Have you ever noticed that many times the sons of elders, deacons and pastors don't believe or follow the ways of their fathers. They were raised in the church but after they graduate from high school they don't go to church any more. Just because one was raised in the church or in a Christian family doesn't mean he is a Christian. In Genesis 27-35 there is a story of a young man. His grandfather was Abraham. His father was Isaac. Genesis 25 tells us how Isaac and Rebekah had twin boys, Esau and Jacob (25:21-26). Esau was Isaac's favorite son. And Jacob was Rebekah's favorite son (25:28). One day Isaac told Esau to go out and kill a deer and to bring it so that can eat it together. He wanted to give a special blessing to him, even though God had said that the blessing would go to the younger, Jacob. Rebekah overheard this and quickly told Jacob to prepare two goats to taste like deer meat.

1. JACOB CONSIDERS GOD TO BE HIS FATHER'S GOD
     When Jacob comes to his father with the venison Isaac says to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly?" And Jacob answers,"

Genesis 27:20

The Lord YOUR God brought it to me"

Do you see that? Whose God brought it? Not "the God" or "my God" but "Your God." Jacob considers God to be his Dad's God. Jacob's Dad was getting old. His eyes were dim (27:1), his senses dull. And he mistakenly gave his youngest son, Jacob, the blessing instead of Esau.

     Esau was so angry that Jacob had to run away and went 400 miles (640 kilometers) to a place north of Israel called Haran (28:2). The name Jacob means "the supplanter" or "deceiver." He tried to manipulate and deceive people to get his way. So far what was the result? (1) He didn't have a good relationship with his dad. (2) His brother wanted to kill him. (3) He had to leave his mother and never saw her again and (4) He had to leave all material possessions behind and run for his life. In a dream God said to Jacob,

Genesis 28:13

"I am the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac"

"and I want to be your God too."It wasn't enough to be Abraham's grandson. Jacob had to establish his own relationship with God.

2. JACOB CONSIDERS HIS FATHER'S GOD BECOMING HIS GOD
     In verses 20-21

Genesis 28:20-21

"Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me food to eat, and clothes to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the God be my God."

In other words, at this point Jacob says that this God is his father's and grandfather's God but not yet his God. But he is also saying that he is open to the idea of the God of his father becoming his God.

     After having this dream Jacob takes the stone he had used for a pillow, poured oil on it and called the place Bethel, which means house of God. He goes on to Haran where he lived and worked for his uncle (his mom's brother) Laban. He married and had 12 sons. Then God told Jacob "Go back to Bethel, the place where I first met you. Build an altar there as you promised"(Genesis 31:3). Jacob took all of his family and secretly returned to his hometown. As they ran away Jacob makes the comment to his family that "the God of my father has been with me." Jacob remembered that when he left 20 years ago, his brother Esau was very angry with him. In 32:9 he calls out to God, "Oh God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac ..." and asks for God to help deliver him from the hand of his brother.

3. JACOB FATHERS'S GOD BECOMES HIS GOD
     That night Jacob wrestles with an angel, who changes his name to Israel (to strive with God). He comments in 32:30 "I have seen God face to face." Esau receives Jacob kindly and chapter 33 concludes in verse 20 by saying,

Genesis 33:20

"And he (Jacob) built an altar there, and called it El-elohe-Israel"

which literally means "El is the God of Israel." Before this Jacob knew that God existed and was powerful. But now his relationship with God becomes personal. And from this time on God said,

Genesis 1:18

"I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob"

And from that time on God's chosen people are not called the children of Abraham or the children of Isaac but the children of Israel.

     Perhaps you're grown up in the church. Maybe your parents are Christians. But today we are asking you, Has the God of the church; has the God of your parents; has the God of the Bible become your God personally? When did He become your God?" When you ask many people, "When did you become a Christian?" they often answer, "Since I was in my mother's stomach." In other words, they say, "I am a Christian because I was born in a Christian family." Being born in a Christian family doesn't make you a Christian. It doesn't matter if you father is a deacon, elder or even a pastor? It doesn't matter if your grandfather was Abraham himself. Nicodemus was a good moral religious teacher but Jesus said, "You must be born again."

by Steve Nicholes
LINKS TO . . . Other Bible Messages Genesis Esther Daniel Philippians James Complete Discipleship Topics