12/22 Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Parting or Escape)

Topic: Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Parting or Escape) 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:1-15 & 24-29

23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” 2 he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 

5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 

6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will.”

12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will.”

13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.”

The most dangerous moment for a newborn is likely the very instant they are born, transitioning from their mother’s womb into the outside world. Though they cannot speak, how frightening it must be for them! Therefore, it is important to create the safest, most calming, and comfortable environment possible to help the newborn adjust. 

It is customary to wrap newborns in swaddling clothes (baby wraps). Swaddling involves gently wrapping a newborn in a light, breathable blanket, inserting the baby’s arms into it, and allowing some movement of the legs. This idea helps create a safe and comforting environment that calms and soothes the baby, resembling the environment of the mother's womb. 

The goal is to make the baby feel cozy and safe, just like when they were in the womb. Wrapping newborns in swaddling clothes is a long-standing tradition practiced in many cultures and is recommended for parents who have just had a baby. The benefits of swaddling include the following:

1. When a newborn is swaddled, the gentle pressure around their body mimics the sensation of being in the womb, which can help reduce fussiness and promote relaxation.

1. Newborns are easily startled and automatically react to surprises. Swaddling the baby can reduce the frequency of the startle reflex, which lowers the chances of the baby waking up unexpectedly. When a newborn is startled, it can cause anxiety for both the baby and the parents, especially during sleep.
   
   Swaddling helps keep the baby’s arms close to their body, which suppresses the startle reflex and provides more uninterrupted sleep. Therefore, swaddling the baby in this way can be an effective method to help the baby sleep longer and more deeply.

1. Since newborns' ability to regulate body temperature is still developing, they are easily affected by cold or overheating. Swaddling helps maintain a steady body temperature without the suffocation risk of heavy blankets, adding warmth to the baby.

1. The transition from the womb to the outside world can be overwhelming for a newborn. Swaddling helps recreate the cozy and secure environment of the womb, which can provide comfort and stability for the baby. This sense of security can reduce crying and improve overall mood, making the early stages of parenting easier to manage. Experts emphasize that it can be particularly helpful in reducing crying and irritability during the first few months.

1. One of the greatest concerns for parents of newborns is the risk of SIDS. Swaddling, combined with safe sleep practices, can help reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infants Death Syndrome). It is emphasized that babies swaddled should always sleep on their back, as this position is associated with a lower risk of SIDS.
   
   It is also important not to swaddle the baby too tightly, especially around the hips. Tight swaddling can lead to hip development issues, so it is necessary to leave space for the baby’s legs to move freely.
   
   In summary, swaddling a newborn promotes better sleep, reduces the startle reflex, and provides comfort and security. Swaddling supports the baby’s healthy sleep, calming, safety, and development, making it an essential parenting practice for at least the first 2-3 months of life.

Just as swaddling is essential for newborns, protecting life, even as adults, we too need a "swaddle" that can protect our lives. There are many times when we cannot protect ourselves. Today, the story of David highlights this even more. 

David was constantly running away and hiding because Saul, who was trying to kill him every day, was relentlessly pursuing him, David lived in fear. Escaping narrowly from Saul’s pursuit, David continued to survive, but it was not easy. Saul relentlessly chased David, but he could never catch him. It is because of God's providence, the Selah-hammah-lekhoth – the Rock of Parting.

The Israelites, who had entered and were living in the promised land, desired to become a stable nation like the surrounding countries. They demanded from the prophet Samuel that they too should have a king like other nations, and God, through Samuel, appointed Saul as their first king. 

Saul was the king chosen because the people of Israel asked for him. However, from the very beginning of his reign, Saul became more concerned about the people and feared them more than God, and he did not follow God's commands. He acted according to his own will, disobeying God, and as a result, he was rejected by God.

In contrast to Saul, the king that the people demanded, David was the king that God sent to the Israelites. David, who had been a shepherd tending to sheep, was exactly the kind of person God was seeking. 

God anointed David as the second king of Israel, and from that moment, David was filled with the Holy Spirit. He served Saul in the royal palace by God's providence, learning obedience. 

However, Saul, having been rejected by God, began to feel jealous of David, who was more capable than him, and made a firm decision to kill David. To accomplish this, Saul used his son, daughter, priests, and military forces. Saul dedicated himself entirely to trying to kill David. 

However, because he did not fully commit to his duty as king, particularly in the war with the Philistines, Saul had to fight them for the rest of his life.

What are the things you are doing half-heartedly?

Because of Saul’s continued pursuit, David fled to the land of the Philistines. Fearing that his identity might be exposed there, David did something desperate: he pretended to be insane. Eventually, David sought refuge in the cave of Adullam in Judah. 

There, David became the leader of 400 people who were oppressed, suffering in darkness, and unjustly treated. At that time, the prophet Gad urged David not to stay in the stronghold but to go into the land of Judah. David obeyed and entered Judah.

While David was in Judah, he heard that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and raiding its grain. David prayed to the Lord, asking if he should go to war against the Philistines. Although Saul still held the throne, David, the future king, was permitted to go to war.

It seems that David may have waited for Saul to respond to the Philistine attack on Keilah before proceeding. Saul likely heard about the Philistine oppression of Keilah but did nothing in response. 

Why did Saul, upon hearing the news that the people of Keilah were being oppressed by the Philistines, take no action? It is speculated that Saul hated David's tribe, the tribe of Judah, and therefore refused to go to war to defend them.

The reason David asked God if he should go to war with the Philistines was because he anticipated Saul’s anger if he took such action. Saul had been pursuing him daily, trying to kill him, and David did not want to provoke him further. 

However, as the situation worsened, David asked the Lord again whether he should go to war against the Philistines. The Lord answered and commanded David to go and defeat the Philistines to save Keilah.

David’s men, however, opposed the idea. They were already living in fear, constantly fleeing from Saul, and they felt that facing the Philistines would only add to their danger. 

But when David asked the Lord once more, the Lord assured him that He would deliver the Philistines into his hands. With this assurance, David went to war with the Philistines, defeated them, and saved the people of Keilah.

Amidst the battle with King Saul, who sought to kill him, David was also concerned about the crisis facing the community. David was fleeing from King Saul, uncertain of when he might lose his life, yet despite all the dangers, he courageously went out to fight for God's people.

 Even though, as his men pointed out, he could be putting himself in greater danger, David trusted in and obeyed God's word, going to battle and achieving victory. As the king sent by God to save Israel, David was willing to sacrifice his life.

On the other hand, King Saul was neglecting his royal duties. He was continuing to chase David. When Saul learned that David had entered Keilah, he exclaimed, "Now God has given him into my hands"(23:7). 

Saul believed that because God was on his side, he would finally be able to capture David. Saul thought of David as a mouse trapped in a cage. Saul then gathered his soldiers for battle and went down to Keilah to surround David. This marks a clear contrast: David was engaged in God's battle, while Saul was not. 

While Saul did not gather an army to defend the people of Keilah, who were being oppressed by the Philistines, he used the nation’s military force to pursue his personal goal of capturing David. 

As a result, David and his followers were in even greater danger, while Saul thought that the perfect opportunity from God had come. But would God truly give David into Saul’s hands as Saul thought?

God had handed the Philistines over to David, because the Philistines were a common enemy of both God and David. However, the passage tells us that God would never give David into Saul’s hands (verse 15). 

Why? Because David was not an enemy of God. Saul often made mistakes in his judgments. Just because David was Saul’s enemy did not mean that David was God’s enemy. This was Saul's very personal and subjective opinion. 

When one becomes too subjective, they fail to make proper assessments of situations. King Saul ignored God's war against the Philistines, a battle for God’s people. Instead, he mobilized the army to wage a war to eliminate David, the greatest threat to his kingship, driven by his own desires.

In doing so, he misinterpreted God’s providence for his own purposes, even using the suffering of the people of Keilah to serve his own ends. Saul was waging his own war, not God's.

On the other hand, David was fully aware that Saul was looking to kill him, and he moved accordingly. David asked God again, saying, "Lord, God of Israel, I have heard for certain that Saul has come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. Will the people of Keilah surrender me into Saul’s hands?" (23:10-11). 

The Lord answered David that Saul would come down and that the people of Keilah would indeed surrender him into Saul's hands. As a result, David and his men left Keilah, and Saul ceased his military action.

Even when David was walking through the valley of the shadow of death, he sought to align his path with God’s will. He did not use God for his own benefit or use the community as a tool to fulfill his own purposes. 

Neither did he rely on great national power or military strength to achieve his goals. Instead, David voluntarily entered deeper into enemy territory and selflessly fought for Israel.

However, this did not mean that David’s suffering stopped. Whether great or small, all the hardships he faced were things he had to endure. In verse 14, we see that after leaving Keilah, David did not return to a place of safety but continued to hide in the wilderness. 

Despite his selflessness, suffering did not cease, and David’s life was one of fleeing and hiding. Even though he walked with the Lord, David still faced hardship.

After fleeing from Keilah, David lived in the strongholds of the wilderness of Ziph, which was in the territory of Judah. Once again, the Ziphites, who were from David’s own tribe, Judah, betrayed him and handed him over to Saul. 

With the help of the Ziphites, Saul came close to capturing David. Psalm 54 was written by David during this time, when the Ziphites went to Saul and reported David’s whereabouts, betraying him.

1Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
     ruthless people are trying to kill me—
     people without regard for God.

4 Surely God is my help;
     the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
     in your faithfulness destroy them.

We can understand the emotional state of David when he wrote this psalm after being betrayed by his own family. Thankfully, David's friend Jonathan visits him in this situation to offer comfort. Jonathan reassures David that he will definitely become king. 

Saul, on the other hand, resolves to search all over Judah to find David. In verse 23, Saul told the Ziphites like this:

"Go and prepare thoroughly. Find out where he is hiding and who saw him, and get detailed information. From what I've heard, he is very cunning. You must search every possible hiding place, and bring back reliable information. Then I will go with you. As long as he is in this land, I will search all the villages of Judah and find him, no matter what."

Saul’s determination to search every village in Judah to kill David leads him to the Wilderness of Ziph. When David, who was in the Wilderness of Maon at that time, hears this news, he descends to the rocks in the wilderness. 

Saul follows him there. So, while Saul and David were on the same mountain, David was fleeing from one side while Saul pursued him from the other side. It was a chase, back and forth. 

However, at this moment, Saul receives news that the Philistines have suddenly invaded Israel, and he is forced to turn back. He had to divert his attention and abandon his pursuit of David. 

According to Matthew Henry's Commentary, scholars generally agree that without such divine intervention, David would almost certainly have been captured. It is also interesting to speculate about which area of Israel the Philistines attacked. 

One might ask why Saul had not acted so quickly when Keilah was attacked, but now he is hurrying to leave. Henry speculates that the area might have been Saul's territory in Israel. If it had not been, Saul would not have stopped pursuing David. 

The place where Saul stopped his pursuit and David was able to escape is called the Rock of Escape or the Rock of Parting. Whenever Saul came to pursue David, he missed David. What made the difference? Was it because, as Saul said, David was cunning and managed to avoid death? Or was there another reason?

The Rock of parting symbolizes God's providence between David and Saul. The fates of David and of Saul were separated, and life was spared from death. In other words, David narrowly escaped King Saul's pursuit, and it was the moment of his salvation from death. Psalm 66:8-9 says,

8 Praise our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
    and kept our feet from slipping.

God’s providence saved David from the brink of destruction, never allowing him to fall into Saul’s hands. The reason Saul always missed David by a hair’s breadth is because God was protecting David's life. We can find the reason for this in the words Abigail spoke to David in 1 Samuel 25:28-29:

" 28 “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling."

The reason Saul always missed David by a hair’s breadth is that God was holding David’s life securely, wrapped in the bundle of life. At the beginning, we discussed how important swaddling is for a newborn. For a newborn to adapt to the world, to be calm and safely protected, they must be wrapped in swaddling clothes for a period of time. 

Similarly, no matter how much Saul pursued David day and night, God was wrapping David’s life in His protective swaddle, preserving and guarding it. This is why David experienced what is referred to as Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Escape or the Rock of Parting). 

God kept David’s life in His protective covering. While David fled, he must have experienced being enveloped in God’s protective covering. But even though Saul mobilized the entire army, he could not take David’s life, which was under God’s protection.

When we protect valuable treasures, we use locks and keys to secure them. But our lives are not protected by locks and keys. Only when our lives are in God’s protective covering will they be preserved forever. This is because God Himself is the guardian of that life. 

Those who, like David, fully trust in the Lord, who live with the Lord as their Protector, and who always fight the Lord's battles, will experience Selah-hammah-lekhoth. The reason is that their lives are wrapped in the Lord's protective covering of life.

Jews often use this verse as an inscription on their tombstones:

"Here we have laid the body, but trust that the soul is bound up in the bundle of life, with the Lord our God. There it is safe, while the dust of the body is scattered.”

Are you now wrapped in God's protective covering of life, experiencing the Rock of parting Selah-hammah-lekhoth right now?

Let us pray.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). First, take a moment to reflect on what Jesus said here. Start from here and reflect whether you are, like David, fully trusting in the Lord, believing Him to be your Protector. 

Jesus is our protective covering of life. I will offer a heartfelt prayer, praising Him, dwelling in His Word, and hoping that we can trust in Him and live in greater dependence on Him.

Are you helping those around you who are in need, or are you, like the proverb says, “too focused on your own problems,” avoiding God’s work because you are too caught up in your own urgent issues? 

David fought against the Philistines for the residents of Keilah, willing to sacrifice himself for them. King David was a type of the coming Jesus Christ. Our true King, Jesus, gave everything for our salvation. 

Because of Him, like the people of Keilah, you and I have escaped the power of sin and death. Through Jesus, Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Escape) has become real for us. Fight the Lord's battles! That is God's will. Serve the community well. I will pray for that.

Now think about the symbol of God’s providence that is happening in your life. David relied completely on God, while Saul relied only on himself. If you have faith like David’s, God will command your escape from the Philistines at the most desperate moment. 

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you this, you will not stand firm (Isaiah 7:9). In the events of God's providence, I will take a moment to pray that you may experience God bringing about your escape through the Philistines.

12/15 The Lord’s Resting Place

Date: December 15, 2024

Title: The Lord’s Resting Place

Scripture:

[Acts 7:44-49]

44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,

46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49 “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?”

The passage we just read captures Stephen’s final cry. What enraged the religious leaders to the point of losing control and rushing to silence him was his claim that “God does not dwell in the Jerusalem temple.”

This was the same accusation that provoked them to seize Jesus—setting up false witnesses to claim that He threatened to destroy the temple.

Last week, we examined how easily Israel fell into idolatry, worshiping the golden calf as if it were the Lord God Himself. They sang to it, calling their idolatry worship.

In today’s cry, Stephen is essentially shouting, “Don’t you see that you’ve begun to call this temple building the Lord God? This too is idolatry!”

Do you hear Stephen’s cry?

Or perhaps you think: “Isn’t it too harsh to call the temple of God an idol? Could that really be true?”

Yet, consider this: When Jesus was on the cross, passersby mocked Him, repeating this very accusation.

[Mark 15:29-30]

29 Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying,

“So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,

30 come down from the cross and save yourself!”

For these people, the temple itself had become their god.

They did not set up idols like Molech or openly worship false gods.

To them, even the word “idol” was a term of utter disgust.

But what was the reality?

The temple building, along with the laws and commandments given by God, had become idols to them.

Stephen’s cry was this: “How can this building contain all of God? Can the Scriptures you study and memorize fully contain Him? Is God so small?”

No, to Him, the whole earth is merely His footstool.

When I undergo a medical examination, the doctor may learn a lot of medical data about me, but that doesn’t mean they know me as my wife or family does.

[1 John 4:7-8]

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

This is not about knowledge of the Bible.

That’s why Jesus rebuked the teachers of the law, calling them “blind” for reading the Scriptures every day but failing to see God.

It’s like receiving a letter from a loved one and being impressed by its content, studying and memorizing it, but not actually thinking about the person behind the letter—becoming fixated on the letter itself while failing to love its author. How could something so absurd happen?

Isn’t that frustrating and baffling?

This doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of Satan’s persistent deception.

Satan blinds our eyes in this way. He tempts us by baiting our desires and, at the same time, makes us idolize even the good things God has given us, like the temple or the law, leading us to the path of destruction.

The problem is, this path appears to be a good one. It looks like a smooth road that promises stability and success, but its end is destruction.

That’s why Jesus emphasized:

[Matthew 7:13-14]

13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

When we encounter an easy and wide-open path, we should not feel relieved.

Instead, we must seek the Lord more earnestly and stay alert, because, as Jesus warned, they come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

[Amos 5:25-27]

25 Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god—which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.

This passage is very similar to last week’s text. Some scholars even argue that Stephen quoted from Amos, but upon closer examination, this is not the case.

Verse 25 is nearly identical: “For forty years in the wilderness, you never truly worshiped me.” However, in Amos, additional idols such as your king—Melek, Sikkuth, and Kiyyun—are mentioned, and the place of exile for their idolatry is Damascus, located in present-day Syria.

Amos’s warning was fulfilled in 722 BC when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria.

Meanwhile, in Acts, Stephen referred to exile in Babylon, which occurred approximately 120 years later when the Kingdom of Judah was taken to Babylon (modern-day Iraq), where they spent 70 years.

Though the events are similar, they refer to two distinct incidents.

The objects of worship and the resulting tragedies may differ slightly, but ultimately, the same patterns are repeated over and over.

How different is our era today? Why does the tragic history of humanity repeat itself?

When we look at what is most emphasized in the Ten Commandments, we see that God did not want to be represented by any visible form. Nevertheless, seeing the limitations of the Israelites, God provided something visible for them.

Interestingly, the things God instructed them to make all share a characteristic:

simplicity.

Where had the Israelites come from at that time?

They had just left Egypt, hadn’t they?

For example, Egypt’s most famous structure, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, stands at a height of 150 meters—about the same height as New York’s Flatiron Building—but its base covers an area equivalent to about eight New York city blocks.

And that was just a tomb for one pharaoh.

Additionally, there were massive statues, such as the Great Sphinx, which stands 20 meters tall and stretches 80 meters long.

