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Doug Batchelor:
Good morning, friends.
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We want to welcome
everybody to the Study Hour here
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for the Sabbath School lesson.
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We're so glad
that you've joined us.
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Always to welcome those
who are watching online,
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or social network
somewhere, are watching on AFTV,
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and Hope
Channel, 3ABN, and others,
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and we're just so
glad that you're tuning in.
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We know we have a
number of our members of
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the Granite Bay Hilltop Church
that are around the world.
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And Karen and I
recently returned from Ireland;
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and time permitting,
we'll give you a little report
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on that later, but
we have people there
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every week that tune
in and study with us.
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They don't do it in the
morning because the program airs
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in the afternoon for them
because of the time difference.
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So, we're glad that you're here.
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As always, we
have a special offer,
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and we have an offer today
dealing with a very important
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subject talking about
the "Surrender of Self."
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This is a book
written by Joe Cruz.
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And if there's only
one you're going to read,
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this is something we
all deal with every day
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is surrendering
ourselves to Jesus.
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If you'd like a free
copy, you can simply call
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866-788-3966.
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That's 866-Study-More, and
you can ask for Offer #182.
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You can also get it in the US.
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You can text SH087.
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You text SH087 to 40544,
and you can read this online.
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And if you're
outside North America,
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just go to the website,
and that's study.aftv.org,
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and again then
request the lesson or click
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on the lesson, SH087.
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We're continuing in our study
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dealing with
the book of Genesis.
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And in just a moment,
we're going to get to that,
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going to be talking about
Joseph, the master of dreams,
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and fascinating, one
of my favorite subjects
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in the Bible.
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But before we have our prayer,
we're going to have some music
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and then come back together.
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Doug: Amen.
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Thank you so much, young men.
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"Be Still My
Soul," a beautiful song.
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But we're going to have prayer,
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and then we'll go
into our study for today.
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Loving Lord, we are
so thankful for your Word
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and the lessons we learn
about salvation and life.
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We pray right
now in a special way.
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As we study this important
subject, you'll be with us,
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be with our presenter,
and give him the Holy Spirit
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that we might receive.
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We thank You and ask
this in Jesus' name, amen.
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Very happy our teacher
today is Pastor Shawn Brummund
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on this subject from
study of Genesis about Joseph.
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Shawn Brummund: Well,
thank you for that, Pastor Doug.
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It is a honor to be able to
come back and continue to look
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at the life of one of the most
important figures of history,
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and that is a
gentleman by the name of Jacob.
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And so I'm just
excited to be able to get back
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re-immersed into the Bible
and into the book of Genesis.
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We're going to take our minds
and our hearts back more than
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a couple of thousand
years, several thousand years,
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and we're going to
continue to look the way
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that God was leading in
the life of this individual.
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And so, one of
the two things that--
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and we're looking
at four chapters again.
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So, we just keep going
along at a really fast clip,
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because we're looking at
chapters 32, 33, 34, and 35.
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And so I hope that if you
haven't read them ahead of time
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that you will read them
after our lesson here today,
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because we're not going
to be able to cover all four
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in any kind of detail.
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We're going to spend most
of our time in chapter 32,
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because that's really
the centerpiece chapter
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and centerpiece
experience that Jacob had,
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and it's very relevant,
as we're going to look at it
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prophetically and how it
applies to our day and age
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and our very
soon future, as well.
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There's two things
that continue to cry out
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in a very powerful
way as we continue to make
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our way through
the life of Jacob,
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and that is the potential--
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we are learning the
potential long-standing,
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long-lasting
negative consequences
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that sin can bring in our lives.
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And we see that in living
color in the life of Jacob.
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The other thing that
really stands out, though,
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at the same time, that I hope
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you're also picking up is
the potential long lasting
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positive consequences
of seeking God's grace
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in sincere repentance.
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And we also see that very
clearly in the life of Jacob,
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as well.
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And today, again,
we're going to look at that
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in the fullest
living color of all.
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And so going back to the time
when Jacob was transitioning
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from his 20-year
exile up in Haran,
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the Paddan Aram,
which is also referred to
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as that region in
the city of Haran,
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and making his way
back to the Promised Land,
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back to the land
of which he was raised
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from a little boy until--
and into his first decade
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as an adult, and we
find that it was during
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those first several
years that he spent in exile,
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that he realized,
you know, "Wait a minute.
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This whole grand plan
that my mother and I had kind
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of schemed together is really
just all turning to dust."
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He hadn't heard from
his-- word from his mother,
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as they had planned.
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Some of you recall that when
his mother sent him up to find
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a wife and to let his
older brother Esau cool down
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for the deception
and the very sinful act
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that Jacob had
committed against his father
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and against his brother,
we find that his brother,
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if you
remember, his mother said,
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"Now go up, and shortly after
you leave, once your brother's,
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you know, temper calms
down and the temperature,
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you know, lowers low
enough, I'll send word for you,
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and you can come back again."
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Well, there were one
year, two years, three years,
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four years, ten
years, fifteen years,
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still no word from his mother.
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And so he realized,
as those years went by,
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that his plan was
really turning into dust.
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One of the most fascinating
text in this particular section
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that we're looking at is
actually in the last chapter
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of this week's lesson study,
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which is Genesis
chapter 35 and verse 8.
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In Genesis
chapter 35, and verse 8,
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we find that there is a
woman by the name of Deborah.
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Now, this is not the prophetess
Deborah that most of us
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are more familiar with, but this
was the handmaid of Rebekah.
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When Rebekah was
sent down as the new wife
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for her new
husband to be, Isaac,
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she was sent down with
a handmaid, a nursemaid,
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and her name was Deborah.
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And so naturally, she
would have been with Rebekah
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when Jacob went north
to find a wife and to be
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in exile for his safety
for a time, that Rebekah--
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I mean Deborah eventually
found herself joining in
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with the household of Jacob,
even before Jacob had returned
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to the Promised Land.
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And so while they
were making their travels
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through the Promised Land.
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As Jacob had returned,
we find that Deborah is part
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of their household,
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and so the most
likely surmising,
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as we try to connect the dots,
as the best we can is that,
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you know, the
housemaid or the nursemaid,
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I should say,
Deborah was joined together
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with Jacob's household
after Rebekah had died.
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And so the most likely scenario
is that after Rebekah had died,
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Deborah had no more
purpose or role to play
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within the household
and the camp of Isaac.
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And so she also
knew about, you know,
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Rebekah's favorite
child, Jacob, and his exile,
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and so she most likely
traveled north to Haran,
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caught up with Jacob,
caught up with his household,
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and was willing to serve and be
a part of the household there.
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That also, of course,
would have been heartbreaking
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news for Jacob on two counts.
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Number one,
because he lost his mother.
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He knew he would never
see her in this life again.
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And so, you know, again,
the plan that they had surmised
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backfired in a major
way, because they thought
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they would see each
other in just a few months,
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that indeed, sadly, they
never saw each other again.
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And second of all, this
was also very heartbreaking
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and distressing for
him because his mother was
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the key communique
between Isaac's camp
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and his family up in Haran.
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And so that plan
that they had surmised,
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in which the mother
would send word to him
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once it was safe enough for him
to return now also evaporated,
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as well.
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You see, Jacob would've left
his crafty uncle long before,
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if it wasn't for his fear
of facing his brother Esau.
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He endured much
longer up in Haran
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under his uncle's
oppression because of that fear.
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And so he was kind of stuck
between a rock and a hard place.
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You know, he knew that there
was an intense danger waiting
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for him down south with
his brother, and he also knew
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that the tensions were
rising and becoming very serious
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between himself and his uncle,
as well as his uncle's sons,
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which would be Jacob's cousins.
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And there was a lot of
animosity that was building
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between the two, and so this
began to tell Jacob that indeed,
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you know, that even
though he was fearful
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returning home
because of his brother Esau,
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it was now
becoming just as dangerous,
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if not more dangerous
for him to be up north under
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the oppression of his
uncle and his uncle's sons.
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And so he knew it was
time for him to leave.
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And so God tells
that to him in a dream.
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He says, "Yes,
you need to leave,
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and you need to leave now."
00:13:38.31\00:13:39.61
And so chapter 21--
or 31 I should say--
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he successfully leaves
and arrives near the border
00:13:43.32\00:13:45.45
of the Promised Land.
00:13:45.49\00:13:46.89
Now, this was no easy journey.
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Even though he was free
from his uncle's oppression,
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he was not
lighthearted and feeling free.
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Why was that?
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.33
Well, because the thoughts
on his heart and his mind
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were still very
much that of the sin
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that was haunting
him and his conscience
00:14:01.97\00:14:04.51
for the last 20 years.
00:14:04.54\00:14:07.31
He may be free from
his uncle's oppression,
00:14:07.34\00:14:09.61
but his travels
were much different.
00:14:09.64\00:14:11.38
In fact, there's a very deep
quote that I found in a book,
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one of my favorite books on this
topic that commutates the Bible.
00:14:14.15\00:14:16.82
It's called,
"Patriarchs and Prophets,"
00:14:16.85\00:14:18.79
written by author Ellen White,
and she writes in page 195
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these words.
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.36
It says, "His sin and
the deception of his father
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was ever before
him, and he knew that
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his long exile was the
direct result of that sin,
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and he pondered over
these things day and night,
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the reproaches of an accusing
conscience making his journey
00:14:35.44\00:14:39.41
very sad."
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And so it was not a lighthearted
journey, by any means.
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The freedom that he
normally would've felt
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after he was
relieved from the oppression
00:14:47.22\00:14:48.95
of his brother,
he was just going
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from the mouth of one
lion into the mouth of another,
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as far as he was concerned,
but also even more importantly
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and deeply than that, his
conscious was torturing him
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because of the sin that
was continuing to haunt him.
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Want to open your Bibles-- I
invite you to open your Bibles
00:15:01.83\00:15:03.93
now, as we look at Genesis
32, as we set that stage now
00:15:03.97\00:15:07.54
for that first
chapter of this week's study.
00:15:07.57\00:15:12.31
Again, this is no small chapter.
00:15:12.34\00:15:15.08
It's probably
the largest chapter
00:15:15.11\00:15:16.58
in the chapters that
describe the life of Jacob.
