Bulletins - Corvallis Community Church

All Creatures Of Our God And King (Lasst Uns Erfreuen)
O Sing My Soul
Oh How Good it Is
Genesis 35:1-29
Charles Spurgeon once said “The road to sorrow has been well trodden—it is the regular sheep path to Heaven—and all the flock of God have had to pass along it.”
The Xn life is filled with both joy and sorrow. The believer’s great joy is the enduring testimony of God’s grace—abundantly given while great sorrow is the evidence of living in a sin-cursed world. Sometimes our grief, sorrow, mourning are self-inflicted as we turn away from the will of God to pursue our own. Sometimes our sorrow the result of living under the curse: death, disease, sickness, destruction, even the actions of people bent on doing evil…these are things that cause sorrow for Xns.
Jesus wanted to comfort His disciples on the eve of the crucifixion, knowing that their hearts would profoundly troubled.
Jn 16:16-22;
Imagine that…sorrow turned into joy. Even sin-caused sorrow is turned to joy thru repentance and the resulting forgiveness that is accomplished at the cross of Christ. I don’t know what all is going on in your hearts this morning. But you are here by divine design. It is God’s will for you to be here today and for some of you, God wants to minister comfort to your hearts. That’s what He does—His HS (Paraclete—helper, comforter) will bring the lasting joy (fruit of the Spirit) even in the midst of difficult and painful circumstances—to uphold you and strengthen you (Eph 3:16).
I’ve entitled the message Israel’s Joys and Sorrows b/c Jacob (Israel) lived a very troubled life. Nearly all of it was his own doing (trickery, deception, 20 years service for 2 brides, children with 4 dif women, an angry father-in-law, and exiled on account of his brother’s wrath toward him).
Israel’s later years are much more subdued, including many joys. The difference is b/t being out of the will of God and doing the will of God. It makes all the difference in the world.
Donald Grey Barnhouse explains a major difference b/t Gen 34 & 35.
Genesis—Beginning and Blessing Chapter 51: Residuals
Chapter 34 does not mention God, and is full of lust, murder, deceit, and wretchedness—but this chapter [35] is filled with God. His name appears ten times, plus once as God Almighty, El Shaddai, plus eleven times in the names Bethel and Israel. The contrast is striking, as it always must be in the life of a believer living out of the will of God, and again when he returns to the will of God.
Live out of God’s will and your sorrows will increase. Live in God’s will and sorrows are turned to joy. Gen 35 contains several different events that bring to fulfillment the various aspects of Jacob’s life. I’ll give you 5 headings as we come together to God’s Word.
1) The Call
vs 1
Jacob has been living in Shechem for an unknown period of time. The chronology of Jacob’s life is a bit foggy and so it is difficult to nail down different periods of his life. By the end of ch 35 he is 120 years old (Isaac was 60 at birth of Jacob and Esau 25:26). ch 35 brings together several different events in his life but he will go on to live another 27 years (147 total—47:28). We don’t know how long he was in Shechem but it was long enough for his children to grow up, for Dinah to come of marriageable age and for his son to exact revenge b/c she was raped. Much of this trouble was the result of Jacob not being where he should have been.
Some 30 years earlier Jacob had the dream of the angels of God ascending and descending Heaven. After God reaffirmed the Abrahmaic Covenant with him there, Jacob vowed:
Genesis 28:20–22 NASB95
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
Jacob then began a 20 year journey to the Mesopotamia and where he would serve his uncle Laban. At the end of that time God commanded:
Genesis 31:3 NASB95
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
On the journey home, he brought tragedy upon his family: the desolation of Dinah, the desecration of Israel’s most holy sign—circumcision, the massacre of the Shechemites, the degradation of his own children. Living outside of God’s will invites disaster and when we do we put ourselves and our families in danger.
Jacob was finally ready to do things God’s way rather than his own way. So God said: vs 1. There are 4 imperatives in the Heb: “arise, go up, live, make” and this is where God’s directive to return to Bethel finally gets thru to Jacob.