Even today, these structures are considered awe-inspiring and mysterious in their grandeur.

Yet, what did God provide to represent His presence?

The stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. According to the Talmud, these tablets were thin and small, approximately 30 cm by 30 cm in size.

The Ark of the Covenant, which housed the tablets, was a small box less than one square meter in size.

And the tabernacle, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, was a modest structure measuring only 63 square meters (about 19 pyeong in the traditional Korean system).

To compare the scales, it looks something like this:

To the Israelites who had lived surrounded by the grandeur of the Great Sphinx and the pyramids, the tabernacle—barely different from the tents they lived in—must have seemed exceedingly modest.

While idols compete to display their greatness, why is the true God so humble?

The first reason is that, unlike idols, God did not want to burden His people with heavy obligations.

Jesus also said to His disciples:

[Matthew 11:28-30]

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

More importantly, God did not want to compete in the same realm as visible, finite, and temporary things.

Have you ever had a favorite book you read as a child?

If that book was ever made into a movie, you were probably disappointed.

Even the best-made film can never fully recreate the scenes you imagined while reading.

Technology continues to advance, from 4K to 8K, and with AI creating ultra-realistic virtual worlds. Yet, these cannot compare to the boundless experience of diving into the world of a book as a child.

When imagining, time flows differently, space is transcended, and the laws of physics are ignored in a limitless world where we get a taste of eternity. We were created to have these extraordinary experiences within ourselves, without the need for VR headsets or similar devices.

While advancements like TV and virtual reality make it seem like imagination is becoming reality, most of the “realities” we enjoy today were imagined decades ago in someone’s writings.

Those authors experienced these realities long before the technology to create them existed.

Even in today’s highly developed world, our reality is merely catching up to the imagination of the past—it has not surpassed it.

However, as we rely on conveniences like driving everywhere, we might begin to find even a 10-meter walk burdensome.

This is an example of technology diminishing human abilities.

New technologies may cause us to lose opportunities to train and develop our imagination. We must be cautious about this.

Reading books and engaging in deep conversations with others can stimulate and train our imagination.

For me, the happiest moments with my children are when we talk about heaven.

In those moments, the experience of such a world becomes vivid, and the more we discuss it, the clearer it becomes. It is a training of the imagination.

The Second Commandment is directly related to this concept.

God not only forbade the making of images of false gods but also prohibited creating any representation of Himself.

Many artists have tried, but not even one of God’s essential attributes—such as His love—can be perfectly represented in any form.

God cannot be depicted by anything on earth.

Is Michelangelo’s depiction of a white-bearded man supposed to be God?

It may represent one small, partial image of God that the artist envisioned through prayer, but it can never fully express who God is.

As someone who draws, I’ve tried countless times to depict God, but neither on canvas nor even within my heart could I ever capture His image.

Yet, this does not mean I’ve experienced God’s absence.

In those moments, as I earnestly sought God with all my heart, I couldn’t capture Him in an image, but I could feel His presence. God was undeniably with me during that process.

The reason God has not given us a visual image of Himself is that He desires this kind of imagination and focus from us.

It is not merely intellectual concentration but a total dedication of all our being.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

—Hebrews 11:1

This does not mean imagining something that doesn’t exist.

It means using our imagination to perceive the One who is real and present with us.

This is spiritual focus. This is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.

This is the faith to see the unseen God.

This is also why we, unlike followers of other religions, do not create or display images in our homes.

Some Protestants, citing the Second Commandment, criticize Catholics harshly for creating and displaying various images or statues.

If someone can often think of Jesus in their daily life without such items, and if they can remain spiritually focused, that is undoubtedly the best case.

But if they rarely think about the Lord throughout their day and place a small cross on their bookshelf to remind themselves of Him, even for a brief moment when their eyes pass over it—would the Lord really say they have violated the Second Commandment?

Moreover, if they are not keeping the other commandments perfectly themselves, they have no right to criticize others for this.

Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments as follows:

[Matthew 22:37-40]

37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus explained that all the laws, including the Ten Commandments, are condensed into two principles: love for God and love for one’s neighbor.

The Ten Commandments, which consist of ten laws, are generally divided into two parts:

• Commandments 1 to 4 deal with our relationship with God.

• Commandments 5 to 10 concern our relationship with other people.

However, Jews traditionally hold certain numbers as significant—3, 7, 10, and 12.

For this reason, I believe the commandments concerning God are not four but the complete number, three:

• Commandments 1 to 3 focus on God,

• Commandments 5 to 10 (six in total) focus on humanity,

• and the 4th Commandment—the Sabbath—stands in between, as a meeting point of God and humanity.

Thus, the Ten Commandments are structured as:

• Three for God,

• Six for humanity,

• One uniting the two in the Sabbath.

This completes the Ten Commandments.

If we count the commandments, however, the ones concerning humanity are twice as numerous as those concerning God. Why is this the case?

Jesus gives us a clue:

[John 15:12]

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Jesus redefined the Ten Commandments, condensing the two principles into one: “Love one another.”

The Apostle John explains why this love is so central:

[1 John 4:20-21]

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

21 And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

One critical point here is that the word “love” has been distorted in meaning, so we must first clarify its true definition.

[John 15:13]

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

The love described in the Bible refers to this kind of self-sacrificial love.

Most of us experience this love primarily through the love of a mother. Ordinary mothers are willing to sacrifice everything for their children. For this reason, we often encounter God’s true love through our mothers.

However, there is a difference: can you extend such love—not for your children—but for your friends?

This is transcendent love, not of this world, but love that comes from heaven and is enabled by divine life.

The Hebrew word “hesed” embodies this meaning. Often translated as “kindness,” it refers to a love that manifests through kindness—

not kindness to make oneself look good or from surplus resources, but kindness that comes at a cost, kindness that involves sacrifice and loss.

This is the love God demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ.

Perhaps few of us will ever face a situation where we must literally lay down our lives for a friend.

However, all of us have someone we can show such sacrificial kindness to for the Lord’s sake.

Primarily, we are meant to be such people for one another.

In today’s passage, Stephen refers to the tabernacle where the Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant would be placed as the “tent of testimony.”

In Hebrew, the word “edut” has three meanings: “testimony,” “law,” and “covenant.” This is why the Ark of the Covenant is sometimes referred to as the Ark of the Testimony.

However, since today’s text comes from the New Testament, it was written in Greek rather than Hebrew. Among several interpretative options, Stephen deliberately chose the expression “tent of testimony.”

He emphasized the meaning of the tabernacle as a testimony.

What kind of testimony?

The very existence of the tabernacle served as evidence of God’s presence with His people.

If the tabernacle is the “tent of testimony,” then the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments also become the “tablets of testimony.”

[Exodus 25:16]

“Place inside the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.”

The Ark of the Covenant, made during the time of Moses, remained with Israel as a symbol of God’s presence for nearly a thousand years until the time of David.

Under Solomon, David’s son, the ark was finally placed in the temple—Israel’s first immovable structure built to house it.

As we saw earlier, the tabernacle was a small structure of about 63 square meters (19 pyeong), and even Solomon’s temple, compared to the temples of other idols, was modest. This is why Herod expanded it to nearly ten times its original size in volume.

Did Herod do this out of love for God? No, it was to display his own grandeur and authority.

However, as the Second Commandment clearly states, seeing God through visible forms was only a temporarily permitted way; God never intended to limit Himself to such representations.

When the tabernacle is called the “tent of testimony” and the tablets of the Ten Commandments are referred to as the “tablets of testimony,” it signifies that the Israelites were to live as witnesses of the living and loving God.

Two thousand years ago, in a season as cold as today, God’s presence came to this earth in an entirely different way—humble and unassuming.

A child was born with the name Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

Looking at the life of Jesus, He was not only the fulfillment of God’s promises—the Ark of the Covenant—but also the Ark of Testimony.

He revealed the living God and lived as His testimony.

Likewise, we are called to do the same.

When Jesus came, Judaism had become a heap of hypocrisy, even though the temple was the most extravagant it had ever been in history.

Was it a coincidence that the largest and most elaborate cathedrals were built just before the Catholic Church faced the Reformation?

Building something grand and magnificent, like Herod’s temple, is not what pleases the Lord.

Our Lord, who said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” did not value such things.

As the “tent of testimony” of God’s presence among us, we are to live in such a way that demonstrates it through our lives and words as witnesses of Christ.

In this cold season, we remember the Lord who was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn, who rested in a manger used to feed animals.

Though the place was humble and uncomfortable, His heart was surely filled with joy.

And now, the Lord comes to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit,

choosing to reside in hearts that may be even humbler and more uncomfortable than the manger.

No matter how shabby we may be, the One who dwells in us is the King of kings.

He declares, “You are my temple.”

Moses, whom God loved so much, never entered the Promised Land.

David, whom God called “beloved,” was not permitted to build the temple.

Yet, who are we that He would make us His temple?

He has made us His “tent of testimony.”

He desires us to live as witnesses, bearing the testimony of Jesus.

Just as Jesus revealed the unseen God, we are called to become “little Christs,” showing Him to the world.

Even though He is unseen, we must cultivate spiritual focus on the Lord within us,

becoming increasingly aware of Him, communicating with Him in every moment until we grow into the full measure of Christ.

If a cross helps you focus, look at it.

If a quiet hymn helps, seek the Lord in the hymn.

If the Scriptures draw you near, meet the Lord through the Word.

But do not remain there.

Train yourself to focus on the Lord even when you cannot see the cross, hear the hymn, or open the Bible—

in your workplace, at home, or even while driving.

Do not remain still.

Strive to reach the full measure of Christ, opening the narrow gate and walking the narrow path.

If we are reborn in Christ, we must now grow into maturity.

Love cannot be fully learned by simply receiving it. It must be practiced through sacrifice and kindness.

This is why the church was established and why the Lord commanded us to love one another.

Only then will we become the resting place where the Lord finds joy and peace. Amen.

Let us pray.

12/8 How to cross the Desert

Acts Sermon 35

Date: 12/8/2024

Title: How to cross the Desert

Text: [Acts 7:38-45]

38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.

39 But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’

41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.

42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon, and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings

forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek

and the star of your god Rephan,

the idols you made to worship.

Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon.

44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David.

With the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites escaped from Egypt. When Moses stretched out his hand again, the walls of water collapsed, wiping out Pharaoh and his elite army entirely.

Here lies the profound wisdom of God. Although we cannot fully comprehend His plans, we can glimpse some of His divine purposes now, which were unknown at the time.

God orchestrated this situation intentionally.

Looking at the map, there was a route to Canaan that didn’t require crossing the Red Sea. Yet, God chose to show this extraordinary event. Why? Firstly, it was to establish Moses’ authority among the Israelites, who were quick to complain. Through Moses, God demonstrated the kind of people He wanted Israel to be.

Secondly, it was to completely annihilate Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. The Israelites were about to embark on a long journey through the wilderness. Who could guarantee that Pharaoh wouldn’t change his mind and attack them again? By this act, God ensured Pharaoh’s forces would never threaten them.

However, these two reasons didn’t necessarily require parting the sea. The most significant purpose behind this method was to make it absolutely clear that there was no going back. How could they return after crossing through a path carved in the sea?

It was God’s strongest declaration: “Do not even dream of returning to Egypt.”

Yet, despite this, some among the Israelites continued to grumble and long for Egypt at every opportunity. Still, God took this extraordinary measure to minimize such thoughts, sealing the way back as if covering it with a lid and stamping it with a seal. Later, the Apostle Paul compared this event to baptism.

Thus began 40 years in the wilderness.

Stephen, in the New Testament, referred to the Israelites in the wilderness as the “church in the wilderness.”

Jesus and His disciples also provided verses defining the purpose of the church in the world. Likewise, Stephen highlighted an essential aspect of what it means to be the church.

The Greek word for church, ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía), derives from “ἐκ” (meaning “out of”) and “καλέω” (meaning “to call”), with “σία” indicating the result of an action. Combined, it signifies “those who have been called out” — a gathering of people who have been summoned out of the world, though still living in it, to form a community.

Stephen further explains what kind of community this is:

a group of people walking together through the wilderness — a wilderness community.

Does this concept of the wilderness feel familiar to you?

Ultimately, the true Canaan where we will dwell forever is the Kingdom of God. From that perspective, our life on earth is, in the grand scheme of things, a journey through the wilderness.

So why didn’t God, after performing such miraculous acts to save the Israelites, take them directly into Canaan? Why did they have to spend 40 years in the wilderness?

Stephen highlights the infamous “golden calf” incident as the root cause of many problems, pointing to it as the most significant reason behind Israel’s failure. Ultimately, every other issue stemmed from this one event.

This incident took place while Moses was on Mount Sinai, spending forty days in God’s presence.

[Exodus 32:23]

“They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’”

The Israelites were overwhelmed with anxiety. They begged for a god they could look at, one that would give them a sense of stability. In response, they collected the gold they had brought from Egypt and handed it to Aaron.

It’s baffling to consider what Aaron was thinking when he complied with their request and crafted the golden calf. Later, when Moses confronted him, Aaron explained his actions by saying he was afraid of the crowd’s demands. However, Aaron described something extraordinary in the process of making the calf:

[Exodus 32:24]

“So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

This, of course, is not entirely accurate. The Bible explicitly states that Aaron fashioned a mold, poured the molten gold into it, and then carved the figure of a calf. Despite this, Aaron’s statement implies that he experienced something beyond his own capability—a supernatural phenomenon.

This is evident in what Aaron declared to the Israelites after creating the golden calf:

[Exodus 32:4]

“He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’”

Aaron made the golden calf with his own hands, yet he proclaimed to the Israelites, “This is your god, Israel, who brought you out of Egypt!” He even built an altar in front of it and claimed that this idol was “the LORD.” The people celebrated, eating, drinking, and dancing before the idol.

How could such a thing happen?

Aaron was astonished at the outcome of his craftsmanship, perhaps believing that God had assisted him in creating the golden calf. Despite being chosen by God, Aaron failed to discern between the true God and deceitful spirits.

Even today, people celebrate great inventions and admire those who make life easier for humanity, often elevating them as heroes. However, if such talents and popularity truly come from God, it will be evident through the fruit of their lives. It’s critical to remember that such abilities are not always from God.

How shocking is it that the Israelites, along with Aaron, were dancing and rejoicing before Satan in worship, proclaiming that the golden calf was the LORD who had delivered them from Egypt?

The oldest literary work in human history is considered to be the “Epic of Gilgamesh” from Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh is believed to have been a real figure who lived in the region of Uruk (modern-day Iraq). The oldest archaeological record of him is found in Sumerian tablets, which are clay tablets dating back to around 2100 BCE.

Later, Akkadian versions of the clay tablets are estimated to date from the 19th to 18th centuries BCE, while the most complete form of the Epic of Gilgamesh is found in Babylonian tablets from the 12th century BCE.

The discovery of these clay tablets caused a significant stir in Western societies because the epic contained a story strikingly similar to Noah’s Flood as described in the Bible.

Moses, who is traditionally believed to have written Genesis, is thought to have lived around the 15th century BCE. This means the most complete version of the Epic of Gilgamesh is three centuries later than Moses. However, the Sumerian tablets mentioning Gilgamesh date back to 2100 BCE, making them over 500 years older.

This has led some scholars to argue that Moses might have drawn on ancient Near Eastern myths that had been passed down through generations. In the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist is named Utnapishtim, who parallels Noah in many ways.

Let’s compare the two stories.

It is astonishing how many striking similarities exist between the two stories. For example, both Noah and Utnapishtim sent out a dove, a sparrow, and a raven to check if the waters had receded. Such specific details are hard to dismiss as mere coincidence.

How should we understand this?

Scholars generally agree that both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible were first passed down orally before being written down at a later point.

This means that no matter when these stories were recorded, what we have today are merely manuscripts, not the originals. Finding an older manuscript doesn’t necessarily mean that the oral tradition it represents is older as well.

When comparing the two, it becomes clear which narrative is more logically structured and even verifiable through modern understanding.

For instance, Utnapishtim’s ark is described as a perfect square, with its length and width both measuring 120 cubits. Have you ever seen a square-shaped ship? It’s impossible for such a vessel to stay afloat; it would spin uncontrollably and capsize with the slightest waves. On the other hand, Noah’s ark was built with dimensions of 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits in width, and 30 cubits in height—ratios remarkably similar to those used in modern shipbuilding. How could Noah have known these precise, scientifically sound proportions?

Moreover, when reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, even in its best-preserved versions, the narrative appears disjointed, its logical flow weak and superficial. It lacks the emotional depth and progression needed for readers to connect with its characters and events.

Contrast this with the account of Noah’s flood in Genesis. Can you not sense Noah’s emotions and God’s feelings toward him? This narrative exhibits a literary quality that surpasses even the standards of 15th-century BCE literature, let alone the manuscripts of the 1st century CE. Its vivid, cohesive storytelling is unparalleled.

What does this suggest? It points to the idea that the flood story in Genesis is a divinely revealed and accurately recorded account, where God showed Moses the true events and guided him to write them down. The Epic of Gilgamesh, by contrast, seems to be a distorted retelling of the same historical event, passed down through oral traditions and gradually transformed into myth.

There is another critical point to consider. While Noah was a flawed but faithful servant of God, Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh becomes an immortal being, almost godlike by the end of his story.

This reveals not only the corruption and distortion of the original event but also the direction of that distortion. Polytheistic systems like Greek, Roman, Norse, and Hindu mythologies show similar patterns, where humans and gods blend and interact in exaggerated ways. These traces are visible in Utnapishtim’s transformation.

The Hebrew word for “god,” Elohim, literally means “heavenly beings” and broadly refers to spiritual entities. This term can denote God Himself, as well as angels or other celestial beings, depending on the context.

However, Yahweh is used exclusively to refer to the one true God we worship.

Thus, the gods and idols that appear in various mythologies could be understood as fallen angels who were falsely revered as deities by humanity.

The ancient Greek word “εἴδωλον” (eidolon) later transitioned into Latin as “idolum.”

In Korean, the term for idol is “우상” (usang), derived from the character “우” (偶), which means “likeness” or “image.” Interestingly, “우” can also mean “ox” or “cow” in Korean, making “우상” interpretable as “the image of a cow.” This is fascinating given that one of the most common objects of idol worship globally is the “horned bull or ox.”

