1 / 19

Jacob's Faith Journey: Learning from Biblical Examples

Explore Jacob's faith journey and life lessons taught by the Holy Spirit through Wilfred Ju, focusing on God's foreknowledge, answering His calling, and building faith through prayer and fellowship. Discover the power of trusting in God's protection and becoming a new person. Engage in discussions on Esau and Jacob's differences, God's foreknowledge, and the consequences of worldly thinking. Delve into sibling rivalry and the importance of spiritual growth in following Jacob's example.

hawley
Download Presentation

Jacob's Faith Journey: Learning from Biblical Examples

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. GROWING YOUR FAITH IN GOD FOLLOWING JACOB'S EXAMPLE Friends and Fellowship Community Group Taught by the Holy Spirit through His Vessel Wilfred Ju

  2. Jacob's Growing Faith in YHWH

  3. GOD's Presence in Jacob's Life • The History of Jacob – What We Hope to Learn • God's Foreknowledge • Life before Knowing God • Answering God's Calling • Trusting in God • Power of Focused Prayer • Building Altars to God • Trusting God's Protection • Becoming a New Man

  4. Session 1: God's Foreknowledge, God's Calling

  5. God's Foreknowledge • Genesis 25:19-26 • Events leading to Jacob's birth • Isaac (40 yrs old) marries Rebekah (v20) • Rebekah was barren for 20 yrs (v26) • Isaac intercedes or intreats YHWH (v21a) • Hebrew: (צתר) ʼâthar (aw-thar'): To burn incense in worship, i.e. intercede, intreat, (make) pray (-er) • Connotation: Isaac was really beseeching God to heal Rebekah's womb. • Supposition: Isaac, following Abraham's example, sacrificed lambs without blemish. • Supposition: Isaac intreated for years • YHWH answers Isaac's intercessory prayer (v21b) • So What!? ̶ What can we learn from Isaac regarding intercessory prayer?

  6. God's Foreknowledge • Genesis 25:19-26 • Events leading to Jacob's birth • Isaac (40 years old) marries Rebekah (v20) • Rebekah was barren for 20 years (v26) • Isaac intercedes or intreats YHWH (v21a) • Hebrew: (צתר) ʼâthar (aw-thar'): To burn incense in worship, i.e. intercede, intreat, (make) pray (-er) • Connotation: Isaac was really beseeching God to heal Rebekah's womb. • Supposition: Isaac, following Abraham's example, sacrificed lambs without blemish. • Supposition: Isaac intreated for years • YHWH answers Isaac's intercessory prayer (v21b) • So What!? ̶ What can we learn from Isaac regarding intercessory prayer? We needpatience, intense faith that God will answer

  7. God's Foreknowledge • God knew Esau and Jacob from beginning to end. • Genesis 25:22-23 • Rebekah was having a difficult pregnancy • This time Rebekah inquired of God directly. • YHWH knew both Esau and Jacob before birth • Not just twins in Rebekah's womb • “... and the elder shall serve the younger.” • Genesis 25:24-26 • Esau (meaning rough) born first • Jacob came fast on Esau's heels. • Jacob - meaning heel catcher, commonly interpreted as supplanter or usurper

  8. God's Foreknowledge • God knew Esau's and Jacob's distant offsprings • “And YHWH said to her [Rebekah], 'Two nations are in thy womb and two manner of people shall be separated from your womb; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; ...” • From Jacob came the tribes of Israel • From Esau came the tribes of Edom (Gen. 25:30, Gen. 36:8-9) • Edomites reject Israelites under Moses (Num. 20:14-21) • King Saul battled the Edomites (1 Sam. 14:47) • King David subjugated the Edomites (2 Sam. 8:14, 1 Kings 8:15-16, 1 Chron. 18:12-13) • Edom revolts against King Joram (2 King 18:16-24)

  9. Differences in Personality • “... A wise son makes a father rejoice but the foolish son is his mother's sorrow” (Prov. 10:1) • “A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish man despises his mother.” (Prov. 15:20) • “A foolish son is a vexation to his father; and bitternes to her who bore him.” (Prov. 17:25) • “A foolish son is a calmity to his father, ...” (Prov. 19:13) • “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Prov. 23:22) 23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. 25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice. (Prov. 23:23-25)

  10. God's Foreknowledge Confirmed – Part 1 • Read Gen. 25:29-34 • Sibling rivalry • From the womb Esau & Jacob were in fierce competition (Gen. 25:22) • Jockeying for position in the family hierarchy • Table Discussion: • With whom does the Bible find fault? • Why? • So What? Discuss Heb. 12:14-17

  11. God's Foreknowledge Confirmed – Part 1 • Read Gen. 25:29-34 • Sibling rivalry • From the womb Esau & Jacob were in fierce competition (Gen. 25:22) • Jockeying for position in the family hierarchy • Table Discussion: • With whom does the Bible find fault? Esau • Why? Esau could have told Jacob, “No”, but instead threw away something substantially more valuable than an bowl of pottage. Esau was too carnal minded. • So What? Discuss Heb. 12:14-17. The consequences of being worldly or carnally minded can be extremely severe for which there might not be any turning back.

  12. God's Foreknowledge Confirmed – Part 2 • Read Gen. 27:1-13 • The plot: A scheme is concocted for Jacob to receive the blessings from Isaac. • Table Discussion • Who is the instigator of the scheme? • What is the reaction of Jacob? • Why did the mastermind of the scheme decide on the course of action described? • “So What?” - What do we learn from this event?

  13. God's Foreknowledge Confirmed – Part 2 • Read Gen. 27:1-13 • The plot: A scheme is concocted for Jacob to receive the blessings from Isaac. • Table Discussion • Who is the instigator of the scheme? Rebecca • What is the reaction of Jacob? He was reluctant and brought up a number of reasons why the scheme would not work. • Why did the mastermind of the scheme decide on the course of action described? Rebecca remembered God's prophesy, so the blessings from Isaac had to go to Jacob. • “So What?” - What do we learn from this event? We often have a role in God's will coming to fruition in accordance with His plan.

  14. God's Foreknowledge Confirmed – Part 3 • Jacob receives the blessing from his father, Isaac • Genesis 27:27b-29 • Inheritance of the Abrahamic Covenant passed to Jacob • Gen. 12:2-3 • Gen. 28:3-4 27b“Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which YHWH has blessed. 28 Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!”

  15. God's Calling • Read Gen. 28:10-22 • This is Jacob's first direct encounter with YHWH. • Rabbi on radio program • Order of angels: • going up → going down ladder • Not going down → going up ladder • To the rabbi the order was important • Implication: Angels were already on earth watching over Jacob (and by extension us) • Rabbi Jesus refers back to Jacob's vision (Gen.28:12) • “And He [Jesus] said to him [Nathanael], 'Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'” (John 1:51)

  16. God Calls, Jacob Responds • God's Calling • Summary of Gen. 28:12-15 • Jacob dream, a dream sent by GOD! • Ladder with heavenly beings going up and down • A great and mighty, awesome presence at the top of the ladder • The great & mighty, awesome presence declares Himself • “I am YehôvâhʾĔlôhîym of your father Abraham, and ʾĕlôhîym of Isaac; ...” (Gen. 28:13a) • YehôvâhʾĔlôhîym promises • “Transferred” promises, originally made to Abraham, personal to Jacob • Table exercise: List the promises YHWH made

  17. God Calls, Jacob Responds • God's Calling • Summary of Gen. 28:12-15 • Jacob dream, a dream sent by GOD! • Ladder with heavenly beings going up and down • A great and mighty, awesome presence at the top of the ladder • The great & mighty, awesome presence declares Himself • “I am YehôvâhʾĔlôhîym of your father Abraham, and ʾĕlôhîym of Isaac; ...” (Gen. 28:13a) • YehôvâhʾĔlôhîym promises • “Transferred” promises, originally made to Abraham, personal to Jacob • Table exercise: List the promises YHWH made • Personal relationship • Territory • Spread abroad N/E/S/W • Multiply seed • In Jacob & his seed all people will be blessed • God is with Jacob • God will keep Jacob – protect, feed, care for • Will bring Jacob home • Guarantee all His promises will be fulfilled

  18. Jacob's Response • How Did Jacob Respond? • Read 28:16-22 • After Jacob awoke: how did he react; what did he do? • So What!? → God foreknew, God calls, we respond • Read Romans 8:28-30 • How does Jacob's dream apply to us?

  19. Jacob's Response • How Did Jacob Respond? • Read 28:16-22 • After Jacob awoke: how did he react; what did he do? • So What!? → God foreknew, God calls, we respond • Read Romans 8:28-30 • How does Jacob's dream apply to us? • All of God's promises to Jacob have a spiritual significance to us. He multiplies our seed through our sharing the gospel. He expands our territory not just on earth but in heaven. He is always with us and guards our salvation better than we do. And we bless others by being in God's presence wherever we go. • Terrified by dream • Built pillar • Poured oil on pillar • Named place Bethel (God's Place) • Made a vow • Confirmed belief in God's promise • Accepted God as his God • Promised to tithe

More Related