00:15:16.61\00:15:19.11
We're going to
Genesis chapter 32,
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and we're going to
start with verse 1.
00:15:22.88\00:15:25.82
Genesis 32 and verse 1, it says,
"And so Jacob went on his way,
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and the angels of God met him."
00:15:29.32\00:15:32.23
And so we find here that
as Jacob was leaving Laban,
00:15:32.26\00:15:36.60
as they had made their
vow in which he would never
00:15:36.63\00:15:38.73
return back to the
territory of Laban,
00:15:38.77\00:15:41.70
and Laban had agreed
that he would never cross
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that point where they
made an oath and enter
00:15:44.44\00:15:46.71
into the southern territory
of Jacob, we find that Jacob,
00:15:46.74\00:15:50.28
as he's now going
towards what is for him
00:15:50.31\00:15:53.95
into the mouth of
the lion, there is angels
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.95
that God mercifully
brings visibly before
00:15:56.99\00:15:59.49
the presence of Jacob.
00:15:59.52\00:16:01.29
And so again, as we go to
"Patriarchs and Prophets,"
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.93
you know, there was two camps,
and that's why I called it
00:16:03.96\00:16:06.33
the camp of two angels
or a host of two camps.
00:16:06.36\00:16:09.93
And it's because there
was angels in front of him,
00:16:09.96\00:16:12.03
and there was angels behind him,
00:16:12.07\00:16:13.64
representing
God's protective love,
00:16:13.67\00:16:16.24
and that He was
fulfilling His promise
00:16:16.27\00:16:18.27
that it would
go well with Jacob,
00:16:18.31\00:16:20.34
when all is said and done.
00:16:20.38\00:16:22.51
Now, this is
not a new encounter,
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.11
the first encounter that
Jacob had with angels, is it?
00:16:25.15\00:16:28.78
The first encounter that
Jacob had was 20 years earlier
00:16:28.82\00:16:32.25
when he was
running for his life,
00:16:32.29\00:16:33.99
when he was going
north, and that first night
00:16:34.02\00:16:36.36
that he spent alone in
danger and in the desert
00:16:36.39\00:16:39.73
with everything kind of
falling and apart in regards
00:16:39.76\00:16:43.87
to his life, and
God sends a ladder,
00:16:43.90\00:16:46.63
a visionary ladder
between heaven and earth.
00:16:46.67\00:16:49.10
And what are going
up and down the ladders?
00:16:49.14\00:16:51.11
Well, angels.
00:16:51.14\00:16:52.71
And so this is the second
visible encounter that Jacob
00:16:52.74\00:16:56.34
has of angels at
the very beginning
00:16:56.38\00:16:58.98
of his exile and now at
the very end of it, as well.
00:16:59.01\00:17:02.82
And they both are fulfilling
a very similar purpose.
00:17:02.85\00:17:06.96
Verse 2, it goes on and
says, "But when Jacob saw them,
00:17:06.99\00:17:10.13
he called this God's
Camp, and he called the name
00:17:10.16\00:17:13.60
of the place Mahanaim,
which means double camp."
00:17:13.63\00:17:17.23
In verse 3, it says, "And
then Jacob sent messengers
00:17:17.27\00:17:19.73
before him to Esau his
brother in the land of Seir,
00:17:19.77\00:17:23.27
the country of Edom."
00:17:23.30\00:17:25.27
And so Jacob is wise
enough to send a message ahead
00:17:25.31\00:17:28.61
to his brother, to
give his brother a heads up.
00:17:28.64\00:17:31.28
He doesn't want to surprise
his brother by any means,
00:17:31.31\00:17:33.08
and so he sends a message ahead.
00:17:33.11\00:17:36.58
Now, his brother is
already fulfilling that prophecy
00:17:36.62\00:17:39.22
that God had given
to his mother, Rebekah,
00:17:39.25\00:17:41.76
indeed that both brothers
would form into two nations.
00:17:41.79\00:17:45.36
Now, the fascinating thing is
that it's already referring to--
00:17:45.39\00:17:48.56
Genesis already
referring to the land where Esau
00:17:48.60\00:17:50.87
and his camp is
growing, the country of Edom,
00:17:50.90\00:17:54.74
and indeed that the nation
that Esau eventually became,
00:17:54.77\00:17:59.11
as his descendants multiplied,
and he also, obviously,
00:17:59.14\00:18:02.01
had been adopting other people's
and intermarrying with them,
00:18:02.04\00:18:04.85
even as he
started to, as we looked
00:18:04.88\00:18:06.92
at the earlier Genesis
record, including Ishmael.
00:18:06.95\00:18:11.52
And so, but
Jacob's nation doesn't--
00:18:11.55\00:18:15.02
is on hold for another
400 plus years, isn't it?
00:18:15.06\00:18:18.03
And so Jacob's nation
doesn't take place quite nearly
00:18:18.06\00:18:20.90
as soon as
Esau's but, of course,
00:18:20.93\00:18:23.20
Jacob's is part of
God's most important plan.
00:18:23.23\00:18:26.94
In verse 4, it
goes on, and he says,
00:18:26.97\00:18:28.74
"And he commanded them, saying,
'Speak thus to my lord Esau:
00:18:28.77\00:18:31.54
'Thus your servant Jacob says,
00:18:31.57\00:18:34.44
'I have dwelt with Laban
and stayed there until now.
00:18:34.48\00:18:39.28
I have oxen, donkeys, flocks,
and male and female servants,
00:18:39.31\00:18:42.55
and I have sent to tell
my lord that I may find favor
00:18:42.58\00:18:47.19
in your sight.'"
00:18:47.22\00:18:49.39
And so, we find here a
very strategically word message
00:18:49.42\00:18:53.50
that Jacob sends before him.
00:18:53.53\00:18:55.00
Now, the first thing that we
want to pick up here is verse 4,
00:18:55.76\00:18:58.67
where he says,
"Speak to my lord,
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.27
speak thus to my lord Esau:
00:19:00.30\00:19:01.60
'Thus your
servant Jacob says--'"
00:19:01.64\00:19:03.61
And we have to remember
that both of the brothers
00:19:03.64\00:19:05.54
were almost for certain
very familiar with the prophecy
00:19:05.57\00:19:08.58
that God had given to
their mother, Rebekah,
00:19:08.61\00:19:10.98
when the boys were
kind of struggling,
00:19:11.01\00:19:12.98
wrestling within the womb.
00:19:13.01\00:19:14.58
And God had said that
there would be two nations,
00:19:14.62\00:19:17.22
but he didn't
stop there, did he?
00:19:17.25\00:19:18.82
Said not only will
both boys form a nation,
00:19:18.85\00:19:21.72
but it also says
that one will be stronger
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.39
than the other, and then it
says the older, which is Esau,
00:19:24.43\00:19:27.76
would serve the younger.
00:19:27.76\00:19:30.90
And so for Esau
in his earthly life,
00:19:30.93\00:19:33.37
this would be a
threat for Jacob's return.
00:19:33.40\00:19:35.80
And so Jacob very strategically
says, "That's your servant,"
00:19:35.84\00:19:39.71
Jacob says.
00:19:39.74\00:19:41.51
And so Jacob is humbling
himself before his brother
00:19:41.54\00:19:44.71
very
strategically and needfully.
00:19:44.75\00:19:47.28
Now, in verse 5, when he
points out all the wealth
00:19:47.32\00:19:49.95
and which he's
acquired during the 20 years
00:19:49.98\00:19:51.79
that he was in exile,
it's not because he's trying
00:19:51.82\00:19:53.29
to show off to his brother,
which sometimes brothers
00:19:53.32\00:19:55.39
want to do, but in this
case he's not showing off,
00:19:55.42\00:19:58.63
but instead he is
sharing with his brother
00:19:58.66\00:20:01.93
that he has more than enough
wealth to provide for himself
00:20:01.96\00:20:05.10
and for his family.
00:20:05.13\00:20:06.84
Why is that important?
00:20:06.87\00:20:08.57
Well, for the last 20 years,
the only heir of the inheritance
00:20:08.60\00:20:13.14
of the wealth and
estate of their dad, Isaac,
00:20:13.17\00:20:16.21
was that of Esau.
00:20:16.24\00:20:18.38
And so for 20 years now,
Esau had become very acquainted
00:20:18.41\00:20:22.08
and very familiar,
and had been thinking
00:20:22.12\00:20:26.12
that the entire
estate of his dad is his,
00:20:26.15\00:20:29.72
that his brother
was a permanent exile.
00:20:29.76\00:20:32.53
And so Jacob wants
his brother to know,
00:20:32.56\00:20:35.10
"Listen, I'm not coming
back to claim my inheritance."
00:20:35.13\00:20:37.30
Because legally Jacob had
the right to the inheritance
00:20:37.33\00:20:39.70
of his dad, didn't he?
00:20:39.73\00:20:41.80
Okay, he had bought
the birthright from Esau.
00:20:41.84\00:20:44.11
Esau had vowed that
indeed he had the birthright.
00:20:44.14\00:20:47.24
Now, the birthright is
that you would have the bulk
00:20:47.28\00:20:49.38
of the
inheritance, and you would be
00:20:49.41\00:20:51.11
the first one in
charge of the estate
00:20:51.15\00:20:53.35
of the father after he died.
00:20:53.38\00:20:55.52
So, Jacob had
the legal birthright.
00:20:55.55\00:20:58.02
He also stole the blessing.
00:20:58.05\00:20:59.69
And so legally, he could've
come and showed up and said,
00:20:59.72\00:21:02.42
"Listen, the
inheritance is mine.
00:21:02.46\00:21:04.43
My dad's estate is mine first.
00:21:04.46\00:21:05.99
I'm in charge."
00:21:06.03\00:21:07.76
But Jacob wants
him to know that,
00:21:07.83\00:21:09.10
"Listen, I'm not interested
in the material wealth
00:21:09.13\00:21:11.63
and which our dad has,
but I have enough for myself.
00:21:11.67\00:21:17.27
Verse 6, it goes on and says,
"Then the messengers returned
00:21:17.31\00:21:19.71
to Jacob, saying, "We
came to your brother, Esau,
00:21:19.74\00:21:23.01
and he's also
coming to meet you."
