THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 12-8-19



LESSON TITLE: SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES ISAAC AND JACOB



WELCOME

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WE THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD. AS ALWAYS, IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO SING SONGS OF PRAISE AND TO STUDY FROM HIS WORD. IN THESE ACTS OF WORSHIP, MAY WE ALL BE ENCOURAGED, BUT ULTIMATELY MAY WE EACH PRAISE GOD ACCORDING TO THE SACRIFICES TO OFFER TOWARD HIS THRONE. IT WILL ALSO BE OUR HONOR THIS MORNING TO SPEAK WITH GOD THROUGH PRAYER. WILL YOU BOW WITH ME AS WE TALK TO OUR CREATOR?

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. FATHER, WE ARE THANKFUL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED US WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE. AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF JESUS AND WE KNOW THAT TODAY WE ARE ABLE TO STAND JUSTIFIED BEFORE YOU ONLY THROUGH YOUR GRACE, LOVE, MERCY AND THE GREAT AND WONDROUS KINDNESS AND LOVE SHOWN IN THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF YOUR SON. THEREFORE FATHER HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY ACCORDINGLY THAT WE MIGHT NOT ONLY WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING - BUT THAT WE MIGHT STRIVE TO HELP OTHERS TO KNOW YOU AS WELL THAT THEY MIGHT OBEY AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE ALSO. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS THE LORD'S DAY; MAY WE WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS YOU HAVE COMMANDED. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

IT'S NOW TIME TO START OUR SONGS OF PRAISE. WE WANT TO BEGIN BY SINGING A HYMN THAT TELLS US ABOUT SOMETHING IN LIFE WHICH CAN MAKE US MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN ANYTHING ELSE. HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO YOU LADIES? SO, LET'S JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING THIS HYMN THAT GIVE US THE TRUE SECRET TO BEING BEAUTIFUL IN LIFE, THE NAME OF THE SONG, "I'LL LIVE FOR HIM"



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS



ISN'T IT HARD TO FORGIVE SOMEONE WHEN THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING AGAINST US? FORGIVENESS MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE EVERY TRY TO ACQUIRE AND CONQUER, AS A CHILD OF GOD. HOWEVER, THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ABOUT ITS REQUIREMENTS ON FORGIVENESS, IF WE WILL ONLY LOOK INTO THE PAGES OF GOD'S WORD. ANOTHER PROBLEM OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH FORGIVENESS IS WHAT IT TRULY MEANS. PROBABLY THE BEST EXPLANATION WE HAVE OF FORGIVENESS, UNDER THE NEW LAW, IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 8:12, THERE WE READ, "FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." WHEN GOD FORGIVES US TODAY, HE NOT ONLY FORGIVES BUT HE FORGET IT. WOW, THAT'S TOUGH ISN'T IT? EASIER SAID THAN DONE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE CAN SAY WE FORGIVE SOMEONE, BUT PUTTING IT OUT OF OUR MIND IS ANOTHER PROBLEM ALL TOGETHER. ANOTHER VERSE WHICH REALLY HELPS US WITH THIS DISCUSSION ON FORGIVENESS IS FOUND IN COLOSSIANS 3:12-13. THERE PAUL SAID, "THEREFORE, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED, PUT ON TENDER MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, LONG-SUFFERING; BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, IF ANYONE HAS A COMPLAINT AGAINST ANOTHER; EVEN AS CHRIST FORGAVE YOU, SO YOU ALSO MUST DO." HERE WE HAVE THE WHOLE CRUX OF THE MATTER. WE ARE TO FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVING BECAUSE CHRIST FIRST FORGAVE US! I MIGHT ASK, WHAT DOES GOD OWE US, WHAT HAVE WE DONE THAT HE SHOULD OR THAT HE HAS TO FORGIVE US? THE ANSWER IS NOTHING! IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF GOD'S LOVE AND HIS GRACE THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO BE COUNTED WORTHY BEFORE HIM. SO, AS CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN US, WE ALSO MUST BE WILLING TO FORGIVE OTHERS. I AM ALWAYS REMINDED OF THE VERSE FOUND IN ROMANS 5:8, THERE IT SAYS, "BUT GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." JESUS WAS WILLING TO DO HIS PART EVEN WHEN WE WERE NOT WORTHY OF IT. FURTHERMORE, WHAT ABOUT CHRIST ATTITUDE AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS. THERE HE SAID, "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO," LUKE 23:34. WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND MAY WE ALL LEARN THE GREAT LESSON OF FORGIVENESS AND IN DOING SO MAY WE WORK EVERY DAY TO STRIVE TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST READY AND WILLING TO FORGIVE WHETHER WE ARE ASKED TO OR NOT. ARE YOU WILLING TO FORGIVE IN ORDER TO BE FORGIVEN?

IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. THIS MORNING, WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR STUDY ENTITLED, "SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES." OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE MORNING FOCUSES ON, "THE FAITH OF ISAAC & JACOB." SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG, I WILL BE LEADING IN THIS IMPORTANT STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. IT'S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING. THE NAME OF THE SONG, "I LOVE THY KINGDOM LORD!"



LESSON

BY RAY SULLINS



WE ARE SO GLAD YOU HAVE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR SERIES ABOUT THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES. AND CERTAINLY THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WE HAVE SO MANY WITNESSES THAT PROVE TO US WHAT TRUE FAITH IS AND REALLY HOW TRUE FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO HELP US ALL TO GATHER AND UNDERSTAND COLLECTIVELY THE FACT THAT FAITH IS REALLY SOMETHING DEMONSTRATED IN LIFE; SOMETHING THAT IS ACTIVE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PROVEN BY WHAT WE DO AND SAY - NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL OR THINK WITH IN OUR MINDS. BUT IN EVERY CASE OF HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 THESE INDIVIDUALS BY FAITH PUT THEIR BELIEF INTO ACTION, WHICH IS REALLY A GOOD IDEA OF A DEFINITION OR A CONCEPT TO DESCRIBE WHAT FAITH TRULY IS AND HOW FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED. NO WONDER JAMES SAID IN JAMES CHAPTER 2: FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. NOT BECAUSE WORKS CAN SAVE US BUT BECAUSE OUR WORKS OR OUR WORDS PROVE OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD. AND THEREFORE THE LOVE WHICH MAKES US RECIPIENTS OF THAT GRACE, THAT LOVE, AND THAT MERCY THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP US TO FIND OUR WAY TO HEAVEN BY GOD'S GRACE AND POWER NOT BY OUR OWN. BUT WITHIN THE TEXT YOU'LL KNOW WE WILL CONTINUE THIS DAY WITH ANOTHER ONE OF THE GREAT FATHERS OF OLD. AND CERTAINLY IF WE WERE TO THINK OF THE MAIN FATHER - WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED FATHER ABRAHAM. WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER GREAT PATRIARCHS OR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN SOME OF THOSE PERIODS AND WE'VE EVEN DISCUSSED SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT PROBABLY HAVE CHANGED OUR LIVES AND CHALLENGED US TO BE BETTER SERVANTS OR MORE OBEDIENT BEFORE GOD NO MATTER WHAT GOD SAYS OR REALLY NO MATTER WHAT GOD ASKS OF US.

