Genesis 28:10-19 – The Divine Zone – Bible study

Genesis 28:10-19 The Divine Zone Most everyone with a Bible background knows a little about Jacob. He was a trickster who wanted a little bit of everything and didnt care what tricks he had to pull to get it. 1. He wanted his brothers birthright and got it. 2. He wanted his brothers blessing got it. 3. He wanted Labans herds got them. But as that kind of life tends to do, Jacob also got something he didnt bargain on. He got an enemy who wanted to kill him. That is bad enough but this enemy was his own brother, Esau. That is a horrible situation to be in but for Jacob it will turn out for good. God will take this sad situation and use it to reshape the life of Jacob. Perhaps you have heard of the old television series, the Twilight Zone. Jacob did not know it; but he had entered into the Divine Zone, a place between earths plain and heavens, a place where human logic does not work, a place that operates on Gods will, Gods time, and Gods grace. By the time Jacob walks through the Divine Zone, he will be a changed man. I. \#Gen 28:10-22\ Jacob Entered the Divine Zone at Bethel. A. Bethel means the "House of God." B. Jacob was on the run from Esau by this time and as he fled, he stopped at a place then called Luz. C. While Jacob slept, God spoke to Jacob in a dream. 1. This was no ordinary dream. a. It was too real for that. b. It was too divine for that. c. No. This is where Jacob found out that God knew him but he did not know God. d. Here, Jacob entered the Divine Zone. 2. \#16-17\ Notice Jacobs reaction to the dream when he awoke. a. \#17\ He was afraid. (1) Jacob wasnt a man who feared easily. (2) He was a con-man and a scammer. (3) That kind cannot fear to easily or they would live a different way. b. Jacob was afraid for he knew that he had met God! D. What were Gods purposes in appearing to Jacob? 1. God wanted Jacob to know that He was real! a. Jacob was a third generation Christian. b. God wanted Jacob to know that He was not just a figment of his parents and grandparents imagination! 2. But even more than that, God wanted Jacob to know that He had a will for his life. a. This was Gods polite way of saying, "Jacob, you cant live like you are living forever. I will not let you!" b. It was Jacobs time to enter into the Divine Zone, to personally experience the grace of God. Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, c. Is God real to you? (1) We have been told for so long that God doesnt exists that whether we believe it or not many are starting to act like it! (2) There is a Creator, Sustainer, and Judge who is very real. (a) He cares how you live your life. (b) He cares about your soul. (c) He desires to have a personal relationship with you that would make the one He had with your parents fail in comparison. 3. \#12\ God wanted Jacob to know his life was in Gods hands. a. The ladder had a special meaning. b. God could have just spoken to Jacob but the ladder in the vision was also to convey a message to Jacob. c. For whatever the reason, in the Old Testament, God did not present the whole picture of the Holy Ghost. (1) The Holy Ghost is mentioned throughout the Old Testament but typically He is referred to as "the Spirit of the Lord." (2) While that phrase is true, it sounds like Gods Spirit is JUST an extension of God and not the third Person of the Trinity, a unique and separate Person but still the one and only God. d. Instead of the Holy Ghost in the Old Testament, angels did much of the work that the Holy Spirit now does for New Testament believers. (1) They spoke to the believers. (2) They protected the believers. (3) They guided the believers. e. The ladder with the angels going up and down was a picture of God sending blessings down and carrying prayers up to God. f. It was as if God was showing Jacob that He was special, that these angels were coming down to bless and protect him, that they were going back up to carry his prayers and needs to God. (1) This goes along with Gods direct message to Jacob in the dream. Ge 18:13 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; 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. 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. (2) In this verses, God gave Jacob specific and personal promises of blessing and guidance. (a) \#13\ I will bless you with this land. (b) \#14\ I will bless you in your line. (c) \#15\ I will bless you all of your life. g. Sinner or saint, you also have specific and personal promises of blessings and guidance. (1) God has promised to give you eternal life. (2) God has promised to multiply your blessings. (3) God has promised to always be with you. II. \#Ge 32:1-2\ Jacobs Divine Zone journey continued in Ma ha naa im. A. After the ladder dream, Jacob went to and stayed in Haran for twenty years. 1. He stayed in part to work for his wives and Labans flocks. 