem and he sold it for a bowl of porridge. Esau made a huge mistake and instead of looking at the long term, he sold out for immediate gratification. He forsook the promise of God to be heir for a bowl of Quaker Oats.  You might think this is harsh. Esau was starving, he was about to die, etc. First, Esau was able to walk out of the woods from his hunting trip. Second, Esau was able to argue with Jacob. Third, If Esau was truly starving he could have just taken what he wanted from Jacob more than likely. Esau was a man of the woods whereas Jacob was essentially a mamma’s boy. Finally, what we must not miss in this testimony is how strongly the God’s word counts Esau’s sin in this flippant act of self indulgence.

Hebrews 12:15-16 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and  causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal

The first lesson we learn from Esau is the need for patience. Esau chose the bowl of porridge over the eternal blessing of God. Now, we must not forget that in God’s sovereignty He has already decreed that Esau will serve Jacob (the prophecy of two nations struggling). Even so, Esau is responsible for his actions. Selling his birthright was more then selling his riches and standing, he was passing up on the covenantal promises made to Abraham. This was the most valued thing in this family. In essence he was forsaking the mighty promises of God for a quick fill me up. Impulsively Esau traded an immediate and sensual gratification at the forfeit of a future glory.  Oh, how valuable patience is.  This is one of the great ways sin works in our lives.

Sin takes a practical immediate want or need, which is placed in us by God to help us to benefit us and over prioritizes it by placing that item or need above God. Sin took the need for food and ramped it up in Esau to make it more desirable to him them the lasting promises of God.

How often do we do this? How often do we allow a necessity of something to usurp the place of God or our relationship with God? When we blatantly choose to sin, we are choosing immediate gratification over our relationship with a Sovereign Creator who knows what is best for us.  In this, we don’t value the promises of God or the importance of holiness.

The promise of the gospel is that of faith. Remember Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Esau lacked faith and hope in the promises of God. Esau trusted in momentary things. Esau would rather not suffer, he did not want to suffer for the hope that was laid upon him in his birthright.  When we have faith in the promises of God, we hope in the promise of eternal salvation, glorification, of God restoring everything to a sinless perfect state in the new heavens and new earth.

We have to be leery of the lessons taught to us by the microwave. We need to be cautious not get used to or expect immediate gratification. The microwave is a great invention, but sometimes we need to remember that the promises of God are not always as fast as a ready made bowl of porridge. We remember that God was laying the foundation of the cross for over four thousand years. We see the promise in Genesis 3:15. The expectation of the long awaited Messiah is built and then Jesus comes on the scene. The promise is fulfilled on the cross.  As we meditate on the cross we must understand that we are to look forward to the ‘glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ’. So that we will not ‘be unholy like Esau who sold his birthright for a single meal’.

The second lesson we can learn from Esau is that God’s purposes will be carried through. God’s sovereign plan is continually at work, fulfilling God’s plan.

The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.'”

Malachi 1:1-4

It would be impossible to not speak to God’s sovereignty over all things in the life of Esau as the Scriptures continue to point to the differences of Esau and Jacob. One points us to the promises of God, the other of fallen man that has no hope outside of the decrees and election of God.

In the book of Malachi we see that the LORD (YHWH- the covenantal name of God) lifts up Jacob and Esau and points to His love for one and His hate for the other. Malachi is a prophet and he is writing to the people of Israel. They have returned to the land, but they are not doing as they are supposed to.  They are not glorifying or giving God his due, they are not treating their parents with respect, and they are not being a testimony to the nations.

Here we see that God is stating how he has kept His people over the years. He has brought them back into the land, He has kept them as a nation. The people of Edom (the descendants of Esau) God has broken down. They are destroyed and they will not be rebuilt.

We see in this the promises of God being fulfilled. God is sustaining and keeping His people because of his elective love for them. God chose Israel not by any merit of their own:

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. Deuteronomy 7:5-10

Understand that this choosing of Israel does not mean that all of Israel would be saved (Romans 9:6-7). This love did give them special revelation. They were given the law, and how to know God, how to live before Him in a clear way. God showed His sovereignty in choosing them, then also in breaking down the nations around them and leaving these nations destroyed.

