Genesis: Truth for Understanding Our World (Part 22) – The Blessing of Abraham Reconciles Relationships – Genesis 32-33
November 13, 2016Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Speaker: Jerry Cisar
The blessing of Abraham leads to reconciliation in relationships. Jacob’s life demonstrates this. Jacob is the heir of the promised blessing, yet his life has been filled with discord, selfish ambition, dissensions. In the previous scenes with Laban, it isn’t as though Jacob was the primary instigator, but he certainly had an active hand in instigating dissension with Esau. How will God bring an end to Jacob and Esau’s hostile relationship? Will it end as Cain and Abel’s did? Will the blessing of Abraham make a difference with Jacob?
In Galatians, the apostle Paul says that the blessing given to Abraham is given to Jews or Gentiles who belong to Jesus Christ (3:14). The purpose of this blessing is that we might receive the promised Spirit, and the Spirit produces fruit in us which includes peace (5:16-24). ‘Peace’ isn’t just a sense we have within ourselves, it is much more. It is the end of hostilities in our relationships. An end of hostilities not dependent upon the other party, but dependent upon a work that God does within us. It is what we have when the passions and the desires of the flesh that lead to hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (listed in the works of the flesh) are crucified!
Our text this Sunday paints a picture of the desires of the flesh, Jacob’s flesh, being put to death–a work that has been in progress over the course of his life. When this work is done, He is a changed man; He is Israel!