2. But he also stayed because he is afraid to go home! 3. Eventually with Gods help, Jacob decided to go home. B. In the return journey, God revealed Himself to Jacob at least three times. 1. \#Ge 31:13\ God told Jacob to go home. 2. \#Ge 31:24\ God told Laban, "Dont bother Jacob!" 3. \#Ge 32:1-2\ But in this place, the angels of God apparently just came to visit and to camp with Jacob. a. Outside of the angels being there, we are not told one single detail that occurred. b. Most of us have probably just read over these two verses and never noticed the significance of what actually happened. c. Angels came and camped with Jacob! Thats pretty special! d. Jacob called the name of the place Ma ha naa im. e. It means "the place of two camps," obviously Jacob meant that he and God shared a camp that night. C. What is Gods purpose in appearing to Jacob on the way home? 1. This is Gods way of saying, "Jacob, I can help you." a. Jacob was going back home to face the anger, the hurt, and the betrayals that he had caused. b. That is not easy, but I have found that in my life, God insists upon it. c. How many have been the times I wanted to run away from the people I had hurt and the wrong decisions I have made, but God would not let me! d. Yet, like Jacob, I found I had a Friend. Psalms 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 2. If you are a human being, you have made mistakes and hurt people too. a. The reason why there are so many divorces, so many divided homes, and so many broken relationships is because we think it is easier to run away that fix the problem. b. Well, it is; but we usually take our problems with us because we are the problem. c. Once Jesus comes into your heart, He teaches us to: (1) Face our problems and to change ourselves. (2) Not into what we want to be but into what He wants us to be. 3. God came down a Ma ha naa im to say, "Jacob, Ill help you with this." III. \#Ge 32:30\ I dont think Jacob ever left the Divine Zone but perhaps the most significant stop along the way was the third location, Pe-ni-el. Ge 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. A. Pe ni el means "face to face with God." 1. Jacob had arrived at the borders of home. 2. He was close enough that Esau, once hearing that Jacob was there, came out to meet Jacob. 3. Jacob himself had sent the messages to Esau to let him know that he was coming. a. Jacob was curious how Esau might respond. After all, when Jacob left, Esau wanted to kill him for his deceptions and theft. b. \#Ge 32:6\ Esau sent word that he was coming with him. c. From that, Jacob assumed the worst. B. Jacob had been a slow learner most of his life but by this time, God had taught Jacob some things about Himself. 1. Jacob knew God existed. 2. Jacob knew God had a plan for his life. 3. Jacob even knew God could help him. 4. But Jacob had never trusted God. a. He had always lived by his own wit and devices. b. That could actually serve as a definition of a lost person! c. On this day, Jacob knew his wit had run out, and he wanted God. C. The Bible describes a strange event that took place. 1. Jacob wrestled all night with God. Ge 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 2. This is called a Christophany – a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. 3. Jacob knew he couldnt face his brother alone. a. He had to have God! b. More specifically, he had to have Jesus as his Savior and Lord. D. Literally they wrestled all night, but that was really nothing new. 1. God had been wrestling with Jacob for his soul for more than 20 years. 2. What was new this night was that it was Jacob wrestling to have God instead of God wrestling to have Jacob. 3. Jacobs name for the place describes the outcome. a. Peniel b. I have seen God face to face. 4. If you will notice, in the names of these locations, you will see Jacobs closeness to God gradually increase. a. Jacob first met God at Bethel, the "house of God." b. Then they shared a camp together at Ma-hanaa-im. c. But Jacob finally saw God face to face and held on to Him at Peniel. Today, you are at the House of God and God is here. Perhaps this is a new experience for you or perhaps you have been many times before. I hope you and God share time together, have a common camp so to speak. But Gods desire is that you and see one another face to face, at the foot of Jesus cross, and that you latch hold of Him and never let Him God. You can do that this morning by believing that Jesus is the Savior that died for you and rose on the third day; and by surrendering yourself to Him. Would you do that today? It was at this point that something supernatural changed in Jacobs life. He would not be perfect after this but neither would he work anymore tricks. He would rely on God to provide, protect, and guide him. After meeting God face to face, Jacob was changed. He had made a trip to the Master Potters Wheel. Have you? Do you have trouble? Are you tired of trying to work it out on your own? 1. Repent of your sinful, proud, arrogant ways. 2. Trust what Jesus did and will do in your life!