Encounters of Deliverance
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· 9 viewsOur encounters with God are meant to be the basis for future deliverance and sustaining grace.
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Encounters of Deliverance
Genesis 35:1-8
1/31/21 a.m.
Intro: Three times in verses 1-7 there is mention made of the encounter Jacob had with God when he was fleeing his brother Esau (1, 3, 7). This is referring to Gen. 28:10-22. This was a powerful encounter he had with God. Jesus
1. God Encounters Call Us to Soaking Worship (Gen 35:1)
2. God Encounters Call Us to Share Worship (Gen 35:2-4)
3. God Encounters Call Us to Sustaining Worship (Gen 35:5-8)
I. GOD ENCOUNTERS CALL US TO SOAKING WORSHIP (Gen. 35:1)
A. The danger of Gen. 34 – Shechem wiped out by the sons of Jacob
1 See Gen 34:30-31
B. God intervenes to protect and deliver us (Gen 35:1)
1 He wants him to arise and go to Bethel
a. The place of encounter
b. The place of confession (Gen 28:20-22)
1) Remember that Christ made reference to this in John 1:51
c. The place to remember
C. God speaks to Jacob
1 Jacob was going along with the fact that his household was acquiring idols and earrings that are needing to be cleansed from the environment, culture and lifestyles. When God speaks, He has the ability to shine the light on issues in our lives.
D. God wants him to “dwell” in the place where he encountered God
1 Dwell in the presence of God
2 Dwell by meditation
3 Dwell by prayer and soaking in His presence –
a. Music
b. Worship
c. Fellowship/relationship
II. GOD ENCOUNTERS CALL US TO SHARE WORSHIP (Gen 35:2-4)
A. Jacob shares the message
1 put away the foreign gods =
a. to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose
b. to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish
c. Archaeology has given evidence of temples that existed in Shechem, thus the reason for idolatry and idols being acquired.
2 purify yourselves =
a. ceremonially clean
b. clean morally
c. having spoiled Shechem, they probably picked up some idols and unclean objects
3 change your garments =
a. to change, substitute, alter, change for better, renew
4 Read Eph 4:22-24 & 2 Cor 7:1
B. Coming to God Requires Repentance
1 Why did the household get rid of the earrings as well? Were they associated with idols? Why did Jacob's household have idols in the first place? We know that Rachel stole the household idols from Laban. Gen 31:34 Could it be that Rachel's action was like leaven and influenced the others to take in idols as well? Where did they pick them up? No doubt, they were in the midst of heathen culture and it wouldn't be hard to be confronted or be around the idolatrous lifestyles of their neighbors. We can't allow the culture to influence us, we have to stand as a light to the culture and community and be a light to them.
2 We can’t worship God with our idols in place or hidden away
3 God speaks to Jacob to move to Bethel and instructs him to build an altar to God. Jacob instinctively tells all of his household to put away the foreign gods and purify themselves and change their garments. verse 3 indicates a commitment to consecrate themselves to the worship of Almighty God.
4 verse 4 indicates that they gave up the idols and even earrings (why the earrings as well?)
a. associated with idolatry
b. earrings are not bad in themselves; it is the purpose for wearing them
1) there are new age jewelry to be avoided
5 and Jacob hides them under the terebinth tree (a type of the cross). Did he dig and bury them? I think he would have to have done that in order to truly hide them. What would have happened to the idols and earrings from having been buried under a terebinth tree?
6 We have to put on the new man
C. Notice the mention of Jacob fleeing from Esau again and the encounter with God
1 It was a day of distress – yet God showed up to save and comfort Jacob
2 God answered in the day of distress
3 God answers our prayers
4 God answers by fire – Elijah on Mt. Carmel
5 God answered by a revelation of Christ – John 1:51
D. Sharing the God Encounter Brings Life to Others
1 They repented
2 They went beyond the foreign gods
3 They prepared themselves for worship of the true and living God
4 The fear of God will do this
E. He put all the idols, earrings and clothing under the terebinth tree
1 Come to the cross
2 terebinth tree which was by Shechem - the cross was at a place where sin and degradation existed. The cross stands tall where humanity needs it most.
3 Josh 24:14-15; 20-24 There is a definite tendency of the Israelites to fall into idolatry. They had a long history of it. Also, idolatry can creep in and gain a stronghold if we are not careful. It could be belief in a lie, or being wounded in the heart and we become bitter and angry at someone, then we are allowing the enemy a foothold.
4 Ex 19:10
5 THE ANSWER IS BRING YOUR IDOLS TO THE CROSS
6 1 Cor 10:19-22
7 2 Cor 4:4 - satan is The god of this world. "The foreign gods which were in their hands" = man wants to control his gods so it is satisfactory to him. We've got a really small god if we can carry it in our hands. But that is so like man, that wants to deify himself and reduce god to something he can control for his own comfort. The place we need to be is in God's hands and allow Him to be in control. Idols open one up to the demonic realm.
III. GOD ENCOUNTERS CALL US TO SUSTAINING WORSHIP (Gen 35:5-8)
A. They were sustained from the enemy
1 God delivered them from their enemies
a. God put a terror upon the enemy – “terror of God”
b. They did note pursue
c. They called off the posse
d. God was fighting their battles
B. They Were sustained by worship (Gen 35:7)
1 Called the place El Bethel = Mighty God of the house of God
2 Do we know God’s identity?
3 We often emphasize our identity
4 But our identity is rooted in God’s identity
5 It was the encounter with God in Gen 28 that sustained Jacob
a. This sustained him in all the troublesome years with Laban
C. The sustaining worship sustain Jacob and his family in the time of death (Gen 35:8)
1 Deborah was a godly influence on the family
2 Deeply loved by all
3 She would have been like a nanny to Jacob
4 She was a permanent fixture of the family
5 In that time of bereavement, worship will sustain us
a. Encounters with God will sustain us
IV. ACTIVATION/ALTAR CALL
A. Have an encounter with God today
B. Put your faith in God
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