Notice in the Malachi text that God hates Esau. We know from the Hebrew text that Esau was unholy- not set apart unto God. This coupled with Romans 9 shows us that God’s sovereign purpose are supreme over all things such as human will, plan etc (Romans 9:14-16). God often works through these things but He is not bound by them. As Paul states Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Esau was a creature made by a sovereign God was to glorify God.

This is hard for many of us to understand. We often think how can a ‘loving God’ do this, or say these things. Often times we want to skip these portions of Scripture because they go against our natural thought. First, we are corrupt and we have a sin nature that has darkened our minds. Second, we live in a culture that champions their definition of love over all things. All of God’s attributes are in all of His actions so every act of God is 100% holy, just, right, wrath, love, etc. Because of God’s character we can take comfort in His action because God will never deny Himself, and he is not like a man that he would lie. God has declared His character in Scripture. Because we know His character we know that His elective love is good, just, and right. We know that His wrath and hate, is good, just and right.

As last week’s devotion on Jacob shows us that we should be surprised that God would love any sinful person that we all deserve eternal judgment, that unless God chooses some we would all be rightly and justly consigned to Hell. God gave His holy, beautiful, Son (who was God, and with God from eternity past) to take on flesh and redeem a people from their sin. As these truths settle into our souls we can confidently and joyful say with Paul “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Sola Scriptura

Pastor Jason Taylor

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Jacob (3-26-16)

Genesis 25:21-23

Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,  “ 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.”

Jacob’s life and testimony highlight a very important work of God that often is misunderstood. That is, God is free to choose and do what He wills. Everything God does is perfect and good and right.  We see this unfold in Jacob’s life as God ordained that he would be served by his older brother.  In his time and culture, this is unprecedented, but God had a plan from the beginning for these two boys.  When we have a high view of God, then we will be joyful and full of faith in him when we consider His hand on our lives from birth to death.

The Bible says:

Psalms 139:13-14 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Job 14:5 Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.

Such teaching is also affirmed by Paul when he says, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

God continues to give us breath each moment. Elihu says of God, “If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust” (Job 34:14- 15; cf. Ps. 104:29).

God is the one who wills to give us life both physically and spiritually.  He is also the one who determines our days and our end.

This is a massive truth about the sovereignty of God that all too often is misunderstood or thought of in unbiblical ways.

The truth is, the sovereignty of God over our lives is a great comfort to us and source of our praise when we rightly understand it.

I pray today’s study stretches you and shapes in you a biblical view of God that brings about this comfort and praise.

In Genesis 25, we read how Isaac conspired to thwart the Lord’s intent to bless Jacob (Gen. 25:19–28; 27:1–4) and how Rebekah and Jacob lied, cheated, and stole to get what God said belonged to Jacob anyway (27:5–29).

Even though the blessing went to Jacob as it was ordained by God, all of the human players suffered for their sin: Jacob went into exile as a result of the trick he and his mother played on Isaac and Rebekah died without ever seeing her favorite son again (27:41–45; 28:1–5; 49:31).

Just because the means to the “end that God wanted” involved sin and dishonesty, it does not mean God approves of evil or directly ever does evil, but He does work in spite of the sinner to achieve His good ends.

A great example of this is captured in Joseph’s words to his brothers who sold him into slavery.. “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

While, Genesis 28 (Jacobs ladder/blessing) and Genesis 32:22-32 (Jacob wrestles with the angel of the Lord) are amazing stories and worth your study, I want to get to Romans 9 this morning as it sheds a great deal of light on God’s sovereign choice over mankind that Jacob’s testimony so importantly testifies of.  

Look with me again at Romans 9:6-11 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”  10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 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—

Did you notice that God’s choice for whom he loved and whom he hated is not because anything they did, good or bad? It was not because of their works or their foreseen faith but instead based solely on the purpose of God’s sovereign election.

