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13. Carrying on the Covenant


Genesis 35:9-15
Key Verse:  “And god said, "I am God almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body."
Genesis 35:11

 In yesterday's reading, when God met Jacob, Jacob's commitment was conditional. He stood at his altar, so sure of himself and said, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God." (Gen. 28: 21) If,..Then? Jacob seems to be in charge here.

What a difference a life makes. Today, he is back at the same place with a similar altar and a similar promise from God. This time, however, Jacob simply makes an offering and says nothing. What a difference the sanctification process makes when the Lord works in the life of His chosen.

Jacob knows who God is now.  God has walked with him and wrestled with him and changed his name from Jacob, (which means deceiver), to Israel, (which means one who wrestles with God). He has found his place in the messianic lineage. As his grandfather Abraham before him, Israel too has been molded and changed.

We are one sign post closer to Messiah.  How long, O Lord, how long?  Perhaps Israel is more contemplative now. He knows that he's not necessarily who he thought that he was. He sees the struggles that his family is going through and the problems they are creating for others. It is a humbler man who stands here, more useful in his submission to God's purposes.  He has learned how it feels to be deceived.  He has learned the value of commitment.

"After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him." (Gen. 35:9)  Earlier in his life, Jacob had used trickery to receive a blessing from his earthly Father.  Now, after many twists and turns, God, Jacob’s Heavenly Father, who cannot be deceived, comes to Jacob voluntarily to affirm His original blessing, to renew His covenant, and to encourage Jacob to keep on keeping on.  God knows everything about Jacob, but God still chooses him and calls him Israel to fulfill His purposes.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us: "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance, for us to do."   Jacob lives this out and sets an example before us of God's faithfulness to mold us into usefulness for Him.  It's just amazing to consider!

Hymn: "O Worship the King" 

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