00:21:23.04\00:21:26.72
Okay, that sounds good so far.
00:21:26.75\00:21:28.65
And, oh, by the way, he
also has 400 men with him.
00:21:28.68\00:21:33.36
Now, the response tells
us that Jacob would interpret
00:21:33.39\00:21:37.83
that very quickly and understood
the gravity of the situation.
00:21:37.86\00:21:40.93
It says, "So Jacob was
greatly afraid and distressed."
00:21:40.96\00:21:45.03
Why was Jacob
afraid and distressed?
00:21:45.07\00:21:47.97
Well, because
Esau's not coming alone.
00:21:48.00\00:21:49.90
Esau's a very capable strong
man, you know, experienced man.
00:21:49.94\00:21:55.34
He could come up on a
horse on his own, all, you know,
00:21:55.38\00:21:58.28
without a problem at all.
00:21:58.31\00:21:59.65
He doesn't need
400 men to protect him.
00:21:59.68\00:22:01.52
He may be bringing
along a couple of friends
00:22:01.55\00:22:03.95
for bodyguards.
00:22:03.99\00:22:05.29
I'm not sure
what his status was.
00:22:05.32\00:22:06.55
His status was that of a king
and established in a kingdom,
00:22:06.59\00:22:11.53
the kingdom and country of Edom,
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.19
but certainly he
doesn't need 400 people.
00:22:13.23\00:22:15.06
Now, Jacob knew he
wasn't bringing 400 people
00:22:15.10\00:22:17.30
to protect Esau on the way.
00:22:17.33\00:22:18.90
He knew that he
wasn't bringing those 400 men
00:22:18.93\00:22:20.90
so that they could--
that Esau was planning
00:22:20.94\00:22:23.47
a welcome parade for Esau.
00:22:23.51\00:22:26.17
No, these were 400 armed
men, and so when you bring
00:22:26.21\00:22:32.51
400 armed men--
00:22:32.55\00:22:33.98
Jacob also knew Esau
didn't need 400 men to take out
00:22:34.02\00:22:36.58
the life of Jacob.
00:22:36.62\00:22:38.72
But if Esau was
planning to take out the life
00:22:38.75\00:22:41.46
of the entire camp of
Jacob, he would bring 400 men.
00:22:41.49\00:22:47.56
So, this, the
gravity of the situation here
00:22:47.60\00:22:50.03
should not be underestimated.
00:22:50.07\00:22:52.57
This is a major, major
crisis not only for Jacob,
00:22:52.60\00:22:56.67
but for the entire camp.
00:22:56.71\00:22:59.21
You know, it reminds me,
Denise and I were backpacking
00:22:59.24\00:23:01.64
many years ago in beautiful
British Columbia up in Canada.
00:23:01.68\00:23:04.65
We were backpacking along this
river, and we had little Rachel.
00:23:04.68\00:23:07.88
Rachel was only about, I
don't know, six years old,
00:23:07.92\00:23:10.85
and we were taking her on
her first backpacking trip.
00:23:10.89\00:23:13.02
And so we were several
miles from the parking lot
00:23:13.05\00:23:17.83
and from our van, and
so on, and from safety,
00:23:17.86\00:23:20.56
and it was just the sun
was just starting to set.
00:23:20.60\00:23:22.40
It was kind of almost
half dark out at the time,
00:23:22.43\00:23:24.37
and we'd arrived
at the campground,
00:23:24.40\00:23:26.13
and we're the only ones there.
00:23:26.17\00:23:28.60
And so at first we thought,
"Well, this is kind of nice.
00:23:28.64\00:23:30.51
We've got complete
peace, the nature, the river,
00:23:30.54\00:23:32.74
the mountains."
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.48
Denise started to fire
up the gas and was boiling
00:23:34.51\00:23:37.08
the water to be able
to start dinner and such,
00:23:37.11\00:23:39.15
and I was just
starting to set up the tents.
00:23:39.18\00:23:41.18
And all of a sudden, this young
couple ran into the camp and--
00:23:41.22\00:23:43.85
[breathing heavy]
00:23:43.89\00:23:46.45
And we said, "What's wrong?"
00:23:46.49\00:23:47.96
And they had--their
eyes were about this big.
00:23:47.99\00:23:49.66
And so their
eyes were wide open.
00:23:49.69\00:23:51.29
We said, "Well,
what's wrong, what's wrong?"
00:23:51.33\00:23:52.63
They said, "Well, there's a big
00:23:52.66\00:23:53.96
grizzly bear
that's been following us
00:23:54.00\00:23:55.33
down the pathway, upriver,
and it's coming this way,
00:23:55.36\00:23:59.30
and we're heading
back to the car and getting
00:23:59.33\00:24:02.64
out of here as soon as we can."
00:24:02.67\00:24:04.71
And so they kind
of looked around.
00:24:04.74\00:24:06.44
Their conscience
didn't know what to do.
00:24:06.47\00:24:07.78
Should he abandon his
family and keep running,
00:24:07.81\00:24:09.28
or what should we do?
00:24:09.31\00:24:10.61
Well, I looked, and I had
a bear spray in my holster.
00:24:10.65\00:24:13.31
And so he looked at my
bear spray, and he says,
00:24:13.35\00:24:15.28
"Oh, I see you
have a bear spray.
00:24:15.32\00:24:16.62
Great. You're protected.
00:24:16.65\00:24:17.95
See you later."
00:24:17.99\00:24:19.29
And they disappeared.
00:24:19.32\00:24:21.29
So, I'm looking
around, and I, you know--
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.06
from that point forward,
you know, your heartbeat,
00:24:23.09\00:24:26.13
you know, your heart
rate goes a lot higher
00:24:26.16\00:24:28.70
at that point.
00:24:28.73\00:24:30.03
And your blood is
rushing a lot bigger.
00:24:30.07\00:24:32.43
And, you know, the senses,
all your senses are just keenly
00:24:32.47\00:24:36.47
all of a sudden awake in
ways that they weren't just
00:24:36.50\00:24:39.24
a few minutes before.
00:24:39.27\00:24:40.94
And so we're scrambling to
be able to get the food together
00:24:40.98\00:24:44.78
and so on.
00:24:44.81\00:24:46.11
Well, firstly, the bear
did what all bears normally do
00:24:46.15\00:24:48.08
is that when he came into the
camp, he saw us, and we saw him,
00:24:48.12\00:24:51.29
and then he diverted, went
through the most uninviting
00:24:51.32\00:24:56.59
thick brush, breaking branches
00:24:56.62\00:24:58.76
and everything, just to avoid us
00:24:58.79\00:25:00.33
and go around us and keep
going down the path and such.
00:25:00.36\00:25:05.47
But when you sense
that danger, you know,
00:25:05.50\00:25:08.04
until you can
image the heart rate
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.50
of the entire camp
just immediately rising,
00:25:09.54\00:25:12.24
and all their senses
rising, and they realize,
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.31
"Our lives are all in
serious danger at this point
00:25:14.34\00:25:19.41
There are 400 armed men
coming with a very angry,
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.92
vengeful,
unbelieving, ungodly brother.
00:25:22.95\00:25:28.12
And so that's the
gravity of this situation
00:25:28.16\00:25:32.59
that we find here.
00:25:32.63\00:25:36.16
Well, poor Jacob, you
know, when he hears the news,
00:25:36.20\00:25:38.83
he knows that he can't go
back because he just vowed
00:25:38.87\00:25:41.37
to his uncle that he
would never cross Mount Gilead
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.64
and go back to
the land of Haran.
00:25:43.67\00:25:45.24
So, he can't retreat.
00:25:45.27\00:25:47.14
And he certainly
doesn't want to go forward
00:25:47.18\00:25:48.91
into the lion's
mouth, and so he's just,
00:25:48.94\00:25:50.68
he's stuck between a rock and
a hard place, and he is afraid.
00:25:50.71\00:25:54.88
He's deeply distressed,
as we read in verse 7.
00:25:54.92\00:25:57.49
"And he divided the people
that were with him, and the fox,
00:25:57.52\00:26:00.12
and the herds of the
camels into two companies.
00:26:00.16\00:26:02.36
And he said, 'If Esau comes to
the one company and attacks it,
00:26:02.39\00:26:05.26
then the other company
which was left will escape.'"
00:26:05.29\00:26:07.96
And so he's being
as strategic as he can.
00:26:07.96\00:26:10.03
He's saying, "Listen,
we're going to split up
00:26:10.07\00:26:11.60
into two camps, so at
least if one is attacked,
00:26:11.63\00:26:13.87
the other has a
good chance of escaping,
00:26:13.90\00:26:15.47
and we'll at least
spare half of our lives."
00:26:15.50\00:26:17.57
Verse 9, it
says, "Then Jacob said,
00:26:17.61\00:26:19.31
'O God of my father Abraham--'"
00:26:19.34\00:26:21.38
So, Jacob finds himself
on his knees very quickly.
00:26:21.41\00:26:25.38
This is a sincere man of God.
00:26:25.41\00:26:28.62
"O God of my father Abraham and
the God of my father Isaac--"
00:26:28.65\00:26:32.92
Now, this
brings up another point
00:26:32.95\00:26:34.92
that helps us explain
a little bit of confusion
00:26:34.96\00:26:36.83
that sometimes comes in Daniel.
00:26:36.86\00:26:39.86
You know, because
Belshazzar is referred to--
00:26:39.89\00:26:42.70
Nebuchadnezzar is referred
to as the father of Belshazzar,
00:26:42.73\00:26:48.34
and history
tells us, as you look
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.51
at the history books,
Belshazzar was actually
00:26:50.54\00:26:52.44
the grandson of
King Nebuchadnezzar.
00:26:52.47\00:26:55.28
And yet, we find in
Daniel he's referred to as
00:26:55.31\00:26:59.15
the son of Nebuchadnezzar,
and Nebuchadnezzar
00:26:59.18\00:27:02.35
is referred to as his father.
00:27:02.38\00:27:05.19
Well, that's
because in Bible times,
00:27:05.22\00:27:07.56
they didn't use the word
grandfather like we do today.
