TV Program CURRENT EPISODE The Time of Jacob's Trouble 2008-04-20 PRODUCTION #: 1107 SPEAKER: Shawn Boonstra Have you ever had to face up to something you did, and were not sure you had the strength to go through with it? Stick around, because today I m going to look at someone who faced that very situation and we are going to see what that means for you as we head for the end of time. SB (Shawn Boonstra): At one point, it ranked number seven in the Fortune 500, and its annual revenues exceeded $100 billion. But, of course, that was before the spectacular collapse of Enron in December 2001. And, of course, the name most people now associate with that collapse is that of CEO Ken Lay, who was convicted of fraud in May 2006. A few months later, Mr. Lay was dead from a heart attack. Now he will never have to face the possibility of life in prison for his crimes, and that s a fact some angry people just can t live with. When news began to spread that the former CEO was no longer alive, scores of furious people began to express their frustration over the fact that Mr. Lay will never spend a day in jail. According to one MSNBC report, people were actually upset that Mr. Lay got the easy way out. Some went so far as to accuse Mr. Lay of further conspiracy, as if he some how paid off the coroner to pronounce him dead so that he could live his life in peace somewhere out of the public eye. Of course, it s a little far fetched to think that Ken Lay s heart attack was some sort of get-out-of-jail-free card, designed to help him avoid facing the consequences of his actions. But, all those angry letters to MSNBC, in spite of the rather ungracious tone, reminded me of a story found in the book of Genesis, where thousands of years ago someone else had to face the consequences of cheating his brother. And that someone else, of course, was the patriarch Jacob, the man whose name became synonymous with the people of God. Maybe you remember how the whole thing started. In Genesis chapter 27, when Isaac their father was dying, he called Esau, the brother, to give him a blessing (Genesis 27:3-4): Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die. Now that kind of talk didn t sit well with Rebekah, the mother, because her favorite boy was Jacob, and God had promised her that Esau, the older brother, would serve Jacob, who was the younger brother. And to complicate matters even more, Jacob had already purchased the birthright, a special set of privileges set aside for the oldest boy, from Esau. And he did it by taking advantage of Esau when he was hungry. So, when Rebekah a heard that Isaac was going to give a blessing to his oldest son, she quickly encouraged Jacob to pull a horrible stunt on his father. R (Rebekah): Listen. Your father is old and blind. If you can disguise yourself a little, he ll easily think that you are Esau. So hurry up and get in there because your brother could be back at any minute. SB: Even though God had already promised that Jacob would be greater, Jacob decided to take matters into his own hands and force the will of God. And that, of course, was a recipe for disaster. Let s pick up the story now in Genesis 27:41: So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessings with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.
When Esau finds out what happened while he was out hunting, it makes him furious. As far as he s concerned, he s just been robbed, and his first reaction, his gut instinct, is to kill his brother, Jacob. Naturally, Jacob has to run and he stays away for more than 14 years. Now I wish we had time to examine the whole story more closely, because the life of Jacob is full of details that apply to you and me. But with the time I ve got today I want to focus on just one small story, because when you start to unpack it, you discover it has a startling last-day application. Let me show you what I mean. Even though the Bible is full of references to the life of Jacob, there is one reference in the book of Jeremiah that kind of leaves you scratching your head. Here it is in Jeremiah 30:5-7: For thus says the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. That s a pretty remarkable passage, because it describes a man so sick with fear that it looks like he s giving birth. Now at first glance, this appears to be talking about the nation of Israel when they realized they were going to be conquered by Babylon, and that is true in the primary sense. But the description is so vivid it kind of makes you wonder if there isn t something else going on. What kind of trouble could be so great that in Jeremiah s words, There is none like it? The answer is found in the last chapter of Daniel where there is this prophecy that predicts a final time of trouble. Listen to this (Daniel 12:1): At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. In no uncertain terms, the Bible predicts a final time of crisis for the people of God. According to this passage in Daniel, it happens just before Jesus comes, because the very next event in the very next verse is the resurrection of the dead. And by the sound of it, this is not a time of trouble for the wicked. It s a time of trouble that falls on the people of God, because the language is very specific. It s talking about a people whose names are written in the book, and it says that Michael is the great prince who stands up for these people. So we know, in effect, that it s talking about us. Now that doesn t mean that the rest of the world doesn t have trouble. You only have to read the 16th chapter of the book of Revelation to see that in the final moments before Jesus comes, God pours out his wrath against the sins of the earth in the form of terrible plagues. And at that instance, God s people will be able to claim the promise of Psalm 91, which says that (Psalm 91:10): No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling But the Bible is also clear that there is going to be a time of trouble for the people of God, unlike any in the history of the world, and in the book of Jeremiah it is called the time of Jacob s trouble. So, why exactly does this happen? And what should we expect as we round the corner to the final events here on planet Earth? Why does the Bible use Jacob s name to describe this? You find the answers in the 32nd chapter of the book of Genesis. After many long years of exile, which were the direct result of his foolish decision to deceive his father, Jacob decides it s time to go back home. Let s join the story now, beginning in verse one (Genesis 32:1-2): So, Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, This is God s camp. And he called the name of that place the Mahanaim. Jacob is on his way back to the land of promise, the inheritance given to Abraham and all his descendants, and along the way, Jacob comes across a group of angels. It s a clear signal that God s presence is definitely with him as he returns to the place of his birth.
