Fear not Jacob (Quality: Good)

[0:00] The book of Genesis, the 32nd chapter, reading verse 11. The book of Genesis, the 32nd chapter, reading verse 11.

[0:17] Amen. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.

[0:35] For I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

[0:54] The 32nd chapter of the book of Genesis, verse 11. Amen. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.

[1:15] For I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

[1:30] We have before us this evening, in the word of God, a man whose name was Jacob, and who now had come into an experience which I believe, in his heart, had been with him for the past 20 years.

[2:14] I am persuaded that during the 20 years that Jacob had been with Laban, and all that the Lord had brought to pass in his life, and yet, in his heart, continually, I am sure that he had this before him, which had now, or was about to take place.

[2:59] First of all then, the Lord knows, if any of you here tonight are in a particular time of need.

[3:20] A time in which you have your fears.

[3:31] It may be revealed to one or another this evening, that this which has now taken place, perhaps, perhaps, for a long time, that it would take place.

[4:02] And now, it has happened. It has come to pass. Now, Jacob had been very favoured by God during the 20 years from when he had left his home in the way that he had, when his brother Esau had vowed his death.

[4:45] And the wonder is that during that time, the Lord was with him. The Lord had blessed him.

[4:57] The Lord had favoured him. He had had this witness in his heart many times during those years, that his God was with him.

[5:14] He had been given a very wonderful promise 20 years before. And the promise was this, And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.

[5:30] And I will bring thee again into this land, and I will not leave thee, until I have done that, which I have spoken to thee of.

[5:43] In the midst of Jacob's sin and shame, the Lord had favoured him. The Lord had blessed him. Well, I know that there are those here tonight that, with the Lord's gracious help, and we need the Lord's help in this, surely we would have to acknowledge that the Lord has been very merciful and very gracious to us, in spite of all our sins, in spite of all that has gone on in our lives.

[6:24] We must surely say, with the psalmist, he hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

[6:39] Yes. But as I said a few moments ago, Jacob must have had this in his heart all through those years, that a day of reckoning was going to come with his brother, his son.

[7:03] And that day had now almost dawned upon it. This time had come.

[7:17] Now, desiring that I may be favoured to come where you are this evening, the Lord knows how you've come.

[7:31] It is particularly upon my heart this evening to speak with regard to particular fears that the Lord's dear people are the subjects of.

[7:44] In this instance, Jacob was afraid of his brother. And the Lord knows what any of you may be afraid of this evening.

[8:01] And let me make it very clear that Jacob here was brought into the dust. He had been humbled because the angels of God had met him.

[8:19] He had, as it were, been favoured by God as he commenced to return to the land that the Lord said he would return to.

[8:29] And Jacob had been favoured as he commenced this journey. The Lord was very merciful to him.

[8:41] And Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, this is God's host. And he called the name of that place Manain.

[8:56] Now the Lord had met him. The Lord had humbled him. The Lord had softened his heart. And then he was to receive this message.

[9:11] And what a message it was. We came to thy brother Esau and also he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him.

[9:25] What a message. To receive. But I just mention this once more because I feel that it's so bound up with the exercise that is upon me.

[9:43] And that is this. The Lord had humbled Jacob. He was brought into the dust here. Well dear friends, as the Lord humbled us, perhaps you have received a message today.

[10:04] Perhaps you have received a message in recent times. Perhaps you have received a message which has indeed filled your mind and your heart with fear.

[10:20] And how often it is the case. Sometimes we may receive a letter, a communication, or we may receive a message directly from someone else.

[10:40] Or in whatever way we may receive it. And some receive messages through someone else. a third person.

[10:58] But, what a mercy it is to be really humbled. What a mercy it is to be brought into the dust.

[11:08] What a mercy to be prepared by the Lord for that which is to come.

[11:21] And in the very sacred hymn that we have just been singing. And what a hymn it is. We have sung this.

[11:33] Rightworthy indeed he is of high fame. That is the Lamb of God. And saints have all need to trust in his name.