In today’s passage, there is a warning against the golden calf, as well as Molek and the star of Rephan. Both the golden calf and Molek are known to have been represented as horned oxen.

Little is known about the star of Rephan. However, considering the Bible often personifies stars and frequently associates them with angels, it is reasonable to view Molek as one of these fallen stars, a fallen angel.

The name Molek frequently appears in the Bible as Baal, which means “lord” or “master.” The original form of Molek, Melek, means “king” in Hebrew. The similarities between the two outweigh their differences. Both were idols worshiped in the Canaanite region, and both were often depicted as bull-like figures.

This suggests that these names were less about specific deities and more about titles or descriptors of divine-like beings.

Outside the Bible, rituals dedicated to Molek reportedly involved a bronze statue of a bull with human arms. Infants were placed on its outstretched arms, and fire from the hollowed body consumed them as sacrifices. To drown out the cries of the children, drums were beaten, and festivities ensued.

Amos 5:26

“So you offered sacrifices to Molek and worshiped the gods you made for yourselves, bringing offerings to them.”

This practice wasn’t due to a lack of value placed on children. As seen in the stories of Abraham and Moses, children were regarded as great blessings and extensions of one’s legacy. They were cherished deeply.

Ironically, the desire for prosperity—often sought for the well-being of their offspring—led people to offer those very children as sacrifices. This starkly reveals the essence of idol worship: it promises abundance while taking away what is most precious.

Idols are not always tangible objects. When Jesus came, He rebuked the religious leaders of His time for idolizing the law itself and treating obedience to the law as a form of righteousness. About them, Jesus said:

[Matthew 15:14]

“Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

These leaders meticulously observed not only the Ten Commandments but also the 600 additional laws derived from them. Yet, they had forgotten the original purpose of these commandments.

At that time, the law, rituals, and acts of worship themselves had become idols.

It is not that observing the law is wrong—after all, the law was given by God. However, if the purpose of keeping the law is not rooted in love for God and for one’s neighbors as commanded by Him, then even outward obedience can become idolatry.

Today, it’s unlikely that the law itself becomes an idol for us. So, what could be our idols?

Let’s examine whether the desires that once led humanity to worship idols in the past continue to tempt us today.

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, “God is dead,” and he predicted that money would replace God’s place in society—a claim that has been proven true.

But that’s not all.

Most ancient gods shared common characteristics: they never aged or died, and they embodied health and youth. Are these desires significant in our culture today?

Moreover, the gods of mythology were often portrayed as physically attractive and sexually alluring. Their appeal was centered around their sexiness.

Isn’t this reflective of our era? Today, being described as “sexy” is often considered the highest compliment, regardless of age or gender.

Respecting and maintaining the health of our God-given bodies is not idolatry. However, the problem arises when good things become the ultimate things.

For example, love and addiction share similar traits. Love fosters trust and freedom, while addiction breeds anxiety and traps people in bondage.

The feeling of being loved or happy is a good thing. Achieving this requires effort and patience. But what happens when we bypass the process and seek instant gratification, wanting happiness whenever and however much we desire? The pursuit of the feeling itself becomes the goal.

A clear and extreme example is drug addiction.

You may have heard of the opioid crisis in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Misleading claims that opioids had low addictive potential led to countless patients being prescribed these drugs, only to become lifelong addicts. This tragedy culminated in Purdue Pharma, the company at the center of the crisis, admitting its responsibility in 2020 and agreeing to a settlement of $40 billion.

Yet what happened? Purdue filed for bankruptcy and is now attempting to restart its business under a new name.

Isn’t this pure evil?

While some victims of addiction are tragic cases, many are also the result of their own unchecked desires.

How convenient it would be to feel good without any external reason! To decide when and how much happiness we experience. Yet, the cost is devastating.

Initially, drugs create moments of euphoria, but over time, it’s not about feeling good anymore—it’s about avoiding the misery of not having the drug. What began as a pursuit of happiness leads to deeper despair.

This is the essence of all idolatry.

If something that brings energy or excitement into your life starts making most of your remaining time feel dull or lifeless, it is becoming an idol, much like a drug.

If prioritizing a particular person or relationship makes you increasingly indifferent to everything else—especially God—that’s a red flag.

The most striking part of the golden calf incident is this:

While Aaron and the Israelites were engaging in such an outrageous act of rebellion against God, God and Moses were preparing the stone tablets for them.

After 400 years of slavery, as the Israelites faced a new chapter in their lives, God prepared a priceless gift for them. This gift was the Ten Commandments, a fundamental guide for life and values—ten simple rules that would serve as the foundation of their relationship with God. Alongside this, God planned the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle, symbols of His presence that the people so earnestly desired.

At the very moment God was preparing these gifts, the Israelites, unable to wait just a little longer, committed one of the greatest sins. They violated the first and most important commandment by crafting and worshiping an idol, the golden calf, calling it Yahweh and offering sacrifices to it.

Right before God is about to give His greatest blessings, Satan’s temptations often come strongest. How many times have we, too, made foolish choices because we couldn’t endure those last few moments of waiting?

Earlier, I mentioned how our lives as a whole can be likened to a wilderness journey. But within that larger journey, there are periods of desert and periods of milk and honey—just as the Israelites eventually entered the Promised Land with Joshua. These alternating times are like day and night: the dark hours of the night prepare us to fully embrace the light of the day.

Similarly, small desert moments in our lives teach us to persevere and let go of idols. These moments refine us, preparing us for victories in our own “Promised Lands.”

The purpose of the 40 years in the wilderness was to let go of idols and renew their hearts. Likewise, the recurring desert-like experiences in our lives are God’s way of helping us remove the idols within us.

While God governs the entire universe, He also focuses intimately on His relationship with each of us individually. In the conflicts and struggles we face with others, God is not primarily concerned with those who hurt us but with us—our reactions, our growth, and which idols we will choose to let go of during these times.

Thus, in those moments when the temptation to sin feels overwhelming, we must remember and believe that God is preparing a gift we truly need.

Even in biblical times and still today, idols tempt us by offering many things—wealth, fame, power, health, beauty. Fallen angels can provide these things, but they cannot give the heavenly peace or the freedom and confidence we long for.

What in your life is so important to you that losing it would feel like the end? What unmet desire leaves you feeling a persistent emptiness that nothing else can fill?

These are our idols. As long as they hold that place in our hearts, they will ultimately bring unhappiness to us and those around us.

We must come to a place where, as we sing in our worship songs, we find our satisfaction in Christ alone. Even if we lose everything, even if we lose the people we love most, we must believe that if God is with us, we will be okay. Only then can we truly love others.

When God is the most precious presence in our lives, we stop demanding from others what they cannot give us. This is love, and it is what distinguishes true worship from idolatry.

Remember the God who parted the sea to rescue us from Egypt. See His passionate desire and love in closing the waters behind us, ensuring there is no turning back.

Idols often boast of their size and grandeur, competing with one another in splendor. Yet our God chose to dwell in a small wooden box—the Ark of the Covenant—measuring less than one square meter, made of acacia wood.

The Creator of the universe dwelt in that small wooden box, designed to be carried by just a few people, so that He could go with His people wherever they went.

And now, the God who created the heavens and the earth, who parted the sea, desires to dwell in someone even smaller—you and me. He longs to be with us, day and night, because of His great love.

When something, whether bad or good, begins to steal your focus and devotion, threatening to become an idol, turn back to the Lord. Set it in its proper place, and peace will come to you, to God, and even to those around you.

By faithfully walking through your deserts, you will experience overflowing joy in the radiant light of God’s presence.

Let us pray.

12/1 God of Gershom and Eliezer

Acts Sermon 34

Date: December 1, 2024

Title: The God of Gershom and Eliezer

Scripture Text:

Acts 7:32-37 (NIV)

32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.

37 “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’

Honestly, I hadn’t planned to spend so many weeks on Moses. However, as I prepared for these sermons, I sensed that the Lord wanted us to meditate more deeply on Moses. So, following God’s leading, we will spend a few more weeks reflecting on the God of Moses.

Last week, we looked at the scene where God called Moses through a gentle flame that did not burn up the bush. God told Moses, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

On Thanksgiving, we had some visitors at our home, including people who hadn’t visited in a long time. Since they hadn’t seen how our home had changed over the years, they were surprised by all the transformations that had happened.

Originally, our basement was what professionals would call an “unfinished basement.”

The walls were exposed concrete blocks, and the floor was just cement painted with waterproof paint, which could never really look clean no matter how much we scrubbed.

Naturally, you could only walk there in shoes or slippers.

The lighting consisted of exposed incandescent bulbs that had to be turned on and off one by one, making the space dark and uninviting. Except for doing laundry, we hardly used it at all.

After living like this for years, I began to think it was a waste of space. So, I decided to buy flooring I could install myself and laid it down on one side of the basement. I also set up a projector and created a family theater since we didn’t have a TV at home.

Laying the flooring turned out to be easier than I expected. Once I had covered about a third of the space, even my young kids started running barefoot there. Seeing this, I eventually extended the flooring to cover almost the entire basement, except for the storage area.

This once-neglected space slowly transformed into a livable area. Last summer, the condition of the walls deteriorated, so we renovated both the walls and the ceiling. Now, the basement has become what you’d call a “finished basement.”

Yesterday, in that space, we ate together, worshiped together, and watched my kids running and rolling around on the floor. How could I not feel proud?

I’m sharing this story not to boast about my flooring project but to make a point: none of this transformation would have been possible if the basement had remained a space where shoes were required.

Shoes allow us to go anywhere—through dirty streets or over rough and hard surfaces—without much trouble.

When we wear shoes, we can also share spaces with strangers without feeling out of place.

But when we take off our shoes, the places we can go and the people we can meet become much more limited. Taking off your shoes and sitting on the floor implies intimacy. It signifies that the people you’re with are close enough to be considered family.

Meeting weekly at church while keeping our “shoes on,” so to speak, is one thing. But inviting someone into your home, where they take off their shoes and spend time in your personal space, is a completely different level of relationship.

I firmly believe that a church should be a community where we can metaphorically “take off our shoes” with one another. The Bible describes the church as one body, saying that if one part suffers, the whole body suffers with it.

A true church community is formed by people who can invite one another into such intimate, shoe-less spaces.

The God who appeared to Moses in the burning bush desired this kind of relationship.

God came to Moses as a gentle flame that didn’t burn—a symbol of His tender, patient approach. And in this intimacy, God invited Moses to join Him in His mission to save souls. God wanted to walk with Moses, so close that even a whisper could be heard.

Does This Apply Only to Moses?

If we were to simplify the Old Testament, beginning with the story of Moses, it could be described as the narrative of a few praiseworthy individuals whom God used powerfully, and the rest—a foolish people who repeatedly strayed from Him.

Does this mean that pastors like me belong to the group of figures like Moses, while the rest of the congregation must remain with the foolish people?

Absolutely not.

I remember when I was a small group leader for new believers, leading quiet times (Q.T). The passage one day was from the book of Joshua. After the group session ended, a strange chill came over me, and a question arose in my heart:

“Wherever you go, I will be with you.”

This was something God had promised Joshua. But why was I receiving it as if it were a personal promise to me?

So, I asked a young man in the group who had been in the church much longer than I had. He was a solid, faithful believer, but even he seemed slightly caught off guard by my question. He replied, “Well, since God doesn’t change, I think those promises apply to us too, don’t they?”

Although his answer didn’t fully resolve my question, I accepted the sense that God had indeed given me this promise as well, and I moved on.

But let me ask you: Why do you believe that promises made to Moses or Abraham have any connection to you personally?

Moses and the other key figures of the Old Testament are foreshadows of the Messiah—Jesus Christ.

They were imperfect, yet they were led by God’s Spirit. When they obeyed, they were used mightily for His purposes.

We, as believers, have the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of God—dwelling within us.

This means that people like Moses weren’t just shadows of Christ. They were also shadows of us, who now live with the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Therefore, every word God spoke to them, every promise He made, is even more directly relevant to us today. Amen?

If the God of Moses is your God and mine, then God calls us to take off our shoes as well. He invites us into that same sacred space, into that same intimate relationship.

God’s call to Moses is also His call to us: “Come closer.”

Moses had two sons. The name of his first son was Gershom, which, as the book of Exodus explains, means, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

Imagine if someone you knew decided to name their child something like that—wouldn’t you be tempted to try to dissuade them? This name gives us a glimpse into Moses’ state of mind at the time, and it’s clear that he wasn’t in a positive place.

Even as he started a new family and welcomed his firstborn son, the bitterness and despair in Moses’ heart came through in the name he chose.

Moses was an Israelite by birth, but after his early months, he was raised in the Egyptian palace, where he spent 40 years. However, it’s evident that he was never fully accepted there. The moment his crime of killing an Egyptian was exposed, Pharaoh, who was like a grandfather figure to him, immediately sought to kill him.

At the age of 40, Moses believed he was ready to lead Israel as their deliverer, but his efforts were rejected by his own people. As a result, he became a fugitive, fleeing to the wilderness of Midian. Even there, he could not truly belong. Moses had no place he could call home—he was, in every sense, a wanderer.

It was during this time in the wilderness that God began to shape Moses into someone He could use.

Moses saw himself as “Gershom.” That name wasn’t just his first son’s name—it symbolized the 40 years Moses spent in the wilderness, feeling like an alien in a foreign land.

Later, Moses had a second son. The Bible doesn’t specify exactly when this child was born, but we know that when Moses encountered God at the burning bush and left Midian at the age of 80, only his wife Zipporah and his firstborn, Gershom, accompanied him.

From this, we can deduce that Moses’ second son was born after his encounter with God, during the events of the Exodus.

This son’s name was Eliezer.

Exodus 18:4 (NIV):

“The other was named Eliezer, for he said, ‘My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.’”

Does the name “Eliezer” sound familiar? Do you remember Abraham’s servant—the one who went to find Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife? That faithful servant, who played a role even greater than Isaac himself during that mission, was also named Eliezer.

The meaning of the name “Eliezer” is “God is my help.”

Moses gave his second son this name after witnessing God’s deliverance at the Red Sea, where God saved him and the Israelites from Pharaoh’s sword in a dramatic and miraculous way. Moses named his son Eliezer to declare, “God is my help.”

n stories—whether novels or films—there is always a main character and supporting characters. The main character is the protagonist, and the others play a supporting role.

When we think of the name Eliezer, meaning “God is my help,” it gives the impression that God plays the supporting role, while we are the protagonists.

And here’s the surprising truth: this is exactly what God desires.

Genesis 1:28 (NIV):

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

God entrusted humanity with the rule of all creation. He gave us the food we need, wisdom through His presence, and the freedom to govern as we depend on Him. In essence, He was saying, “I will help you; rule over the world!”

The same was true of God’s relationship with Moses.

God stood beside an 80-year-old shepherd, Moses, manifesting His power through Moses’ humble staff. Together, they completely devastated Egypt.

The climax of God’s help was the parting of the Red Sea. The Israelites crossed safely on dry ground, while the Egyptian army was utterly destroyed.

When Moses named his second son Eliezer—*“God is my help”—*it was in response to this very event.

Exodus 14:21 (NIV):

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided.”

This scene sends chills down my spine every time I picture it. The parting of the sea is an awe-inspiring miracle, but for the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, it’s not beyond His capability.

What truly stirs me is this:

When Moses stretched out his hand, God divided the sea.

It wasn’t Moses who parted the sea. All Moses did was obey God’s command and stretch out his hand over the waters. But the moment he did, God, who had been waiting for that act of faith, parted the sea.

To the two million Israelites watching, it must have looked as though Moses himself had performed the miracle.

This is the kind of partnership God desires with us.

God wants to work with us to bring about a spiritual exodus in the lives of those who have been enslaved by sin—turning people who once served themselves into those who serve God.

When Moses stretched out his hand in faith, God acted, delivering His people.

Looking back at last summer, when we learned we would have to leave Battery Park, it seemed impossible to find a new gathering place in Manhattan. We searched for months and faced despair.

But then God parted the sea before us, and here we are, worshiping together in this space for a year and a half now. During this time, we’ve gone on missions, evangelized in Times Square, and held two CROSS events—things that seemed unimaginable at first.

God still wants to part seas with us today.

But He doesn’t call us to simple, comfortable tasks that require no faith. Instead, He invites us to step into seemingly impossible, even embarrassing situations—to stretch out our hands for the sake of saving souls.

It’s in those moments that God becomes our Eliezer—our help.

These acts of faith often come at great cost. Sometimes, we face criticism and disbelief. Just as the Israelites, trapped between the sea and the pursuing Egyptian army, quickly forgot the ten plagues and miracles of deliverance, we too are prone to forget. Instead of trusting God, the Israelites turned against Moses and even threatened to stone him.

This illustrates the stark contrast between Moses and the Israelites. God was not comparing Moses to Pharaoh but to the very people he was leading.

If Moses had stretched out his hand over the sea and nothing had happened, he would have been killed—not by Pharaoh’s army, but by the angry mob of Israelites. Yet Moses didn’t cry out to the people; he cried out to God. In his trust, Moses remained calm before the people, reflecting his faith in God’s deliverance.

This is the difference between foolish people and a transformed servant of God.

Where do you stand?

Will you stand with Moses, trusting in God, or with the Israelites, who so quickly forget His grace?

God wants to work with us, but He requires faith. He calls us to stretch out our hands even before the sea moves. Stretching out a hand may seem like a small act—it doesn’t part the sea. But it is a small act that demands great faith, and it is that faith that invites God to do great things.

The tasks God asks of us are always simple acts of obedience—reaching out to a neighbor, showing kindness to coworkers, living as a Christ-like example in our daily lives. These acts may seem small, but they can lead to miraculous outcomes.

By the time next year’s CROSS event comes around, we will have spent a year in these small, faithful acts of obedience. What will we see when those seas part?

Some may walk through those doors, and simply being there will feel like a miracle—their very presence a sign of God’s work. Let us spend the next year faithfully stretching out our hands so that together, we may witness the seas part once more.