And in the same way, you and I have to admit that as we look back over the course of our lives, many times we can see clear indications that God s been there with us. Maybe it was that miraculous time you got the job you so desperately needed, or the time you found a home you could afford when the market was playing against you and your income was barely enough to get by. Whatever it was, you can usually look back and see that God was there. But then comes a moment of grief. A time when things aren t quite so clear and we are tempted to think God isn t there anymore because, for the moment, we can t see Him. And that is where the story of Jacob comes into play. Just try to imagine what must have been going through his mind as he made his way slowly back to the scene of his crime. The last words his brother ever spoke before he left were, Just you wait until Dad s dead! Then I m going to kill you! And in his heart, Jacob knew he deserved it. Lord, he thinks, is this really the right decision? Are you really sending me back home? After all the problems I caused and after all the heartache I created, is this really the best thing to do? And then he sees them, a group of angels following his family as they make their way back to the land of Esau. It s a crystal-clear signal that God is on his side and that he has nothing to worry about, and then he does something rather unbelievable. Once again, Jacob insists on taking matters into his own hands. Here is what the Bible says happened (Genesis 32:3-5): Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Speak thus to my lord Esau, Thus your servant Jacob says: I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my Lord, that I may find favor in your sight. Did you see that? Even though Jacob has the promise of God that he will be the greater brother, and even though he just saw an army of angels following him out in the desert, he still doesn t have the kind of faith to really believe that God can take care of the details. So he sends a group of servants to bribe his brother Esau saying, Listen, I know you are mad, but I ve got all kinds of stuff and I ll give it to you if you ll just leave me alone. Let me ask you a rather pointed question. The greatest promise God has ever made to you in the pages of the Bible has to do with your salvation. In passage after passage, the Bible says that forgiveness is yours through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and there s nothing you can do to earn your forgiveness. It s simply a gift that is yours when you turn from your sins and ask God for forgiveness. Ephesians two says (Ephesians 2:8): For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God And still, even though the Bible says that, there are moments when you have to admit that you want to take care of it yourself. Don t you? It just doesn t seem right that you can t earn your salvation. Somehow there has to be something you can do to set the record straight, to pay off your debt and balance the books. Now, there is no question that God requires good behavior from us. He expects us to live by His laws. But, you know, that s something He wanted before we ever sinned. It is the minimum standard, and keeping God s law isn t going to fix the fact that you broke it. For that you need the atoning death of Jesus Christ, who paid your debt because you couldn t. Never forget what it says in Romans 5:6-8. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God s not going to accept you on the basis of what you can do for Him. He s going to accept you on the basis of what He can do for you. You don t have to make yourself good enough to come to Jesus, because that s not possible. And yet, a lot of people still doubt the promise of God, and just like Jacob, they try to fix things themselves.
There might be a Bible full of promises, there might be a band of angels following you across the desert, but still you want to fix things your own way, and just like Jacob, you are going to come up emptyhanded. Those servants came back without a thing, and that s when the time of Jacob s trouble began. Listen now to what happens in Genesis 32. It s a long passage, but it s important that we read it together, because it kind of speaks for itself. Here is what it says (Genesis 32:24-30): Then Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob s hip was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me! So he said to him, What is your name? He said, Jacob. And he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me your name, I pray. And he said, Why is it that you ask about my name? And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. This is the story of Jacob s encounter with God as he wrestles with his past, and he knows he s going to have to pay the price for his sins. He tries to fix the problem by himself. His mind is racked with doubts about what is going to happen. He wrestles with the consequences of his own sinful character, and then right in the middle of the night, when he s completely alone with his anguished thoughts, he meets with God and they begin to wrestle. You know, it is a strange thing, but often those who are closest to God are the ones most aware of their own imperfections, and I suspect that in the story of Jacob s trouble, God is giving us a signal as to what we can expect in that final crisis before Jesus comes. The picture painted by the book of Revelation isn t a very pretty one. The whole world turns its back on God and worships a power inspired by the devil himself. And like the rulers in Daniel s day, when they see a group that refuses to bow down to anything other than the Creator, their pride is inflamed and they turn with wrath against the God s church, and in that moment they will feel absolutely confident that they are doing the right thing. As the world pulls through to the final moments, they no longer feel the pangs of conscious that would convict them of their sins, because probation is now over and most of the world has gone past the point of no return. But the people of God, on the other hand, they ve clung closely to God, and their hope rests entirely on the merits of Christ, and that is when the time of Jacob s trouble begins. All of the evidence is going to seem to point in the wrong direction. The last-day beast power is the one who works all the miracles. The overwhelming masses of the human race point to their numbers as evidence they can t be wrong. And for just a moment, ever so