Romans 9:11 is the reason for announcing Jacob’s election before his birth. “…in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.”

We need to feel the weight of this sentence. When God tells us why he does something as eternally fundamental as unconditional individual election, he is giving us information about the nature of ultimate reality – namely His reality – that is more foundational and more important than all other human knowledge or understanding.

Nothing is greater to know about God than why he does his most fundamental acts. And here is one of these massively important sentences. Why, God, do you do this great work of unconditional election?

Answer:  In order that (my) purpose of election might continue, not because of works, but because of (me) who calls.

Paul makes a huge affirmation here! God did not choose Jacob because of works he had already done. Nor did He choose him because of works that he would do later.   In other words, here Paul is ruling out foreseen good deeds or faith in Jacob and foreseen evil deeds or lack of faith in Esau and he is saying: God’s election is not based on deeds in any way- not deeds already done and not deeds undone and not foreknown. God’s election is free. That is God’s glory and right as God.  Therefore, His purpose in His election is to be known and enjoyed and praised as infinitely glorious in his free and sovereign choice.

Romans 9:12 says, “…she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

These words were spoken while the kids are in the womb that we read in Gen 15:23.

Romans 9:13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

For many people, they get hung up on these words…that God would hate anyone.

I contest that this is only because of a small view of the depth of our depravity and a man-made diminishing of a our sin before a holy God. Because with the wretchedness of our sin in full and right view, it is not “Esau I hated” that would trip us up, but instead the words “Jacob I loved” that should seem outrageous.  That God would put his love on any of us wretched sinners is the unbelievable thing here.  Not that he would hate the sin that stands against his holiness and worthiness.

Now, the question that always comes up when studying this topic is the very question Paul poses himself in order to be very clear about what he is saying about God here.  That question is…

“What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part?”  Romans 9:14

His answer:  “By no means!”

Before we read on.. we must hear with great clarity what Paul is saying here.

If you feel the doctrine of God’s election seems unjust or makes God look unloving or not worth following, Paul’s words to you here are clear.  That is not the case.  BY NO MEANS IS THERE ‘INJUSTICE’ ON GOD’S PART.  In other words, we have to correct our skewed view of God that causes our heart to not like his sovereign work in this area.

Next, Paul gives an example…

Romans 9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”    This is a quote in Exodus 33:19.

In Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’’” In other words, God explained his name here as “I am who I am.”

And in Exodus 33:19 he explains his name as “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” The structure is the same, and the meaning is simply expanded. God’s name, the essence of his glory, is that he is absolutely and without cause or constraint from outside himself. He is who he is.

            Romans 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

Again, his SELECTION of whom he gives mercy is first HIS choice, NOT OURS.

Additionally, the receiving of Mercy is NOT based on “human will or exertion”.

            Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

What is God’s priority in doing these things?   The demonstration of His power and the proclamation of his name in all the earth!

            Romans 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Is this saying that man is the one who decides if he receives mercy unto life and/or if he receives a hard heart unto destruction?  NO.  It is by God’s will, God’s decision, for God’s purposes, for God’s fame.  God is purposeful in everything.

            Romans 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”

Again, this is the argument of the flesh back then that Paul was addressing and it still is today.

Look at Paul’s answer…

            Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you           made    me like this?”

By what authority does the created tell the Creator what he should have done in creation?

Paul makes this point as he specifically describes God’s sovereignty in unconditional individual election.  Look…

            Romans 9:21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

            Romans 9:22-23 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much             patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which             he has prepared beforehand for glory.

So again, God’s purpose is to show his wrath (one of his divine attributes), make known his power, and make known his glory.

Then Paul brings it back to who we are talking about…

            Romans 9:24 …even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

This is in reference to His saving love for Jacob (and Jacob’s descendants) as opposed to Esau (and Esau’s lineage).