Gershom and Eliezer Are Two Faces of God in Moses’ Life

The God of Gershom is the one who reminds us that He is our true place of rest and that His children are ultimately sojourners in this world.

If Moses had not experienced Gershom, he would not have been able to meet God, nor would he have been prepared to be used by Him.

That is why, during seasons when we feel settled in our jobs, homes, and families, we must cling even more tightly to the God of Gershom. We must seek Him to avoid losing our sojourner’s heart.

In that sense, isn’t our church a true blessing?

For years, we’ve worshiped in different places during Christmas and the year-end season. This year, too, we will hold our Christmas service and December 29th Sunday worship in a different location.

Yes, this is inconvenient, but in a way, it’s something to be thankful for.

What a tremendous blessing it is to preserve our sojourner’s heart, not through other areas of life, but through the most spiritual area—our church! Amen!

The Help of God—Eliezer—Is Given Only to Those Who Know the God of Gershom

The defining characteristic of a sojourner or traveler is humility.

No matter how much research a traveler does before their journey, they lack direct experience and therefore remain humble. They rarely feel a sense of pride or offense at being underestimated or overlooked.

However, once the traveler begins to settle down, anger and wounded pride start to emerge. The more they establish their sense of belonging, the more prone they are to feeling frustrated and resentful when things don’t go their way.

In such moments—when the world feels disappointing, unjust, or infuriating—we need to remember the God of Gershom.

We must thank Him for revealing to us how quickly we begin to act as if we are the masters of this place.

We should thank Him for reminding us that this world is not our eternal home and for helping us surrender our will and standards to Him.

When we do this, the Lord will see us as people He can use.

When We Meet the God of Eliezer

We will encounter the God of Eliezer:

• We will experience His protection before the Pharaohs in our lives.

• We will meet the God who gives us the words to say when we stand before difficult challenges.

• We will meet the God who gives us the strength to take the next step of faith when we feel weak.

And when we stretch out our arms toward the surging sea with beads of sweat running down our foreheads, we will encounter the help of God—our Eliezer—through miracles that defy belief.

In Moses’ time, the person in the most danger was not who it appeared to be.

It wasn’t Moses, the shepherd wandering in the wilderness. It was Pharaoh, seated in the grandeur of his palace.

Let us give thanks for the discomforts in life that remind us we are Gershom. Let us praise the difficulties that bring us to the God of Eliezer.

Let us give thanks for the life situations that teach us to remember we are not the owners of this place, but sojourners passing through.

And may we give glory to the Lord, who makes us ready to be used and allows us to experience His mighty help.

11/24 People with Wearproof Shoes

Sermon: Acts Series 33

Date: 11/24/2024

Title: People with Wearproof Shoes

Text: Acts 7:22-33

Scripture Reading: Acts 7:22-33

22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

23 When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites.

24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.

25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.

26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’

27 But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

30 After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.

31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say:

32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’

Since Moses was a man pleasing in God’s eyes, the Bible, God’s Word, devotes more space to Moses than to almost any other figure.

Although Moses was not a perfect man, he was a special individual whom God delighted to use. Moreover, when we view his life as a story of growth, it becomes an incomparable source of benefit and learning for us.

Moses was nurtured with special care and provision in his mother’s arms until he was weaned. Afterward, he was raised as a prince in Pharaoh’s palace, receiving the finest education Egypt could provide.

By the age of 40, Moses had grown into a robust and confident Egyptian prince. Acts 7:22 describes him as an exceptional man. He was skilled in many languages, eloquent in speech, and proficient in his endeavors. These attributes indicate that as a prince, Moses excelled in areas such as military strategy and governance, making him an outstanding leader.

Moses also felt within himself that he was now ready. A burden arose in his heart to care for his oppressed people.

Although he was not unaware of the treatment the Israelites endured, his position as a member of Pharaoh’s household—always under suspicion as a possible spy—left him powerless to act. All he could do was diligently refine his skills.

However, at 40 years old, sensing his readiness, the burden on his heart grew heavier. “I must do something,” he thought. “This is my calling, my destiny.”

When Moses ventured into the region where the Israelites lived—an area he had been reluctant to visit—he witnessed a scene that was all too familiar. He saw an Egyptian guard brutally mistreating an Israelite. Enraged by the harsh treatment, Moses struck down the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.

This event caused a significant change in Moses. Acts 7:24–26 reveals his thoughts:

“24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’”

Although Moses had lived as an Egyptian in Pharaoh’s palace for 40 years, he did not feel remorse for killing the Egyptian. Instead, he saw it as a righteous act.

Moses believed this act was an act of vengeance on behalf of his people and thought it would be a clear sign of his divine calling to deliver the Israelites. He assumed that his people would recognize this and acknowledge him as their savior.

He even saw the rescue of the oppressed Israelite as a symbolic precursor to the greater salvation God would accomplish through him. He was confident that the people would understand.

The next day, Moses returned to the Israelite community. What did he expect to find?

Surely, he thought, there was no one better prepared to save the Israelites from their oppression. News of his actions the previous day must have spread among the people. He believed they would quietly hope for Moses to be their savior, even if they didn’t openly celebrate.

However, when Moses tried to intervene in a dispute between two Israelites, their response was entirely unexpected:

“27 But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’”

Not only did the man rebuff Moses, but he physically pushed him aside. There was no gratitude, no respect—only resentment. “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” he demanded. In other words, “Who do you think you are?”

It didn’t stop there. He added, “Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

Moses had indeed become known, just as he expected. But in the eyes of the people, his actions were not seen as a rescue or an act of justice. Instead, they viewed him as the one who killed an Egyptian, potentially bringing greater trouble upon them.

They neither trusted Moses nor saw him as a source of hope for deliverance from Egypt’s oppression.

The man Moses thought would be a hero, even a savior, suddenly became an outcast. His killing of the Egyptian made him a traitor to Egypt, and his people did not accept him as their leader. He belonged nowhere.

We know from Scripture that Moses would later fulfill his calling to deliver Israel, proving that his sense of purpose at 40 was not entirely misplaced. Yet, it was not the right time, and the conditions were not yet aligned.

It was clear that the Israelites were not ready. Exodus 2:23 reveals:

“During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.”

By this point, Moses had been a fugitive for 40 years. From the time of his birth, the Israelites had been under harsh oppression for 80 years. It was only then that their cries reached God.

It wasn’t that they had never cried out before, but their cries had not yet reached the depth of complete dependence on God. They still relied on their own efforts and human wisdom, hoping that Pharaoh might grant them relief, rather than fully turning to God in desperation.

Even after Moses left Egypt, it took another 40 years for the Israelites to reach a place of readiness. Their absolute reliance on God was still far off.

As we read the story of Exodus, we see that even after their deliverance, the Israelites constantly complained. At the first sign of difficulty, they grumbled against Moses, longing to return to Egypt. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt?” they asked. “It was better there!” They acted as if Egypt had been a place worth staying.

Looking back, it’s evident that even at the time of their initial deliverance, the Israelites were not fully prepared.

Moses’ actions at age 40 reveal that the Israelites were still looking for Pharaoh’s crumbs of mercy, rather than dreaming of freedom and trusting in God’s power. They weren’t ready to be delivered, and tragically, it took another 40 years of suffering to prepare them for that step.

Is this just Israel’s story? Or is it ours as well?

Have you truly left Egypt? Have you completely abandoned your old life without longing for what you left behind? Have you made God the absolute Lord of your life? Without this, God cannot be merely a helper or protector.

We call God our Father, friend, protector, Savior, and provider—all true names. But all of these roles begin with Him as our Lord. Jesus cannot be our friend, provider, or Savior unless He is first our Lord. Yet, when He is our Lord, He becomes far more than all of these combined.

Unfortunately, despite all their suffering, the Israelites were still far from being ready for salvation.

But was the problem only with the Israelites? Was Moses himself truly ready?

At 40 years old, Moses excelled in every way. He was trained in both academics and military strategy in Egypt, the most powerful nation of the time. As a prince, he likely held significant authority and had valuable experience leading battles.

Compared to the Israelites, who were enslaved and considered the lowest of the low, Moses must have stood out as a shining figure of hope. Yet, in God’s eyes, Moses was not ready. What was lacking?

To understand what Moses still needed, we can compare the 40-year-old Moses, who tried to deliver Israel through his own strength, with the 80-year-old Moses, whom God finally called into service.

First, consider their age. The physical strength and vitality of the 40-year-old Moses cannot be compared to that of the 80-year-old Moses. Furthermore, their social status and resources were vastly different. Moses at 40 had power, wealth, and influence; Moses at 80 had none of these.

But the most striking difference is highlighted in Exodus 4:10:

“Moses said to the LORD, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’”

At 40, Moses was described as eloquent and persuasive, a man skilled in speech. But after 40 years in the wilderness as a shepherd, Moses had become unaccustomed to speaking and felt entirely unqualified for the role of a prophet.

While Moses was physically capable at 40, he relied on his own abilities and confidence. At 80, he had none of that confidence left. When God called him, Moses responded in desperation:

“But Moses said, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.’” (Exodus 4:13)

The 80-year-old Moses didn’t just exhibit humility; he truly believed he was incapable of fulfilling God’s mission.

Let me share a verse I memorized when I first came to faith:

Proverbs 18:12

“Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.”

I initially memorized this verse because it was short and easy to remember. At the time, I thought I understood its meaning. But looking back, I realize I knew little about true humility or the dangers of pride.

In those days, I considered humility to be merely polite behavior—pretending to respect others while inwardly dismissing them. But this superficial humility is actually the worst form of pride.

C.S. Lewis wrote extensively about pride and humility. He called pride the “cancer of the soul” and described it as the root of all sin. He noted that pride is inherently competitive, finding satisfaction not in one’s achievements but in surpassing others. Pride, he argued, is insatiable because it thrives on comparison.

Lewis also observed the close relationship between pride and insecurity. A prideful person is often plagued with feelings of inadequacy because pride depends on constant validation and superiority over others.

Lewis redefined humility, not as self-deprecation but as “thinking less about yourself.” True humility shifts focus away from oneself toward God and others.

The path to overcoming pride and insecurity is the same: to love God and others more and to think of oneself less. This shift frees us from the grip of pride and insecurity.

When we live selfishly, prioritizing our own desires, we become increasingly anxious and dissatisfied. This is the trap Satan sets for us. Yet, when we live for others, God’s blessings flow into our lives, and we experience true fulfillment. That is real humility, the path to honor described in Proverbs.

When God called Moses at 80, He initially spoke to him with encouragement, showing Moses miraculous signs to assure him. Yet Moses still resisted, insisting he was unqualified.

This exchange reveals a profound truth: God found the 80-year-old Moses, stripped of confidence and self-reliance, far more useful than the self-assured 40-year-old Moses. Moses’ reluctance, while not an ideal response, was at least free of pride. And God can work with humility, even if it is laced with doubt, far more effectively than with arrogance.

God can use the weak, but He cannot use the proud.

Even the gravest sinner, if humble, can kneel before God in repentance. But the proud cannot. Pride hardens the heart and blinds us to God’s grace.

For those who know me, my journey of faith came late, and it wasn’t an easy one. I came to the United States with the intention of sharing my faith with a wandering friend, hoping to support each other in our spiritual journeys. But in the end, I arrived alone. Here, God guided me into art school, and I believed that upon graduating, the path God had prepared for me would unfold.

During my time in art school, I spent much of my energy befriending younger students and inviting them to church. I also started prayer meetings on campus and found joy in sharing the gospel. However, the themes of the artwork, the spiritual atmosphere of the school, and the worldview of the professors often left me spiritually burdened.

Looking back, I now see that my zeal was not purely motivated by love. My insecurities, spiritual pride, and desire for recognition were entangled with my efforts.

After graduating, I experienced a season of deep struggle. As a husband with no job and a wife who had to work, I felt utterly humiliated. Taking care of my child at home, I frequently found myself losing patience. Those were some of the most challenging days of my life.

Through those hardships and subsequent trials, I came to identify with the 80-year-old Moses. I realized that, like him, I had to be stripped of my pride to be made useful for God’s purposes.

It wasn’t that I deeply desired to attend seminary. I simply couldn’t remain in my current state, and every other path felt blocked, as if walking any other way would lead to unbearable distress. To be honest, seminary became a way of escape—any place but where I was seemed better. That’s how I found myself taking my first steps toward seminary. Throughout my time there, I often thought about the 80-year-old Moses.

Like Moses at that age, I felt completely inadequate for anything. I lacked confidence and felt incapable of doing anything significant.

Near the end of seminary, during a preaching class with a renowned professor, we were assigned to prepare and deliver a sermon. For me, it felt like the first and perhaps only opportunity to preach to both Americans and Korean second-generation seminarians. I still remember challenging them with these words:

“Friends, every day, people from all over the world gather in Times Square, right here in our backyard in New York City. If we, as students of a seminary located in New York, do nothing for them, how can we justify ourselves? Let us be the evangelists they need.”

Whether or not my words moved my classmates, God seemed to respond. Today, I preach weekly here in this place, and in the process, I’ve come to realize something profound. The Lord who waited 80 years for Moses to become ready also waited for me to learn true humility. Only when I reached that place was I finally useful to Him.

When God appeared to Moses in the wilderness, He revealed Himself in a simple and humble way. It wasn’t a towering pillar of fire reaching the heavens but a small flame within a bush that did not burn up—a symbol of humility.

Had God appeared as a raging storm or a blazing fire, perhaps the 80-year-old Moses would have turned and fled in fear.

God spoke to Moses:

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Acts 7:33)

What does it mean to remove one’s sandals? There are many interpretations, but the simplest one comes from everyday life. We take off our shoes when entering someone’s home. For the nomadic people of Moses’ time, removing one’s sandals signified entering a close, intimate space—a small rug near the bed or a tented area where family and close friends gathered.

To remove one’s sandals is to step into a space of intimacy, to be close enough to face one another. It’s an invitation to fellowship and relationship. God invited Moses into such closeness.

Are you sitting barefoot before the Lord? The Lord has invited you to come near.

After Moses’ encounter with God, he put his sandals back on, but he was no longer just a shepherd in the wilderness. He had become the shepherd of God’s people, tasked with caring for the flock of Israel.

Even the sandals Moses wore were no longer the same. Deuteronomy 29:5 tells us:

“During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.”

For 40 years, Moses’ sandals did not wear out. God, his Master, protected even the soles of his shoes.

In the same way, I removed my shoes before the Lord and have since worn shoes that do not wear out. God has given me the privilege of caring for the souls He entrusts to me, and He provides for all that I need. Even when I face rejection or insult, I am learning to respond not with anger but with humility.

This is not false humility or insecure submission. It is a genuine humility that places God’s will above my own and values others more highly than myself.

Such humility transforms us into people like Moses, who grew to fear nothing but God.

So, which Moses are you most like? The 40-year-old Moses or the 80-year-old Moses?

The world urges us to be like the 40-year-old Moses—to be confident, ambitious, and self-reliant. Increasingly, the world’s leaders are being shaped in this mold.

But for God, such people are of no use.

Do you desire a life where God, who cares even for the soles of our feet, provides and protects you? If your longing is sincere, you must leave Egypt behind. God will help you. He will lead you out of Egypt’s palace and into the lowly places where He dwells.

He will guide you to a place where you can be truly useful to Him, where your life aligns with His purpose.

Amen.

11/10 Beautiful in the Sight of God

Acts Sermon series #32

Title: “Beautiful in the Sight of God”

Scripture: Acts 7:17-22

Acts 7:17-22

17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.

18 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.

19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.

20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was cared for by his family.

21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.”

Intro

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, concludes with the story of Joseph, who became the governor of Egypt, and the migration of Jacob’s family to Egypt at Joseph’s invitation.

As we have observed, Joseph is a figure who completes the era of the patriarchs and shows a clear foreshadowing of Jesus. He consistently placed God first in every situation and served as a savior not only for Jacob’s family but also for neighboring nations, reflecting Jesus as the “light to the nations.”

However, as emphasized previously, the Bible is a record of the growth of its characters. Even someone like Joseph, who fulfilled his calling, did not reach the complete perfection of Jesus Christ. We must pay attention to the growth of these figures and God’s intervention in their lives, as it offers great benefit for us.

Starting today, we will examine a character whose influence and impact in the Bible even surpass that of Joseph. He is none other than Moses, the most significant figure in the Old Testament.

Background on Moses

The period in which Moses was born was over 400 years after Joseph’s family had migrated to Egypt. By this time, a new dynasty had risen in Egypt, and Joseph’s legacy had long been forgotten.

To this new dynasty, the Israelite people had become increasingly burdensome. Egypt, which was the leading superpower in every aspect at the time, had absorbed many immigrant groups, most of whom eventually assimilated into Egyptian culture. However, the Israelites were different—they maintained their distinct identity and resisted assimilation.

Moreover, their population grew rapidly, outpacing that of other groups. From Pharaoh’s perspective, the Israelites, as a separate community, could potentially align with Egypt’s enemies, posing a significant threat.

In his anxiety over the Israelites’ resilience despite the various cunning ways he used to oppress them, Pharaoh devised a brutal plan. He commanded the midwives to kill all newborn Israelite boys, as these boys could one day become threats to Egypt as part of an opposing army.

Exodus 1:16 — “When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe them on the delivery stool; if it is a boy, kill him, but if it is a girl, let her live.”

Exodus 1:17 — “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

Was it easy to defy Pharaoh’s cruel command to kill every male child at birth? It was a choice that required courage, a choice that risked their lives.

But the Hebrew midwives feared God more than Pharaoh, and they decided to save the children, regardless of what punishment might come from Pharaoh.

The Bible continually tells us, “Do not be afraid!” The things we are commanded not to fear are the “world,” “people,” and “death.”

Yet, there is one we are instructed to fear—God Himself. If we are not on God’s side, if we stand against His will, or if we fall into temptation, we must hold a reverent fear of God.

Jesus taught us this way:

Matthew 10:28 — “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Who is this One who has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell?

The message is clear: Do not fear the powers of this world or Satan, the father of all tempters, who cannot touch your soul. Instead, fear God.

Satan perpetuates a culture where sin is taken lightly. But to a holy God, sin is unbearably offensive and draws His righteous wrath.