[11:47] Not feed on their graces nor strut with a frame that fall on their faces and worship the Lamb. And it has been rightly said it was either John Bunyan or Martin Luther I believe then at least that pen these lines he that is down need fear no fall.

[12:13] He that is low no pride. He that is humble ever shall have God to be his guide. Now there's another thought here.

[12:27] If any of you are in a time of particular fear and the Lord knows what it is dear friend he knows.

[12:39] We hope to close the service tonight with this why those fears. Behold his Jesus holds the helm and guides the ship.

[12:49] but has the Lord been humbling you? Has he been dealing with you? Have you been aware that the hand of God has been upon you in your life?

[13:06] Now where did it bring Jacob? I feel it is essential that I bring this before you. You see the Lord brings Jacob here I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shown unto thy servant.

[13:27] With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands. And Jacob said this from his heart have we need to say it tonight?

[13:39] Have you been saying it today? I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou showed unto thy servant.

[13:56] Some of you may look back this evening in your life when perhaps with you it was indeed as it was with Jacob when he left his home he says here with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands.

[14:17] You may look back tonight and with the help of God the Holy Spirit you will remember all the way that the Lord your God has led you what he's done for you.

[14:31] And wouldn't we have to join with Jacob this evening and say I am not worthy I am not worthy there are those here too that may feel that they must join in saying this in another way and it's this we are not worthy we are not worthy of all the masses and of all the truth which we have been shown and wouldn't we have to say this too having therefore obtained help of God we continue unto this day and is there not need for us to bear our witness to what the Lord has done so you see the Lord prepared Jacob for that which was to come and sometimes in our lives a time of what I might speak of a special or particular blessing precedes a time of solemn testing a time of solemn testing often follows a time of sacred favour and blessing and it's in the

[15:59] Lord's hand to prepare us for that which is to come Jacob then to this deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother how close this came in Jacob's life deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Israel for I fear him lest he come and smite me and the mother with the children now I must seek Matt to speak from this word in one or two ways as the Lord may help me that's desiring to come where you are have you come to chapel tonight the great need in your heart have you some special need that lays upon you that weighs upon your heart the

[17:14] Lord knows how you've each left your home life he knows all that's been going on today he knows all that's going on in your life your home life your business life your daily calling and all that concerns you the Lord knows he knows all that concerns every one of us but oh if you come to the house of God tonight with perhaps a particular thing some particular thing now first of all thinking a little further with regard to Jacob here in this instance Jacob well knew that his own sin was the cause of his fear his own sin not every time that we come into particular need or into a time of trembling because really here

[18:33] Jacob was trembling he was trembling before God there was something that lay before him well friends have you got something that lays before you is it tomorrow with you is it this week is it next week have you something that you know lies before you something that you cannot escape Jacob knew this and yet if there's the need for this to be said and I can leave that with the Lord but do any of you know tonight that it is your sin your own sins that are at the root of your particular need your sin we know this with Esau that he was coming and if God had not intervened he would have slain his brother but these two were brothers brothers and I hope the

[19:38] Lord will help me to speak a little further concerning this before I say amen but friends these two were brothers we know that there was a solemn difference between because one of them feared God and one of them did not fear God but how close sometimes things do come in our lives here was Jacob it was his brother now Jacob knew he knew why he knew why you know friends I must come close and in seeking to do this I must begin with my own heart oh how close things can come in our lives sometimes and if we are made aware of our own sin in a thing we shall not then lay the blame on someone else we shall not lay the blame on someone else and until or unless these things are shown to us how ready we are how ready we are to speak like this and say well it's all their fault it's all his fault self justification so quickly can rise up in our hearts and we can so quickly say well it's not my fault it's theirs it's not my fault but it's someone else's and oh how quickly we can lay the blame on someone else oh friends how often in our lives the Lord is teaching and leading us and revealing to us the true state what really is at the root of a thing we shall have to we shall understand this that we ourselves are not guiltless we're not guiltless oh it's so easy to blame someone else and how often it is the case and this began in the garden of