TODAY WHAT WE REALLY BEGIN TO LOOK AT IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE DESCENDENTS OF ABRAHAM. ABRAHAM NO DOUBT HAD OTHER CHILDREN BUT THE LEGITIMATE CHILD; THE FIRSTBORN SON OF HIS WIFE SARAH, WAS ISAAC. AND SO ISAAC IS WHO WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS DAY AND ALSO NOT ONLY ISAAC BUT ALSO THE GRANDSON OF ABRAHAM WHICH WOULD BE THE SON OF ISAAC WHOSE NAME WAS JACOB. AND THE REASON WE AGAIN LOOK AT THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE NEXT WITHIN OUR LIST OF THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11. AND RIGHT AFTER DESCRIBING ABRAHAM'S FAITH YET AGAIN IN VERSES 17 THROUGH 19 WHAT DO WE FIND THERE IN VERSE 20? THE BIBLE SAYS: BY FAITH ISAAC BLESSED JACOB AND ESAU CONCERNING THINGS TO COME. IN VERSE 21 IT SAYS JACOB BY FAITH JACOB WHEN HE WAS DYING BLESSED EACH OF HIS SONS OF JOSEPH AND WORSHIPED LEANING ON THE TOP OF HIS STAFF. ALTHOUGH THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT IS SAID ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE GREAT FAITH CHAPTER I FIRST WOULD BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THEY ARE IN THE GREAT FAITH CHAPTER. WHICH TELLS US THAT THESE MEN WERE A CONTINUATION OF THE PROMISE THAT GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM AND WERE ESSENTIAL IN THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THE BLOODLINE TO CONTINUE THE SEED OF PROMISE THAT ULTIMATELY BLESSES ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH THAT IS FOUND IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. BUT THERE IS A WAY THAT THIS IS DESCRIBED ALTHOUGH THESE ARE GREAT MEN OF FAITH AND WE WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TEACH US THAT - ALTHOUGH THAT IS THE CASE NOTICE WHAT IS THE EMPHASIS WITHIN THESE TWO VERSES. IT IN FIRST SAYS IN VERSE 20 THAT ISAAC BLESSED JACOB AND ESAU AND THEN IN VERSE 21 IT SAYS: AND JACOB BLESSED EACH OF HIS SONS AND THEN THE SONS THERE SPECIFICALLY OF JOSEPH, EPFRAM, AND MANASSEH, NOTICE THAT THEY WERE GIVING A BLESSING. AND IF WE REALLY WERE TO BACK UP WITHIN THE BOOK OF GENESIS WHAT WE FIND IS THAT ABRAHAM CERTAINLY HAD DESIRED FOR A LONG TIME FOR THAT LEGITIMATE SON AS WE LOOKED AT LAST WEEK THE IDEA THAT HE WAS EVEN 100 YEARS OLD WHEN THESE THINGS TOOK PLACE AND SO HE WAITED A LONG TIME IN HIS LIFE TO SEE THE REALIZATION OF THE PROMISE OF GOD - THAT THROUGH HIS SEED THE LEGITIMACY THROUGH SARAH THAT ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH WOULD BE BLESSED. AND THEREFORE GOD GAVE THAT PROMISE ABRAHAM WHICH BEGAN ALL THE WAY BACK IN GENESIS CHAPTER 12. WELL THEN IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT BY AND THROUGH ISAAC THAT ISAAC BE RAISED AND BROUGHT UP IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE THEN WOULD DO WHAT? THAT HE ALSO WOULD CONTINUE THE SAME THING. SO ABRAHAM THEREFORE IN THE END OF HIS LIFE BLESSES ISAAC THAT ISAAC MIGHT BE THE ONE WHO CONTINUES THE BLOODLINE. BUT MORE THAN THE BLOODLINE WHO CONTINUES THE FAITH OF THE PROMISES OF GOD AND WHO ALSO TRAINS UP HIS CHILDREN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CONTINUE IN THE THINGS OF GOD. WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE WHEN WE GO AND WE LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT ISAAC DID WITHIN THE TEXT WE FIND THAT HE WAS A MAN WHO ALSO SEEMS TO TURN TO HIS GOD - TO KNOW HIS GOD. IN FACT IT'S INTERESTING THAT REALLY ISAAC IS ONE OF THE ONLY ONES WITHIN SCRIPTURE THAT WE DON'T FIND A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS OR SINFUL THINGS MENTIONED THAT WAS WITHIN HIS CHARACTER OR WITHIN THE THINGS THAT HE DID THAT HE WOULD HAVE NEED TO REPENT OF. NOW WE KNOW HE WAS HUMAN AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT HE WOULD'VE MADE MISTAKES. BUT I WOULD ASK THE QUESTION - WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSED ISAAC TO BE SUCH A MAN OF GREAT FAITH? IF I WERE TO REALLY GET ONE MOMENT AND THOUGHT ARE BEEN IN TIME I WOULD GO TO GENESIS 22 AND WE NORMALLY LOOK AT THE EVENT OF THE SACRIFICE THAT ABRAHAM GAVE OF HIS SON ISAAC FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ABRAHAM BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE AS WE LOOK THERE IN GENESIS CHAPTER 22 THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRE? CAN YOU IMAGINE THERE IN VERSE 8 WHEN ISAAC ASKED THE QUESTION OF HIS FATHER. PROVING THE FACT THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WORSHIP IS AND WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR PROPER WORSHIP. HE ASKS HIS FATHER THE QUESTION IN VERSE 8 - WHERE IS THE OFFERING? AND WHAT IS IT THAT IN VERSE 8; GOD WILL PROVIDE THE OFFERING. BUT THEN DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IS SAID IN VERSE 9? IMAGINE THS - A YOUNG TEENAGER, IMAGINE WHAT THIS BOY WAS THINKING WHEN IT SAYS THERE: THAT HAD COME TO THE PLACE THEY BUILT THE ALTAR IN VERSE NINE (AGAIN GENESIS 22) THEY PUT THE WOOD IN ORDER ON THE ALTAR AND THEN IT SAYS: AND ABRAHAM BOUND ISAAC HIS SON AND HE LAID HIM ON THE ALTAR UPON THE WOOD. AND THEN IN VERSE 10 IT SAYS: AND ABRAHAM STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND AND TOOK A KNIFE TO SLAY HIS SON. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD STOPS HIM BECAUSE HE HAS THEN PROVEN HIS FAITH. NOW IN HEBREWS WE LEARNED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THAT ABRAHAM REALIZED GOD CAN EVEN BRING HIM BACK FROM THE DEAD, I KNOW THAT HE'S GOING TO FULFILL HIS PROMISE THROUGH ISAAC, SO GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO DO TO BRING ISAAC BACK EVEN IF I FULFILL WHAT IT IS THAT GOD IS ASKING ME TO DO. BUT NOW AGAIN THE QUESTION - IMAGINE BEING ISAAC. IMAGINE THEY ARE SAYING - WELL THE LORD IS GOING TO PROVIDE. ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR FATHER SEIZES YOU. AND HE BINDS YOU. THE CONCEPT OF BINDING TO ME WOULD INDICATE THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE AGAINST THE WILL OR AGAINST THE FREE WILL OF ISAAC. TO JUST SIT THERE ON THE ALTAR AND BE KILLED BY HIS FATHER. AND THEN TO BE EVEN BURNED AS AN OFFERING. HOW MANY OF US WOULD WANT TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THAT TYPE OF A SITUATION. HE LITERALLY BINDS HIS SON WHICH SHOWS THE RESISTANCE. AND CAN YOU IMAGINE THE LOOK ON HIS FACE? CAN YOU IMAGINE MAYBE THE TEARS IN HIS EYES? CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW HE WAS REALLY FRETTING OVER THE SITUATION AND WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? AND THEN WHEN HE SEES HIS FATHER EVEN TAKE THE KNIFE AND READY TO SLAY HIM - YOU TALK ABOUT LEARNING WHAT FAITH IS ALL ABOUT! IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A HARD MOMENT FOR ISAAC BUT DO YOU THINK AND CONSIDER HOW MANY TIMES ISAAC THOUGHT BACK ABOUT THE FAITH OF HIS FATHER. HIS FATHER DIDN'T JUST HAVE TO TELL HIM ABOUT HIS FAITH. HE DIDN'T JUST HAVE TO SAY HERE'S HOW FAR I WAS WILLING TO GO. WHAT WAS ISAAC ABLE TO SEE? MAN, I KNOW MY FATHER WAS GONNA KILL ME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOD TOLD HIM TO DO. BOY - FAITH. YOU SEE WHAT OUR CHILDREN AND WHAT OUR GRANDCHILDREN CAN LEARN FROM OUR FAITH WHEN THEY SEE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAND IN THE FACE OF ANYTHING? TO BE STRONG. AS STRONG AS WE NEED TO BE EVEN WHEN SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO OTHERS. THAT'S A GREAT FAITH. A BEAUTIFUL FAITH AND THE FAITH OF ISAAC NO DOUBT.