00:27:07.59\00:27:11.33
You know, so my
dad is the grandad,
00:27:11.36\00:27:14.93
as he likes to be
called, of my daughters.
00:27:14.93\00:27:17.33
So, he's still
their dad, isn't he?
00:27:17.37\00:27:19.13
He's a dad, but
he is the grandad.
00:27:19.17\00:27:22.07
And then, you know, if
my daughters have children
00:27:22.10\00:27:24.11
before my dad dies, then
he'll be the great grandad,
00:27:24.14\00:27:27.58
won't he?
00:27:27.61\00:27:29.21
But you still--
you're still the dad.
00:27:29.24\00:27:31.38
And especially in ancient times,
in some cultures, I believe,
00:27:31.41\00:27:33.82
even today, you know, the dad--
00:27:33.85\00:27:35.68
as long as the oldest
living father is living,
00:27:35.72\00:27:38.69
he's still the last word.
00:27:38.72\00:27:40.59
He's still in charge
of all the other families,
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.69
even if he has a
son that's fully grown.
00:27:42.72\00:27:44.43
They have full grown children,
00:27:44.46\00:27:46.56
and their
children have children.
00:27:46.59\00:27:48.16
The oldest surviving grandfather
is still the last word
00:27:48.20\00:27:52.63
and the final authority.
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.44
And this was no exception
back in the days of Bible times,
00:27:54.47\00:27:58.61
as well.
00:27:58.64\00:27:59.94
And so that's why we find
here that Jacob's referring
00:28:00.04\00:28:01.64
to his grandfather Abraham
just simply as my father.
00:28:01.68\00:28:05.21
"O God of my father Abraham
and God of my father Isaac,
00:28:05.25\00:28:08.15
the Lord who has said to
me, 'Return to your country,
00:28:08.18\00:28:10.72
to your family, and I
will deal well with you.'"
00:28:10.75\00:28:14.59
So, he's reviewing with
God the promises, you know,
00:28:14.62\00:28:17.79
because they're very distressed.
00:28:17.83\00:28:19.63
"I'm not worthy of the
least of all the mercies
00:28:19.66\00:28:21.66
and of all the
truth, which You have shown
00:28:21.70\00:28:23.43
Your servant.
00:28:23.47\00:28:24.77
For I crossed over
this Jordan with my staff,
00:28:24.80\00:28:26.50
and now I have
become two companies.
00:28:26.53\00:28:30.44
Deliver me, I pray,
from the hand of my brother,
00:28:30.47\00:28:32.81
from the hand of Esau,
for I fear him lest he come
00:28:32.84\00:28:35.38
and attack me and the
mother with the children.
00:28:35.41\00:28:39.55
For you said,
00:28:39.58\00:28:40.92
'I will surely treat you
well and make your descendants
00:28:40.95\00:28:43.18
as the sand of the sea
which cannot be numbered,
00:28:43.22\00:28:45.29
for a multitude.'"
00:28:45.32\00:28:46.62
And so he's kind of
reviewing this God and said,
00:28:46.65\00:28:48.29
"God, we, you know--
00:28:48.32\00:28:49.62
You struck this
covenant with us,
00:28:49.66\00:28:51.19
and this agreement, and now that
agreement is in serious danger.
00:28:51.23\00:28:55.16
My life is in danger.
00:28:55.20\00:28:56.53
My wives' lives are in danger.
00:28:56.56\00:28:58.33
My children are in danger.
00:28:58.37\00:29:00.17
If we're all wiped
out, which all evidence
00:29:00.20\00:29:02.67
on the surface appears to be so,
00:29:02.70\00:29:04.64
is going to happen
in the next day or two,
00:29:04.67\00:29:06.61
you know, Your
covenant and promises
00:29:06.64\00:29:10.45
are not going to
be able to come true."
00:29:10.48\00:29:12.48
The verse that really stuck out
to me in this particular prayer
00:29:16.15\00:29:18.79
is verse 10.
00:29:18.82\00:29:20.12
In verse 10, it says,
00:29:20.16\00:29:21.46
"I am not worthy of
the least of the mercies,
00:29:21.49\00:29:23.19
of all the mercies
and of all the truth
00:29:23.22\00:29:24.99
which You have
shown Your servant."
00:29:25.03\00:29:26.80
Friend, are you there?
00:29:26.83\00:29:29.60
Are you at that point?
You know, it reminds me again.
00:29:29.63\00:29:31.93
I had to stop and take
stock of my own heart and say,
00:29:31.97\00:29:34.34
you know, "Am I in that spot,
that same spot that Jacob is in?
00:29:34.37\00:29:38.37
Do I fully
understand that I am not worthy
00:29:38.41\00:29:41.34
of the mercies
that God extends to me?"
00:29:41.38\00:29:46.11
That God has
extended mercies and truths
00:29:46.15\00:29:49.38
that are far beyond my worth.
00:29:49.42\00:29:52.69
As far as not
because I'm not priceless
00:29:52.72\00:29:55.19
in the eyes of God, as a
child and as a human being,
00:29:55.22\00:29:57.79
but rather I'm talking
about worthy in meaning
00:29:57.83\00:30:00.30
in my character, in
the Shawn that I am.
00:30:00.33\00:30:04.37
Am I worthy of all the blessings
and the mercies that God
00:30:04.40\00:30:08.17
has extended to me, the truths
that He has extended to me?
00:30:08.20\00:30:11.41
No, I'm not worthy.
00:30:11.44\00:30:13.31
But thank God
that God doesn't say,
00:30:13.34\00:30:14.81
"Listen, until you
count yourself worthy,
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.51
until you're good
enough to receive My mercies
00:30:16.54\00:30:18.61
in your strength,
00:30:18.65\00:30:19.95
I don't want to have
anything to do with you."
00:30:19.98\00:30:21.48
No, God is merciful to
sinners that are truly repentant
00:30:21.52\00:30:26.22
and want to walk
with Jesus by faith.
00:30:26.25\00:30:28.82
And so I take stock in
that, but it also a good place--
00:30:28.86\00:30:32.76
time for us to take stock
of our own hearts and say,
00:30:32.79\00:30:34.83
"Am I in that same place?"
00:30:34.86\00:30:37.17
Do I count myself not worthy
of the least of the mercies
00:30:37.20\00:30:39.47
and all the truth
which God has given to me?
00:30:39.50\00:30:41.27
Nevertheless, God, I claim
Your promise that You forgive me
00:30:41.30\00:30:44.14
for my sins, for He is just and
faithful to forgive us our sins
00:30:44.17\00:30:47.58
and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness
00:30:47.61\00:30:49.78
when we confess and
repent from our sins.
00:30:49.81\00:30:55.12
Well, the following
verses tell us that, again,
00:30:55.15\00:30:57.55
Jacob is being very strategic.
00:30:57.59\00:31:00.12
Why?
00:31:00.16\00:31:01.49
Because now he sends
presents ahead of him.
00:31:01.52\00:31:03.12
First, he sent the messenger.
00:31:03.16\00:31:04.46
The messenger comes back
without any message response,
00:31:04.49\00:31:07.23
but just the news that
he's got 400 armed men with him.
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.93
And now Jacob very strategically
sends droves of herds.
00:31:11.97\00:31:17.17
And so he sends like 5--
or 200 sheep and several rams
00:31:17.21\00:31:22.78
with one of his servants,
and the servant goes ahead,
00:31:22.81\00:31:25.95
and he says, "Now go ahead.
00:31:25.98\00:31:27.28
And when you run into
Esau, and he runs into you,
00:31:27.32\00:31:28.95
and he says,
'What's all this about?'
00:31:28.98\00:31:30.32
you could say, 'This is
a gift from your servant,
00:31:30.35\00:31:33.52
your brother, Jacob.
00:31:33.56\00:31:34.86
He wants you to have this.'"
00:31:34.89\00:31:36.49
And then, you know, Esau says,
00:31:36.52\00:31:37.86
"Oh, wow, this is
quite a surprise."
00:31:37.89\00:31:39.49
And then he goes another
hour or two down the trail,
00:31:39.53\00:31:43.23
and he comes to
another small herd.
00:31:43.26\00:31:46.23
And again, it's a
couple hundred, you know,
00:31:46.27\00:31:48.84
goats in this case
and a number of rams.
00:31:48.87\00:31:52.41
And so, you know, with
this, this is another gift
00:31:52.44\00:31:54.84
from your servant, and
that happens five times.
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.08
And so he sends
five droves of gifts,
00:31:57.11\00:32:01.28
of substantial livestock, ahead.
00:32:01.32\00:32:05.15
Now, friends, I
don't know about you,
00:32:05.19\00:32:06.52
but gifts have a very effective
way of softening the heart.
00:32:06.55\00:32:10.23
Have you noticed that?
00:32:10.26\00:32:11.76
You know, if you've
wronged somebody, you know,
00:32:11.79\00:32:13.70
some of the best strategic
ways that we can reconcile
00:32:13.73\00:32:16.03
with that person is not only
to confess our sins or wrongs
00:32:16.06\00:32:18.83
and so on, but to give a gift.
00:32:18.87\00:32:21.64
And so here we
find this strategic,
00:32:21.67\00:32:26.21
strategic actions
that Jacob is taking.
00:32:26.24\00:32:29.01
Notice how he prays?
00:32:29.04\00:32:30.58
But he's also doing
some very strategic actions
00:32:30.61\00:32:33.95
at the same time, isn't he?
00:32:33.98\00:32:36.72
And this is
important for us to bring up.
00:32:36.75\00:32:39.29
In fact, I want to read a
quote from that book called,
00:32:39.32\00:32:41.89
"Patriarchs and
Prophets," again.
00:32:41.92\00:32:43.69
And because this is a point
I just don't want to overlook.
00:32:43.73\00:32:46.09
I think it's important for
us to be able to understand,
00:32:46.13\00:32:48.36
and it says this.
00:32:48.40\00:32:51.43
It says, "He did all
in his power to atone
00:32:51.47\00:32:53.97
for the wrong to his brother and
to avert the threatened danger.
00:32:54.00\00:32:58.54
And then in
humiliation and repentance,
00:32:58.57\00:33:01.34
he pleaded for
divine protection."
00:33:01.38\00:33:04.31
And so what is Ellen
White pointing out here?
00:33:04.35\00:33:07.82
Well, the book here is
pointing out that indeed Jacob
00:33:07.85\00:33:11.82
didn't just say-- he
found himself on his knees,
00:33:11.85\00:33:14.42
to be sure.
00:33:14.46\00:33:16.59
But he also found himself
on his feet and using some
00:33:16.62\00:33:19.36
very strategic, very important
actions that he was using
00:33:19.39\00:33:24.40
in cooperation and
in partnership with God.
00:33:24.43\00:33:28.10
And so this is revealing
something that the Bible
00:33:28.14\00:33:30.81
has riddled all
over it when you look
00:33:30.84\00:33:32.67
at the different
Bible stories, you know.
00:33:32.71\00:33:34.18
And when David went
out to fight Goliath,
00:33:34.21\00:33:36.78
he didn't go out
with a little toy.
00:33:36.81\00:33:38.35
Sometimes the
Sunday School lessons
00:33:38.38\00:33:40.68
or the Sabbath
School lessons, you know,
00:33:40.72\00:33:42.58
will tell us that,
you know, there is--
00:33:42.62\00:33:44.25
you know, he had
this little sling,
00:33:44.29\00:33:45.65
and he had a little
pebble in there, you know,
00:33:45.69\00:33:47.62
and he used to play
with that and try to hit
00:33:47.66\00:33:49.12
the squirrels or something.
00:33:49.16\00:33:50.46
No, he used to take out
bears and lions with--you know,
00:33:50.49\00:33:52.89
Roman soldiers used this
as a deadly weapon in warfare
00:33:52.93\00:33:56.67
to kill men.
00:33:56.70\00:33:58.43
And so when David went out
with that sling, first of all,
00:33:58.47\00:34:01.37
he was extremely
experienced with it,
00:34:01.40\00:34:03.64
and that's how
he sold to King Saul
00:34:03.67\00:34:05.84
in even getting out
there, because he said,
00:34:05.87\00:34:07.58
"Listen, I've taken on lions
and bears already, you know,
00:34:07.61\00:34:09.71
and if I can--God helps me
to take on lions and bears,
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.18
I can take out this
Philistine, as well."
00:34:12.21\00:34:14.05
And so when David went
out there, he meant business,
00:34:14.08\00:34:16.69
and he had a
deadly weapon, and he knew
00:34:16.72\00:34:18.55
how to use that
deadly weapon very well.
00:34:18.59\00:34:21.86
And so Jacob went
out there with faith.
00:34:21.89\00:34:24.49
I mean, David went out
there with faith in God, yes?
00:34:24.53\00:34:26.90
Did he pray before? Yes.
00:34:26.93\00:34:29.03
But did he do everything
within his power to work
00:34:29.06\00:34:31.50
in cooperation with God?
00:34:31.53\00:34:34.10
Yes.
00:34:34.14\00:34:35.47
You see, God has called us
to work in cooperation with Him.
00:34:35.50\00:34:39.61
You know, there's
some Christians and
00:34:39.64\00:34:41.21
some Seventh Day Adventists
as well, over the years,
00:34:41.24\00:34:43.55
have come to
the misunderstanding
00:34:43.58\00:34:45.15
that because that old,
old saying that so many of us
00:34:45.18\00:34:48.42
have heard is not found
in the Bible, it's not true.
00:34:48.45\00:34:52.79
And that is God helps
those who help themselves.
00:34:52.82\00:34:57.23
That is an absolute,
undeniable Bible truth.
00:34:57.26\00:35:01.00
Now, is there a Bible
verse that uses those words?
00:35:01.03\00:35:02.76
No. Is it a Bible truth?
00:35:02.80\00:35:04.93
Yes.
00:35:04.97\00:35:06.30
You can find it in
the life of Jacob here.
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.60
Jacob was praying, but
he's also doing everything
00:35:08.64\00:35:10.77
within his human power,
using his hands and his actions
00:35:10.81\00:35:13.98
and his mind to be
able to avert the situation,
00:35:14.01\00:35:17.21
to be able to alleviate it,
to de-escalate the situation.
00:35:17.25\00:35:21.22
And David, same thing.
00:35:21.25\00:35:22.88
He went up there
with faith in God,
00:35:22.92\00:35:24.32
and God had to
intervene, in a way,
00:35:24.35\00:35:25.72
because the helmet
that protected the forehead
00:35:25.75\00:35:29.99
of Goliath, you know, had to
kind of ride up on his forehead,
00:35:30.03\00:35:38.13
so that the deadly weapon
was able to meet its target,
00:35:38.17\00:35:42.27
and it told us that
that rock--by the way,
00:35:42.30\00:35:44.77
the rock was about
as big as your fist.
00:35:44.81\00:35:47.48
So, you have a rock
that's as big as a small fist,
00:35:47.51\00:35:52.18
and it's going 100 plus miles an
hour, and it hits your forehead,
00:35:52.21\00:35:57.02
the Bible
rightly says that it sunk
00:35:57.05\00:35:59.52
into the forehead of Goliath.
00:35:59.55\00:36:03.83
It didn't just kind of ping
and bounce off like some of the,
00:36:03.86\00:36:06.80
you know, some of the different
illustrations in different
00:36:06.83\00:36:09.86
children's books show us.
00:36:09.90\00:36:12.07
No, it sunk in and stayed there.
00:36:12.10\00:36:15.04
And so then Goliath,
of course, tumbled over.
00:36:15.07\00:36:19.21
So, we find this Bible
truth illustrated over and over,
00:36:19.24\00:36:22.61
and Ellen White
is pointing that out,
00:36:22.64\00:36:23.95
as she commentates this
particular scene of Jacob.
00:36:23.98\00:36:26.75
Another scene that she also
commentates and the sketches
00:36:26.78\00:36:29.72
of the life of Paul is found--
it's called--the book is called,
00:36:29.75\00:36:32.49
"Sketches from the
Life of Paul," pages 267,
00:36:32.52\00:36:36.69
and it says this: "At
these words, hope revived."
00:36:36.73\00:36:40.23
Now what words were that?
00:36:40.26\00:36:41.46
Well, Paul was on the ship, and
he was on his way to see Caesar,
00:36:41.50\00:36:44.20
and they come into a sea storm,
and the sea storm is so serious
00:36:44.23\00:36:47.74
that even the most
experienced sailors
00:36:47.77\00:36:50.37
and the captain themselves
knew that this was it.
00:36:50.41\00:36:53.07
It's all evidence showed
them that they were going
00:36:53.11\00:36:55.28
to go under.
00:36:55.31\00:36:56.61
Most of them,
if not all of them,
00:36:56.64\00:36:57.95
were going to perish.
00:36:57.98\00:36:59.28
Well, God gives the
dream to Paul and says,
00:36:59.31\00:37:01.45
"Listen, I've decided that
you need to stand before Caesar.
00:37:01.48\00:37:04.05
I'm going to spare your
life, and you can tell the crew
00:37:04.09\00:37:06.35
that not one person will perish.
00:37:06.39\00:37:08.52
You'll lose the ship,
but no one will perish."
00:37:08.56\00:37:11.39
And so Paul shared the
good news, and it says that,
00:37:11.43\00:37:14.00
"At these words, hope revived
among all those in the ship."
00:37:14.00\00:37:18.20
Passengers and crew roused
from their apathy and put forth
00:37:18.23\00:37:22.20
all possible
exertion to save their lives.
00:37:22.24\00:37:27.04
There was much yet to be done.
00:37:27.08\00:37:30.25
Every effort within
their power must be put forth
00:37:30.28\00:37:33.72
to avert destruction, for God
helps those who help themselves.
00:37:33.75\00:37:42.46
And I did a word search
in Ellen White's writings,
00:37:42.49\00:37:44.83
and it turns out she
uses that term several times
00:37:44.86\00:37:47.23
in her different
writings and books.
00:37:47.23\00:37:48.93
Why?
00:37:48.96\00:37:50.27
Because she understood that
00:37:50.30\00:37:51.60
that is a rock
solid Bible truth.
00:37:51.63\00:37:54.77
You know, another way
that she put it, she said,
00:37:54.80\00:37:56.40
"When you get on your knees,
pray your prayers like your life
00:37:56.44\00:37:59.44
depends upon it.
00:37:59.47\00:38:01.08
Whatever the issue is, pray
like your life depends upon it.
00:38:01.11\00:38:03.68
But as soon as you get
off your knees and on you're
00:38:03.71\00:38:05.51
on your feet,
work at accomplishing
00:38:05.55\00:38:07.48
that prayer's request like
your life depends upon it."
00:38:07.52\00:38:11.29
Why?
00:38:11.32\00:38:12.79
Because she understood that God
helps those who help themselves.
00:38:12.82\00:38:16.69
We are in a
partnership with God, aren't we?
00:38:16.73\00:38:19.46
"Come unto Me all you who
labor and are heavy laden,
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.53
and I will give you rest.
00:38:21.56\00:38:22.86
Take My yoke upon you.
00:38:22.90\00:38:24.37
My yoke--" A yoke
was the instrument
00:38:24.40\00:38:27.20
that connected
two oxen together.
00:38:27.24\00:38:29.20
And so Jesus says,
"Listen, we're walking together,
00:38:29.24\00:38:31.57
a yoke that is on
both of our necks."
00:38:31.61\00:38:33.71
Now, fortunately,
he's the much stronger ox.
00:38:33.74\00:38:36.71
But God is still telling us that
we also need to pull the plow.
00:38:36.75\00:38:40.45
Jesus is telling us that we
work in partnership with him,
00:38:40.48\00:38:43.49
and so God calls
us to give our best.
00:38:43.52\00:38:47.89
You know, Jacob
could've said, you know,
00:38:47.92\00:38:49.99
"Listen, I'm on my
knees, I'm praying,
00:38:50.03\00:38:51.53
I'm putting all my faith in You.
00:38:51.56\00:38:52.93
You said You would protect me,
and therefore I'm going to go
00:38:52.96\00:38:54.76
over and make lemonade,
going to put my feet up,
00:38:54.83\00:38:56.60
and I know You're
going to work it all out."
00:38:56.63\00:39:01.00
No, that's not
what he does, does he?
00:39:01.04\00:39:02.84
No, he does everything within
his power to use his brain
00:39:02.87\00:39:06.27
and his hands to be able to
work in partnership with God
00:39:06.31\00:39:09.61
in alleviating
the heart of Esau.
00:39:09.64\00:39:11.85
Now, God also did His part.
00:39:11.88\00:39:13.45
"Patriarchs and Prophets" also
said in the same time that Jacob
00:39:13.48\00:39:15.78
was wrestling
with God that night,
00:39:15.82\00:39:17.75
as he was pleading for God
to forgive him for his sin,
00:39:17.79\00:39:21.39
pleaded for him to be
able to have the assurance
00:39:21.42\00:39:23.76
that God completely accepts
him and reconciles with him,
00:39:23.79\00:39:27.66
and that they will have
a very close relationship
00:39:27.73\00:39:30.63
for the rest of their
life, God sends a dream
00:39:30.67\00:39:33.27
to Esau that same night.
00:39:33.30\00:39:36.44
So, is God doing
His part, as well?
00:39:36.47\00:39:38.51
Sure He is, but so is Jacob.
00:39:38.54\00:39:40.68
And so God sends a
dream ahead to Esau,
00:39:40.71\00:39:43.51
and in that dream God
shows Esau kind of a collage
00:39:43.55\00:39:47.12
of different
events over the 20 years
00:39:47.15\00:39:48.78
in which Jacob was suffering,
as an exile from his brother
00:39:48.82\00:39:51.82
and from his family,
never to see his mother again.
00:39:51.85\00:39:54.46
He's seeing a
scene, and God shows Esau
00:39:54.49\00:39:56.96
this scene of Jacob as
he's grieving and weeping
00:39:56.99\00:39:59.93
over the news that
his mother was dead,
00:39:59.96\00:40:01.93
and he would never see her
in this earthly life again.
00:40:01.96\00:40:05.80
Was that
softening the heart of Esau?
00:40:05.83\00:40:08.24
Sure it was.
00:40:08.27\00:40:09.64
Were the droves,
the gifts that were,
00:40:09.67\00:40:11.27
were they
softening the hearts of Esau?
00:40:11.31\00:40:12.81
All of it was working together
for good for those who love Him
00:40:12.84\00:40:16.31
and are called
according to His purpose.
00:40:16.34\00:40:18.61
And so that's not a
lesson, theological lesson,
00:40:18.65\00:40:20.92
but I think that we
need to stop and really
00:40:20.95\00:40:23.59
make sure that we understand,
and perhaps today is the day
00:40:23.62\00:40:25.95
that God will help
to clarify that for you.
00:40:25.99\00:40:29.29
Verse 22, we pick it up again.
00:40:29.32\00:40:30.63
In verse 22, it says,
"And he arose that night
00:40:30.66\00:40:33.06
and took his two wives,
his two female servants,
00:40:33.09\00:40:35.46
and his eleven sons, and
crossed over the ford Jabbok.
00:40:35.50\00:40:38.53
And he took them and
sent them over the brook,
00:40:38.57\00:40:41.34
and he sent over what he had."
00:40:41.37\00:40:42.80
And so he's tried to
give as much safety buffer
00:40:42.84\00:40:44.61
as he can between Esau
and his men and his family.
00:40:44.64\00:40:47.98
"And then Jacob was left alone;
00:40:48.01\00:40:52.28
and with Him until
the breaking of day."
00:40:52.31\00:40:54.82
And the Bible tells us that
that wrestling was started--
00:40:56.82\00:41:01.36
again, as you go to "Patriarchs
and Prophets," page 197,
00:41:01.39\00:41:03.79
it tells us that
Jacob was left alone.
00:41:03.83\00:41:05.76
He was pleading
with God on his knees.
00:41:05.79\00:41:07.86
And in that prayer
of petition before God,
00:41:07.86\00:41:11.00
he feels the strong
hand that is suddenly
00:41:11.03\00:41:13.64
on his shoulder from behind.
00:41:13.67\00:41:15.54
He never saw it coming,
and immediately he thought
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.24
that it was an enemy.
00:41:18.27\00:41:19.81
Immediately, he thought
it was a robber or a murderer
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.58
of some kind that was
trying to take his life.
00:41:22.61\00:41:24.55
And so he immediately
goes into combat mode
00:41:24.58\00:41:26.92
and begins to try to
wrestle himself free.
00:41:26.95\00:41:29.82
And so he wrestles.
00:41:29.85\00:41:31.95
We don't know how long.
00:41:31.99\00:41:33.29
We're guessing that, you
know, the evidence must be that
00:41:33.32\00:41:35.56
he prayed most of the
night, because it says that
00:41:35.59\00:41:38.33
they wrestled until
the breaking of dawn.
00:41:38.36\00:41:40.63
I don't know if you've
been in a wrestling match,
00:41:40.66\00:41:42.33
but I don't think
that any man could wrestle
00:41:42.36\00:41:44.97
with all his might for
several hours, 8, 9 hours,
00:41:45.00\00:41:48.77
and so I'm guessing
that it was just an hour
00:41:48.80\00:41:50.51
or two before dawn that
the Lord Himself showed up,
00:41:50.54\00:41:53.68
as we're going to find out
that that man was Jesus Himself,
00:41:53.71\00:41:56.41
and puts His
hand on the shoulder.
00:41:56.44\00:41:57.88
And so during most
of that wrestling match,
00:41:57.91\00:42:00.48
Jacob doesn't understand
that this is the Lord Himself.
00:42:00.52\00:42:02.95
He thinks it's an assailant.
00:42:02.98\00:42:04.29
He thinks it's
somebody that's attacking him.
00:42:04.32\00:42:06.96
But then when the Lord Himself
takes His finger and touches
00:42:06.99\00:42:10.49
the hip of--one of the side
hips of the hip joints of Jacob,
00:42:10.53\00:42:14.60
immediately, the muscle shrinks,
and he's in intense pain.
00:42:14.63\00:42:21.34
He's immediately crippled
from that point forward,
00:42:21.37\00:42:23.54
just by
touching with His finger,
00:42:23.57\00:42:25.61
and Jacob immediately put two
and two together and realized,
00:42:25.64\00:42:28.11
"Wait a minute.
00:42:28.14\00:42:29.44
No normal
mortal man can do that.
00:42:29.48\00:42:31.11
That was a supernatural miracle.
00:42:31.15\00:42:32.51
I'm not wrestling with a man.
00:42:32.55\00:42:34.25
I'm wrestling with some
kind of heavenly being."
00:42:34.28\00:42:37.35
And then as the time
went by, he started to come to
00:42:37.39\00:42:39.52
the recognition, "Wait a minute,
this is the Lord Himself."
00:42:39.55\00:42:44.06
And he realized
that metaphorically,
00:42:44.09\00:42:46.86
this literal wrestling
match that was taking place
00:42:46.90\00:42:49.93
was symbolizing the
wrestling match in his heart
00:42:49.96\00:42:53.17
that had been
taking place for 20 years
00:42:53.20\00:42:54.87
and now was
culminating this evening.
00:42:54.90\00:42:57.94
At this juncture in his life, as
he was wrestling with the Lord,
00:42:57.97\00:43:01.08
and so once he realized it
was the Lord with weeping--
00:43:01.11\00:43:03.71
Hosea chapter
12, verses 3 and 4,
00:43:03.75\00:43:06.35
as the lesson study points
out, is a very helpful passage,
00:43:06.38\00:43:09.15
because it tells us that it
was an Angel with a capital A.
00:43:09.18\00:43:12.19
And whatever the translators
in the New King James Version,
00:43:12.22\00:43:14.96
at least, understood
that the context compels us
00:43:14.99\00:43:17.89
to accept that this
was not a heavenly angel
00:43:17.93\00:43:20.33
in the created angel
sense, but it is the Archangel,
00:43:20.36\00:43:24.90
the one that's in charge
of the angels, Jesus Himself,
00:43:24.93\00:43:29.20
and that it tells us
also that Jacob wept.
00:43:29.24\00:43:33.74
So, Jesus--I mean
Jacob was not confident.
00:43:33.78\00:43:36.51
Jacob was not arrogant
in any way when he said,
00:43:36.54\00:43:39.28
"I will not let You
go unless You bless me."
00:43:39.31\00:43:43.62
Because Jesus said, you
know, "Listen, let go of Me.
00:43:43.65\00:43:45.69
The dawn is
breaking, and I need to go."
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.32
And he said, "No, Lord, I will
not let go unless You bless me."
00:43:48.36\00:43:52.03
Tears are running down
his face at the same time,
00:43:52.06\00:43:56.40
because he's been
tortured for 20 years,
00:43:56.43\00:43:58.63
and he's begging for God
to give him the full assurance
00:43:58.67\00:44:02.60
that indeed he
has been forgiven.
00:44:02.64\00:44:05.57
Was he repentant before this?
00:44:05.61\00:44:07.34
Yes.
00:44:07.38\00:44:10.38
But even sometimes when we're
repentant, the shameful things
00:44:10.41\00:44:12.61
that we have chosen in
our past sometimes haunts us
00:44:12.65\00:44:14.98
for more than a
couple of years, doesn't it?
00:44:15.02\00:44:18.15
I know that many of
you have experienced that.
00:44:18.19\00:44:20.76
Some people find themselves
20 years down the road
00:44:20.79\00:44:22.72
just like Jacob, and
you're still trying to find
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.86
that full
assurance from the Lord.
00:44:25.89\00:44:27.23
You're still, there's a little
part of you that still wonders,
00:44:27.30\00:44:29.56
"Can God really
forgive such a shameful sin
00:44:29.60\00:44:32.00
as that which
I've done in the past?"
00:44:32.03\00:44:35.37
But the good news is that Jacob
comes out fully reconciled.
00:44:35.40\00:44:37.84
He is just and
righteous to forgive us our sins
00:44:37.87\00:44:41.78
and forgive us from
all unrighteousness.