A.W. Tozer once shared an anecdote. A woman approached him for counsel, confiding that she was in a same-sex relationship and was experiencing deep anxiety and fear. Tozer sensed that she wanted him to say, “It’s alright. Don’t be afraid.” Yet, he knew he could not give her that reassurance.

Do you know what certain false teachings mean when they talk about being “set free from sin”?

They imply that freedom from sin means feeling no guilt for sin, becoming shameless. They even go so far as to twist Scripture passages that warn, “How can those with the Holy Spirit sin?” They claim, “Since we have the Holy Spirit, we cannot sin; therefore, none of our actions are sinful in God’s sight.”

They reverse the truth, suggesting that grieving and repenting over sin is actually evidence of not being saved.

In Hebrews 6, this condition is referred to as “falling away.” It describes such actions as exposing the Son of God to public disgrace, with a frightening warning that those in this state will not find forgiveness.

To be freed from sin because the Holy Spirit dwells within us does not mean we are excused to sin without remorse. It means that we no longer enjoy sin or succumb to it as easily. It means that we grow in discernment, develop the inner strength to resist temptation, and increasingly find the power to overcome.

This strength doesn’t come from us; rather, it is because we are growing closer to the life of Christ and learning to lean on Him more.

In this way, as children of God, we are progressively freed from sin—able to discern it, avoid it, and overcome it. And as Christians, we are people growing from fear into love, and toward greater wholeness.

Some areas of our lives change quickly, while others can still cause us to sigh. At times, God will awaken us through sudden events, and at other times, He leads us through words of encouragement and affirmation. Just as a loving parent guides their children, so the Holy Spirit leads us to greater freedom and wholeness.

When we rely on the Lord and gradually let go of bad habits one by one, we find increasing freedom each step of the way.

To those who follow this path, God gives blessings, rewards, and gifts.

Exodus 1:21 — “And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.”

God Calls for the Right Response

God’s word is alive, always asking something of us. Sometimes, He calls us to feel peace and reassurance; other times, He urges us to approach Him with a reverent, trembling heart. He tells us to change our mindset and asks for actions of obedience.

The Lord speaks, and we are to respond rightly to His words.

However, if we oversimplify and take the biblical truth that “God’s will is fixed and everything happens according to His purpose” to an extreme, we may mistakenly believe that every choice, process, and outcome in our lives happens solely according to God’s plan.

This scene makes it clear that this is not entirely the case. The Bible says that the midwives feared God more than Pharaoh, and as a result, their households prospered! God was pleased with their response and blessed them.

What was a great “crisis” in front of them became an “opportunity” to show their reverence for God. When they demonstrated their faith, God rewarded them greatly.

This is the most basic aspect of faith—a pattern that flows throughout Scripture. God provides opportunities, we respond, and according to how we respond, the outcomes are given to us in our lives.

Our thoughts, decisions, and actions are not predetermined; they stem from our free choices, and the responsibility lies with us.

Sometimes, however, our choices are limited for the fulfillment of God’s plan for the world.

For example, even if the midwives had initially chosen to kill the children out of fear of Pharaoh, it wouldn’t have made a lasting difference because Pharaoh would have eventually found another way to carry out his orders.

However, instead of receiving blessings, the midwives would have found themselves opposing God.

And still, among the surviving children, Moses would undoubtedly have been there.

God had chosen this child, Moses, to one day save the Israelites about 80 years later, and no one could alter that. This is what we refer to as God’s providence.

God’s Providence in Choosing Moses

When Pharaoh failed in his plan of slaughter through the midwives, he issued an even more brutal order: anyone who saw an Israelite baby boy was commanded to throw him into the Nile River.

Though the exact numbers are uncertain, when the Israelites eventually left Egypt, the population was approximately 600,000 men, totaling around two million people. Based on this, an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Israelite baby boys may have been cast into the Nile.

In the book of Exodus, it says that Moses’ parents hid him because he was a “fine child.” The expression used to describe the beauty of this child is the same expression used during creation when God saw His creations and deemed them “good.”

When they looked at Moses, they saw something unique and special about him.

However, in today’s passage in the Book of Acts, it is not Moses’ parents who recognized this beauty but rather that “he was beautiful in God’s sight.”

“At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God; for three months he was cared for by his family.” (Acts 7:20)

God does not look at outward appearance, so what did He see that He deemed beautiful?

When God looked at baby Moses, He saw all the possibilities of his life at once. He saw him three months later, ten years later, forty years later, and eighty years later—every choice Moses would make and every potential within him. And it was this that God found beautiful.

The Beautiful Ones Who Are Chosen

Matthew 22:14 — “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

In Jesus’ parable, which He repeats in the Gospels, we may initially perceive “being chosen” as a passive act. However, in this parable, it signifies an active response: “accepting the invitation.”

Those who are “chosen” are the people who responded rightly to God’s extended hand and opportunity, setting aside other seemingly important matters to attend the king’s invitation. This is how Jesus describes those who are chosen.

And so, Jesus was angered by those who, though invited, did not come—those who were not chosen.

Those invited had the freedom to “be chosen,” but they rejected and disregarded this opportunity, and that was why He was angry.

Our future is constantly unfolding. Just as a clock’s hand keeps moving, our future continuously becomes our present, moment by moment.

When the Lord looks upon us right now, He sees all of this.

In today’s worship, something may be happening within us. We may have made certain resolutions—“I’ll finally let go of this,” or “I’ll start again.” When these genuine stirrings of the heart occur, the possibilities change, and God sees it all.

Not only does God see our inner transformation, but He also sees the beauty that will be created by these changes.

The Obedience of a Mother

When Jochebed, Moses’ mother, could no longer hide her baby, she carefully crafted a basket. Preparing for the possibility of a longer journey for the baby, she made the basket watertight and then sent it down the river, letting it drift toward the region where Egyptians lived.

Now, what command had the Egyptians received? Pharaoh had ordered them to kill all Hebrew baby boys.

Yet, despite this, Moses’ mother sent the basket toward the Egyptian area. Why? Because the Hebrews’ living areas were already being thoroughly searched. So, with only a sliver of hope, she trusted that it was better to risk meeting a compassionate Egyptian than to remain in hiding.

And then, she instructed her eldest daughter, Miriam, to follow the basket and see what would happen to the baby.

What happened next?

An extraordinary turn of events unfolds. The basket drifts all the way to the Egyptian royal palace. Is this good news? The basket reached the house of Pharaoh himself—the very man who ordered the slaughter. One can only imagine Miriam’s shock as she followed along.

And then, another unexpected twist occurs.

Exodus 2:4-10

4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it.

6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.

9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.

10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

What Has Just Happened?

Only hours before, Moses’ mother had entrusted her baby’s fate to God, sending him down the river. Now, Moses has returned to her arms—alive, but not as a slave. He has returned with the status of a prince.

Moments ago, Moses’ home was so dangerous for him that his mother chose to release him to the Nile. But now, with his return, this very home has become the safest place in Egypt.

Not only could he now grow up safely in his mother’s arms until he was weaned, but she was also compensated for fulfilling her motherly role.

Moreover, would Pharaoh’s daughter have left the home of the child she intended to raise as her son in the poor conditions of an Israelite slave’s house? She surely would have provided the best possible environment for him.

This is the multiplied blessing that comes with obedience.

While it was a dark time of great sorrow for all Israelite families, how great must have been the joy of those who played their roles in this plan—Miriam and her mother, Jochebed.

The times spent risking their lives to hide the child, the care with which his mother prepared the basket, and the heavy heart with which she released it—all these came to an astonishingly joyful moment when Miriam courageously intervened, and Moses’ mother was reunited with her son, even within the palace itself.

This is the joy of heaven, which comes when God’s providence intersects with our obedience.

Consider this incredible drama. Who could have planned this and brought it to such an outcome?

Could it have been Moses’ mother? Pharaoh’s daughter? Even the powerful Pharaoh himself?

Toward a Life Beautiful in God’s Sight

Now, take a moment to reflect on your life.

At the very least, none of you here today are ordinary people.

But is the reason we’re here now the result of a plan we carefully laid out 20 or 30 years ago? Out of all the events in our lives, the people we’ve met, how much of it happened exactly according to our own plans?

Isn’t there a unique “drama” to each of your lives? And has that drama unfolded according to your own script? Is it progressing even now according to your blueprint?

No matter how hard I try to take ownership of my life, I am never truly its master. In fact, every time I try to take control, things seem to go wrong. Peace slips away, and my worries and anxieties only grow.

If the Lord is truly the master, we must stop trying to be in charge. What does the Lord desire of me right now? Instead of calculating my own way, I need to seek His will first. And when I begin to understand it, I need to obey. This is the best approach. When we do this, the Lord blesses us, causes us to thrive. This is the greatest happiness and blessing we can experience.

The Lord continues to invite us—each time we open our Bibles, each time we worship, and in every challenge we face in life.

How are we responding? Though we are invited, are we among those who are chosen?

Remember how the calling and choosing unfolded for Moses’ family. In the darkest of times, consider the light that came to them.

Instead of fearing Pharaoh, they feared God. And when God moved their hearts, they obeyed, risking everything. Even in the moment when they had to release the child, they didn’t lose heart or give up. They trusted God and did what they could. They prepared the basket with care, and they sent Miriam to follow, hoping in God’s deliverance.

Do you desire for this church to be beautiful in the Lord’s sight? That depends on us. What commitments are we making now? What changes are happening within us? What steps of obedience will we take after this worship? It all hinges on these things.

And when the Lord looks at each one of you, what will He see?

At this moment, the future is constantly becoming our present. If these resolutions and changes within us become “seeds of obedience,” our future will shine even more beautifully in God’s sight.

A church beautiful in God’s sight, a life beautiful in God’s sight…

This depends on each one of us, standing before the Lord who speaks to us today—upon each individual here, upon this church.

11/3 [English] When you face a crisis in your life

[Ne 4:1-14, NIV]

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,

2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?"

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!"

4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry.

8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."

11 Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

In 586 B.C., Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon, and the southern kingdom of Judah was completely destroyed. Most of the Israelites were taken as captives to Babylon. Forty-seven years later, that enormous Babylonian empire fell to the Persian kingdom established by King Cyrus. Three years after he had conquered the world, King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland. At that time, 50,000 Jews went back to their country and began rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. The person who led this reconstruction was “Zerubbabel.” We refer to this event as the first return from captivity.

Eighty years later, in 457 B.C., a smaller group of Jews returned to their homeland. During this time, a great spiritual revival took place, led by “Ezra.” Then, twelve years later, in 445 B.C., God sought someone to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem, and the person who responded to this call was “Nehemiah.” Nehemiah was the cupbearer, essentially the prime minister, for King Artaxerxes of the Persian Empire. He returned to Jerusalem as the governor of Judah to oversee the rebuilding of the city walls.

Please read verses 1, 2, and 3 of the text:

[1] When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became very angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, [2] and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” [3] Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

The enemies, like Sanballat, the Samarian governor, and Tobiah the Ammonite, mocked the Israelites who had begun to rebuild the wall.

1. They mocked them by saying, “What are you weaklings trying to accomplish?”

2. They ridiculed, saying, “Do you think building the wall is something that can be finished in a day, like a child’s play?”

3. They sneered, “Even if you try a hundred times with those burnt stones and piles of rubble, you won’t succeed.”

4. They also scorned, “Even if you manage to build the wall, a mere fox would climb up and bring it crashing down.”

Nehemiah’s first response to the unbearable ridicule and insults he faced is recorded in verses 4 and 5 of the text.

Please read verses 4 and 5:

[4] “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their insults be turned back on their own heads. Let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. [5] Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”

Nehemiah’s first response was prayer.

He prayed, “God, hear us. Your people are being humiliated.”

Dear beloved congregation,

In every circumstance, never let go of the lifeline of prayer. Hold onto it for your entire life. Continuously go before God in prayer. Present everything to Him in prayer.

When we pray, God gives us a promise, which is recorded in Jeremiah 33:3:

(Jeremiah 33:3) “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

And also in Psalm 3:7:

(Psalm 3:7) “Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.”

The first wall and gate you must build in your life is the wall and gate of persistent prayer.

Next, let’s look at Nehemiah’s second response.

Please read verse 6:

[6] So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

After praying, Nehemiah and the Jews continued working diligently on rebuilding the wall.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

After praying, do not just sit back with your arms folded, waiting for something to happen. Such behavior is irresponsible and lazy. When the enemies mocked them, Nehemiah and the people prayed and then gave their best effort to rebuild the wall.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Do not let ridicule stop your work or ministry. Bring your problems to God in prayer. Then, alongside your prayers, do your very best to solve the problems. Prayer and hard work must always go hand in hand. By combining prayer with their best efforts, Nehemiah and the people miraculously managed to rebuild half of the wall in just four weeks.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The second wall and gate you must build in your life is the wall and gate of doing your very best.

When the wall was halfway built, Nehemiah faced yet another attack.

Please read verses 7, 8, and 9:

[7] But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. [8] They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. [9] But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

Once the wall was halfway completed, the evil forces became desperate and began planning a physical assault.

These evil forces moved beyond mockery and now prepared to attack our spirit, soul, and body.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We have already built the gates and walls of prayer and giving our best effort. But we cannot stop here. The gates and walls are still unfinished. To live victorious lives and to become a victorious church, we must build even more defenses.

Now, please read verses 10, 11, and 12:

[10] Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” [11] Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” [12] Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Following the attacks of mockery and force, the enemy’s third strategy is to use the weapons of discouragement and fear. The tribe of Judah, the largest of the twelve tribes, began to speak words of despair:

1. “The rubble is still piled up like mountains.”

2. “We are exhausted from carrying the loads.”

3. “We can’t possibly finish rebuilding this wall.”

=> The enemy constantly seeks to make us discouraged.

Meanwhile, Jews who lived near the enemy outside Jerusalem repeatedly came to Nehemiah, warning him ten times that the enemies were plotting to invade the city, kill everyone inside, and destroy everything. They urged everyone to give up and run away.

=> The enemy constantly seeks to make us afraid.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The attacks of discouragement and fear lead us to the tragic conclusion of giving up.

“How about abandoning the wall reconstruction right here and now?”

“Should I just get a divorce at this point?”

“Should I just end my life?”

“Should I hide away somewhere?”

“Should I just give up on any hope for my future?”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

You must recover today. Focus and receive the Word with all your heart.

This is how you will survive.

Please read verse 13:

[13] Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.

In this moment of crisis, Nehemiah did not fall into discouragement or fear, nor did he give up. Instead, he had the people arm themselves with swords, spears, and bows, ready for battle.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

There is one thing you must absolutely refuse in your life: Refuse to give up.

“But Pastor,” you might say,

“Giving up comes so naturally to my heart. How can I refuse it?”

No, that’s not true!

Giving up is a choice. If you give up, it’s because you have made the choice to do so.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Right now, in this very moment, choose not to give up. One thing we must commit to today is not surrender, but a “battle stance” with our lives on the line.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Repeat and proclaim Romans 8:31 over and over:

(Romans 8:31) “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

No one can stand against you.

No evil force can defeat you.

With God on your side, who can possibly oppose you?

What could make you give up?

How could you ever be a defeated person?

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The third wall and gate you must build is the wall and gate of refusing to give up.

Please read verse 14:

[14] After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

Nehemiah spoke to the people, saying: “Remember the great and awesome Lord.” “Remember God.”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Specifically, remember these three things about God:

First, remember the “grace” God has shown you in the past.

(Deuteronomy 8:14-16)

[14] The LORD brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

[15] He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.

[16] He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, remember how God rescued you from your hardships, provided for your needs, and has always been faithful in leading and blessing you. Let this remembrance strengthen you in your current battles.

Second, remember God’s presence with you right now.

(Isaiah 43:1-2)

[1] Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

God assures us that He is always with us, even through the deepest waters and the fiercest flames. His presence surrounds and protects us.

(Isaiah 49:15-16)

[15] Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

[16] See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

God’s love is even greater than that of a mother for her child. He never forgets us; we are engraved on His hands, and He continually watches over us.

(Hebrews 13:5)

[5] Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

God’s promise is steadfast: He will never abandon or leave you. Remember His constant, faithful presence in your life, and let it be your strength and comfort.

Third, remember the power God will grant you in the future.

(Philippians 4:13)

[13] I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

God equips us with His power, enabling us to overcome any challenge and accomplish all things through Him.

(1 John 4:4)

[4] The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

The power of God within you is greater than any force or opposition you will face in the world.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

When we look at the world, we may feel disappointed; when we look within ourselves, we may feel discouraged. But when we look to Christ, when we fix our eyes on God, we find that we can overcome anything.

Therefore, the fourth wall and gate you must build in your life is the wall and gate of remembering the grace God has shown you in the past.

The fifth wall and gate are remembering the presence God gives you in the present.

And finally, the sixth wall and gate you must build are remembering the power God will bestow upon you in the future.

Let these truths become your stronghold and defense.

And now, at last, we come to the eighth wall and gate that we must build. Today’s Scripture passage concludes with a command: “Fight!” If we fight in our own strength, we will surely be defeated. But if we fight with the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be victorious.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Earnestly desire the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

(Zechariah 4:6)

[6] “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

Our strength and power are not enough, but the Spirit of the Lord makes all things possible.

(John 20:21-22)

[21] Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

[22] And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus commissioned His disciples and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them, equipping them with divine strength.

(Acts 1:4-5)

[4] On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

[5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus instructed His disciples to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a gift that would empower them for the work ahead.

(Acts 1:8)

[8] “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit grants us power to be witnesses and to fulfill God’s purpose on earth.

(Acts 2:1-3)

[1] When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

[2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

[3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came with power, transforming the disciples and empowering them for God’s mission.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The eighth and final wall and gate you must build in your life is the wall and gate of seeking the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Desire His presence, His power, and His guidance. Only through the Spirit can we truly overcome and live victorious lives.

10/27/2024 I Know nothing of this so-called God

Sermon: I Know nothing of this so-called God

Scripture: Exodus 5:1-2

Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

Stubborn or headstrong is to persist without changing one’s opinion or thoughts. The heart becomes as hard as a stone and hardens. The word “hardened in heart,” “hardened,” or “hardened” means “heavy,” kabed. Moses says at Exodus 4:10: “I am a man of a dull mouth and a dull tongue.” When Kabed uses this for the body, it is referring to his tongue being heavy and slow to speak. On the other hand, when the word is used for God, it has a completely different meaning, and it is used to express something that glorifies God or that God must accomplish. Pharaoh was hard-hearted, and God was glorified through it.