THEN THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WHEN EVEN ABRAHAM THEN BLESSES HIS SON THERE WITHIN THE TEXT. IN FACT, THERE IN GENESIS 25 IN VERSE FIVE IT SAYS: AND ABRAHAM GAVE ISAAC ALL THAT HE POSSESSED. AND THEN IN GENESIS 25 IN VERSE 11 IT SAYS: AND THEN ISAAC CAME AND HE DWELT THERE IN THE LAND OF PROMISE AFTER THE DEATH OF ABRAHAM. SO WHAT DID ISAAC DO? HE HAD FAITH. WHAT DID HE CONTINUE IN? THE PROMISE OF GOD TO DWELL IN A STRANGE LAND UNTIL GOD WOULD GIVE THAT LAND TO HIS PEOPLE AND HIS DESCENDENTS AS WELL AS ABRAHAM'S, HIS FATHER'S AND THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WELL DOWN THE ROAD AND THAT HE WAS HAVE TO BRING UP HIS SONS AND ACCOMPLISH THE SAME PURPOSE. YOU SEE THERE AGAIN ABRAHAM BLESSED ISAAC. BUT THEN ISAAC BLESSED JACOB. AND WE KNOW THAT ISAAC BLESSED JACOB BECAUSE WE GO ON TO SEE THE SAME THING TRANSPIRE IN THE LIFE OF JACOB. YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME IN THE LIFE OF JACOB THAT WE GENERALLY THINK OF WHAT HE DID TO DECEIVE HIS BROTHER. BUT DO YOU REMEMBER AFTER HE LEFT HIS BROTHER THERE AND HIS FAMILY TO GO UP TO THE AREA OF HURON WHERE HIS HIS MOTHER'S FAMILY AND THAT HE MIGHT OR REALLY HIS FATHER'S FAMILY AS WELL THAT HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME WIFE OR TO FIND A WIFE OR TO REALLY BE ABLE TO DWELL THERE SAFELY UNTIL HIS BROTHER MAYBE WASN'T SO ANGRY ANYMORE. ON THAT ROAD IN CHAPTER 28 OF GENESIS WE SEE THAT JACOB COMES TO WHAT HE REFERS TO AS THE VERY DOOR TO HEAVEN. AND IT IS THERE IN VERSE 19 AND FOLLOWING THAT GOD MAKES AND REITERATES THE VOW TO JACOB THE PROMISE BLESSING BUT IT IS THERE IN VERSE 20 CONTINUING WHERE JACOB SAYS IF YOU'LL BE MY GOD I'M GOING TO KEEP YOUR COMMANDMENTS AND IF YOU CARE FOR ME AND JACOB MAKES THE COMMITMENT TO GOD. AND THEN LATER IT'S INTERESTING THAT AFTER HE RETURNS EVEN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS A FEW CHAPTERS LATER IN VERSE 35 THAT EVEN AFTER HE HAS NOW MET ESAU AGAIN AND ESAU DOESN'T KILL HIM WHAT DOES HE DO? HE RETURNS TO BETHEL AND HE AGAIN WORSHIPS HIS GOD AND REMINDS HIMSELF OF THE GREAT COVENANT FROM GOD OF THE PROMISE TO CONTINUE ON AND THEN HE HIMSELF MAKES THAT FURTHER COMMITMENT TO GOD. NOW WHO IS JACOB? JACOB IS RENAMED ISRAEL BY GOD. HE IS THE FATHER OF ISRAEL AND IT WAS HIS 12 SONS WHO THEN WERE THAT WHICH MADE UP THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. SO WHAT DO WE LEARN IN HEBREWS THAT JACOB DID AS ISAAC HAD DID FOR HIM AND AS ABRAHAM HAD DONE FOR ISAAC? THERE IN CHAPTER 49 WE HAVE A SPECIFIC MENTION OF ALL OF THE BLESSINGS OR ALL OF THE REFERENCES CONCERNING THE THINGS OF HIS SONS WHO MADE UP THE 12 TRIBES. HE BLESSES THEM OR MENTIONS THE BLESSINGS AND SOMETIMES EVEN THE CURSES THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO TRANSPIRE ACCORDING TO AGAIN WHAT GOD HAD COMMANDED. WHAT A MAN WHO LOVED GOD - A MAN WHO KNEW GOD - A MAN WHO BELIEVED IN GOD AND IT IS THERE AND IN THE SAME CHAPTER 49 OF GENESIS IN VERSE EIGHT THAT WE SEE THAT JUDAH IS THAT LION, JUDAH IS WHERE THAT SCEPTER WILL COME. JUDAH IS WHERE THAT KING JESUS WILL COME FROM. IT IS THROUGH THE SEED OF JUDAH - SO THAT IS THE GREATEST OF THE BLESSINGS ALTHOUGH OTHER SONS ALSO RECEIVED SOME BLESSING AS EVEN ISAAC HAD ALSO BLESSED HIS SON ESAU AS HE HAD WITH JACOB BUT NOT TO THE SAME EXTENT. BUT HE GIVES THOSE BLESSINGS. AND SO WE GO BACK TO HEBREWS AGAIN 11 WE SEE THERE IN VERSE 21 YOU SEE NOW THAT JACOB BLESSED HIS SONS EVEN THE SONS OF JOSEPH EPHAM AND MANASSEH TOOK PLACE. AND THEN WHAT DID HE DO? HE WORSHIPED GOD. HE WAS A MAN WHO BELIEVED IN GOD AND PUT INTO PRACTICE BY WORSHIPING GOD. WHY? HE LEARNED FROM ISAAC HOW TO WORSHIP GOD. ISAAC HAVING LEARNED FROM HIS FATHER AND EVEN JACOB HAD LEARNED FROM HIS OWN GRANDFATHER ABRAHAM WHO WOULD'VE BEEN ALIVE TEACHING HIM WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY HAVE FAITH. TO TRULY HAVE BELIF AND TO TRULY PUT IT IN ACTION FOR THE SAKE OF GOD ALMIGHTY.

SO I HOPE AND I PRAY TODAY THAT WE WILL HAVE SUCH A FAITH AS WELL TO BE ABLE NOT ONLY TO KNOW GOD BUT TO LOVE GOD AND TO BE A BLESSING FROM GOD AND TO BLESS OTHERS WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AS WELL.



CLOSING COMMENTS

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY, IN GIVING THIS TIME TO GOD. WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN TO SHARE THIS TIME TOGETHER IN CHRIST. WE INVITE YOU BACK EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD!

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THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE FAITH OF ISAAC AND JACOB, TEACHING US THAT FAITH CAN BE TAUGHT AND FOLLOWED FOR MANY GENERATIONS. ARE YOU SHARING YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN THAT THEY MAY KNOW GOD AND FOLLOW HIM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES?