Appreciating God's Discipline
Genesis 25–35 – The Bible Teaching Commentary
Paul J. Bucknell
Appreciating God's Discipline
Genesis 25–35
Lesson Objectives
- Observe the way sins were passed down to and from Jacob's life.
- See and understand the consequences that always follow sin.
- Make decisions to uncover our own sins and repent from them.
- Search for other infected areas in our lives.
- Better appreciate God's grace in working with Jacob, who later became Israel.
A) The Influence of Sin
Introduction
There are two major unbiblical views of the origin of behavior. One blames the shaping of the environment; the other focuses on the passing on of genes. It is sufficient for us to know that the world naturally comes up with “blame systems.” They develop explanations that excuse people of their own sin. The Bible agrees to the importance of both of these shaping influences but, at the same time, holds each person accountable for what he or she does. The Scriptures go beyond these categories and include the spiritual aspect.
Humanity has insisted on excluding God's participation in the shaping of mankind. The reason is obvious: if God is involved, then people are responsible for what they do. The Scriptures give us an astonishingly clear perspective of how God works in the life of each person. If we are not careful, we will miss the hand and voice of our Creator.
Numerous observations of Jacob—his relationship with his parents, his brother Esau, and his children—allow us to see the effect of sin in a life, a family, and society. When skimming over these chapters, one can hardly avoid drawing the conclusion that God is showing us these weaknesses on purpose!
As noted in the chart to the right, when the subjects of each chapter are written down, we gain a better grasp of what is being taught. We notice from these titles that God stresses His interference in Jacob's life to help him see the horribleness of his scheming.
This is just a sample of the great amount of materials found in the book Genesis: The Book of Foundations. Only some of our Genesis materials have been put on the web.
Or, better yet, for a little bit more you can get the Old Testament Library, which includes this book along with PowerPoints, videos, and hundreds of other articles—all presented with an emphasis on understanding and applying God's Word to our lives. Great deal!
When God lays His holy hand on a person's life, He is determined to bring him or her through purging incidents so that sin will no longer be tolerated. Of course, we must look beyond the actual discipline to its end result. God is making us holy like Himself so that we can enjoy fellowship with Him and so that He can more mightily exert His power through our lives (1 Peter 1:16).
“Because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
God keeps confronting and challenging Jacob throughout his life. By carefully looking at Jacob's life and seeing the effect of sin and God's grace upon him, we too will be better able to discern and appreciate how God gets involved in our own lives as His children.
We tend to be more familiar with societal degeneration than societal reformation.
Having a family is the means by which we reproduce ourselves. We are not just multiplying our presence, but also our passions and beliefs.
Reflections
Ready for Marriage?
The most important question in seeking a marriage mate is not, “Do I like him or her?” Far more important is whether you have matured to such a state that you will pass on godly passions, values, and perspectives to your children.
Premarital counseling is even more helpful when it assists a couple to think through the negative influences they have received from their parents. These effects can be long-lasting and devastating to a new married couple if not discovered and eliminated.