The plagues that came upon Pharaoh for Israel’s deliverance were all related to the idols of the land of Egypt. The Nile River was the god of fertility for the Egyptians who practiced agriculture. The fact that the Nile River, considered the god of all the food of Egypt, is covered with blood shows that it is nothing in the sight of God. The plague of frogs was the second plague that befell Egypt, who believed it to be the god of fertility. The Egyptians, who worshipped cows as idols, even worshipped the ‘gnats’ attached to the ox. There will be a plague of flies, the death of livestock, malignant boils, hail, locusts, and even a plague of darkness.

The ninth plague, the plague of darkness, was when Moses stretched out his arms to heaven and darkness fell on the land of Egypt for three days. The Egypt people were worshipping the sun god, and darkness had fallen. The god they revere most can’t help them when they really need it. Darkness fell, and the sun god, who was supposed to reveal the light, was helpless. In the sight of God, the sun god is nothing.

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had a proud, stubborn, and hardened heart. Pharaoh is stubborn and unyielding. Moses and Aaron appear before Pharaoh and tell him to send God’s people, the Israelites, away. “The Lord God of Israel said, ‘Let my people go. They must keep my feasts in the wilderness.’ But Pharaoh replied: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.’” (Exodus 5:1-2). Pharaoh gives reason for not letting Israel go, saying, “I do not even know the Lord.” Pharaoh, who is in opposition to God, begins to see Israelites as an opponent of him. Pharaoh’s stubborn determination of heart becomes very savage.

That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

In the eyes of the proud Pharaoh, Israel who sought to escape his rule was his enemy, a lazy slave. It’s mad to see them, but you want them to go? If you made them suffer more with more hard work, could they just let you go? His stubbornness was getting stronger as time went on. The reasons for not sending it out have become clearer. The worse the situation gets, the more corrupt the mind becomes. It becomes more and more stiff. There is only one thing that God wanted from Pharaoh. Let Israel go. God’s people are told to be sent out to rule by God, but Pharaoh refuses to be ruled by that God.

“I will do my will,” says God. “But I will do my will,” says the sinner Pharaoh. Pharaoh would not have wanted to know that there was another king above him. For Pharaoh, Israel was his property, his national power. To free his property, the slaves, would have been tantamount to forsaking his power and glory. So Pharaoh’s response to all the plagues God brought upon him was stubbornness, hardness, and barbarism toward the Israelite slaves. Because he is resisting God, he cannot help but think that the Israelites are challenging and resisting his authority.

Why did Pharaoh say, “I know not the Lord”? These words represent the decision of his heart to refuse to know the Lord in order to fulfill his purpose of not sending Israel. It’s not that he didn’t let Israel go because he didn’t know the Lord, but that he didn’t have the heart to let Israel go. So he shouldn’t know the Lord. If he had humbled himself and sought to know who the Lord was, then the previous nine plagues would have been unnecessary. However, his pride and stubbornness of heart eventually lead to the 10th calamity.

It is a plague in which his firstborn and all the firstborn of Egypt die, and Pharaoh sends God’s people, the Israelites, away because of this. When you say, “I don’t even know the Lord,” what are the events, people, and relationships that are now hardening your heart and resisting God? If you have financial difficulties and you think that the reason for this is your spouse’s poor financial management and business management, the more you think about it, the more you will look at your spouse in the same way that Pharaoh looks at the Israelite slaves.

When you look at the existence of the person you want to blame and see them solve problems in such a strange, slow, wayward way, without priority, without logic, it seems that you just can’t stand their existence and you can’t let it go. Looking at them, your determination to “I must change my habits” deepen, and my resentment, anger, and bitterness grow stronger.

So how do we deal with the stubbornness or hardening of the heart? If you exercise repeatedly, your body will be healthy. In the same way, if we give in to the temptation of sin and sin repeatedly, we become stubborn in it. We can’t just let go of a hard heart. If the heart is hardened, the price is too high. Pharaoh’s hardened heart was not caused by God or Israel. It was in himself.

So when we recognize a problem or fact that happens to us and want to change, there is nothing more personally painful than examining our inner self. Because introspection comes with pain. God’s Word is God’s perfect guide to our lives and growth. How do we deal with hardness or hardness of heart? The first is the desire to know God.

Rather than increasing our own stubbornness by saying, “I don’t know the Lord, and I’ll never forgive him,” we should come to the Lord to know what He wants from this event and how we can submit to His will. Pharaoh showed us how ignorant and unwilling to know God can make us ruthless. When we refuse to know the Lord, we lose the image of God.

The problem is that God is inviting you to meet with him. If you don’t know God, if you don’t have wisdom, if you don’t have knowledge, if you don’t have advice, then you’re going to fall apart. The Word of God is near you. When you listen to and read these words, you can see the way, how to train, and God’s will.

Why, to whom, and under what circumstances are you stubborn? Because of your stubbornness, you keep hovering in certain situations, and the darkness is deepening because you do not seek to know God or listen to His word. Pharaoh, who would not let Israel go, made the excuse that he did not know the Lord. But in the presence of God, we must cultivate a heart of stone with the Word.

Second, ask God questions so that you do not fall into the temptation to sin and become obstinate. In 2 Kings 1:1-4, we read the story of King Ahaziah, the son of King Ahab. He falls from the railing of the king’s palace in Samaria and is injured. But he sends an envoy to ask Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, if he can be healed. In a word, they were sent for divination. God gives Elijah a message and commands him to deliver it to Ahaziah.

When the prophet Elijah met with the delegation, he says: “When you go to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, is there not a God in Israel? Therefore says I, the Lord. You will not get up from the bed where you have gone up and lain down, and you will die.”

Beelzebub means King of the Flies. It is not pleasant for him to go to God and ask questions about his life and death. Because God will not only give him comfort. For him and his royal family to inquire of God and obey Him is a matter that requires fundamental reform, such as repentance of sins and spiritual renewal.

King Ahaziah’s father was King Ahab, the most wicked king of northern Israel, and Jezebel, Ahab’s wife and Ahaziah’s mother, was one who spread Baal worship in northern Israel, which God considered abomination. Jezebel was the woman who made Baal worship the state religion in northern Israel and led Israel down the path to ruin. Ahaziah, who has such a family background, was unwilling to ask God; his tasks may include repenting of the sins of his family, the sins of his fathers, the sins of his parents, and his own sins.

It’s an acknowledgment of sin, a display of shame, and a humiliation. It was a process that he had to go through in order to be saved, to be healed. But Ahaziah took the easy way. If you ask a foreign god, you don’t have to humble his heart, and you don’t have to take responsibility for looking back on your life. He found a way to live without reflecting on his family’s shame and without lowering himself. He sent his servants to the god Baal. Then God intervened. He sends Elijah to rebuke King Ahaziah.

“When you go to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, is there not a God in Israel?” After hearing Elijah’s prophecy, King Ahaziah sent 150 of his men three times to kill the prophet Elijah, who had proclaimed the word of God, and 100 of them died when fire fell from heaven. King Ahaziah died without turning to God, just as God had prophesied.

The God who saved you is here with you, so who do you go to seek answers to know your life, death, and future? Don’t be an idolater. Instead, seek God and ask Him what to do.

Third, you have to let go of your own thoughts and controls that are in opposition to God and the way you want to achieve your own goals. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. “Our weapons in battle are not physical weapons, but God’s mighty weapons that break down strong fortresses. We defeat sophistry, we crush every pride that hinders the knowledge of God, and we bring every thought captive to Christ.”

What are the things that resist God? His providence and purposes, Christ, the way of salvation, the wisdom which seems to be greater than all the truths of the gospel, the exaltation of oneself, all the arrogant thoughts of the heart, the vanity, the haughty gaze and arrogance, the arguments that are developed against the gospel of Christ, are those things that are opposed to the knowledge of God.

All these thoughts are taken captive and brought into subjection to Christ. How can we submit them to Christ? Why is it difficult to obey? It depends on your sense of Christ. What have you received from Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ gave Himself to us, who were dead in trespasses and sins, so it is natural that we should give ourselves to Him.

But if we don’t have a sense of what Jesus has given us, then this call to take every thought captive and submit to Christ is meaningless. Therefore, if you first have the consciousness of death in sins, and then the joy of a new life in Jesus Christ, then the passion of self-surrender or self-denial is natural. But without a sense of Jesus’ death, there is no joy in a new life, and therefore no enthusiasm for self-surrender.

Are you a sinner deserving of trespasses and sins, and do you feel that Christ gave Himself for you? Those who profess that Jesus Christ is the Christ do not fight with the world’s weapons, the swords and spears, when they fight against thoughts that oppose God. Instead, we fight with God’s weapons: the Bible of truth, the sword of the Spirit, and the Word of God.

This arsenal can be used with all kinds of weapons, both offensive and defensive. It is a weapon used to establish the doctrine of the gospel, to protect it, and to refute the errors of the wicked. Do not allow your physical ways, your past patterns of behavior, to control you any longer. When a thought comes in, think of Christ instead of the way you handle it based on past experiences. You will surrender your mind and will to Christ according to the degree to which He has surrendered for you.

Obedience on the cross of Christ is complete freedom, not by force, nor by any chains. It was done only by love. Therefore, it is only when you allow Christ’s perfect love for you to control you, that you will be able to truly surrender yourself.

Pharaoh’s hardened heart was a refusal to know God. The heart that resists God is on the path of opposition to God’s will. He wanted to do their own thing, so he refused to know God. A heart that is higher than God becomes stubborn and hard, and it becomes more and more ruthless. It is to let go of your own stubbornness in resisting God, and your attitude and control to achieve your own purpose and will at all costs. Instead, you confess to live according to God’s will.

“I will forgive the person who hurt me, because I have received the love from the Lord.” “Because I know the grace of God, I am going to break this relationship and addiction that is not pleasing to the Lord.”

Finally, exhort one another. There is a temptation to sin, and when sin is repeated, we become hardened in it. “Exhort one another, that day, that day that may be called today, that no one may be hardened by the temptations of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). Be good at gathering, and share your life. Share your struggles in God’s presence, speak of your temptations to sin, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.

Be grateful as the Word reads and listens to one another, illuminating the darkness within you. The darkness revealed in the light is healed. Do not ignore the loving exhortations of the members. Share each other’s burdens. That is God’s will for you in the Lord Christ Jesus. Amen.

10/20/2024 [English] Not you, but God

Acts 31 - Sermon

Date: 10/20/2024

Title: Not you, but God

Text: Acts 7:9-16

9 His fathers were jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him.

10 And he delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and Pharaoh appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his house.

11 At that time there was a famine throughout Egypt and all the land of Canaan, and there was great distress, and our ancestors had no food.

12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors first.

13 And he sent again, and Joseph became known to his brethren, and Joseph's kinship was revealed to Pharaoh.

14 Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five of them.

15 Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.

16 They were brought to Shechem and buried in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Summary of past stories

We have been able to take a detailed look at key figures in the Old Testament. While preparing the message, I reflected deeply on the ancestors of faith and how God led them, connecting their lives to ours. What stood out was not only their greatness but also how God trained and grew them. Their journey of obedience, failure, and eventual growth, along with their limitations, became clearer. Jesus, who lived a perfect life, took our place, and we now have the privilege and duty to live as God's children.

The term "children," like "disciples," means growing to resemble a parent. Thus, when we examine the figures in the Bible, we must view them as people undergoing growth, and this perspective is essential.

If we don't see it this way, what might happen?

We could view Abraham abandoning his wife for survival, Rebekah and Jacob scheming for blessings, David succumbing to sexual temptation, and other sins of Old Testament figures too lightly. These were people God used and blessed greatly, but if we simply see them as heroes of faith, we might trivialize their sins. This mindset has dangerous outcomes, and we continue to witness this today.

Just in this past year, four prominent megachurch pastors in the U.S. resigned due to inappropriate behavior, and the sins of many Catholic priests are too unspeakable to mention.

Jesus Christ didn’t wait for us to become clean; He died for us while we were still sinners, and He called us in that state. He came to our sinful lives and knocked on the door first. This is immeasurable grace.

When He healed and forgave sinners, He always said, "Your sins are forgiven! Sin no more! Now, live a new life!"

Of course, He wasn’t demanding instant perfection, but He was commanding an immediate change in attitude. While some things can be stopped right away, other transformations may take a lifetime. This is the journey toward holiness, and the standard becomes clearer as we progress.

In the process, we become more humble as we recognize the changes we haven't achieved. Rather than viewing this journey as rigid rules, it becomes a path we walk with the loving Lord! Even amid our persistent limitations, we live with gratitude, knowing that we are still loved by God. In this way, we follow the way of Jesus.

It is by grace that we are not only saved and given eternal life, but also by grace that we are restored to our original identity as children of God.

If the word "children" means that we are people who must grow and mature as we follow our parents, then "disciples" are those who learn and become like their teacher.

No other religion uses the word "disciple" as much as Christianity does. As a result, the word "disciple" has accumulated various meanings, like "someone chosen" or "someone who demonstrates exceptional abilities." However, the original meaning of the word disciple, "one who follows and learns from the teacher," cannot change.

When Jesus called His disciples, what He required of them was nothing other than "Follow me!"

Therefore, we are people who continually follow Jesus as our example, being transformed along the way. This is the meaning of being a "disciple of Jesus."

We must view ourselves and one another through this perspective that Jesus taught. When I see myself as someone who must continue growing as I follow Jesus, I can genuinely be humble, not pretending to be holy or humble. And when I look at others, I won’t fall into the pride of judging them with an unfair, impossible standard of perfection.

Looking at the forefathers of faith, another important point is that God never demands from us something He doesn't first give. This aligns with what Paul later said: "The Lord only gives trials we can bear."

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were people who received many blessings, and thus, their faith was also greatly tested.

But were they more blessed than we are? Their encounters with God and the coming Savior were brief moments, but we, as Christians, live with the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of God, dwelling within us. We live in a time when the things they only dreamed about have already happened or can happen.

Therefore, the faith and obedience required of us are incomparable to theirs. With both the Old and New Testaments completed, our knowledge of God is beyond comparison.

After closely observing the forefathers of faith, we realize that Jesus is the One who fulfilled what God delighted in within their lives more perfectly. He is the Son of God who took upon Himself all their flaws and sins! We rediscover Jesus, the perfect Abraham, the true Isaac, the true Israel—the Son of God. And through this, we come to know more deeply the Jesus who lives within us.

We begin to realize the depth, size, and vastness of the grace we enjoy.

I hope that this journey will continue to deepen and expand as we meet more figures in the future. Amen!

Today, we will take a look at Joseph, another person in Genesis who occupies the most space and is shown to be greatly blessed.

Joseph

Joseph is also a figure who reflects many aspects of Jesus, but he too had several limitations. His story clearly shows how he grew through God's providence.

Joseph, with childlike innocence, told his brothers about the dream he had where they bowed down to him. He also proudly wore the special multicolored coat his father had made just for him, a naive but self-centered child who lacked consideration for others.

Moreover, as the eleventh son and nearly the youngest, Joseph often acted as a messenger for his father to check if his brothers were doing their work properly, which naturally caused his brothers to dislike him.

One day, while his brothers were working in Shechem, a place that required several days' journey, Joseph was once again sent by his father as a messenger to check on them.

But when his brothers saw Joseph approaching from a distance, they began plotting to kill him. The eldest brother, Reuben, intervened to stop them.

Genesis 37:22
"Do not shed any blood," Reuben said. "Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from their hands and take him back to his father.

However, while Reuben was away, some Midianite traders passed by. Judah, one of the brothers, suggested, "Let's not kill our brother and leave him to die. Instead, let's sell him to the slave traders." The brothers agreed to this plan.

In the end, it was Judah who saved Joseph's life, and this event became one of the reasons the tribe of Judah was given special status among the twelve tribes.

By the time Reuben returned, Joseph had already been sold to the slave traders.

The brothers dipped Joseph's multicolored coat in goat's blood and deceived their father, Jacob, into believing that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob was devastated and lost all hope in life.

However, Joseph was still alive. He had been sold into the household of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard in Egypt. There, Joseph worked diligently and earned Potiphar’s favor, eventually being put in charge of the entire household. But soon, Potiphar's wife became infatuated with Joseph because of his competence and hard work.

Genesis 39:8-10
8 But Joseph refused and said to his master's wife, "My master does not concern himself with anything in the house. He has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"
10 Though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Potiphar's wife persistently tried to seduce Joseph, but when she couldn’t succeed, she falsely accused him of attempting to assault her, leading to Joseph being thrown into prison.

Satan Speaks in Reverse

Satan falsely accuses in this way—not by twisting words slightly, but by convincing people to believe the exact opposite of the truth. The charges that led to Jesus being nailed to the cross and the accusations that imprisoned and killed Paul and the other disciples all claimed they had blasphemed against God. In reality, these were the very people who loved God the most, yet they were condemned for the exact opposite crime.

This is how Satan operates. For instance, someone might love and care deeply for another, giving them space and waiting patiently, even suppressing their own desire to reach out—only to be misunderstood as being indifferent or neglectful. Satan twists the truth into its complete opposite.

On the other hand, in the church, when someone is given a responsibility or asked to help, it is often because the opportunity to serve the Lord in love is being offered. However, Satan makes people believe that they are being used for someone else’s personal gain or ambition. This is Satan's method—lying by reversing the truth.

Take a look at what the man who received one talent said to his master in Jesus’ parable.

Matthew 25:24-25
24 Then the man who had received one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

This person viewed his master as harsh, as someone who gave him work merely for his own personal gain. He misunderstood his master as being selfish and ambitious.

This is precisely Satan’s lie and deception. But what is the truth? What is the essence of the situation? Why did the master actually entrust the talents? Wasn’t it out of love? Didn’t he return the profit to those who multiplied what they were given? The master entrusted the talents not for his own benefit, but for theirs.

How to Defeat Satan

Let’s look at how Joseph ultimately overcame Satan.