God’s electing prerogative is clearly displayed here. God chose Jacob over Esau, not on the basis of anything Jacob or Esau had done, but according to His own free and uninfluenced sovereign purpose. To those who might protest, “That is unfair!” Paul simply responds by asking, “Who are you, O man, who answers back to God?” (v. 20).

In order to help round out our view of God’s work in this way, we can see that the truth of God’s election is seen all throughout scripture.

Out of all the people in the world, God chose Abraham and removed him from Ur of the Chaldeans and made him the father of a great nation. That’s why Israel is called, “His chosen ones.” Psalm 105: 43

Deuteronomy 7:6 “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (cf. Duet. 14:2)

The Lord your God chose a people for His own possession out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. And God said it wasn’t because they were better than any other people. It wasn’t because they were more attractive than any other people. God said it was because of His own free predetermined will to set His love upon them and for no other reason.

God works his sovereign election in the New Testament era as well.

A few examples of God’s Election in the New Testament:

In the New Testament, the redeemed are those who were “chosen of God” (Col. 3:12; 1 Cor. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:9; 5:13; Rev. 17:14), meaning that the church is a community of those who were chosen, or “elect”.

When Jesus told His disciples, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (John 15:16), He was underscoring this very truth.    In the New Testament, the church is called the elect or the chosen.

In his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul reminds his readers that he was thankful for them “because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation”.

            1 Thess 1:4   For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.

            2 Thess 2:13   But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose   you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

Today’s study of Jacob serves a great truth to our souls that God is over all things.

He chooses whom He will. He gives life to whom He will and calls our days to an end when he chooses.

This is a huge foundation under our feet and basis for our faith in God.  He will not be thwarted and He will not lose any of this people.  God’s purpose in election is put on display in a great way through the life and testimony of Jacob.

The next time you face life’s biggest storms or insurmountable odds, know who breathed life into you, who chose you and who has your days numbered.  Know that God’s plan and ways are best and He will see his perfect plan through for His glory and our good.

Ephesians 1:3-6  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Rebekah (3-19-16)

The biblical story about Rebekah begins with the request by Abraham to his oldest servant: “You shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac” (Genesis 24:4). Upon hearing this, the servant had a very logical concern: “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land” (v. 5). Abraham reassured him that God would send His angel before him, making it possible for Isaac to marry a wife from there (v. 7).

The Providence of God

When Abraham’s servant arrived at a well just outside the city of Abraham’s brother in Mesopotamia, he prayed to God. “Please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master” (Genesis 24:12-14).

Before the servant of Abraham had finished speaking, Rebekah, the daughter of Isaac’s first cousin, had arrived at the well. When Abraham’s servant asked her for a drink, she gave the requested response: “Drink, my lord.” Then she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking” (verses 18-19).

This act of kindness was the sign to the servant of Abraham that God had indeed answered his prayer and had shown kindness to Abraham in directing him to the chosen wife for Isaac.

This miraculous story of what happened at the well was repeated to Rebekah’s family. It provided the needed sign to Bethuel, Rebekah’s father, and Laban, Rebekah’s brother, that the proposed marriage of Rebekah and Isaac was of God’s doing. That is why they were willing to let her go with Abraham’s servant to be Isaac’s wife, “as the Lord has spoken” (verses 50-51).

The next morning the servant of Abraham wanted to leave immediately with Rebekah! But, for a young bride preparing to become married and leave her family, this was considered a hasty send-off. Rebekah’s family asked him to let her stay a few days. So, in concern for Rebekah, the family said: “We will call the young woman and ask her personally” (verse 57).

The Strong Faith of a Young Girl

Rebekah was given a choice in the matter: “Then they called Rebekah and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ and she said, ‘I will go’” (verse 58). Rebekah had a choice—she could have said no! But this was a decisive answer in the affirmative.

How many women would be truly willing to give up their family, friends and country and go to live far away in a foreign land to marry a man they had never met? It would take a very special woman, one who had faith in God, to be willing to do so.