[22:13] Edom as Adam and Eve fell in disobeying God Adam said the woman whom thou gavest me she gave me to Eve the woman said the serpent beguiled me and I'm sure of this that here Jacob was well aware he knew why he knew why you know friends when we are made aware of these things in our own hearts oh how differently we shall view things how differently we shall view things we shall view things then in the light of God's countenance I know I've mentioned this before but only just to mention it with the desire that God may use it because it is something that the Lord did with me when one was in great need and under great pressure and there were things in my life that were exceedingly trying to bear and I asked the

[23:24] Lord that he might send a word for me and what did the Lord send he sent this he may send it to someone here tonight humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him for he careth for you and there was something that was revealed to me that Lord's day evening that I had not expected to be revealed but I'm thankful that it was and this is what was said to me the sword is theirs but the hand is mine and I could see then in my life and if the Lord favours any of you here tonight you'll see it as perhaps you've not seen it before

[24:25] I had not seen it before but I saw it that evening so plainly that the things which had happened in my life were under the control of God and that another word was fulfilled he causeth it to come he causeth it to come whether for his land whether for correction or for his land or for mercy but oh how differently we shall view things when we see it in the light of God's countenance and then what will it do for us it will bring us to this this is another of the things that I trust the Lord has laid upon my heart to come with you see friend the answer to these things is this we have need to pray over it and to pray about it now that is the need that is the need you see

[25:45] Jacob here being Jacob and every one of us we have our own particular disposition we're all different but the Lord knows how to deal with every one of us and he deals with his people sovereignly he knew how to deal with Jacob and he knew how to deal with Esau but the point is this that one would make clear Jacob strove to do something about it he strove to do something about this matter how did he strive to do it he prepared a present he tried to do all in his power to appease his approaching brother we know that when he did give the present to his brother he was a very humble man the Lord had dealt with him and had made him aware that his present was of no value now again

[26:59] I have to say this I wonder if there's anyone here tonight that has been striving to do something about whatever is in your life have you been striving to do something with it but have you had to find that you can do nothing with it because that is where the Lord will bring us he will bring us to realise that we can do nothing he will bring us to his feet he will show us that whatever we may attempt to do and how often it has been the case rather than making things any better we shall make things worse now you see the Lord brought Jacob to his feet he brought him he so dealt with

[28:04] Jacob that he had as it were to put everything that he possessed over the brook I know I've spoken from this word in times past but oh that the Lord may use it tonight as is pleasing to him you see dear friends Jacob had to put everything over the brook he couldn't rely on his servants his flocks his herds his wives his children he couldn't rely on anything but he had to put everything over the brook and then he was brought alone to God of deliverance the Lord will bring him he will bring us to the place where we shall know this that only God can do what we need him to do only God can appear for us have you been there today has the Lord favoured you to be there today have you been brought there to die do you know in your heart tonight that this is right that is in the sight of

[29:14] God and according to the teaching of his own holy word that Jacob must be brought completely down brought completely to nothing brought into the very dust and the Lord brought him here that his only hope in this that concerned him with his brother was in God now that was his only hope and that dear friends is where the Lord will bring us oh he will bring us here he will bring us into this that I believe I have mentioned already in prayer thy whole dependence on me fits nor entertain a thought thy worthless schemes with mine to me but venture to be naught oh what grace is needed to venture to be naught and again it comes into my thoughts but this was seen on a calendar many years ago now and I know some of you have seen it too it may not have been in exactly the same way but it has come into my thoughts and therefore

[30:38] I must proclaim it leave the matter in my hand I will work and who shall let it friend you'll get nowhere there if you attempt to put your hand to this you'll get nowhere but leave the matter in my hands it doesn't mean that we shall leave it in a careless and indifferent way but oh to be enabled to lay it before the Lord in prayer this is what we need this may be an answer to prayer to someone here tonight and if you go home with this answer I believe you'll feel that the Lord has spoken to you friend your need tonight is to lay it before the Lord lay it before the Lord for he has said I will work and who shall let it and you will prove as Jacob proved here that the hearts of all men are in the