Genesis 39:20-21
20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison,
21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

Joseph didn’t plead his case to people, nor did he try to manipulate his situation. Instead, he trusted in God and accepted his circumstances. He remembered how God had saved him from death at the hands of his brothers, how he had been sold as a slave but was raised to manage Potiphar’s entire household by God’s grace. He had experienced how even evil events worked together for good.

Genesis 40:6-7
6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

Even in his miserable and unjust situation, Joseph had grown to the point where he could care for the concerns of others. He was no longer the self-centered child who failed to consider his brothers’ feelings and only focused on himself.

Jesus’ life was never about serving Himself. Likewise, as His disciples, becoming more like Jesus means becoming people who live for others.

As those who believe in Jesus and have received eternal life, the only reason we remain on this earth is to live for others. What in this world could compare to even a moment in heaven? That’s why every moment we live here is not for our own pleasure but for someone else. This is the transformation we must undergo. But the world tells us the exact opposite. “Me, me, me!” It insists that even when we make sacrifices or pretend to be humble, it’s all ultimately for our own benefit.

However, such a life will never lead to God’s blessing. When love and grace flow not just to ourselves but to our brothers, sisters, and neighbors, we will experience true freedom, real joy, genuine peace, and abundant blessings.

Eventually, Joseph met one of Pharaoh’s close officials while in prison. His ability to interpret the man’s dream opened the door for him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and after over ten years in Egypt as a slave, Joseph became the second-in-command, the prime minister of Egypt, the most powerful nation at the time.

Throughout this process, Joseph’s deep respect and reverence for God consistently shone through.

Genesis 41:16
Joseph answered Pharaoh, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

This shows that Joseph had reached a level of faith beyond that of his ancestors, even his father. Standing before Pharaoh, the man who could either elevate him or condemn him to death, Joseph didn’t just accept Pharaoh’s praise. Instead, he boldly corrected Pharaoh, stating that it was God who held the power to interpret the dream.

Genesis 41:38-40
38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph adapted to his circumstances but never compromised his faith. He boldly praised God and placed Him above all, no matter who he stood before. In doing so, Joseph demonstrated a faith more complete than that of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob combined.

This explains why so many Christian parents choose the name Joseph for their sons.

God’s Providence

Amid Joseph’s busy life as a powerful ruler, some familiar faces suddenly appeared before him—his brothers. These were the very brothers who had once tried to kill him and ultimately sold him into slavery. Now, due to a severe famine in Canaan, their father, Jacob, had sent them to Egypt to buy grain.

It was a fateful reunion.

However, the situation was now completely reversed.

To summarize, Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Now a high-ranking Egyptian official, Joseph’s appearance and mannerisms were so different from the young boy they had sold. As Egypt's prime minister, Joseph questioned them—asking if their father was still alive and whether the youngest brother, Benjamin (the only other son of Rachel), was safe. To ensure Benjamin’s well-being, Joseph demanded they bring him to Egypt, keeping Simeon as a hostage in the meantime. Joseph was concerned that, like himself, Benjamin might have suffered from his brothers’ jealousy.

In a dramatic twist, when the brothers, who had thought they could just buy grain and return home, were met with this unexpected and personal interest from the Egyptian ruler, they began to argue among themselves. They thought this trouble was the result of their sin against Joseph. Speaking in their own language, believing no one could understand them, they discussed their guilt—but Joseph, understanding everything, had to leave the room to weep in secret.

Eventually, the brothers returned home to tell their father, Jacob, what had happened. However, Jacob refused to let Benjamin go despite Reuben’s pleas. Time passed, and the grain they had brought back ran out. With the famine persisting, they had no choice but to go back to Egypt. This time, Jacob reluctantly agreed to let Benjamin go.

Upon seeing Benjamin, Joseph was relieved, but he wanted to test his brothers to see if they had truly changed. He framed Benjamin for theft and threatened to imprison him. The brothers were horrified and tore their clothes in despair. They couldn’t bear the thought of returning to Canaan without Benjamin, knowing it would destroy their father, Jacob.

At this critical moment, Judah stepped forward and explained the entire situation in great detail, which is recorded in Genesis 44. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read Joseph’s story in the Bible. In summary, Judah expressed that if Benjamin didn’t return, their father, who had already suffered from the loss of Joseph, would not survive. He then offered himself as a substitute for Benjamin, saying:

Genesis 44:33
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.”

Judah was pleading to take Benjamin’s place as a prisoner.

Does this scene remind you of anything? It is because of this act that Judah became the forefather of Jesus Christ, the One who would later take our place as sinners. From Judah’s lineage, Jesus would come. The Bible’s grand narrative of salvation is astonishing in its depth and beauty.

Genesis 45:1-3
1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

This is an overwhelming moment.

Can you imagine the brothers’ shock? The powerful Egyptian prime minister they had been dealing with turned out to be the very Joseph they had once tried to kill and sold as a slave, thinking he was long dead. What an emotional storm—regret for their past sins, fear of revenge, and perhaps a glimmer of gratitude for the opportunity to be freed from their guilt—all mixed together, leaving them speechless.

Yet Joseph, in this moment, said something truly remarkable:

Genesis 45:5
“And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

Genesis 45:8
“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Joseph reassured his brothers not to worry or feel guilty, explaining that everything that had happened was part of God’s providence. The dreams he had as a boy were coming true—God had sent him to Egypt to become prime minister and save lives during the famine, including the lives of his own family. It was all part of God's plan.

However, we must be careful not to misunderstand or justify human sin through this story.

What does this mean? Even if Joseph's brothers had willingly let him go, he could have fallen into a pit on his own and been discovered by slave traders. Or, even if Potiphar’s wife hadn’t tried to seduce him, Joseph, already recognized for his abilities in Potiphar’s household, could have been recommended by Potiphar to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. These are all hypothetical scenarios, but what Joseph realized is that God’s providence will always be fulfilled, no matter what happens.

In the end, Jacob’s entire family was invited by Pharaoh to move to Egypt, where they lived in comfort and were treated with great honor. Imagine how joyful Jacob must have been to reunite with the son he thought was dead, now standing before him in royal splendor.

A similar scene will unfold when we arrive in God’s kingdom.

Isn’t it incredible that from the very first book of the Bible, we see God’s astounding providence at work? In Joseph’s life, although it involved many sinful acts, the ultimate message is that even when we make a mess of things, God will still accomplish His purposes.

At first, the brothers tried to kill Joseph, but God prevented that through Reuben. The Lord allows us to mess things up only to the extent that it can still be redeemed. That’s what He shows us.

This means that even if I feel like I’ve ruined my life beyond repair, the Lord can still restore it. Amen.

Is there any more comforting message than this? There is a limit to suffering, and even to how much we can mess things up. Knowing that all these stories will ultimately lead to a beautiful conclusion of grace for those who are in the Lord—doesn’t that bring us eternal peace?

With this in mind, I can forgive those who seem to have ruined my life. I can even reconcile with God, who I might have felt abandoned me in my times of need. My past, which may have seemed bleak and colorless, will now shine with varied and beautiful meanings.

There’s no need to live struggling to protect myself or my pride. If we are Christians and believe in God’s providence, we trust that the Lord knows all our grievances. Like Joseph, we can trust in Him.

When we shift our focus from ourselves to others and live for them, we will reach a point where even small problems no longer trouble us. At that point, we will experience God’s fullness in our lives.

Look at how magnificently God’s promise to Abraham—that his descendants would be a source of blessing—was realized through Joseph. Joseph wasn’t just the recipient of blessings but became the conduit of those blessings.

When we surrender the pursuit of personal wealth and focus on bringing life to others, we will experience true abundance.

This is what it means for the God of Joseph to be my God. Those who live not for themselves but for their brothers, sisters, communities, and neighbors will see the blessings of God pour out upon them. Amen.

Let us pray.

10/13 [Kor] 벧엘의 하나님

성경 읽기: 호세아 12:3-6, NIV

3 그는 태에서 형의 발꿈치를 잡았고, 사람으로서 하나님과 씨름하였습니다.

4 그는 천사와 씨름하여 이기고, 울며 하나님의 호의를 간구했습니다. 그는 베델에서 하나님을 만나 그곳에서 대화했습니다—

5 전능하신 여호와 하나님, 여호와가 그의 이름이시라!

6 그러나 너는 네 하나님께로 돌아가야 합니다. 사랑과 정의를 지키며 항상 네 하나님을 기다리십시오.

서론

만약 당신에게 수백 명의 형제와 자매가 있다면, 자신을 소개할 때 “나는 현석의 형제입니다”라고 말할 것입니다. 이는 현석의 형제가 된 것을 자랑스럽게 여긴다는 의미입니다.

그것이 내 이름이기 때문에, 내 이름으로 자신을 소개하면 영광을 받을 것입니다.

상상해 보십시오, 만약 하나님이 저의 이름으로 자신을 소개하신다면, 예를 들어 “나는 현석의 하나님이다”라고 말씀하신다면,

그것은 저에게 엄청난 영광과 영예가 될 것입니다.

분명히 제가 하나님께 매우 중요하게 여겨진다는 뜻입니다.

구약에서 하나님은 자신을 소개할 때 세 가지 이름을 사용하셨습니다.

나는 아브라함의 하나님, 이삭의 하나님, 야곱의 하나님입니다.

그러므로 하나님은 이 세 사람을 매우 자랑스럽게 여기셨고, 우리도 그들처럼 되고 싶다면 그들로부터 배워야 합니다.

아브라함

먼저, 가장 중요한 이름은 아브라함입니다.

우리는 어젯밤 그에 관한 영화를 보았습니다.

아브라함의 이야기는 하나님께 선택받은 자들도 실수를 하고 믿음 안에서 성장해야 함을 강력하게 상기시켜줍니다. 기독교, 유대교, 이슬람에서 믿음의 아버지로 존경받지만, 아브라함은 완벽하지 않았습니다.

하나님께서 그에게 가나안으로 가라고 명령하셨을 때, 그는 가족이 그곳을 좋아해서 하란에 오래 머물렀습니다. 그는 중도에서만 순종했지만, 절반의 순종은 여전히 불순종이었습니다.

그의 아버지가 돌아가신 후에야 아브라함은 드디어 하란을 떠나 가나안으로 갔습니다. 그러나 곧 그는 또 다른 실수를 저질렀습니다. 권력 있는 사람들이 그의 아내 사라에게 관심을 가지자, 아브라함은 자신을 보호하기 위해 그녀가 단지 그의 여동생이라고 거짓말을 하고 그들이 그녀를 데려가도록 허락했습니다. 보시다시피, 그는 얼마나 비겁했는지 알 수 있습니다.

그러나 시간이 지나면서 아브라함은 성장하고 더 대담해지며 타인에 대해 더 배려하게 되었습니다. 

그러나 하나님께서 아브라함의 삶에서 정말로 다루고 싶어 하셨던 것은 그에게 가장 중요한 것이었습니다.

삶에는 많은 것이 중요하고 그 중 많은 것이 좋은 것입니다. 그러나 좋은 것들이 하나님보다 더 중요해지면, 그것들은 우리에게 해를 끼치기 시작합니다. 

그것들은 우리 삶을 축복하는 대신, 우리와 다른 사람들에게 고통과 해를 초래합니다.

그들의 위치가 잘못되었기 때문입니다.

하나님은 실제로 아브라함이 스스로를 파괴하는 것을 막고자 했습니다. 그래서 그는 아브라함에게 큰 시험을 주었고, 아브라함은 이를 통과했습니다. 

그는 삶의 모든 것보다 하나님을 우선으로 두기로 선택했습니다. 그 선택은 그의 삶의 다른 모든 좋은 것들이 진정으로 좋게 남을 수 있는 축복이 되었습니다.

아브라함의 삶에서 배울 수 있는 중요한 교훈은 이것입니다: 아무리 어려운 일이거나 원하지 않는 일이더라도, 하나님의 뜻을 완전히 순종하는 것이 우리와 우리가 사랑하는 사람들에게 항상 최선이라는 것입니다. 

우리는 모든 것보다 하나님을 우선시해야 합니다. 진정한 축복이 그곳에 있기 때문입니다.

이삭

아브라함의 아들 이삭은 깊이 뿌리내린 신앙 가정에서 태어났으며, 단순히 아브라함의 아들이었기 때문에 축복을 받았습니다. 이삭 자신이 항상 특별한 믿음을 보이지는 않았지만, 아브라함을 축복하신 하나님의 은혜가 자연스럽게 이삭의 삶에 흐르곤 했습니다.

그러나 이삭의 가장 큰 도전은 그가 온 마음으로 하나님을 찾을 긴박한 필요를 느끼지 못했다는 것입니다. 하나님이 자신과 함께 하시는지, 자신의 기도 때문인지, 아니면 아브라함의 축복 때문인지 분명하지 않았습니다. 그 결과, 이삭은 종종 도전에 직면하는 것을 피하고 상황에 의존하여 하나님을 찾는 대신 자신의 상황에 따라 행동했습니다.

그러나 이삭이 마침내 여호와의 이름을 부르고 경배할 때, 하나님은 그 순간 그를 만났습니다. 곧, 그가 가나안의 왕과 군대 지휘관을 만났을 때, 이삭은 굳건히 섰습니다. 적대감 대신 그들은 도리어 그를 찬양하며 “너는 여호와께서 복 주셨도다”라고 말했고, 이삭은 그들을 위해 잔치를 준비하기도 했습니다. 

바로 이때 이삭은 하나님과 가장 가까워졌습니다. 그는 축복을 받았을 뿐만 아니라 이웃에게 축복이 되었습니다.

불행히도, 그 후 이삭은 더 수동적인 믿음으로 돌아갔고, 하나님을 직접 찾기보다는 자신의 상황을 해석함으로써 하나님의 뜻을 조심스레 따랐습니다.

하나님이 이삭을 가장 기뻐하셨던 순간들에서, 하나님이 그에게서 원하시는 것이 무엇인지 분명해졌습니다: 

하나님은 이삭이 단지 아버지 아브라함의 믿음에 의존하는 것이 아니라, 스스로 하나님을 적극적으로 찾고 인격적으로 하나님을 알고 추구하기를 원하셨습니다.

이삭이 스스로 하나님을 찾을 때, 그는 대담해졌습니다. 자신을 사랑하시는 하나님을 알게 되면서 그는 두려워하지 않게 되었고, 왕들과 군대를 상대할 때에도 두려움이 없었습니다. 대신, 그들은 그를 존경하며 하나님이 실제로 그와 함께 계심을 인정했습니다.

우리 중 많은 사람들, 특히 신앙 깊은 가정에서 태어난 사람들은 비슷한 도전을 경험합니다. 하나님은 단지 우리의 신앙의 유산을 통해 축복을 받는 것뿐만 아니라, 

우리와의 직접적이고 인격적인 관계를 통해 우리가 다른 이들에게 축복의 통로가 되기를 원하십니다.

야곱

이삭의 아들 야곱은 종종 그의 형 에서와 비교되어 열등함을 느꼈고, 이는 그를 깊이 원망하게 만들었습니다. 그래서 야곱은 에서를 이기기 위해 자주 다른 사람들을 속이고 기만하려고 했습니다.

반면, 항상 우위를 점했던 에서는 하나님이나 그의 아버지, 또는 다른 누구도 두려워하지 않았습니다. 그래서 야곱이 하나님의 축복을 갈망하는 동안, 에서는 그것을 가볍게 여겼습니다.

아브라함처럼, 자신의 약함 때문에 야곱은 간절히 하나님의 도움을 원했고, 결국 그는 축복을 받았습니다.

창세기 28:14: “너의 후손은 땅의 먼지와 같을 것이며, 너는 동쪽과 서쪽, 북쪽과 남쪽으로 퍼져 나갈 것이다. 온 땅의 모든 족속이 너와 네 후손을 통해 복을 받을 것이다.”

하나님은 야곱에게 그가 단순히 축복받기를 원하신 것이 아니라, 다른 이들에게 축복이 되기를 원하신다는 것을 상기시켜 주셨습니다.

야곱은 형제 에서의 축복을 훔친 후 도망쳐 지치고 돌에 머리를 대고 잠이 들었습니다. 그곳에서 하나님을 만난 야곱은 그 돌에 기름을 부으며 그 장소를 “베델”이라 이름 지었는데, 이는 “하나님의 집”을 의미합니다. 하나님과 야곱 모두 기뻐했고, 야곱은 하나님이 함께 하신다면 그곳으로 돌아가 그가 가진 모든 것의 십일조를 드리겠다고 서약했습니다.

목적지에 도착한 후, 야곱은 정착하여 가족을 이루었습니다. 20년 후 그는 가나안으로 돌아왔습니다. 

그러나 한 가지 문제가 있었습니다—그를 죽이겠다고 맹세했던 에서가 그곳에서 기다리고 있었지요.

이것은 20년 동안 야곱이 에서의 두려움 속에서 살아왔음을 보여줍니다. 에서를 만나는 전날 밤, 야곱은 간절히 하나님을 찾았고, 하나님의 천사가 그에게 나타났습니다. 야곱은 천사를 꼭 붙잡고 새벽까지 놓아주지 않았습니다.

그 순간 천사는 야곱에게 새로운 이름 “이스라엘”을 주었습니다. 이 이름은 “하나님과 씨름하는 자”를 의미하며, 하나님을 간절히 붙잡아 결국 하나님의 호의를 얻는 사람을 상징합니다.

야곱이 마침내 에서를 만났을 때, 적대감 대신 에서는 그를 껴안고 울었습니다. 

현실은 야곱이 상상했던 20년 간의 두려움과는 완전히 달랐습니다. 하나님은 야곱을 보호하신다는 약속을 지키셨습니다.

이제 야곱은 자신이 서약했던 십일조를 드리기 위해 베델로 돌아가야 했지만, 그는 즉시 그곳으로 가지 않았습니다.

대신, 야곱은 형 에서에게 그의 소유의 십일조 이상을 주었습니다—그가 하나님보다 더 두려워했던 사람에게요!

그 후 야곱은 수콧이라는 곳에 10년 넘게 살았습니다. 그곳에서 안전하지 않다고 느낀 그는 다시 이사했지만, 다시 베델로는 가지 않았습니다. 이번에는 세겜으로 이사했습니다.