The blessing that Rebekah’s family prayed over her when she left was a prophetic blessing inspired of the Holy Spirit, to prove Gods predetermined plan to work his promise through her children. “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them” (verse 60).

This was the continuance of the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 22:17: “Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.”

So Rebekah, her nurse Deborah (Genesis 35:8) and her maids (Genesis 24:59, 61) went with Abraham’s servant and his men.

Marriage and Family

When Rebekah first saw Isaac, she took a veil and covered herself (verse 65). The veil was an essential part of the female dress. In country places it is often thrust aside, but on the appearance of a stranger, it is drawn over the face, as to conceal all but the eyes. For a bride it was a token of her reverence and subjection to her husband.

Rebekah covered herself out of respect for her husband to be.

Isaac and Rebekah were happily married for many years, yet were without children because Rebekah was found to be barren. This must have been a true hardship for Rebekah, not only because of the shame that is was in that culture to not be able to have children but also because she had been told that she would be the mother of thousands of ten thousands.

This is a huge test in our faith when what we believe should be ours doesn’t happen we can in our flesh become bitter or impatient an sometimes even upset at God.   But God’s time and ways is not our time and ways.  We must remain faithful and full of faith for God to carry out his perfect plan.   Isaac is diligent in this time to pray and as he prayed to God for his wife God heard his prayer and in God’s time, Rebekah became pregnant.

Two boys, two nations, two God determined outcomes.

The Bible says that Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah bore his sons (Genesis 25:26), which meant that Rebekah was not exactly young either. There is always concern whether a pregnancy is going well or not. During her pregnancy, she felt struggling going on in her womb and was concerned about it. She said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So Rebekah “went to inquire of the LORD” (verse 22).

Rebekah had a personal relationship with God, and He responded to her saying, “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger” (verse 23).

This was a very personal answer from the Lord of the universe to Rebekah. She never forgot it.

Isaac and Rebekah’s firstborn son came out red and hairy. They called him Esau (“hairy”).

The second son took hold of his brother’s heel with his hand. They called him Jacob (“supplanter”).

As the boys grew, the differences between the two became apparent. Esau was a skillful hunter and a man of the field. Isaac loved Esau his firstborn because he ate of his game. Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Rebekah loved Jacob. This situation led to some very interesting family dynamics!

Rebekah’s influences

Isaac and Rebekah prospered in their lives and were blessed by God. God reiterated to them the promises He had given to Abraham and told them to stay in the land of Canaan (Gerar). God would take care of them and bless them and their descendants (Genesis 26:2-6, 12-13).

Isaac and Rebekah believed God’s promises. They lived lives of faith, as strangers and pilgrims in the land. They were even given honor by Abimelech, king of the Philistines (verse 11).

Then trouble from Esau arose. Esau took two women as his wives. “And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:34-35). In this matter, Isaac and Rebekah were of the same mind and opinion. Abraham had not wanted a Canaanite wife for his son Isaac, and Isaac and Rebekah did not want Canaanite wives for their sons. Canaanites believed in different gods.

Now time passed. Isaac became old and his eyesight dim, and he wanted to confer his blessing on his oldest son, Esau. Rebekah knew this was about to happen, and so she went and told Jacob what Isaac planned to do. Rebekah conceived a daring plan to deceive Isaac that Jacob was Esau.

One might ask: Why did Rebekah resort to deceiving her husband in order for the blessing to come upon Jacob? She knew that Isaac’s mind was set on conferring the greater blessing of national prominence on his firstborn, Esau. She probably remembered what God had once told her, that the elder would serve the younger.

So, instead of inquiring of God at this time, she motivated her son Jacob to deceive Isaac and grab the blessing. It was not the right thing to do—to deceive. Sometimes the human mind comes up with a quick plan of human devising to try to achieve our ends.

Esau was furious with Jacob for taking his birthright and wanted to kill him. So Rebekah encouraged Jacob to flee back to her family to escape any death attempts from Esau.