Gordon Wenham suggests that this language is the call to a religious pilgrimage with a special use of “go up.” The instruction of the Lord was to culminate in the construction of an altar which would become a place for worship in Bethel (the house of God). It was difficult for Jacob to worship while he was out of God’s will. The same is true for us. If our lives represent only partial, half-way obedience, we’re not worshiping as we ought. We’re not living in the manner that glorifies God as He deserves.
I’ll bring the issue sort of front and center (by way of application): This morning (this is a good step), you are right where God wants you to be. Your highest priority (and what God wanted Jacob to understand) is to be a worshiper of the one true God. Where does that begin? It starts with the very 1st day of the week. To be gathered together with God’s people to worship corporately (exalt the Savior in praise), to be about the business of building each other up (serving one another, using gifts, encouraging, etc). This is where you need to be. This is where you need to be for your sake and it’s where you need to be for the sake of others (church suffers when you are absent—b/c you are a necessary part of the building up of the body of Christ).
This is why the Lord says:
Hebrews 10:24–25 NASB95
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
This is where God wants His people to be…gathered together, in the context of the local church on the 1st day of the week, where we bring our service of worship (corporately) to Him who is worthy of honor, glory and blessing.
Romans 12:1 NASB95
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
You are called to present your bodies to God—not like the dead sacrifices of the OT sacrificial system, but you are a living sacrifice—always living on the altar…which begins on Sunday and continues 24-7, every moment of every day. If you’re not here (I understand life can take you away from gathering with the saints—but that should be temporary—and I also wouldn’t want you to fall into a form of legalism thinking that you’re maintaining your relationship with God thru regulations/rules), If you’re not here then you’re not where God would have you be.
God was calling Jacob to worship. Finally, Jacob wanted to be where God wanted him to be. He had learned the hard lesson of living out of God’s will—inviting disaster upon his home. Now, he’s ready to listen to God and do what God would have him do. That’s what the Lord would have from each of us—it begins today by becoming worshipers of God. Purpose your life to be one of worship.
2) The Consecration
2-4
There may be many hindrances in your life that would keep you and your family from purposefully worshipping God. Jacob saw something in his own home that needed to be cleansed, his home needed purification. This had to happen before he would “arise, go up, live and make an altar”—in purposing to worship, there must be purification/consecration—vv 2-4
This is one of only a few occasions when Jacob appears in totally positive light. He tells the entire entourage to “put away the foreign gods.” Put away is lit “to turn aside” and has the basic meaning of changing direction. Jacob called his family to remove all the foreign gods (probably accumulated in the looting of Shechem). Though this was not part of God’s directive, Jacob understood intuitively that he and his family could not come to Bethel, could not build the altar to the one true God and still worship foreign gods.
Notice the response (appears immediate and unanimous)—vs 4. All the foreign gods, all the idols (teraphim) even the rings in their ears (in the ears of the idols—possibly could be used to make more idols) and they bring to Jacob and he hides them. Now, he doesn’t grind them up like Moses did with the golden calf—but not destroying them is not something we should criticize. The foreign gods have been put away—they people have turned aside from them b/c God must be worshiped exclusively.
Jacob also commanded them to purify themselves (ceremonially washing—later be required to enter the presence of the Lord—Ex 19:10; 30:19-21) and change their clothes—these were to show the moral transformation that had taken place among the family.
God would later instruct Israel:
Exodus 20:3 NASB95
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
God is holy—He will be treated as holy—not as something common that can be worshiped and the next moment serve other gods/idols.
Psalm 15 (NASB95)character, conversation, contacts, company, commitments, commerce
A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. 3 He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the Lord; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
Psalm 24:3–4 NASB95
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.
Isaiah 1:4-16