[31:48] Lord's hand and he turneth them with us so ever he will dear friends Esau's heart was in the hand of God that is where Esau's heart was it was in the hand of God and the Lord can turn lions into lambs he can turn a lion into a lamb and that is what the Lord did with Esau you see the way into it was this that Jacob was left alone Jacob was brought alone with God and his only hope was in God and how he wrestled with the Lord and how he prevailed and how the Lord said to him thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a prince hast thou power with

[32:48] God and with men and hast prevailed again it will be a mercy if any of us go home tonight favoured and knowing in our heart that this is our only course it seems to keep coming so I must say it again leave the matter in my hands I will work and who shall let it oh we need to be kept from trying to do things ourselves we need to be kept from trying to scheme ourselves this is what Jacob did but the Lord brought him away from his present the Lord brought him away from everything and he brought him to this that Jacob's only hope was in God that I will work and who shall let it deliver me

[33:50] I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him lest he come lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children now another thought is this Jacob's brother did not fear God Jacob Jacob by and through God's sovereign grace feared God but Esau did not fear God and he lived and died in that state and condition well sometimes in the lives of the Lord's people they know what it is to be brought into places in which they have to deal with an ungodly man they have to deal with the ungodly they have to deal with those who do not fear

[34:59] God and that in itself and at times especially is a very solemn thing perhaps there's someone here tonight that's in such a case perhaps you've received a letter or a communication but let me just remind you of what Hezekiah did with his letter what did Hezekiah do with his letter what did Hezekiah do with the message that came from an enemy this is what Hezekiah did with it he was brought really to the same place as Jacob and Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messenger and he read it but what did he do with it he took it into the house of the Lord and he spread it before the Lord and that is what we need help to do with things he spread it before the Lord that is what He did that is what Hezekiah did with his letter but in our lives we may know what it is to have things that so distress us things indeed that we have to say with

[36:32] Jehoshaphat with great feeling neither know we what to do neither know we what to do does that describe your case tonight are you there tonight neither know we what to do you may have had to prove again today that your only hope in this or whatever may be upon you or in your heart that that concerns you in your soul your life your family your business whatever it is have you had to prove today that you can do nothing with it have you proved it again today have you had to prove it in recent days so that the Lord has brought you to this neither know we what to do but is it left there no we have really the same truth but our eyes are upon thee

[37:43] Jehoshaphat and those that were with him they were brought to exactly the same place as Jacob they were brought to exactly the same place as Hezekiah and perhaps all that I'm trying to say to you tonight could be summed up in this the Lord alone the Lord alone can deliver you the Lord alone can deliver the Lord alone can appear for you but I think of a word that was spoken to Daniel when he was to be cast into the lion's den and again if this was said to you and I this evening is thy God able is thy God able well we know this that the

[38:43] Lord that Daniel could say this the Lord has sent his angel and has shut the lion's mouth mouths that they could not hurt me you see the Lord can shut lions mouths and that is what God did for Jacob because when Esau did come to meet him and 400 men with him the Lord brought this to pass and Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept and they wept think of it instead of the sword instead of death these two brothers wept together you see the Lord knowing all that concerned

[39:46] Jacob and Esau but the Lord brought them together and this is what the Lord did for Jacob and let me just say this to you tonight in closing the Lord can do the same for you he is the same Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever I had hoped in one sense that one might have spoken in a different way or that we might have spoken of other fears that the Lord's people have but I can only hope that what I have said as the Lord would have to be said but dear friends have you got something in front of you have you got something in front of you have you got something in your life and you do not know what to do with it you've had to prove you can do nothing with it well again

[40:53] I say it in closing leave the matter in my hands I will work and who shall let it well I must leave it the time is gone Amen May we be helped to conclude with hymn 1102 Why those fears behold Jesus holds the helm and guides the ship spread the sails and catch the breezes sent to waft us through the deep through the regions where the mourners cease to weep hymn 1102 to jijo on oh oh so oh

[42:18] Amen. Amen.

[43:18] Amen. Amen.