00:44:41.81\00:44:46.31
Verse 25, it talks about the
socket of his hip being shrunk,
00:44:53.15\00:44:56.26
and then verse 26 we pick it up.
00:44:56.29\00:44:57.86
"And he said to me, 'I will not
let You go unless You bless me.'
00:44:57.89\00:45:00.10
And so He said,
'What is your name?'
00:45:00.13\00:45:01.60
And he said, 'Jacob.'
00:45:01.63\00:45:02.93
And so the Lord Himself said,
00:45:02.96\00:45:04.50
'Your name shall no longer
be called Jacob, but Israel.'"
00:45:04.53\00:45:09.24
When my wife and I
were baptized in 1992,
00:45:09.27\00:45:11.17
we began to read the Bible.
00:45:11.21\00:45:12.81
We just devoured
this book in 1992
00:45:12.84\00:45:15.18
in that first year and a
half after we're baptized.
00:45:15.21\00:45:16.98
And so we would read
four to five chapters
00:45:17.01\00:45:18.68
of the Old Testament every
single morning before work.
00:45:18.71\00:45:21.08
And then before night,
before we went to sleep,
00:45:21.12\00:45:23.35
we'd read four to five
chapters of the New Testament,
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.32
starting with Matthew,
00:45:25.35\00:45:26.65
and make our way all the
way through each evening.
00:45:26.69\00:45:29.16
And within a year and a
half, we had read through
00:45:29.19\00:45:30.73
the New Testament
as a whole four times,
00:45:30.76\00:45:32.93
and we had read
through the Old Testament once.
00:45:32.96\00:45:36.43
Friends, if you
have never done that,
00:45:36.46\00:45:37.77
I want to strongly
recommend that you have--
00:45:37.80\00:45:39.43
There is no better way to
find yourself firmly established
00:45:39.47\00:45:43.27
in the Word of God than
to find yourself consuming
00:45:43.30\00:45:45.97
the Word of God as a whole.
00:45:46.01\00:45:49.01
And not only
once, but several times.
00:45:49.04\00:45:51.48
And the first time we came to
this, we were just so excited.
00:45:51.51\00:45:55.22
We're looking at this and
saying, "Wow, this is amazing!
00:45:55.25\00:45:57.72
I've never heard this before.
00:45:57.75\00:45:59.32
This is where the name
Israel and the country Israel
00:45:59.35\00:46:01.46
gets its name.
00:46:01.49\00:46:02.79
It's named after Jacob, whose
name was changed from Jacob,
00:46:02.82\00:46:05.09
which means
supplanter or deceiver,
00:46:05.13\00:46:06.96
and it was changed to Israel
which means prince with God.
00:46:07.00\00:46:12.47
Is this a
positive change for Israel?
00:46:14.64\00:46:16.60
I mean, for Jacob?
00:46:16.64\00:46:17.94
Yes.
00:46:17.97\00:46:19.27
What a beautiful name change.
00:46:19.31\00:46:20.61
Was that representative
of the reconciliation
00:46:20.64\00:46:22.54
and the full peace
that Jacob found that night?
00:46:22.58\00:46:25.65
A level of faith and
peace and joy that Jacob
00:46:25.68\00:46:29.38
had not
experienced for over 20 years?
00:46:29.42\00:46:32.02
Yes.
00:46:32.05\00:46:35.39
God changes Jacob's name
from supplanter to Israel,
00:46:35.42\00:46:38.19
prince of God, for you
have struggled with God
00:46:38.23\00:46:40.33
and with men,
and have prevailed.
00:46:40.36\00:46:43.97
"And then Jacob said,
'Tell me Your name, I pray.'
00:46:44.00\00:46:46.40
And He said, 'Why is
it that you ask my name?'
00:46:46.43\00:46:48.17
And He blessed him there.
00:46:48.20\00:46:49.60
So, Jacob called the
name of the place Peniel.
00:46:49.64\00:46:52.84
'For I have seen
God face to face,
00:46:52.87\00:46:54.88
and my life is preserved.'"
00:46:54.91\00:46:56.31
Did Jacob fully understand
that He was not a created
00:46:56.34\00:46:59.51
angelic angel, but
it was the Archangel,
00:46:59.55\00:47:02.88
the one that was in charge
of all the angels of heaven,
00:47:02.92\00:47:05.22
the Creator of the
angels, Jesus Himself.
00:47:05.25\00:47:10.03
Sometimes we get
nervous when we see Jesus
00:47:10.06\00:47:11.63
referred to as an Angel.
00:47:11.66\00:47:12.96
I said, well, wait
a minute, you know.
00:47:12.99\00:47:14.30
We're not--we're Trinitarians.
00:47:14.30\00:47:15.76
We believe in the Bible truth
that God is the Father, the Son,
00:47:15.80\00:47:18.50
and the Holy Spirit, and that
He is the Creator of angels.
00:47:18.53\00:47:21.60
He's not an angel. Well, yes.
00:47:21.64\00:47:23.94
Angel in Greek, angelos,
literally means a messenger.
00:47:23.97\00:47:27.58
In fact, John the
Baptist is called an angelos.
00:47:27.61\00:47:31.38
He's also called an angel. Why?
00:47:31.41\00:47:34.38
Because he was a
messenger of God,
00:47:34.42\00:47:35.92
one of the
greatest prophets of God.
00:47:35.95\00:47:38.49
So, anybody that's bringing a
message from heaven is an angel.
00:47:38.52\00:47:41.89
Does that mean that
Christ can be an Angel?
00:47:41.92\00:47:43.63
Yes.
00:47:43.66\00:47:44.96
A created angel? No.
00:47:44.99\00:47:46.29
But a heavenly messenger? Yes.
00:47:46.33\00:47:48.60
And that's why the Bible writers
were so comfortable in referring
00:47:48.63\00:47:51.13
to Jesus as an Angel, capital
A, Archangel, the one in charge
00:47:51.17\00:47:54.40
of the angels, the
Creator of the angels,
00:47:54.44\00:47:55.94
but nevertheless still an Angel.
00:47:55.97\00:47:59.21
And clearly in verse 30,
Jacob reveals that indeed
00:47:59.24\00:48:03.55
he was not wrestling
with a normal angel or a man,
00:48:03.58\00:48:06.18
but with God Himself.
00:48:06.21\00:48:08.32
And just as he crossed over
Peniel, the sun rose on him,
00:48:08.35\00:48:11.09
and he limped on his hip.
00:48:11.12\00:48:14.59
And so we need to close.
00:48:14.62\00:48:16.29
I was hoping to be able
to spend some time looking
00:48:16.32\00:48:17.99
at the three applications
of this time of trouble that
00:48:18.03\00:48:22.30
Jacob had, because as
the lesson study points out
00:48:22.33\00:48:25.17
in Jeremiah chapter
30, and verses 5 through 7,
00:48:25.20\00:48:28.44
Jeremiah talks about
the Babylonian captivity
00:48:28.47\00:48:31.04
of Israel being
another time of Jacob's trouble
00:48:31.07\00:48:34.38
or Jacob's time of trouble.
00:48:34.41\00:48:36.91
And then that is applied
prophetically to the time
00:48:36.95\00:48:39.68
in our future when
probation ends for all mankind,
00:48:39.71\00:48:42.98
and everybody's fate is sealed.
00:48:43.02\00:48:45.12
God, Jesus Himself,
leaves the heavenly sanctuary.
00:48:45.15\00:48:47.79
He is no longer intercessor,
and everybody's fate is sealed
00:48:47.82\00:48:51.96
for all of eternity.
00:48:51.99\00:48:53.76
The first plagues start to
fall on the lost all around us,
00:48:53.80\00:48:57.13
and God's people go
through a time of trouble
00:48:57.17\00:48:59.80
in which this world has never
seen, and Jesus Himself says,
00:48:59.83\00:49:04.74
"If it were not for
God shortening that day,
00:49:04.77\00:49:07.91
even the elect
would not survive."
00:49:07.94\00:49:11.35
It will be the most
intense, most difficult chapter
00:49:11.38\00:49:13.72
for God's people to
go through at that point.
00:49:13.75\00:49:17.25
Well, because there's real
physical danger for our lives?
00:49:17.29\00:49:19.79
Yes.
00:49:19.82\00:49:21.12
The lost are out
to take our lives.
00:49:21.16\00:49:22.89
Was Esau out to
take Jacob's life?
00:49:22.92\00:49:24.73
Yes.
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.06
The greatest torture
that Jacob went through
00:49:26.09\00:49:27.66
was not his physical danger.
00:49:27.66\00:49:29.13
It was going on
in here, wasn't it?
00:49:29.16\00:49:32.30
It was in here, his heart.
00:49:32.33\00:49:35.17
He wasn't fully convinced
that he was fully accepted
00:49:35.20\00:49:38.04
and reconciled with his Lord,
00:49:38.07\00:49:39.81
and that's what
we'll go through, as well.
00:49:39.84\00:49:41.48
We'll be in
danger and distressed
00:49:41.51\00:49:43.18
over the physical dangers,
yes, but that will be overcome
00:49:43.21\00:49:45.41
by a much more
intense internal danger.
00:49:45.45\00:49:49.58
Did I confess
every sin that I know
00:49:49.62\00:49:52.85
that I had in
weakness in my life?
00:49:52.89\00:49:54.99
Have I made myself right
and repented of everything
00:49:55.02\00:49:58.13
that I know in my life God has
told me that I need to abandon?
00:49:58.16\00:50:02.40
And if we haven't, then
it's too late, isn't it?
00:50:02.43\00:50:05.33
And because we know
it's too late, if we haven't,
00:50:05.37\00:50:07.54
we go through this anguish,
this wrestling with God,
00:50:07.57\00:50:10.54
this Jacob's time of
trouble internally until we come
00:50:10.57\00:50:13.94
to a full joy of knowing
that His mercies are greater
00:50:13.98\00:50:17.25
than our sins.
00:50:17.28\00:50:19.75
And we can lift up our
eyes and say, "This is our God.
00:50:19.78\00:50:22.35
He will save us.
00:50:22.38\00:50:24.12
This is our God.
00:50:24.15\00:50:25.45
We have waited for Him."