Rebekah approached Isaac with the following words: “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?” (Genesis 27:46).

Isaac heeded Rebekah and told Jacob to go to Rebekah’s family in Padan Aram to take a wife of the daughters of Laban, Jacob’s uncle. Isaac then conferred upon Jacob the inherited blessings God had promised Abraham. Then Jacob obeyed his parents and departed (Genesis 28:1-2).

Rebekah’s faith

When we consider that Rebekah loved and preferred Jacob over Esau, we must remember that the Bible says that God loved and preferred Jacob as well. Jacob was given the birthright and the blessing because it was the will of God for him to have them. The will of God always stands, no matter what actions people choose to take of their own devising.  Jacob valued the birthright. He repented of his ways of cunning trading and supplanting his brother. He became an overcomer, a prevailer and a prince with God. His name was changed to Israel. God showed mercy on him.

But what can we learn about Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob? She was selected by God for Isaac. She was a beautiful woman of faith, who was willing to come and live in the Promised Land, and she believed in the promises of God. She had courage and daring and ability. Isaac loved her, and they had a good marriage.

Both she and her husband disapproved of Esau marrying pagan Canaanite women. Both she and her husband believed in the promises of Abraham being passed on to their descendants. Both she and her husband enjoyed the blessings of God in their lives and lived in peace and prosperity.

Rebekah was a matriarch in Israel and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 49:31). She became the mother of thousands of ten thousands. Her elder son did serve the younger. Rebekah believed these things because God had told her so.

I pray that the faith of Rebekah is a great encouragement to us.  I pray that we see the Sovereign hand of God moving his perfect plan through his chosen people.  I pray that we value our heritage in Christ that traces back to faith filled people like Rebekah.

May we continue on in faith no matter what obstacle stands before us.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church

Saturday Study

Isaac (3-12-16)

Let’s take a quick minute to recap what we learned about Abraham, as it sets up what we learn about Isaac.

In Genesis 12:1-3, we read the first mention of God’s game changing covenant with Abraham:

Genesis 12- 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

The problem was Abraham and his wife, Sarah, were unable to have kids, and they were very old.  We are talking 100 years old, old.   The name Isaac, which means “he laughs,” was derived from his parents’ reaction when God told Abraham that he would have a son (Genesis 17:17; 18:12).

Isaac was Abraham’s second son; his first, Ishmael, was by Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar, as a result of Sarah’s impatience to give Abraham a family (Genesis 16:1-2).

In Genesis 21, we read that Isaac is finally born, and his arrival was so important Sarah insisted that Abraham send Hagar and her son away, ensuring the family inheritance would go to Isaac (Genesis 21:3-12).   Everything would change through him.  We must see a lifetime of anticipation for his arrival only heightened by the huge promise of God to bless the nations through him.

Now let’s read Genesis 22 starting with verse 1:

Genesis 22:1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

The Hebrew word here for “test” doesn’t mean God didn’t know where Abraham was and so God had to do something to find out.  It is God’s way to reveal something that he knows is already there.  God knew Abraham was a man of great faith. So he puts before him a once in a lifetime circumstance that would put his faith on display.

How often are the hardships we face simply divine appointments of God for us to put on display our faith or the Gospel of Jesus?  This is a great reminder to us.

Let’s see what God says for him to do:

Genesis 22:1-2 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Notice something key here:

In the Hebrew language, this verse powerfully reveals four clauses that build a very emotional impact: your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac!

This is a way to highlight how important Isaac is to Abraham and his lineage.

Genesis 22:3-8  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

A very important and interesting thing we find here.

<> Isaac had to carry the wood.  He had to labor up the mountain.

Genesis 22:9-10  When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

<> Many people have considered Isaac to be young here, but biblical Scholars believe Isaac could be as old as 30 because of when this happens in relationship to when Abraham dies.

– This means Isaac had all the power to resist this and flee or never go in the first place… but not only is he going to be faithful to his father and carry the wood up the mountain, he is going to willingly be bound, lie down and watch his father draw the knife of his death over his body without struggle or plea.

