Listado de alegaciones 1 ABANILLA ENERGÍA, S.L

The struggle continued: The contest of Jacob’s wives provided fertile ground for the struggles he had with his children. Thirteen in total, the patriarch had the largest family in his lineage. Seven were the children he had with Leah, namely – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon and a girl called Dinah. Two were from Rachel, namely – Joseph and Benjamin. Two were from Leah’s maid,

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Ziphar, namely – Gad and Asher. Two were from Rachel’s maid, Bilhah, namely – Dan and Naphtali.

Few parents in the bible suffered as many tests as Jacob did with his children. For one, Jacob’s children were so self- conceited and ill-tempered. Like their mothers they sought to avenge at the slightest provocation. The first time we witness this trait and the trouble it posed to Jacob is in Genesis 34 in the twisted account of Dinah’s marriage to the son of a ruler among the Shechmite. The story is told how the Shecmite’s son, himself called Schecmite, desired Dinah to the extent that he raped her. Having done so, together with his father, Hamon, they seek to persuade Jacob to actually allow the two to get married. Once Jacob’s sons knew what had happened to their sister, they planned to avenge. They tricked the Schechmites into getting circumcised and while they were healing from the wound two of Jacob’s sons moved into their city and killed all the men. The rest of the sons moved in and looted with impunity all the property including women and animals. The whole incident was so brutal and threatened to provoke all the neighboring tribes against Jacob’s family. And yet, in spite of this development Jacob’s sons still felt no remorse content in their revenge for what had been done to their sister.

It is important that we realize that the consequence of taking matters into their own hands threatened their very existence. Although they were blinded to this by their bitterness and anger, the realities were clear to Jacob. Probably, he preferred to handle such matters differently. He may have

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sought for God to deal with those who had treated his daughter with disrespect. Rather than be angry Jacob chose to be meek. Many of us would do well to trust the judgment of God in circumstances like this. Two wrongs never made it right. Part of the danger of revenge is the loss both parties will stand to suffer as a result. It is in this regard that some have taunted the Hammurabian law – an eye for an eye – suggesting that in settling scores, we may all end up blind. In the end, Jacob trusted God who reminded the patriarch of the covenant they shared. God tells him to go to Bethel where he first talked to him and while their build an altar. When this had been done God moved in an amazing way to deal with his enemies. The scriptures record that a terror befell all the neighboring tribes so that they were afraid of Jacob. We too must know that whenever we are aggrieved, God is able to deal with our enemies and bring them to justice.

In resolving that problem, we are presented with yet another challenge that Jacob faced with his children; the problem of their faith. When God tells him to go to Bethel to renew his covenant with Him, Jacob asks all his children to consecrate themselves and hand over their idols. This deviation is not made apparent prior to this experience. It must have been something going on in his house that Jacob struggled with. He must have been praying to God that the opportunity will present itself when his children will commit themselves to the One and only true God. And so, Jacob seizes this moment when the foolishness of his sons is endangering the family to evangelize his household. In one moment, he had

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all of them forsake their idols and submit to his God. It must have been very amazing for them to realize the virtues of their father’s God as their sojourn to Bethel paid off handsomely.

I believe that God does use circumstances to minister to his people. In Jacob’s case it was the threat to his family. The patriarch teaches us to use these circumstances to appeal to our loved ones to submit to the One God that is above every circumstance. God Himself uses these circumstances to enlist the commitment of his people throughout His word. Whenever, a rebellious Israel forsook His ways He would warn them of an impending enemy that threatened to wipe them off or take them to slavery. Parents need to be open and bold with their children and tell them in such circumstances to consecrate themselves to the Lord. Similarly, pastors need to be this sincere whenever the ministry is at threat. Business personalities and political leaders too would be amazed if they used threats to the existence of the business or nation to rally their subordinates to consecrate themselves to God. In all these cases, God will respond by showing mercy and giving another chance.

Probably the most serious problem Jacob had and the one that brought him the most grief was the one that concerned Joseph, the first-born son of Rachel. In one sense, the problem was as a result of Jacob’s conduct. He favored Joseph over his other brothers which caused them to hate him. Their anger caused them to sell Joseph to slave traders and lie to their father that he’d been killed by an animal. On the other hand, Jacob’s problem was also as a result of God’s

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intervention in the sense that God too favored Joseph and sought to use him to preserve the family by causing his brothers to sell him to Egypt where he planned to lift him up above all Egypt. The period of Joseph’s absence was probably the darkest times of Jacob. He grieved and pained from the perceived loss of a child that he loved so much. And yet, unknown to him the child was firmly in God’s care. Joseph was riding on the wings of God. The accounts of his episode in Egypt demonstrate the amazing ability of God to secure his purposes in spite of the challenges that may seek to offset His purpose. From the hands of slave traders, Joseph is sold to a senior Egyptian called Potiphar. At Potiphar’s he experiences the same favor he had in his father’s house as his master promotes him to be the chief steward of his house. And yet, even then the opportunity is lost when he is falsely accused for raping Potiphar’s lustful wife. He is then taken to prison from where he is eventually promoted to be prime minister. And it is at this point that during a famine which affects Canaan that he is eventually reconciled with his father and family. Jacob has the privilege of seeing his son again, a prospect that he had in fact given up on.

The fundamental lessons for us in this test endured by Jacob are clear. We ought to trust in God no matter how clearly the circumstances are against us. Even when those closest to us confess the worst prospect we ought to let all men be liars and

let God be true (Romans 3:4). However, disturbing the issue

we ought to know that we can trust in God. I am reminded of the Shunamite woman who had had a child by the power of God when the prophet Elisha had prayed for her. Later

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on, this child died and she was at a loss. Instead of crying, she trusted that God would restore her child. And so she pursued the prophet of God. Along the way she was met with several people who sought to know how she was. She confidently confessed, “It is well with me” (2 Kings 9:6). In the end, God restored the child’s life. It is vital that we realize that God is able to heal, revive and restore us when we lose someone or something (Hosea 6:1-3). In these struggles, he is not far. He is indeed in them with us. Going through his own grievous loss Job confessed:

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I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon

the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will

see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)

Beloved winner, you too need to know that irrespective of how painful your loss may be it is temporary. If you put your hope in God you will certainly see your victory, you and not another.