Hebrews 11:21
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
We see by Faith , Abraham offered Isaac,
By Faith, Abel offered Sacrifice,
By Faith Moses parted the red sea
By Faith Jericho walls were broken.
So these were all great acts of faith.
But in the middle of all this great acts of faith, it was mentioned about Jacob,
By Faith, Jacob
We all know our Church Vision is
Honor God
Reveal Life
Share Hope.
If we can state that Jacobs Vision is this in Hebrews 11
In Dying,
Blessed others.
Worshiped God.
Leaned On the top of his staff.
Life of a true believer of Jesus Christ has these 3 aspects.
They Bless others.
They Worship God.
They Lean on the top of their staff.
The life of Jacob is an example of What God Can do in a person that surrenders his life to God.
In Jacobs life, To have this Core values, and to have this vision, God has to lead him, break him.
Jacobs Past
Let us look at Jacobs past before he became the man that Hebrews 11 described.
Genesis 25:21,22
21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
Many of us has this nature to grab whatever we can.
Jacob tried to grab since he was in womb.
He couldnt grab it, so he was looking for another opportunity.
Now
Those who seek and wait, they will never be disappointed.
Many of us wait with empty hands doing nothing.
But we can learn that whatever talent that God has blessed you with, if you keep working on it, when that opportunity comes, you are ready for it.
Jacob was not a lazy man, but he was quiet man, but he was a shrewd man.
Mild, quiet man.
27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a [f]mild man, dwelling in tents.
But a Shrewd man
So with help of his mother, Jacob even got that blessing.
And Esau tried to kill his brother, and Jacob raw away.
This was his past.
If we see till here, there is nothing in Jacobs life that he will bless others, or he will depend on God for what he desires.
He gets his way.
Before a person is born again, Many are like this, that we do whatever we feel like.
we worked out our way.
the wisdom, the knowledge, the talents we have we used , and every opportunity we waited to get ourselves benefitted.
Who would have thought Jacob would be a blessing to others at this stage of his life.
If we examine our own lives, my own life, before born again, i was not a useful vessel to anyone.
But God has His plans.
When running away from Easu, God meets Jacob.
8: God meets Jacob in Bethel
Genesis 28: v12
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
God has His special ways of meeting.
God meets in unique ways to each of His children.
God met Jacob in a dream.
The dream is this
A ladder was set up on the earth and the ladders top reached heaven. and angels of God ascending and descending on it.
And God blessing Jacob in this and in 14 says
14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Till this moment, Jacob did not look like a man who will be a blessing for others.
Jacob was man who was trying to grab everything for himself.
But Gods purpose in mans life is this. You are blessed to be a blessing others.
A blessing can not stop at you, A blessing has to flow to others.
This is God moment in Jacobs life.
In John 1:50
There was a great change in Jacob. Now depending on God.
Trusting in God.
Even when Joseph brought Ephraim and Manessah to Jacob to bless them.
Genesis 48:12-14
12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn
But Jacob had discernement
When Isaac blessed he didnot know who was infront him .
But Jacob had the wisdom of God, and he was a prophet at the time , prophesying. and he could place his hands on what God has purposed for.
Jacob leaned on his staff. lean on head of bed.
Jacob learned trusting in God.
Genesis 47:31
31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
I shared this many times.
I used to be a man who did many thing on my own strength, only when i cannot do that i would goto prayer.
When i had headache, or small things, i would try to resolve myself.
But when bigger things come, then I would goto God.
But the bible says independence from God is sin.
ANything apart from Faith is Sin.
Because Jacob was broken, there is blessing for every nation in this world.
Jacob was Broken
Jesus was broken - the bread was broken.
In communion, the bread is broken and given symbolizing that in the brokenness there is blessing.
Romans 14:23
Independence from God - is sin
Dependence from God - Faith
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
We see by Faith , Abraham offered Isaac,
By Faith, Abel offered Sacrifice,
By Faith Moses parted the red sea
By Faith Jericho walls were broken.
So these were all great acts of faith.
But in the middle of all this great acts of faith, it was mentioned about Jacob,
By Faith, Jacob
We all know our Church Vision is
Honor God
Reveal Life
Share Hope.
If we can state that Jacobs Vision is this in Hebrews 11
In Dying,
Blessed others.
Worshiped God.
Leaned On the top of his staff.
Life of a true believer of Jesus Christ has these 3 aspects.
They Bless others.
They Worship God.
They Lean on the top of their staff.
The life of Jacob is an example of What God Can do in a person that surrenders his life to God.
Jacobs Past
Let us look at Jacobs past before he became the man that Hebrews 11 described.
Genesis 25:21,22
21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
When Isaac prayed for Rebekah, she conceived. But the children struggled together within her.
Both Jacob and Esau were fighting -
In Rebekahs womb , Jacob and Esau were struggling with each other.
Many of us , as parents , we think our children are innocent, they dont behave like others, but right from the womb, they know how to struggle.
It is just that physical strength might not be there in the womb, but the Spirit inside the child in the womb is very well awake.
So these 2 were struggling in the womb and their struggle could be who has to come out first.
and Jacob might be trying to come out first.
But Esau came first. but even in that coming out, Jacob was holding the heel of esau while coming out.
There was a intense desire in the Spirit of a Child to come out first.
To get that birthright.
and as a result he was named Jacob - who grabs the heel.
especially to reflect deceptive behavior.
He wanted to come out first but couldn't come , so he held his heel.
Many of us has this nature to grab whatever we can.
Jacob tried to grab since he was in womb.
He couldnt grab it, so he was looking for another opportunity.
Now
Those who seek and wait, they will never be disappointed.
Many of us wait with empty hands doing nothing.
But we can learn that whatever talent that God has blessed you with, if you keep working on it, when that opportunity comes, you are ready for it.