brief, it seems like the God they know simply can t be found. It s almost as if the people of God passed through a Gethsemane experience and a Calvary all their own a moment where in the darkness of the night and under the weight of sin they cry out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Their faces turn pale, covered with the grimace of agony, like a woman giving birth. But in spite of the pain, in spite of the mental agony, their faith is strong, and like Jacob wrestling with the angels, they cry out, Lord, I m just not going to let you go. You know, Jacob came away from his encounter with God with a damaged hip. For the rest of his life, he would have a permanent reminder that your own strength is not enough. Your own plans will never win the day. One of my favorite Christian authors, in a passage I find especially meaningful, puts it like this: It was by self-surrender and confiding faith that Jacob gained what he had failed to gain by conflict in his own strength. God thus taught his servant that divine power and grace alone could give him the blessing he craved. Thus it will be with those who live in the last days, as danger surrounds them and despair seizes upon the soul, they must depend solely upon the merits of the atonement. We can do nothing of ourselves. In all our helpless unworthiness, we must trust in the merits of the crucified and risen Savior. None will ever perish while they do this. The long, black catalog of our delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete. None of our offenses are
delinquencies is before the eye of the Infinite. The register is complete. None of our offenses are forgotten, but He who listened to the cries of His servants of old, will hear the prayer of faith and pardon our transgressions. He has promised and He will fulfill His Word. There is no question about it; there are tough times ahead. All you have to do is flip through the book of Revelation for a couple of minutes and it is enough to keep you up at night if you don t know Jesus. You see, it is knowing Him that is going to make all the difference in the world, and the better you know Jesus the more you are going to trust Him. You ll discover He is a God who always keeps His word, and when the crisis hits, His word will be good enough. Just listen to how the final crisis ends (Daniel 12:1): At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Did you catch it? The crisis ends with deliverance. It says the same thing over in Jeremiah 30:7: Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. That s the promise of God. You can take that to the bank. When the final crisis hits, you can face it knowing you ll be delivered in a heartbeat when Jesus comes. A young woman got a job in a textile mill and on the first day of work she noticed a big sign on the wall that said, When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman. That made pretty good sense to her until hours into the job her thread actually became tangled. Woman: There is no need to call the foreman because this looks pretty simple. I ll just sort it out myself. That is when she discovered why that sign was on the wall. The harder she tried to fix the thread the worse it got tangled, and the whole production line began to slow down because of her stubborn refusal to ask for help. Finally she gave in and called the foreman. Female: I already tried to fix it myself, and I did the best I could. Man: That s not the best you can do. To do your best, you should have called me. That is exactly the lesson we can learn from the experience of Jacob. In this life, you have a choice. You can try to do things your own way, but it is going to leave a mess of tangled thread. And the more you try to fix your moral deficiencies all by yourself, the worse the problem gets. By the time we get to Genesis 32, the thread is tangled so badly there is not much hope. And that is when you ll discover that the Bible has this big sign in it that says, When your thread gets tangled, call Jesus. That is the secret of last-day survival. Those who make it through are the ones who realize they can t fix the problem by themselves, and in those final dark moments before Jesus comes, they are going to survive on their faith in God s ability. One day you are going to have to face your record there is no ducking out. The question is: Are you going to face it on your own, or will you finally trust God to handle it for you? Why don t we pray together? PRAYER: Father, we have to admit that we ve made an awful mess of our lives, and the harder we try to fix it the worse it seems to get. So today we are going to take a step in faith. We d rather trust you and let you sort it out with us. Teach us to live by faith and lean on Jesus. For we pray it in His name, Amen. Scriptures Used in The Time of Jacob's Trouble Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die. Genesis 27:3-4
Genesis 27:3-4 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessings with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob. Genesis 27:41 For thus says the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:5-7 At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Daniel 12:1 No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling Psalm 91:10 So, Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, This is God s camp. And he called the name of that place the Mahanaim. Genesis 32:1-2 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Speak thus to my lord Esau, Thus your servant Jacob says: I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my Lord, that I may find favor in your sight. Genesis 32:3-5 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8 Then Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob s hip was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaks. But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me! So he said to him, What is your name? He said, Jacob. And he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me your name, I pray. And he said, Why is it that you ask about my name? And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Genesis 32:24-30 At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Daniel 12:1 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 Keywords: Shawn Boonstra It Is Written Box O Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 USA Tel: (805) 433-0210 Fax: (805) 433-0218 Copyright 2010, It Is Written International Television. All rights reserved. Webmaster