In the darkness of the night .,,

Notes from a sermon on 28 February 2011
Genesis 32 verses 24 – 32

in Genesis 32 we find this young man Jacob on his way home to his homeland. He has been away for some time.. Now find him sitting in the darkness of the night. His head is down, there's much going through his mind, much in his heart. Then we find God comes to him just when he is there. Isn't that amazing – something we can never understand, never fathom. When we find ourselves in such a situation God does come to us right there in the midst of the situation. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff comfort me.”(Psalm 23 verse 4) Might have been death or a dark valley he was going through. One thing is certain – God would be with him in that dark valley. As we put our trust in the Lord in the dark times of our lives God will go with us. We might look at it and think this is the night before a great ordeal in Jacob's life. Maybe that is the same for us. Tomorrow will bring news to us we never wanted to hear. This is the night before God will come and help us.

A man who is led by the Lord. This young man hasn't come to this parcel of ground in his own merits. He has been led by God to this particular place. He had been living with his uncle and family. A young man doing well for himself from the day he left his fathers home and went to live with Laban his uncle and the wider family circle. Been away for 20/30 years. He was a wealthy, rich young man . He had married in his uncles land and had a young family too. Everything was going well for him. Everything seemed to be doing well. In the midst of that natural prosperity God had a task for him to do. A promise to be fulfilled in his life. A promise for the land, for the nation and for his family. Your life is important to God today. God said in his word he is not willing that any should perish. The Bible says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.”(John 3 verse 16) We are born into this world with sin in our heart. Sin in nature that will take us out into a Christless eternity. Modernist preachers don't tell us that today. Say hell is only a myth but the Bible says it is a lake of fire with continual flames. God says in his word that he is not willing that anyone should perish in that awful place. God took his son, sent him into this world as a gift. “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through his son”(Romans 6 verse 23) On the cross he died that we might be saved. That is how much he loves us. You might be doing really well today, everything is going good for you but the Lord has more for you today. In chapter 28 Jacob ran away from home. He was lying sleeping when he had a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven. God spoke to him that night - verses 13 – 15. 26 years later God was fulfilling his plan for Jacob. On that occasion God gave Jacob a promise for himself, a promise for the land and a promise for his family. Success had altered him. Verse 1 of chapter 31 God has a way of leading and guiding our paths just as he did for Jacob. God has something in particular for you today. He says to Jacob “I told you when you would come back home again.” God uses success in our lives to bring us back to God. Jacob's circumstances had changed. He was doing well for himself but his uncle and his cousins were beginning to turn against him. Jacob felt maybe it was time for a move. He didn't move but until the call of God came on him – verse 3 “the Lord said unto Jacob return.” The word of God came to him. F B Meyer was going across to a series of meetings in Dublin. As he approached the harbour where they were docking it was really dark. There were few stars in the sky. He had the opportunity to talk to the captain and asked him “how can you get safely into the harbour?” The captain replied “step over here a bit and look further into the distance. You will see 3 different coloured lights. When I line my ship up to those lights they have to be all in line one behind the other then I can get safely into the harbour.“ F B Meyer later used this illustration in one of his sermons – 3 lights in our lives - circumstances that are changing, the conviction that God has something for us and the call of God on our lives.

A man with a load on his mind. Verse 29 Jacob has been left alone. He was greatly distressed. He had no idea what lay ahead. When he left his home he had deceived his father and brother. When he had left home Esau had told him “the next time I see you I will kill you.” All that was in his mind as he slept there in the darkness. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow for you do not know what a day will bring forth.”(Proverbs 27 verse 1) He had decided to come home but didn't know what he would face. He sent messengers out to see what reaction he would receive. They came back with the report that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. Surely that would bring fear to Jacob's heart, “he doesn't want anything to do with me. Have I made a wrong move?” Jacob was greatly distressed. It was starting to hit home. He had to face the past. The last time he had faced Esau he had robbed him of his blessing and birthright. He now had to face up to his past. Do we have a load on our minds? It is natural to be afraid but not spiritually. D L Moody was preaching at meetings along these lines when a young woman stopped to talk with him. She was saved from sin but now there was a lot to face from the past. She said to D L Moody “I rest on God's word, the Psalmist said in Psalm 56 when I am afraid I will trust in thee.” D L Moody said that's good but can I lift you to another verse that might be better – Isaiah 12 verse 2 “God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid.” Is there a fear for you this morning? This young man was laden down with problems and difficulties. He was thinking of his family. He thought if Esau comes out and puts them to death what then? This was at the forefront of his mind. Yes you can feel sympathy for him although commentators say he was cruel. He sets up the situation and then prays about it. He did everything he could for his family to be saved and then he went across the brook alone. Great responsibility on us today to do everything we can for our families, to be in the place where they can hear the word of God. “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”(Romans 10 verse 17) Responsibility he had to see his family safe first of all after that he got down on his knees before the God of heaven. God comes and reasoned with him there. Jacob took the situation to God in prayer. The home is a lovely place but we need the family altar reinstated there – when the word of God is read at night and the family pray together.

See the loneliness he finds himself in. Jacob was left alone – verse 24. Here in the darkness of the night he was left alone. Must have been the loneliest place he ever found himself in. The family were meeting up with him the next day. Here he was sitting alone, no-one else could understand his prayer. Weight on his shoulder, pain in his heart. He was alone. You and I find ourselves alone on many occasions. The light of a new day was coming on his way. He was about to meet someone he hadn't see for 26 years. Now has to face up to the one whom he had cheated out of his birthright. We don't hear anything more after this date, about what happened to Jacob. It cost him a lot though - a full night in prayer