Title: God Who Glorifies / Genesis 31:3-16
Contents Jacob worked in Laban's house for 14 years. Although Jacob had committed many sins before, God finally forgave him and allowed him to return to Canaan, the land of Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob's experience of spiritual fellowship with God begins again in conjunction with 28:15.
Genesis 28:15 "I am with you, I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, and I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Although the selfish character of making cunning plans in Laban's house did not disappear, he never forgot the joy of meeting spiritually with God in Bethel.
Also, God appears as “God of Bethel”. The house of God is called (Heb, Bed, Elohim), and the name 'Bethel' is derived from this.
It later became one of the most famous sanctuaries in Israel, and in the days of Amos it became a royal sanctuary and was known as a place of pilgrimage (Amos 4:4, 7:13).
Amos 04:04 "Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and add to your sins; every morning you give your sacrifice, and every three days you give your tithe."
Amos 07:13 "Do not prophesy again in Bethel, for it is your sanctuary and your palace."
This 'Bethel God' received the vow of 28:20 and kept it, leading Jacob to glory.
Genesis 28:20-21 "Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this way I am going, and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I may return to my father's house in peace, then the LORD will be my God."
Therefore, for Jacob, the meaning of 'God Bethel' is the God who keeps his glorious promises.
Today's entire text is centered on Jacob's ascribed all of his prosperity to this day to God's grace.
Romans 8:28-30
Romans 08:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Foreordained, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers; and those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called, he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."
It reveals that the basis for human glorification is God's predestination.
first of all, first
“Those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29) (Jeremiah 31:3). Because I love you, I have led you with kindness.”
I say.
This is a new love that is worthy of the boundless love for Israel of old and has been restored through Christ.
All those whom God foresaw from eternity have been ordained to be united with Christ.
Second, he said, "Those whom he predestined he also called."
This vocation was seen as the guiding role of the Holy Spirit to carry out the driving task of leading us from sin to holiness.
Third, he said, “Those whom he called are also righteous.”
Justification is the central theme of Romans and the core of Paul's theology.
It is to get out of the seat of sinners and enter the place of possessing the grace of Christ and sharing love.
Finally, he concludes the order of salvation by saying, "Those whom he justified he also glorified."
This glory is now being experienced for the day of perfection in the glorification of the risen Christ.
(2 Corinthians 3:18) "And we all saw the glory of the Lord with our naked faces as we looked in a mirror, and were transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord."
Matthew 13:44-46
Matthew 13:44-46 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; when a man finds it, he hides it, and rejoices, goes back and sold all that he had and bought the field. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found a pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."
It shows that the secrets of the glorious gospel of the kingdom can be compared to treasures or treasures hidden in a field, and pearls of great price.
Knowing that there were times when the rich had hidden treasures in the ground, suffering from the horrors of war and plunder, Jesus told this fact in parables.
The gospel is a hidden treasure. Whoever discovers this treasure, it is a film that is discovered by the repentant saints and is obtained as a price for sacrifice.
Since the treasures of heaven and the treasures of the world are incomparable in value, you can see that they emphasize the effort to obtain the most glorious thing at any cost.
1. Hidden Movie
The glory we will enjoy with Christ is not on the outside.
Movies are things that have been secretly hidden in the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament.
Although all truths are made up of the glory of Christ and our hope, ignorance that cannot see through them obscures man's eyes.
(2 Peter 1:4) “He has thus bestowed upon us that precious and exceedingly great promise, that through this promise you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through your lusts. to your faith."
The promises made to us are exceedingly great and precious.
But it is only hidden because of our indifference, stubbornness, or misunderstanding.
You will have to deal with the Word with the faith that you will seek the truth and discover the glorious promises.
2. Finally found the movie
We begin to discover things that Jacob did not discover when he was intoxicated with worldly greed, and that we did not find while we were still enslaved to sin.
At that time, many people had met Jesus Christ, but the Pharisees, who were drenched in self-exaltation, could not find the treasure.
However, the tax collectors and fishermen who realized the sun had discovered a wonderful treasure. These people were poor in spirit, fit for the kingdom of God.
(Matthew 5:3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
3. A movie that sacrificed everything
You must first realize how valuable the movie you have earned is worth the sacrifice.
Even if Jacob gets a lot of worldly riches, what is the worthwhile job he should wear? They believed that it was to return to Canaan and meet the God of Bethel.
Thus, he created a great journey to go home through all kinds of difficulties.
You can get this movie only when you realize that the value of the gospel is the best that nothing in the world can change.
Calvin said of why we must give up all that we have in order to gain eternal life.
“Unless we value the gospel more than all riches, pleasures, honors, and worldly comforts, we lose its rightful honor. , we must be extremely satisfied with the spiritual blessings that the gospel promises.
Because the saints who yearn for heaven must be set free from all obstacles.
Holy God, when we think of the future in which we will enjoy the glory of the Lord, which is filled with just thoughts, only thanks and praise spring up. Even if we sacrifice everything we have, please allow us to possess that beautiful film, so that we can realize again that the life that obtains it is the most valuable. I pray in Jesus name. -Amen-