Jacob was not a lazy man, but he was quiet man, but he was a shrewd man.
Mild, quiet man.
27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a [f]mild man, dwelling in tents.
But a Shrewd man
29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called [g]Edom.
31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
33 Then Jacob said, [h]“Swear to me as of this day.”
Now Esau despised his birthright, but to really inherit that blessing of birthright, his father has to bless.
So with help of his mother, Jacob even got that blessing.
And Esau tried to kill his brother, and Jacob raw away.
This was his past.
If we see till here, there is nothing in Jacobs life that he will bless others, or he will depend on God for what he desires.
He gets his way.
Before a person is born again, Many are like this, that we do whatever we feel like.
we worked out our way.
the wisdom, the knowledge, the talents we have we used , and every opportunity we waited to get ourselves benefitted.
Who would have thought Jacob would be a blessing to others at this stage of his life.
If we examine our own lives, my own life, before born again, i was not a useful vessel to anyone.
But God has His plans.
When running away from Easu, God meets Jacob.
8: God meets Jacob in Bethel
Genesis 28: v12
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
God has His special ways of meeting.
God meets in unique ways to each of His children.
God met Jacob in a dream.
The dream is this
A ladder was set up on the earth and the ladders top reached heaven. and angels of God ascending and descending on it.
And God blessing Jacob in this and in 14 says
14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Till this moment, Jacob did not look like a man who will be a blessing for others.
Jacob was man who was trying to grab everything for himself.
But Gods purpose in mans life is this. You are blessed to be a blessing others.
A blessing can not stop at you, A blessing has to flow to others.
This is God moment in Jacobs life.
In John 1:50
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter[o] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Nathaniel was under fig tree and Jesus , an Israelite , in whom is no deceit.
There Jacob was - who grabbed his way to get his blessing.
Even his father Isaac said, your brother came deceitfully.
but here Jesus says about Nathaniel - who does not have deceit in him
and tells that he will see angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.
The dream that Jacob had about the ladder is the Lord Himself.
This is the life changing moment - that for Jacob who pushed his way for blessings has to know that the Son of Man is the Ladder for Heaven.
He is the Way.
When the HolySpirit reveals to a person that a man can be saved only by Jesus Christ, the first thing that comes out of that person is the Worship.
In Genesis 28:18
18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place [d]Bethel
Jacob , although born in a godly home, a godly father, a godly mother, but he pushed his way for his blessings, but when God encountered him, He Worshiped God.
That is why Jacob Named this place as Bethel - means the House of God.
It is in the house of God, you will learn to worship Him.
Many of you before you came to the Church, you did not know what it means to worship God.
You might have just sung the songs to God, you might have done many things realted to Christian work. but when you come and dwell in the house of God, you start learning what it means to worship God.
Worship - as we heard is not just about music.
In the House of God, you are taught - being a living sacrifice.
The Living Sacrifice is the True worship to our God.
Jacob learned Worship at Bethel.
He also learned tithing at Bethel.
Previously you might not know what it means to give, but at Bethel, that means in the House of God, you will learn giving, you will earn tithing, you will learn helping others, you will learn giving to mission work, you will learn that Blessing of giving.
But do you dwell at Bethel.
This is born again moment for Jacob.
From here, he moves to Padan Aram to his uncles place.
His father in law deceived him by giving Leah into marriage, and cheating him in the wages.
By the end of 20 years, Jacob realized that Laban deceived him and he was broken. but still managed to run away and finally comes to a place called Penuel.
Although Jacob was born again, but still he was moving in his strength, he still manages his way to get the most of the Sheep.
in Genesis 32:
God encounters Jacob again.
Genesis 32:24 God breaks Jacob - God meets Jacob in Penuel
Genesis 32
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the [g]breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He [h]touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
The first time when God visited Jacob was to Bless him and he was born again ,
But the next time God visited Jacob to break him.
God touched Jacob's hip.
As I was meditating why God touched hip,
Jacob was man who wanted to run ahead of esau in the womb.
Jacob ran away when esau was planning to kill him.
Jacob ran away from Laban.
The strength of Jacob was in doing his way and running away.
But Hip is a place when it is dislocated, you can't run.
Ask people who have the hip problems, they tell you how difficult it is to run or walk.
They have to depend on some one or something.
When God asked whats your name, the same question what his father Isaac asked.
When Isaac asked the question, he said Esau your first born.
But when it came to God, he revealed the true who he is.
27 So He said to him, “What is your name?”
He said, “Jacob.”
ISrael - the prince with God.
28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but [i]Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
From this moment - Jacob stopped running away from the fears, running away from the people.
Now it is his first meeting with his brother. although fearful, but started meeting rather than running.
There was a great change in Jacob. Now depending on God.
Trusting in God.
Even when Joseph brought Ephraim and Manessah to Jacob to bless them.
Genesis 48:12-14
12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn
But Jacob had discernement
When Isaac blessed he didnot know who was infront him .
But Jacob had the wisdom of God, and he was a prophet at the time , prophesying. and he could place his hands on what God has purposed for.
Jacob leaned on his staff. lean on head of bed.
Jacob learned trusting in God.
Genesis 47:31
31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
I shared this many times.
I used to be a man who did many thing on my own strength, only when i cannot do that i would goto prayer.
When i had headache, or small things, i would try to resolve myself.
But when bigger things come, then I would goto God.
But the bible says independence from God is sin.
ANything apart from Faith is Sin.
Because Jacob was broken, there is blessing for every nation in this world.
Jacob was Broken
Jesus was broken - the bread was broken.
In communion, the bread is broken and given symbolizing that in the brokenness there is blessing.
Romans 14:23
Independence from God - is sin
Dependence from God - Faith
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