James 4:8 NASB95
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
This is what Jacob was demanding of his family—knowing that to go up to Bethel, to build an altar to the Holy One of Israel—meant radial changes to their lives. They all consented. We should all be sensitive to corruption of idolatry and the temptation to put anything before or above or alongside the worship of the great God. If we have purposed to worship, we should also purify, cleanse, consecrate our hearts so that our worship, service will be acceptable.
3) The Commute
5-8
All the nations still remembered the massacre at Shechem. Word of that slaughter travelled quickly and Jacob’s entourage was greatly feared. So they passed thru the various places without being pursued. Bethel is still known by its former name Luz. It is named Bethel in connection with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). Mathews: “The religious significance of Bethel in Israel’s history was a perpetual testimony to the benevolent relationship that God formed with Israel’s ancestor Jacob.”
Once he arrives (now he’s where God wants him), he builds the altar and re-names this place: el-bethel: lit “God of the house of God.” Bethel was where God appeared to Jacob many years before this. Now—having seen God’s gracious dealings with him and from loving, worshipful obedience—Jacob dedicates this place to the God of Bethel.
Jacob has fulfilled his vow (28:20-22) and sets himself up to be where he should have been earlier.
The mention of the death of Deborah (1st of 3 deaths in ch 35) seems unconnected but is offered to show that evidently Rebekah had already died before Jacob could be reunited with her.
4) The Covenant
9-15
“God appeared again…” This is a joyful affirmation that Jacob is finally where God wanted him. It is here that God “blessed” Jacob. The nature of the blessing is the reiteration of the covenant God made with Abraham.
Jacob’s name change is reaffirmed—Israel
God reveals His character: El Shaddai (The Almighty God—Revealed to Abraham 17:1-21) The name expresses that He is the almighty God, the all-sufficient God. Shaddai is believed to speak of His exhaustless bounty—the all bountiful One. That was powerfully encouraging to Jacob/Israel and would become the seat of joy knowing that he was living before and worshiping the Almighty God.
Psalm 91:1 NASB95
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
The promise of nations is re-stated as is the promise of the land as a gift.
So God goes up…Jacob sets up the altar and makes an offering (13-15).
How do you go about seeking God’s blessing? It comes back to worship, consecration…living in God’s will—doing that which He wants you to do…worshiping Him in spirit and truth—this opens the door to His blessing and will bring remarkable joy.
5) The Crises
16-29
The last half of ch 35 present 3 crises in Jacob’s life as he returns to his homeland. There will be tremendous sorrow b/c of what happens but in all of it—God did not abandon Jacob.
Crisis # 1
vs 16—Ephrath (fruitful) (Bethlehem)—truly live up to its name in the birth of LJC. Before they could arrive, Rachel went into labor “suffered severe labor.” This was “heavy” labor—profound difficulty in giving birth that would result in her own death. Before she died her midwife revealed that she had given birth to another son.
Before she dies she names the boy Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). This is her dying word and will be a sad reminder of her adversity in the child’s birth. That name would not suffice for Jacob so he called the boy Benjamin (son of my right hand—the place of honor). It would become a bitter celebration of his beloved wife, Rachel who died give birth to this boy. Jacob was filled with sorrow when she died. He buried her and set up a pillar as a memorial at her grave.
Later, Jacob would recount this and would provide his perspective on this:
Genesis 48:7 NASB95
7 “Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”
Benjamin would become the source of joy and sorrow for his father.
Crisis # 2
Coming on the heels of Rachel’s death and burial, we have—vs 22. Eder is 1 mile from Bethlehem. Jacob’s oldest child, Reuben “lay with Bilhah.” This was not a forced rape but a willing consensus by both Reuben and Bilhah who is described as his father’s concubine.
Now this was much more involved than just a sexual partnership. Bilhah was Rachel’s maid. She is the one woman from whom Jacob would have sought comfort after his beloved wife just passed—and he wouldn’t find consolation in her arms. Later in the OT, Ahithophel urges Absalom to take possession of his father’s 10 concubines (2 Sam 16:20-22) which would be a show of force usurping the throne of his father.
This may have been in Reuben’s mind that he was ready to replace Jacob, usurp his father’s role and take his place at the head of the family. Later God would forbid Israel
Deuteronomy 22:30 NASB95
30 “A man shall not take his father’s wife so that he will not uncover his father’s skirt.
Reuben’s act caused great sorrow and grief when Israel learned of it. There would be great consequences of defiling his father’s bed. Reuben actually lost his birthright and status as firstborn (preeminence 49-3-4) and that privilege would be transferred to Joseph (receives a double portion) and given to his 2 sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
1 Chronicles 5:1–2 NASB95
1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. 2 Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),
Reuben was claiming authority over his father’s inheritance and yet the problem is that his father was not yet dead and wouldn’t be for 27 more years. This was a great sorrow to Jacob.
Crisis # 3
Isaac, Jacob’s father is 180 years old. His death parallels that of his father Abraham’s (25:7-11).
Both their ages at their deaths are given (Abraham 175).
Both are said to have died “ripe old age”
Both are “gathered to his people” which is also an expression of personal continuation beyond death where one is reunited to departed loved ones. In this case in might very well be the expression of what happened when OT believers died.
Both had 2 sons bury them
Both buried in the same tomb at Machpelah (49:31).
As you see, there are joys and sorrows—many of Jacob’s sorrows were brought on himself but sometimes—even as in our lives they are the result of living in a sin-cursed world. Joy and sorrow are part of God’s purpose for His people.
Paul summarizes the effect that sorrow has on believers and the church.
2 Corinthians 1:3–7 NASB95
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
This is one reason why saints need to gather together on the Lord’s Day. Many of you have walked through powerful afflictions and you have seen the faithfulness of God in the midst of those trials/burdens. There are several generations who need to hear from you that though these sorrows are great, God is even greater and He remains faithful and b/c of His great, overwhelming grace:
Romans 8:28 NASB95
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Those of you who have aged well (you are at the ripe old age), be the testimony of God’s grace to younger generations. They need to see you walk thru these things so they can see how God remains ever faithful. And those of you in these younger generations, know that sorrows will come, but commit yourselves to live in God’s will and He will turn those sorrows into great joy.
- - Genesis 28:20–22NASB95
- - Genesis 31:3NASB95
- - Hebrews 10:24–25NASB95
- - Romans 12:1NASB95
- - Exodus 20:3NASB95
- - Psalm 15NASB95
- - Psalm 24:3–4NASB95
- - James 4:8NASB95
- - Psalm 91:1NASB95
- - Genesis 48:7NASB95
- - Deuteronomy 22:30NASB95
- - 1 Chronicles 5:1–2NASB95
- - 2 Corinthians 1:3–7NASB95
- - Romans 8:28NASB95
The Steadfast Love

Genesis 35:1-29

1) The Call

2) The Consecration

3) The Commute

4) The Covenant

5) The Crises

Crisis # 1

Crisis # 2

Crisis # 3

Genesis 28:20–22NASB95

Genesis 31:3NASB95

Hebrews 10:24–25NASB95

Romans 12:1NASB95

Exodus 20:3NASB95

Psalm 15NASB95

Psalm 24:3–4NASB95

James 4:8NASB95

Psalm 91:1NASB95

Genesis 48:7NASB95

Deuteronomy 22:30NASB95

1 Chronicles 5:1–2NASB95

2 Corinthians 1:3–7NASB95

Romans 8:28NASB95