00:50:25.49\00:50:26.79
And we can know
that we will join Him
00:50:26.82\00:50:28.29
with the angels in heaven.
00:50:28.32\00:50:29.62
Amen?
00:50:29.66\00:50:31.83
If you missed the free offer
that we had at the beginning
00:50:31.86\00:50:34.10
of our lesson
study, I want to invite you
00:50:34.13\00:50:36.00
to take advantage
of it even here today.
00:50:36.03\00:50:38.03
It's entitled, "The Surrender
of Self," written by Joe Crews,
00:50:38.07\00:50:41.37
the Founder of
Amazing Facts Ministries,
00:50:41.40\00:50:43.44
and so please
take advantage of this.
00:50:43.47\00:50:45.54
Even if you saw
the free offer before,
00:50:45.57\00:50:47.18
you haven't written
down the phone number
00:50:47.21\00:50:48.68
or the free offer number,
go ahead and do that now.
00:50:48.71\00:50:51.11
It's a great read.
00:50:51.15\00:50:52.45
It's entitled--1-866-788-3966,
and ask for number,
00:50:52.48\00:50:58.29
offer number 182.
00:50:58.32\00:51:01.86
Again, that's 1-866-788-3966,
and we'll be happy to send
00:51:01.89\00:51:06.46
that to you.
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00:51:07.83\00:51:09.56
if you're in the US,
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00:51:09.60\00:51:11.60
and get a digital
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00:51:11.63\00:51:13.40
go ahead and use the code SH087,
00:51:13.44\00:51:17.37
and you want to
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00:51:17.41\00:51:21.81
You're saying, "I'm
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00:51:21.84\00:51:23.45
I want a digital copy."
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.71
Then you just simply get on the
Internet and go to the website,
00:51:24.75\00:51:27.28
which is study.aftv.org/SH087.
00:51:27.32\00:51:37.33
Until we come
together next week,
00:51:38.49\00:51:39.79
God bless you, and we
look forward to seeing you.
00:51:39.83\00:51:41.80
announcer: Don't forget to
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00:52:13.83\00:52:16.63
Reuben: You know, we
grew up in a neighborhood up
00:52:18.83\00:52:20.20
in the Midwest that was
a pretty bad neighborhood.
00:52:20.24\00:52:23.64
And when I became a
teenager, I started using drugs.
00:52:23.67\00:52:27.71
I was--I started using meth
when I was like I think 16, 15,
00:52:27.74\00:52:31.85
something like that.
00:52:31.88\00:52:33.25
I was having some problems
in my life I really didn't know
00:52:33.28\00:52:35.35
how to deal with.
00:52:35.38\00:52:38.02
The only thing I
really knew was violence.
00:52:38.05\00:52:41.69
So, this night here I was going
to inflict violence on myself.
00:52:41.72\00:52:45.59
I was really high,
really depressed, so I took--
00:52:45.63\00:52:49.13
you know, I had this 40 caliber.
00:52:49.16\00:52:50.90
So, I remember I
put one in the chamber,
00:52:50.93\00:52:52.50
and I started to the
side of my head like this.
00:52:52.53\00:52:56.84
And the gun had a
hair trigger, you know,
00:52:56.87\00:53:00.24
and I remember I was tapping it.
00:53:00.28\00:53:03.08
And a part of me said,
"No, I don't want to do this,"
00:53:03.11\00:53:07.68
but there was something
very evil present there saying,
00:53:07.72\00:53:10.19
"Do it."
00:53:10.22\00:53:11.59
I just said to myself, I
said, "God, if You're real,
00:53:11.62\00:53:17.43
show Yourself to me."
00:53:17.46\00:53:19.59
My mother took me to
church when I was little kid,
00:53:19.63\00:53:23.33
and we used to
sing, "Jesus Loves Me."
00:53:23.37\00:53:25.67
And I remember that song.
00:53:25.70\00:53:27.90
It started playing in my
mind, and I almost had like
00:53:27.94\00:53:31.61
a vision of me as a little kid.
00:53:31.64\00:53:36.78
You know, and in Sabbath School,
we used to bang those sticks
00:53:36.81\00:53:41.65
together and
sing, "Jesus Loves Me,"
00:53:41.68\00:53:47.32
and I heard that in my mind.
00:53:47.36\00:53:50.83
So, I said, "Wow."
00:53:50.86\00:53:56.16
So, I just kind of
like put the gun down,
00:53:56.20\00:53:58.17
and I kind of fell
on my bedside there,
00:53:58.20\00:54:00.24
and I said, "Lord."
00:54:00.27\00:54:03.20
I just basically just
prayed this crazy prayer.
00:54:03.24\00:54:05.57
I says, you know, I told
Him everything that was wrong
00:54:05.61\00:54:07.98
with me, and I remember
one day I was driving around.
00:54:08.01\00:54:10.51
I kind of felt lost,
and I drove by this church,
00:54:10.55\00:54:13.78
and I seen Tom out there.
00:54:13.82\00:54:15.38
Tom was just out there
watering the flowers, you know.
00:54:15.42\00:54:18.75
Tom: So, I caught a vision
out of the side of my eye of
00:54:18.79\00:54:21.29
this big husky guy with tattoos
walking up and saying hello.
00:54:21.32\00:54:29.00
So, I asked him
if I could help him,
00:54:29.03\00:54:33.23
and he told me that he drives
by the church on occasion,
00:54:33.27\00:54:38.27
and every time he
goes by, he's thinking
00:54:38.31\00:54:40.84
that he should stop in.
00:54:40.88\00:54:42.38
Reuben: After he showed me
around the church, you know,
00:54:42.64\00:54:47.02
I was like, "Okay,
man, it's nice meeting you,"
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.95
and this and that.
00:54:49.98\00:54:51.29
So, I jumped in my car,
and I started heading down
00:54:51.32\00:54:54.12
the driveway, and
the next thing you know,
00:54:54.16\00:54:57.79
in like my peripheral
vision, I see him coming
00:54:57.83\00:54:59.83
around the corner like
Jerry Rice running a football.
00:54:59.86\00:55:04.77
No, not that fast, but
he was taking off after me,
00:55:04.80\00:55:09.40
and he says, "Hey,
hey, hey, hold on, hold on."
00:55:09.44\00:55:12.07
Tom: I asked him if he would
like to have some Bible studies,
00:55:12.11\00:55:14.24
and he said, "Yeah."
00:55:14.28\00:55:16.28
Reuben: He would
come by the house.
00:55:16.31\00:55:17.61
We'd all start, we'd
start hiding the beer cans,
00:55:17.65\00:55:20.05
and trying to air out the weed
smell, and there was a presence
00:55:20.08\00:55:24.05
that came with Tom
that was comforting.
00:55:24.09\00:55:28.59
You know what I mean?
00:55:28.62\00:55:30.36
Even though I wasn't taking
the Bible studies as serious
00:55:30.39\00:55:32.59
as I should've, looking
back, there was just a presence
00:55:32.63\00:55:36.63
about him being there in
the house that was comforting.
00:55:36.67\00:55:41.10
I told Tom, I said,
00:55:41.14\00:55:42.44
"Tom, you know, you
can't win everybody."
00:55:42.47\00:55:44.27
Tom: I looked at him
and I know I said to him,
00:55:44.31\00:55:47.68
"Believe it or not,
I never get anybody."
00:55:47.71\00:55:50.95
I says, "The Holy
Spirit can do that."
00:55:50.98\00:55:53.75
And I kind of in my
heart knew that the Holy Spirit
00:55:53.78\00:55:58.22
was going to work on Reuben.
00:55:58.25\00:55:59.95
Reuben: So then Tom kind of
left the picture for a while.
00:56:00.06\00:56:03.56
And then I think one
day at my mother's house,
00:56:03.83\00:56:05.63
they were watching
00:56:05.66\00:56:07.03
"The Final Events
of Bible Prophecy."
00:56:07.03\00:56:08.76
So, I watched that,
and I remember the scene
00:56:08.80\00:56:15.17
where they had the
hellfire and stuff.
00:56:15.20\00:56:18.57
You know,
they're outside the city,
00:56:18.61\00:56:20.34
and it showed the
hellfire coming down
00:56:20.38\00:56:24.05
and burning people and stuff,
and I remember saying to myself,
00:56:24.08\00:56:29.32
"That's where I
would be right there."
00:56:29.35\00:56:31.89
After the hellfire scene,
I saw the saints and the city
00:56:31.92\00:56:38.09
and the New Jerusalem, and
Jesus recreating the earth.
00:56:38.13\00:56:42.00
And I said, "I want
that to be me and my family."
00:56:42.03\00:56:50.41
There was something
about the way Doug preached
00:56:50.44\00:56:52.37
and things that I
felt that touched me,
00:56:52.41\00:56:55.21
because he's
kind of like myself.
00:56:55.24\00:56:58.41
You know, he
didn't grow up like that.
00:56:58.45\00:57:02.22
You know, he
done drugs and things.
00:57:02.25\00:57:05.79
So, I kind of found these common
grounds that I had with him, and
00:57:05.82\00:57:09.39
I liked how he just kind of like
kept it real with his preaching.
00:57:09.42\00:57:12.23
And then Pastor
Ridley came to the church,
00:57:12.26\00:57:16.06
and I got to know him very well,
00:57:16.10\00:57:19.17
and we started doing
some finishing studies.
00:57:19.20\00:57:22.14
He wanted to
make sure I understand
00:57:22.17\00:57:23.51
what I was doing and
things and baptized me, my wife,
00:57:23.54\00:57:27.91
my brother.
00:57:27.94\00:57:30.55
No matter what you've
done, where you come from,
00:57:30.58\00:57:35.15
where you've been, no
matter how bad of a sinner
00:57:35.18\00:57:37.75
you think you are,
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.95
the Lord Jesus loves you
no matter what you've done.
00:57:39.99\00:57:43.49
Doug: Friends, it's
because of God's blessing
00:57:44.33\00:57:46.70
and your support, thousand
of others, just like Reuben,
00:57:46.73\00:57:50.10
have found Jesus
and eternal life.
00:57:50.13\00:57:52.80
¤¤¤
00:57:52.83\00:58:01.41
¤¤¤
00:58:03.48\00:58:13.49