Genesis 22:11-12

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Abraham was faithful in the end.  He showed great faith in probably one of the hardest tests ever given to man.  Many examples we are given of faithful men and women willing to sacrifice themselves for God, but the faith of a father to sacrifice his one and only son is much greater.

Genesis 22:13-14

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

God was faithful also!  He was faithful to fulfill His promise to Abraham that his heritage of the blessings of the nations would come through Isaac.   I believe Abraham’s confidence in God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises was the foundation by which Abraham built this faith.

What is your faith built on?  What you can see and touch and produce yourself?

Often these are the things we build our lives on. But this is not faith.  The author of Hebrews defines faith like this: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 

Our faith is placing our assurance, our confidence on the things hoped for. In other words, it is the promised things of God that we place our living hope in.  There is an assurance because of Who has promised those things: God Himself.  It is sure, because God is sure.  He cannot and will not be thwarted or swayed or lazy.  He will deliver on His promises. It is a conviction of things not seen- the things of God; God Himself.

While we can’t see God, Romans 1:19-20 makes it clear that He can be seen through what He has made: His general revelation. “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” –Romans 1:19-20

God is faithful.  This is what Abraham’s faith was built on.

Also, “Yahweh will provide!”

This is Abraham’s proclamation and name for this place.

What is interesting is most of the time Jewish names were based on what had happened, not what would happen.  The name that makes more sense is Yahweh did provide!

But Abraham sees something powerful. He sees that God is working up something much bigger… I’ll come back to this in a moment.

Can you imagine the celebration between father and son at the news that he need not die?

Let’s consider this for a moment.

Turn with me back to the New Testament. Look with me at:

Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

All through Scripture, we see God the Father’s beautiful affection and cherished love for His Son.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

One of the tools used to interpret Scripture deeper is The Principle of First Mention.

This means the first place something is mentioned gives us a base to understand it elsewhere.

Did you know the first mention of the word “love” in the entire Bible is found in Genesis 22 verse 2? “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love’…”

Because the Jewish people knew this word so well, they valued that a high form of love is found in the love of a father for his son.

What this also points to is a love that is rooted in a son’s willingness to be bound and placed on the altar of death to be sacrificed to please the father.

It is an obedience that is NOT rooted in obligation or rule-keeping, like we so often find ourselves in trying to be obedient. Instead, this is rooted in sacrificial love.

A sacrificial love that echoes all the way back to the source of true love, found in the Trinity, the ongoing relationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now, let’s look at how Isaac and Jesus are connected:

Isaac’s birth is miraculous. Jesus’ birth is miraculous.

We see Abraham’s deep love for his son.

We see God’s deep love for His Son.

Isaac carries the wood of his own sacrifice up the mountain.

Jesus carries the wood of His own sacrifice up the hill of Golgotha.

Isaac willingly climbs up into the altar to be slain.

Jesus willingly allows Himself to be arrested, falsely accused, beaten, and placed on his erect altar to be sacrificed.

The place that Isaac was to be sacrificed is called Yahweh will provide.

The place that Jesus was laid bare for the sins of His people was where Yahweh did provide.

God is carrying out His promise to Satan that He made in Genesis 3:15, where He promised to defeat Satan and death through the seed of the woman.  God is carrying out His promise to Abraham by giving him Isaac and enduring Isaac, so the line to Jesus can continue.

Next, God re-affirms the covenant He made with Abraham with in Genesis 26:3-5:

“Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws”

Though there are no overwhelming achievements to speak of concerning Isaac’s life, it was Isaac that God chose to continue the covenant line, the same line that would produce our Messiah, Jesus.

And for many generations the Jewish nation described their God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  For the next few weeks we will study his wife and sons and get to see another side of Isaac.

But for today, may our heats be full of worship for God, as we see His hand on all these details pointing ultimately to Christ and our redemption.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church