"YOUR ONLY BATTLE IS
WITH YOUR OWN FLESH"

MF Blume
October 14, 2001 pm


Gene 27:24-30  And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

Genesis 27:35-38  And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

Genesis 27:41  And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Genesis 27:43-44  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

Jacob was a messed-up liar when he begins his story seeking God.

Think of it. After all the hassle over the birthright, Jacob had to flee home, and his father Isaac told him to get a wife from his own people. Esau was so infuriated over the episode of his father's mistake in blessing whom he thought was Esau, that he not only hated Esau, but he hated his father as well. At this beginning of Jacob's harrowing experience with Esau, he left for Laban's home to seek a wife. This reminds us of words spoken by Jesus.
John 1:51  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
God gave a promise to Jacob during this vision. God promised the land to Jacob that night, as He promised to Abraham and Isaac. God gave Jacob His Word! But Jacob continued to fear and worry! He said he'd test God's word. He reaches Laban's home, sees Rachel and desires her for wife. But Laban instead deceived Jacob and gave Leah, the older daughter, to him for wife.
Genesis 29:23  And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
Laban explained he must take Leah since it was not customary to allow the younger daughter to marry before the elder.
Genesis 29:27  Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Many believe Jacob worked ANOTHER 7 years and THEN took rachel for wife, but this is not true. Get the picture. The messes Jacob got himself into! LEAH means in English "WEARY".


Rachel was obtained, and the work for her came AFTER she was his!

RACHEL means in English "EWE". Jesus is the LAMB of God. The work God asks us to do comes after we already have Jesus. I don't have to come to church. I do not have to do anything. Get the lamb first, and then work! We get all messed up like Jacob, so often! Time came for Jacob to return home. Recall that God promised to keep him safe on his way home. With a promise from God, no wonder angels met him! Then...
Genesis 32:6-8  And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
So he prays:
Genesis 32:9-11  And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
Church, when you doubt God's word and are fearful even though God promised you He'd keep you safe, you need to pray. He saw the angel and refused to let go until the assurance was his. He got to a place where he knew he had to face Esau, and not run away, literally!
Genesis 32:25  And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Jacob put himself in danger. He got the blessing! Look what happened after that!
Genesis 33:3-4  And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
Esau hugged him!!

We always want to prove God's word to be true.

One day you'll throw out all care and worry, and get hold of God when times go rough. Break through that veil! Even the nation of Israel had to cross a veil in the form of the Jordan River. In Jacob's time of death, he was so noble! A staff! Israel left Egypt as a rabble! Church, we're all like Jacob when first saved. Praise God!