Coachlight Bible Study – Genesis Lesson 37

The Mystery of God’s Eternal Purpose – Genesis 27:41 – 28:22

 

Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, {afore…: or, a little before}

Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

 

Last week, we studied about Isaac’s willingness to thwart God’s purpose by having a feast from the fruit of Esau’s hunting abilities, and pronounce the blessing on the eldest son.  This would go directly against God’s Word, and Rebekah, undoubtedly out of love of God and Isaac plans to override Isaac’s plan and supplant a plan of her own. Undoubtedly Rebekah loved Isaac enough that she did not want to see Isaac attempt to thwart God’s purpose any more. By fixing delicious goat meat and having Jacob dress like Esau, they deceived blind Isaac into pronouncing the blessing on Jacob instead of Esau.

We came to the conclusion that even though Jacob gave may lies to his father in carrying out Rebekah’s plan, that Jacob probably does not deserve all the criticism given him by many Bible students. In fact, it is not recorded that God ever reprimanded Jacob for this act of deception, but in fact, actually blessed Jacob as we will see in this lesson.  We sighted two other examples in which Biblical people lied, and thereby was God’s purpose carried out (The Hebrew midwives of Exodus 1, and the story of Rahab in Joshua 2:3-6; 6:25) .  This should be a lesson to us not to be so quick to judge our brother.

Jacob had to flee because his brother Esau now hated Jacob and planned to kill him. On the way from Beersheba to Haran, God gave Jacob a dream.   The contents of this dream has been one of the New Testament mysteries.  A New Testament mystery is a concept hidden from many in Old Testament times and revealed by the Apostles under inspiration of God in the New Testament. 

Before as God revealed the Abrahamic Covenant concerning Abraham’s Seed blessing the whole world, God did not come out and reveal the vehicle He would use to bless the entire world.  God waited until Jacob was on the road traveling light, with rocks for pillows to begin to unravel God’s eternal purpose, which was fully unraveled in the New Testament.

 

I. Esau Hates His Brother

 

Genesis 27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

 

A. Esau hated Jacob because Jacob had received the blessing from Isaac

B. Esau planned to kill Jacob

 

II. Rebekah Finds Out

 

Genesis 27:42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

 

A. Rebekah finds out about Esau’s plot to kill Jacob

B. Rebekah reveals this plot to Jacob

 

III. Rebekah’s Plan To Save Jacob

 

Genesis 27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

Genesis 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;

Genesis 27:45 Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

 

A. Rebekah instructs Jacob to leave the house for a few days

B. Jacob is to go 500 miles away to Rebekah’s brother’s house.

C. Rebekah undoubtedly thought that Esau’s anger would subside quickly

1. It did unbeknownst to Jacob

2. Esau prospered in the material sense – (Genesis 33:1, 4, 9)

D. Rebekah’s few days turned into twenty years.

E. Rebekah was never able to “send and fetch” for Jacob

 

IV. Isaac Repents

 

Genesis 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Genesis 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Genesis 28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.

Genesis 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; {a multitude…: Heb. an assembly of people}

Genesis 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. {wherein…: Heb. of thy sojournings}

 

A. Isaac & Rebekah Dislike The Fact That Esau Married Canaanite Women

B. They certainly don’t want Jacob to follow suit.

C. Isaac repented and gave Jacob his sincere blessing

D. Isaac instructed Jacob to go to Laban’s house to get a bride

 

V. Jacob Flees

 

Genesis 28:5  And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

 

VI. Esau’s Tries To Appease

 

Genesis 28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

Genesis 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

Genesis 28:8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; {pleased…: Heb. were evil in the eyes, etc}

Genesis 28:9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. {Mahalath: or, Bashemath}

 

A. Esau took one of Ishmael’s daughters to be his third wife

B. Can we begin to see why God choose Jacob?

 

VII. Jacob’s Dream – A Theophany

 

Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. Genesis 28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

Genesis 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Genesis 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Genesis 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

 

A. Jacob Set Out North, Traveling Light

1. He was all alone

2. He had no caravan to supply his needs

3. He was not an avid hunter as his brother

4. Probably Rebekah had packed some things for him

5. Jacob didn’t even have a tent

6. Jacob used rocks for a pillow

B. Jacob Dreams

1. A Ladder was set up on earth

2. The top of the ladder reached to heaven

3. The angels of God were descending and ascending on the ladder

C. The Lord Stands Above The Ladder

1. He said, “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac:”

2. The Lord will give to Jacob and his seed the land in which Jacob liest

3. Your seed will be as the dust of the earth And spread abroad

4. In thy seed shall all the earth be blessed

5. The Lord will be with Jacob

a. The Lord will keep Jacob as he travels

b. The Lord will bring him back to this land

 

VIII. Jacob Wakes From His Dream

 

Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

Genesis 28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Genesis 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

Genesis 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. {Bethel: that is, The house of God}

Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Genesis 28:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

IX. The Meaning Of The Dream

A. Jacob’s Ladder Was No Ordinary Ladder

1. The Ladder Pictured The Inter relationships between earth and heaven

2. It pictured the great interest of heaven in the happenings of earth

3. It pictured multitudes of God’s messengers carrying out God’s commands

4. They then returned to heaven with their reports receiving further instructions

B. These Messengers are Normally invisible to humans

1. There are an innumerable company of angels at God’s Throne

 

Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

 

2. Angels do His commandments

 

Psalm 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. {that excel…: Heb. mighty in strength}

 

3. Angels are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation

 

Hebrews 1:13  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

 

4. Angels are interest in God’s people working out their salvation

 

Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

 

Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

 

I Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

 

C. Christ Explains The Meaning Of The Dream Almost 2000 Years Later:

 

John 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

John 1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

John 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

John 1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

John 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

 

D. Christ Is Jacob’s Ladder

 

Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. {captivity…: or, a multitude of captives}

Ephesians 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Ephesians 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) {fill: or, fulfil}

 

E. In Adam we learned that sin separated mankind from God

F. God knew this before it happened and made His Plan before creating the earth

G. This Mystery of God’s Eternal Purpose is revealed in the New Testament:

 

Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, {afore…: or, a little before}

Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: