Jacob's Family Part 3

This morning we want to continue our study in Genesis 29 and Genesis 30 by looking at the family of Jacob. Looking once again at a family that is the most instrumental family, the most significant family in the history of the world. Not because of what this family was able to do, but because of the God who chose to use this family in particular. And it helps us understand the sovereign rulership of God. What we have tried to let you see each and every week is that God controls everything. God is never out of control.

He has a plan. That plan runs just as he has designed it to run. And so when you come to Genesis 29 and Genesis 30, and you have these 11 boys born, the 12th one born in Genesis 35, that's Benjamin, and these women, Rachel and Leah, naming them to express the agony of their heart, to express the inner turmoil of their lives, God used each of those names to significantly portray to us his plan of redemption. And Rachel and Leah had no idea what God was doing, but God did. And so through naming these boys, we have asked you to look at each of those names with us that we might be able to see God's plan of redemption unfold before our eyes because it's through these 12 boys, these 12 boys that a family would come.

And when you get later in the book of Genesis, that whole famine that is brought upon that land leads those boys to go back and get their father Jacob and move 70 people from the land of Canaan to Egypt. God moved them there and God imprisoned them there for 400 years to bring about his sovereign purposes. God controls everything. Don't ever forget that. Nothing is ever out of his control. And so we look at these boys and the first boy we looked at was Reuben.

His name was C, a son. For Leah wanted Jacob to see that she had given birth to a son and it would be this son that would bring her husband to him, but it didn't. And that name C, a son, prefigures the person of redemption. For there would be a son given by divine, by the divine plan of God, the son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord. He would be given to the world in hopes that the world would come to God the father through that son, that somehow the world would see the son and say, yes, now I'll be drawn to the father of the universe.

But they weren't either, were they? He came into his own and his own received him not. Just as Jacob was not drawn to Leah because of that son, the majority of the people in the world at the time of the birth of Christ were not drawn to God the father through Jesus Christ, the son. But nonetheless, he was given. He is the only begotten son full of grace and truth that was given to the world. This is my son and this is your way to me through my son, Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. But here's the plan.

As it unfolds, you will be born, they will reject you, and they will kill you, but you will rise again. You will rise again and you will ascend back into glory and then you'll come again. And when you come again, it's all yours. Christ was born in that little manger, that little grotto for all the world to see, for all the world to have access, for all the world to be able to see and to go and to be a part of his life because God wanted to make sure that everybody had a chance to see his son. So he walked upon the earth for some 33 years, giving his life away until he ultimately sacrificed his life for the world.

And little did Leah know that when she named her first son, Reuben, the implications of his life, prefiguring the redemption of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Number two, Simeon. Simeon name means to hear. This prefigures the preaching of redemption. The Bible is very clear when it says over in Romans chapter 10, whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. And then how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things. The verse 17, so faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

Simeon's name means to hear. It signifies the preaching of redemption. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So what do we do? We preach redemption. We preach the only begotten son. We all know about the conflict between the Arab world and the Jewish world, the nation of Israel. You've got to realize that if you travel to Israel and you go to Jerusalem and you go to the Temple Mount and you go up there in that place where Isaac himself was sacrificed and you go to the Temple Mount, in that Muslim temple, in Arabic it says, God has no son.

God has no son. Well, that's not true. God does have a son. His name is Jesus Christ. But the Muslim world teaches that God had no son. The Muslim world teaches that there was no man named David. Because if there was a man named David, he had a son named Solomon and they teach there was no man named Solomon. Why? Because they teach there was no Solomon's temple. That's why. And they say there's no Solomon's temple because there's no evidence that Solomon ever had a temple here. Why is there no evidence?

Because Herod's temple was built on top of Solomon's temple. But most recently they have discovered that below Herod's temple are remains of another temple. The Arab world's in big trouble because they're going to have to admit that there was a Solomon's temple. And if there was a Solomon's temple, there was a Solomon. If there was a Solomon, he had a father. His name was David. And the Bible says the Messiah will sit on the throne of David for the Messiah is the son of David.

So important. We need to preach the truth. I'm reminded of the words of Franklin Graham when he said these words, we're not attacking Islam but Islam has attacked us. The God of Islam is not the same God. He is not the son of God of the Christian or Judeo-Christian faith. It's a different God. And I believe it is a very evil and wicked religion. Franklin Graham said that. Problem with that is that NBC gave him the opportunity to retract his statement and he would not do it. The Associated Press went to Mr.

Franklin Graham and said, we want you to retract your statement and he would not do it. And they were upset because what Mr. Franklin Graham said was the opposite of what the president of our country said in the month of September. And it was contrary to what his father said in September. But he wouldn't retract his statement. Good for him. Stand strong in the truth. The God of Islam is not the God of Christianity. For the God of Islam had no son. The God of Christianity had a son. His name was Jesus Christ who was God in the flesh who came to earth to die for the sins of man.

He came and the world missed him. What's our responsibility? To preach redemption. To preach it so people hear the truth about God. That's why we have the word of God. To preach the truth of God. How will they hear without a preacher? It's our job to do the preaching. And Simeon would prefigure the preaching of redemption. The world still needs to have the message. The world still needs to hear that God had a son. And that son is the key to salvation. How are they going to hear? If all true Christians are gone to heaven, how will the world hear the truth about God sending his son to redeem man?

Turn with me in your Bible to Revelation chapter 7 and I'll show you. In Revelation 6 you have the six seals being broken. And John is seeing what's going on the earth. What's happening on the earth through death and devastation and disease and destruction. And the Bible says in Revelation chapter 6 verse number 17, For the great day of their wrath has come.

And who is able to stand? And John is probably asking himself the question. You're right. Who can stand with all this disaster? With all this turmoil upon the earth? With all the wars and rumors of wars. With all the famine and all the pestilence and all the disease. And one quarter of the world dying. Who is able to stand? And God knowing that John would be going through some questions that he don't mind would give an interlude, give an inspiration to John to let him know that in spite of all the bad things on the earth God is going to do a work.

God is going to do a work during the tribulation that far surpasses anything that has taken place for 2,000 years since his death and resurrection. There is going to be so many people saved during the seven year tribulation. The Bible says down in verse number 9, Behold a great multitude which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes and palm branches were in their hands and they cry out with a loud voice saying salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb and all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.

John sees a great multitude of people. So many people he can't even begin to count them and they are worshiping God because they are all saved. How did they get saved? It says this, verse 12, They were saying, Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered saying to me, These who are clothed in white robes, who are they? And from where have they come? And I said to him, My Lord, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Who are these people? These are the great multitude of people that are saved during the tribulation. How are they saved? How do they come to faith? If faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, who tells them if the church is raptured and the church is gone? God's got a marvelous plan. The Bible tells us in verse number 4 of chapter 7, And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. Now we're going back to Genesis chapter 29 and Genesis chapter 30.

We're going back to those 12 boys. We're going back because God says, Okay, the church is gone. Now I'm going to go back and I'm going to use my nation Israel again. And God seals 144,000 Jewish men. 12,000 from every tribe. And they are the channel, once again, to preach the gospel. They are the channel, the vehicle by which the world and the tribulation will hear the truth that God the Father does have a son. His name is Jesus. We missed him the first time around, but he's coming again.

And we better not miss him the second time around. So hear what we have to say. Now the question comes, how are those 144,000 saved? How are they saved? If faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, who is going to tell those 144,000 so that they can be sealed and they are so significantly sealed that when you get to Revelation chapter 14, you got the Son of God on Mount Zion there in Jerusalem and you have 144,000 Jews. The same 144,000 from Revelation 7. They made it all the way through the seven years.

Unharmed, unscathed, untouched by the Antichrist. God sealed them. And because God sealed them, nobody can kill them. They're going to last the whole seven years. Because that's the channel by which God's going to get the word around the world so that the biggest multitude in the history of the world is saved in that little seven-year time frame. More in those seven years than in the past 2,000 years. How do I know that? Because the Bible says, Very few today.

But during the tribulation, a great multitude will find it. But how do these 144,000 hear? Turn to Revelation chapter 11. Revelation chapter 11 tells us John is told to measure up the temple. At the time he writes this, there is no temple in Jerusalem. He's on the island of Patmos. He's been exiled. He's all by himself. It says in verse number one, And there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff.

And someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who, what? There's people worshiping in a temple. John says, Wow, man, this is amazing. There's no temple now.

But during the tribulation, there's going to be a temple. And there's going to be people worshiping in that temple. He says in verse number two, And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations, and they will tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months.

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses. Two witnesses. Who are they? And they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. Twelve hundred and sixty days is three and a half years. They will prophesy. The first three and a half years of the tribulation, they're going to preach.

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone would desire to harm them in this manner, he must be killed. Man, these guys are powerful, powerful fellows, man. I mean, I mean somebody wants to kill them and they breathe on them and fire comes out of their mouth and they're consumed. They're dead. Can you imagine what that's going to be like?

Amazing time. It says in verse six, These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying. And they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire. Can you imagine that? These guys can do whatever they want. They can smite the earth and there'll be a plague on the earth. They'll turn the water into blood. Can you see it right now? Well, the two witnesses are in Cicinetti, Ohio this week and the Cicinetti River, the Ohio River there in Cicinetti was turned into blood.

And they came after them and killed them and they sent tanks and all these army guys, the Green Beret and the Marines, they came after them and they breathed on them. They all were consumed. They all died. Amazing. Everybody's going to see it because of television. They're going to watch it. It goes on and says this, When they have finished their testimony, when they have finished speaking forth the truth, the beast that comes up out of the abyss, that's the Antichrist, who will make war with them and overcome them and do what?

And kill them. Kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Where is that? That's Jerusalem. They're going to let the bodies lie in the street. Now, folks, we don't even do that with our worst enemies today. But these two, they're going to lie in the street for three days. Just three days. It says in verse number nine, And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days.

How will they be able to look at their dead bodies? CNN. That's how. Direct TV. It's going to be viewing there in Jerusalem there. Well, there we have our dead witnesses there. They're still there. They're still dead in the streets. And it says this. These words. And will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in the tomb. And those who dwell on the earth, which is a phrase used ten times in the book of Revelation that signifies those who are unbelievers, they dwell upon the earth. This is their home.

This is what they love. It says this. We'll rejoice over them and make merry, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwelt on the earth. They're going to send gifts to each other. For three days. The biggest celebration in the world. People are going to go to their houses. They're going to knock on the door. Oh, it's so good to see you. Here's your gift. Happy Dead Witnesses Day. Oh, yes, the witnesses are dead. Those people who played this, who stood up the sky so it wouldn't rain and turn the water into blood and put plagues upon the earth.

They're dead. They're gone. We have rid ourselves of those who are against us. Let's celebrate. Have a gift. Let's party. And after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came to them, and they stood on their feet. And great fear fell upon those who were beholding them. Oh, there's just a part of me that wishes I was going to be here for that. I'm not going to be, but there's a part of me that wishes I was going to be here just to see the faces of the people as they begin to report.

I can see Tom Brokaw now. There they are. They're still dead. They're not dead anymore. They're giving up. They're going into heaven. What is happening here? Can you imagine what that would be like? And it says, they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here. Boy, that's going to be great, man. And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake.

And the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The rest who were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven is a phrase you need to circle because, my friends, that is the salvation of Israel. That's when the nation of Israel is saved. That's when they realize for certain that the sun came, and they missed him. And now God has given us that responsibility today to preach the truth, to go on to all the world and preach the gospel so people will know for certain about the son of God.

God told Abraham in Genesis 12, Because of you, all the nations of the world will be blessed. Galatians 3 tells us that's the gospel. Because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Son number three, his name is Levi.

His name means to be joined to or attached. Listen very carefully. This pictures for us the peace of redemption. Leah, in all of her efforts, wanted somehow for Jacob to be attached to her now.

She thought for certain that after three boys, after this third one, three is a charm, he is going to come to me.

He is going to attach himself to me. He is going to join himself to me. Finally! But he didn't. And what this son's name pictures for us is the peace of redemption. For how is it we receive the peace of God? We receive the peace of God by accepting the Prince of Peace into our lives. I told you this before. It wasn't enough for God to be among us, for God to be with us. God had to be where? In us. See that? And so Paul says in Colossians 3, 15, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. What is he saying?

He says, now that you've given your life to God, now that you have been reconciled to God, Paul now says let that peace that you have with God now be the ruling factor in every decision that you make. Why? Because he's in you. You're attached to him. Your life is his life. He wants to operate in and through you. He is yours. You are his. Never ever to be separated again. And what Leah wanted from Jacob, she never received. What God wants from us, he receives. Why? Because he sent his son. So he says, see, a son that I have given.

And he's given us the method by which we can tell people about this son. It is the preaching of the Word of God because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And when we preach the fact that God sent his only begotten son, people that are joined, attached to God, the Father. The peace of redemption. And he says, the peace I give unto you is my peace. Not as the world gives, give I unto you, but my peace, he says, I give unto you. Listen, we are so joined to the Christ. We are so one with him.

And one is a member that cannot be divided because we are one. The Bible says at the very end of the book of Revelation, an invitation, it says in Revelation 22, verse number 17, and the spirit bride say come.

There's an invitation given. The spirit cries for the world to come because the spirit has been striving with man from the very beginning. But he wants the son to come. And the bride joins in and says, yes, come. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Why? Because the cry of the bride is the cry of the spirit because the spirit resides within the bride. The bride, of course, is the church, the body of Christ. And because the spirit resides within the bride, the bride has the same pulse as the spirit has, a longing, a desire for the king to come.

Because we are joined to God, our heart beats the same as God's beats. We want him to come to earth, to set up his kingdom and to rule so everybody will see the son as we have seen the son. We are reminded once again that God sent his only son. And our responsibility is to preach the fact that he sent that son. So the world will be at peace with God. I think of Psalm 122, verse number 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for the peace of the city of peace. Jerusalem is called the city of peace because there is no peace.

The wars, the bombings, the terrorism that's happening today in Israel, in Jerusalem, there is no peace. Why? Because when the son came, they rejected him. That's why. They hung him on a tree and killed him. We will not have this king rule over us. And so they have forfeited their peace. Isn't that what Christ said when he wept over Jerusalem? Oh, Jerusalem, oh, I would have gathered you together as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you would not. And so you have forfeited your peace. But one day, God drew to his word.

Israel will be saved, according to Romans 11, 26, because they will realize the son that was given for them. Have you realized that today? Do you have peace with God because you know the son of God? Let's pray.