An Unwanted Journey (Genesis 28)
An Unwanted Journey (Genesis 28)
Collin Leong. 28 August 2015
Synopsis
I imagine Jacob riding on his camel towards Haran with tears on his cheeks. He misses his father Isaac and especially his mother Rachel - both back in their estate in Beersheba, worrying for him. And here he is, on an unwanted journey, with nothing to his name, running away from his brother Esau who threatened to kill him for robbing his birthright. Soon, he will be more than 500 miles away from home. Jacob might be singing this song by Peter, Paul and Mary if he knew it as he rode into the sunset:
Everyone has to take a journey sometime in our lives. Like Jacob, other renowned bible heroes like Moses, Joseph, Abraham, Daniel took long and difficult journeys in various circumstances and for different reasons.
A metaphorical journey need not be physical, but could be spiritual, emotional, mental, or a journey of our will. For us believers, our first journey was a journey of faith when we took the Lord Jesus as our savior. But many more journeys are to come since God uses them as a process for life long sanctification.
In this study we consider 4 questions about our metaphorical journeys:
1. What started the journey?
2. What is the purpose of the journey?
3. What are the typical stages of the journey?
4. What to pack for our journey?
1. What Started the Journey?
(a) Running away. eg: Jacob, Moses. Running from our past, guilt, regret, failures, hurts, and disappointments. Sometimes we run TO things/people that we think will give us happiness, security, freedom. But God may not be finished with us yet!
(b) Persecution - forced to go. eg. Joseph, Daniel, Hagar. No choice, no control - we are put into that journey situation by someone else.
(c) Calling - direct instruction from God. eg: Abraham, Paul. We receive a strong impression from the Spirit or the Word of God to make a change in our place in life or mental paradigm. Often involves difficult and/or disruptive choices.
(d) Circumstances allowed or provided by God (God’s will) – Esther, Noah, Ruth. We are brought to a place and time through circumstances (ordinary or extra-ordinary) – loss of job, death of someone close, going overseas for school, relocating to another city. Can be traumatic or life-changing.
If you are on a journey now, which of the above started it?
2. What is the purpose of the journey?
Sometimes, due to one of the reasons above, we find ourselves going on a painful journey and end up at "a certain place" like Jacob, whether we want it or not. It's a dark place, away from our comfort zone, literally sleeping at the Hard Rock hotel, with tears on our stone pillow. Elder Sebastian once said that when we find ourselves in such a place, it helps to ask these 4 questions:
- What is happening to me right now?
- Does God know what is happening to me right now?
- Did God know this was going to happen to me?
- If so, why did he allow it?
(a) Effective Healing – Jacob; Moses; Onesimus. Dealing with our bad past or traumatic events so that we can be spiritual strengthened and to reconcile relationships.
(b) Effective Influence – Moses; Joseph, Esther; Getting us ready to be in a position to shape the course of history
(c) Effective Providence – Esther, Noah. Bringing us to the right place and right time for God to serve or provide for others.
(d) Effective Gospel – Disciples, Paul, the OT prophets; Calling us to be missionaries & martyrs for Christ to bring salvation to others, near or far.
Is your journey perhaps for one of the above purposes? In all cases, the journey would involve a personal encounter with God, as Jacob did at this "certain place" near Luz. We may also be reminded that some who went on a journey for whatever reason, never made it back (eg: Cain, Saul).
3. What are the stages of the Journey?
We observe that those who went on a "journey" typically comes across different stages or "zones". And at each stage, there is something to be learned. We identify 5 zones, which always begins from our "comfort zone"
(a) Comfort Zone (false sense of security) - At home in Beersheba. (Gen 27)
(b) Confusion Zone (wanderings. God seems to be absent) - Between Beersheba and Luz - “a certain place” (Gen 28)
- Purpose – teaching me HUMILITY. Hard rocks and dark nights. (see 1 Pet 5:6)
(c) Compassion Zone (God comforts and encourages us). At Bethel (“House of God"). (Gen 28)
- Purpose – giving me undeserved GRACE (see 2 Corinthians 12:9)
(d) Coaching Zone (God tests us through various trials over a period of time). At Haran for 20 years (Gen 29-31)
- Purpose – increasing my FAITH (see James 1:2-4)
(e) Cross-over Zone (a transformational experience in an encounter with God). Jacob sent all his family and belongings across the river Jabbok, left with nothing, and stayed back at Peniel to wrestle with God. (Gen 32)
- Purpose – bringing me to total SURRENDER (reliance) on him alone. (see Phil 3:8). At the end of the wrestling, Jacob had nothing and could do nothing but cling to God alone.
(f) Consecration Zone (to set apart for holy use; Involves a new level of personal and intimate relationship with God.) - Returning to Bethel. Jacob got rid of all his household gods/idols and built an altar to the Lord. God changed his name to Israel. (Gen 35)
- Purpose – giving me a new PURPOSE/DESTINY (a new name) (See Rom 12:1-2) When we are emptied of ourselves and completely broken, we are ready to receive a new name and purpose from God.
Rick Warren, in his book "The Purpose Driven Life" wrote: “We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it.” If you are on a journey now, which "zone" are you at? Are you stuck? Move forward brother/sister!
(4) What to pack for our journey?
Every journey need to be equipped. But we have no idea at all how to equip ourselves. Praise God that he packs our luggage for us, as he did for Jacob in Genesis 28! All we need are:
o God’s Promises (v13) : “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.”
o God’s Presence (v15): Behold, I am with you…. I will not leave you. (v16): “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”
o God’s Protection (v15): “will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.”
o God’s Provision (v15): “will keep (samar) you” – to care for (eg: Adam asked to keep the garden). (v20): “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear”
Do you feel lost, afraid, alone, sorrowful in your present journey? Remind yourself you have the above assurances from God. Lift your feeble knees and walk on!
Application
1. Share your journey – either one in the past, or one that you are on now. Share the following aspects (be specific if possible):
a. How did it begin (running away/ persecution/ divine calling/ circumstances)
b. Understanding that God has a purpose for each journey, what do you think the purpose of your journey might be? (healing/ salvation/ providence)
c. Where in this journey are you now? (which “zone”?)
2. Though the journeys God asks us or allows us to take need not by physical in nature physical isolation can often help us hear God better. This is known as solitude and silence. Consider these verses and discuss the benefits of solitude.
a. Jesus withdrew to the wilderness 40 days before beginning His ministry,
b. Luke 5:16 “But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.”
c. Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”
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