The sermon for today is taking from the story of Jacob when he had completed sojourning in Padan-aram with Laban her mother's brother in Genesis 28:2. Before we get to Jacob's departure to Padan-aram, an incident had already occurred that contributed to Jacob having to leave his father's and mother's house to go on a journey to his uncle's house Laban.
Let me quickly provide us with how Jacob got to where he is. That is having to leave his father and mother. The bible said in Genesis 25:20-23 that Isaac married Rebekah and Rebekah did not conceive on time and intreated the Lord for his wife because of her barrenness and God answered with twins namely Esau and Jacob and informed them that the elder shall serve the younger. Meaning Esau will serve Jacob.
Let's fast forward to Genesis 27, the bible said that Isaac called his fish born Esau and tell him to go and prepare him a savoury meat to eat so that he could bless his son before he died. But Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob overheard her husband and because of the favouritism that she had for Jacob, she planned with her son to deceive her husband so as for Jacob to take the promised blessings of Esau. This was accomplished by the duo (mother and son) and the blessings pass unto Jacob. But Esau was very angry about Jacob stealing his birthright because in Israel, it is customary for the father to pronounce blessings upon his first son, but Jacob stole the blessings through deception even though God had already told Isaac prior to the birth of the twins in Genesis 25:23 that the elder shall serve the younger, so Isaac fulfilled the plan of God in Genesis 27:37 but Esau vowed to revenge in Genesis 27:41.
When their mother Rebekah heard about the revenge plan of Esau towards his junior brother Jacob that she approached her husband with deception to send Jacob away from the sight of Esau in Genesis 27:42-46.
Jacob, therefore fled to Padan-aram to Laban, his uncle to lived, married, have children and the LORD prospered him. But on his way, God appeared to him in a dream in Genesis 28:10-16 to officially transferred the blessings that was pronounced on his forefather (Abraham) in Genesis 22:15-18, and as well on his father (Isaac) in Genesis 26:2-5. Don't let us forget the topic of our sermon is "Jacob's moment of truth". It's now time for returning home and the Lord in Genesis 31:3 told him to return back home and promised him protection. It was at this moment that it dawns on Jacob that at last he is going to encountered his elder brother Esau who he had used subtility to take his birthright from him. And he knew that his brother has vowed to kill him. So, he decided to send messengers ahead of him in Genesis 32:3-6 to his brother Esau, but the messengers returned to Jacob to tell him that we met your brother and he is coming to meet him with about four hundred men. Then in Genesis 32:7-12, Jacob's moment of truth was therefore revealed through fear of death of his entire family and himself too.
He divided his family and his possessions he had got while living in Padan-aram, but the bible told us in Genesis 32:22-24 that he sent his wives to pass over the ford Jabbok and he alone was left behind to settle it with God. We were told that he wrestles with a man until the breaking of the day and the man could not defeat Jacob, and the man now asked Jacob his name and Jacob told the man his name in Genesis 32:27-28 and from that moment, Jacob's name was changed to Israel.
By the time Jacob now met his own brother in Genesis 33:1-4 who had vowed to kill him that we were told that his brother Esau ran to meet him, embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they both wept.
What Can We Learn?
1. As a child of God, there will be a moment of truth in our life that you have to be left alone to fight it out by yourself without the assistance of Your friends, father, mother or your pastor etc. It will be only you to contend and receive your God's given blessings upon you.
2. You can not manipulate God's blessing into your life because there are consequences for manipulating it. As a child of God, you need not be visiting palm readers, diviners, occultic pastors, satanic prophets and evil ministers of God in sheep clothing deceiving the flocks of God. Jacob tries manipulating by taken the blessings through subtility by deceiving his father with the assistance of his mother, but eventually a moment of truth came.
Let us pray!
Almighty Father, gracious and compassionate God, we boldly come before your throne of mercy and we beseech you to help us in the moment of our truth. Grant us power to prevail over situations and circumstances in our life in Jesus Name. Amen!