야곱은 위험할 때에는 절박하게 하나님을 붙잡았지만, 상황이 편안해지면 거의 하나님을 무시하는 패턴을 보였습니다. 

그는 자신을 위해 살았고, 하나님과의 서약을 지키기보다는 자신의 방식대로, 자신이 선택한 장소에서 경배했습니다.

야곱이 하나님과의 약속을 계속 무시하고 자신의 삶의 주인이 될 수 있을까요? 물론 아닙니다. 

결국 그의 가족에게 큰 고난이 닥친 후에야 야곱은 자신과 주변 사람들을 세겜의 영향에서 깨끗이 정화하고 마침내 베델로 돌아갔습니다.

이스라엘의 하나님,

“하나님의 집”을 의미하는 베델은 단순한 장소 이상의 것을 나타냅니다. 하나님은 야곱이 단순히 가끔 방문하는 것이 아니라, 진정으로 “이스라엘”이 되어 하나님의 임재 속에서 온전히 사는 사람이 되기를 원하셨습니다.

하나님은 야곱이 하나님의 식구가 되기를 원하셨습니다—하나님 안에 거하며 하나님의 가족으로 함께 계시기를 원하셨습니다.

같은 방식으로, 예수님은 교회가 조직이 아닌 가족이 되기를 원하십니다.

그러나 사람들은 보통 교회를 어떻게 생각할까요?

어떤 사람들에게 교회는 정기적으로 가서 영적 건강을 유지하는 체육관과 같습니다. 

다른 이들은 성경적 가치를 배우는 학교로 봅니다. 

또 다른 사람들은 비슷한 믿음을 가진 친구들을 만나는 장소로 여깁니다. 

이 모든 것은 좋고 가치 있는 기능이지만, 교회의 본질은 아닙니다.

교회의 본질은 이것입니다: 교회는 하나님의 집이며, 우리는 하나님의 자녀이자, 서로에게 형제자매입니다. 교회는 하나님 아버지에게 속한 사람들이 모이는 가정이며, 이것이 베델이 나타내는 것입니다. 

이것이 하나님이 교회에서 보길 원하시는 본질입니다.

구약 전반에 걸쳐 아브라함과 나중에 이스라엘에게 약속된 모든 축복은 이제 교회로 흘러가야 합니다.

하나님은 “아브라함의 하나님, 이삭의 하나님, 야곱의 하나님”으로 불리기를 원하셨습니다.

그러나 하나님이 비교할 수 없이 더 많이 사용하신 이름은 ‘이스라엘의 하나님’이었습니다.

예수님은 자신이 이 땅에 오신 이유가 잃어버린 이스라엘 자녀들을 찾고 구원하기 위해서라고 말씀하셨습니다.

그러므로 우리가 영적 이스라엘이 되지 않는다면, 성경의 약속과 축복은 우리에게 아무런 관련이 없게 될 것입니다.

그렇다면 우리는 어떻게 이스라엘이 될 수 있을까요?

야곱은 천사와 씨름한 후 자신이 이스라엘이 될 것이라는 예언을 받았지만, 그는 훨씬 나중에야 진정으로 이스라엘이 되었습니다. 

긴 여정을 마친 후 그는 마침내 베델로 돌아갔습니다. 그곳에서 그는 진정으로 이스라엘이 되었습니다.

이것이 우리에게 일어나기 위해서는, 우리 교회가 진정으로 베델이 되어야 합니다.

그리고 여러분은 단지 여기에서 예배하는 것뿐만 아니라, 이 가족에 속해야 합니다.

요한복음 15:7, NIV: “내 안에 거하고 내 말이 너희 안에 거하면 무엇이든지 원하는 대로 구하라 그리하면 이루리라.”

이는 우리가 그리스도 안에 거하고 그리스도께서 우리 안에 거하신다는 것을 의미합니다. 이 구절의 “너”는 단수가 아니라 교회, 가족 공동체를 지칭하는 복수형입니다.

예수님은 “내 이름으로 두세 사람이 모인 곳에는 내가 그들과 함께 있느니라”고 말씀하셨습니다. 그리스도가 우리 안에 온전히 거하실 때, 이제 우리는 아브라함, 이삭, 야곱보다 더 큰 자가 될 수 있습니다.

우리는 아브라함보다 더 깊이 하나님을 사랑할 수 있습니다. 우리는 이삭을 넘어 축복을 받는 자가 되는 것을 넘어서 다른 이들에게 축복의 원천이 될 수 있습니다. 

하나님을 더 추구하고 이 교회를 우리의 집—우리의 베델—으로 삼음으로써, 우리는 그리스도와 함께 매일 살 수 있습니다!

이 일이 일어날 때, 세상은 우리가 가진 사랑을 보게 될 것이며, 그들은 우리가 예수님의 제자임을 알게 될 것입니다. 

세상은 마침내 이 교회가 그리스도의 영광의 충만함임을 인식하게 될 것입니다. 도시의 중심에서, 그리고 세상의 중심에서 말입니다.

기도합시다.

10/06/2024 To Return to the Lord

Sermon: To Return to the Lord 

Scripture: Judges 16:28-30

28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 

29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 

30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

"Conflict, pain, psychotherapy All this leads us to look at ourselves, to look more carefully and more closely, to find what we have missed, to understand something. And all this expands awareness. But whether this greater awareness increases or decreases freedom depends on what we perceive and how we use it," quotes a man named Allen Wheelis in How people change.

 I failed one course in the pastoral examination in April. I can say, "If the professor hadn't asked me questions that didn't come up in class, I wouldn't have failed," or if I had studied harder, I wouldn't have failed. Both statements are dealing with the same experience. Both asked, "Why did I fail?" and both may be true. If I want to make excuses for my failures, I'll take the former, and if I want to avoid the same mistakes in the future, I'll choose the latter.

Here's a more summary of the contents of the book: In the same way, if we talk about failures in life, and ask why, we can arrive at an answer that is quite different but equally true. But the truth does not provide a criterion for our choice. The choice between two equally truthful accounts of the same life depends on the outcome you want and the future you want to create. If we have pain and a desire to change, we will choose that history, written from the perspective that determined the past. This is what makes the current selection. That's because it emphasizes both the understanding of how you became and the freedom to make yourself different. 

Joshua, a great leader of Isreal, died, and all the people of his generation fell asleep too. The new generation was being distributed and conquering the land of Canaan. They must now live out the field with the mission of making this earth the kingdom of God. If there is a territory, if there are citizens, if there is a king, then a state is formed. Canaan is its territory, Israel is its citizen, and the Lord God is the King. This is called the kingdom of God. However, when the Israelites lived in the land of Canaan, they did not follow God, the King of that nation. God was the king of the Israelites, but Israel did not choose God to be their king. They did not yet have a human king because they had not yet formed as a nation, but God was the king of their forefathers, is their king now, and is their king forever. It is historically true that Jehovah God is the Savior of their forefathers. Nevertheless, the new generation rejected God's kingship. So they fell into sin, and God delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Then Israel cried out to God. The Lord did not abandon His people, but appointed judges to rule Israel for about 400 years. The central message of the book of Judges is that Israel fell into sin, that God delivered them into the hands of the enemy, that Israel cried out to God, and that God raised up judges to deliver Israel from the hands of the enemy. However, when the judges die, Israel again worships idols and follows those idols. God's warning to Israel, who would not forsake their wicked deeds and hardened conduct, was:

 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 

22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua (Judges 2:21-22).

This is the main content of the book of Judges. Among them, the author of Judges tells the story of Samson in four chapters, chapters from13 to 16. When we look at the story of Samson, it seems that the problem of Samson as a judge is more serious than the problem of Israel. Samson, the last judge in the age of the judges, is born with the faith of the mother and the mission of the Nazirites. The angel of the Lord appears to the barren wife of Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, and tells her that she will conceive and give birth to a son. The angel tells her to forbid to drink wine or other fermented drink that she should not eat anything unclean, and that she should not put a razor to a child's head. It is said that the child is born and consecrated to God from birth (Judges 13:4-5). Who are the Nazirites? Numbers 6:1-21 discusses the discipline of the one who will be born. I'm going to read up to verse 8.

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazirite,

 3 they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.

 4 As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

5 “‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.

6 “‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the Lord, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.

 7 Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head.

 8 Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.

The Nazirite vow is made by an individual who voluntarily sets apart his or herself and commits himself to God. He is holy to the Lord. The Nazirite vow in the book of Numbers has five characteristics. It is voluntary, it can be done by men or women, it has a specific duration and certain requirements and limitations, and in conclusion, it is a dedication that sets itself apart and focuses on the Lord. Restricting behavior during a dedicated period means focusing on God. Therefore, it can be said that a Nazirite is a person who focuses only on God, a person of devotion and sacrifice. At that time, the Israelites betrayed the Lord again, and God delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years. Against this backdrop, Samson was born to save Israel, and so he was given the mission to live a life of distinction and consecration.

 Samson, a Nazirite, grows up blessed. When he is grown up, one day he goes down to Timnah and sees a Philistine woman and asks her parents to marry her. The Bible says this is God's plan. Samson's parents opposed the marriage because they did not know God's plan, but they eventually allowed it to him. As he and his parents go down to Timnah to meet the Philistine woman's family, Samson kills a young lion that lunges at him. Parents don't know that. Later, as he went down to marry again, Samson saw honey from the lion he had slain last time, took it, ate it himself, and gave it to his parents. Samson's parents do not know if this came from the dead body of the lion. Thus, Samson violates the Nazirite law against eating unclean things. That's how he married a Philistine woman. However, Samson does not make it through the first night because of a riddle he has tricked on himself, and he returns home angry. Later, when he went back to the land of the Philistines to find his wife, she had already become someone else's wife. Enraged, Samson captures three million foxes, sets them on fire, and drives them into the Philistines' fields, where they burn all their crops. In retaliation, the Philistines burn to death the woman who had married Samson and her father. In addition, when the Philistines try to capture Samson, he hides in a cave but is eventually captured by the Philistines. But when the Spirit of God came upon him, Samson loosed the bonds with great force and killed a thousand Philistines with a single donkey bone. Samson then reigns as Israel's judge for 20 years. The Philistines and Samson were becoming enemies.

In time, Samson again falls in love with Delilah, a Philistine woman, a prostitute. When the Philistines find out about this, they bribe Delilah to find out the secret of Samson's immense power. Samson is reluctant to tell the secret of his power. That's why he lied few times. Eventually, however, Samson reveals the truth to Delilah. When Delilah reveals the secret of the source of his power, she betrays Samson and delivers him to the Philistines. Because of this, Samson was cast out by the Philistines and his eyes were gouged out. He is now in prison as a millstone. The Philistines considered Samson to be their enemy. They had a reason to kill Samson. So when they bound Samson, they even praised their god (Judges 16:24). When the Philistines gathered to sacrifice to their god, the god Dagon, they called for Samson to perform tricks. When Samson was taken out of prison, he was forced to perform tricks in front of them. The Bible said there were 3,000 people gathered at the temple. Here, Samson prays to God:

28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 

29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 

30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived (Judges 2:21-22). 

When Samson sees the Philistine women who have betrayed him, who bound him, gouged out his eyes, and put him in prison, and the Philistines cheering at his feats, he begins to pray and supplicate to God the King. Lord, I ask you to remember me and give me strength once again. The power of the Holy Spirit that God gave to Samson was not for his personal benefit, but for the salvation of Israel. However, Samson used it to satisfy his personal desires, and his life failed. Samson's time in prison must have been painful. Forced to meditate on why he was falling apart like this, and the shame of having to go out and grind in the face of the enemy, the suffering there probably demanded some change in him. Change must be accompanied by suffering. Now that Samson, who used his God-given power only for the desires of the flesh, comes out of prison, the choices he makes will depend on the outcome he wants and the future he wants to create. Samson's choices in the past made him who he is and what he is today. But now Samson still has the freedom to make himself different. 

Samson lost his mission because of the lusts of the flesh, and he failed in life. It seems that Samson learned that God had allowed him to marry a Philistine woman in order to make him know that the Philistines were enemies of God and the Israelites. If you like someone and she or he betrays you, and that happens over and over again, you'll hate everything that has to do with that person. Now bound and unable to do anything, and the shame that awaited him, Samson prayed and pleaded with God. He wants to be strong again. He prayed for this strength, not this time for personal desires, but for Israel. Samson cried out to his King, the Lord God. Samson finally learned that the Philistines, whom he thought were his enemies for personal reasons, had long been enemies of God and Israel, and that God had called him to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. Now, if He really wanted to deliver Israel from these Philistines, he needed God-given strength.

Samson's desires, his missing mission, his conflicts, his pain, and his prisons tell the truth about the question of why his life turned out the way it did. However, such facts do not give him a criterion for future selection. Samson's choice depended on the outcome he wanted and the future he wanted to create. Samson returned to the God in history who determined how the salvation of his ancestors was accomplished. So he would cried out to God and prayed to Him. “Lord, I now know that you are my King. God the Savior, who freed my forefathers from slavery and delivered them from Pharaoh's hand, is also my King, so remember me, and give me strength to help me avenge this Philistine.”

Is it because of the Canaanites, the unbelievers around you, or the idolatrous people around you that you have betrayed the God who saved you, the King of God, and left to serve another god? There are curses, murders, violence, and ruthlessness in the land apart from God. So is to Israel and individuals who leave God will eventually fall into the sin of worshipping other gods and will decline.

Why am I falling apart like this? If I ask why, I can arrive at an answer that is quite different but equally true. The truth in me does not provide a criterion for choice. My pain, my conflicts, my greed, my desires will be true. It is also true that the circumstances and conditions that force me to fail are also true. My laziness, boredom, and inability are also true. But if I have a desire to change, I have to make a choice. I'm not talking about emotional choices. Choose that history that is written from the perspective of "the one that determined the past." That's what makes my current choice. Because the choice I make now is an understanding of how I became and the freedom to make myself different. 

Joshua did not appoint a leader to lead Israel after his death. Because he knew that the only king of God's kingdom was the Lord God. Consider. If we reject God as King in the kingdom of God, is there a way for Israel to live? It is natural for the world to choose a king, and for a king to protect his people as much as possible, but rejecting God was an act of cutting off the lifeline. 'Return to the Lord’ is not just a nice slogan, but a matter of our lives. YOU also dwell on this earth, but our King is only the Lord God. Your neighbors are worshipping and following the gods of Baal who seem to be prosperous to you, and you live with them with faith in the Lord God, your Savior and King. Gradually & slowly you admit their splendor is not bad, then your mission is wavering, and you may even follow and serve their idolatry, which seems easy. How can you serve two kings in one country? That's why you have no choice but to reject God. It is only the Lord God who saves me and you.

Israel has never been without thorns and snares that afflict them. But God has never failed to save new generations. Every time they cried out, God delivered Israel from the neighboring nations of the land of Canaan, from Amalek, from Jabin king of Hazor, from the hand of the Midianites, from the hand of Moab, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines. You and I must return to Bethel, where we have promised to live in the service of God. If you know what outcomes you want and what future you want to build. So far, your choices have made you who you are and who you are today. But you still have the freedom to make yourself different. 

I will try again in April next year for the subjects that I failed this time. What will be my choice? It depends on the outcome I want and the future I want to create. Are you becoming like Samson? Or, like Jacob, are you still looking only for your own good? Jacob chose to go to Bethel. He has a history of encountering God at Bethel. The path he wanted and the future he wanted to create was a continuing walk with God that he had met at Bethel, so he decided to go up there. When Samson returned to the Lord as King, God strengthened him again to avenge  Philistines, who were not only his enemies but also enemies of God and Israel. By so doing Samson completed his mission as a savior to save Israel. What about you?

Let us pray: 

Jesus came to this earth and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God. He proclaimed that he came from God, and that whosoever believed in him would be saved from his sins. This is the gospel of the kingdom of God. Satan, who tempted Jesus as he did to Adam, temped Jesus but He overcame the temptation. Afterward the first work of Jesus was the rebuilding of the kingdom of God, which had been destroyed by Adam's sin. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Since Jesus is King, where He is the kingdom of God. Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount and the life, culture, and relationships of the citizens of God's kingdom. When he came down from the mountain after preaching on the mount, the first person he met was a man with leprosy. As you pray at this time, I want you to think of yourself as a leper who meets Jesus as our King. In Matthew 8:2-3, a leper comes to Jesus. “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached out his hand, and touched him, and said, I am willing. “Be cleaned.” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.” This man is an isolated leper. The world locked him up because his leprosy is a symbol of sin, unclean, and contagious. The word he has heard in the world was "you are unclean." There is no one in the world who can save him. No, rather, they would try to kill him, they would turn away from him and would ignore him. There is no place for him in this world. Then how could he come before Jesus? 

He must have gone into hiding and listened to the gospel of the kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus. What might he have been thinking when he heard the gospel? What kind of courage did he find? He would have known that Jesus was the Savior who could save him from sin, from his current condition. Recognizing does not make any difference in his future. He came before Jesus. When this leper came out after hearing the gospel of the kingdom of God, confessing that he was sick and that he was a sinner who needed to be cleansed, Jesus healed him. 

We have become arrogant. "Blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." It became a hope for the leper to live, so he came to the Lord, and we don't know how many times we don't have the hope of living even though we are not like that leper. Those who acknowledge Jesus as the King of God's kingdom and come before Him hold on to the hope of living. Poor spirit and salvation are so a pair. Even if you are hiding because you are afraid, or if you have betrayed God in a blatant way, if you humbly return to the Lord when you need to come to Him again, you will be saved and healed. 

Lord, let the kingdom of God come here! When we come to the Lord the King, heal us, restore us, help us regain hold of our mission. Restore worship to hear the Word, and open our spiritual eyes with the Holy Spirit to discern and obey His will. In the name of Jesus, who has delivered us, who is delivering us, and who will continue to deliver us from sin, from the powers of death and hell, from the schemes of Satan, I pray. Amen.

09/29/24 Let Us Arise and Go Up to Bethel

**Sermon Study 30

**Date:** September 29, 2024

**Title:** "Let Us Arise and Go Up to Bethel"

**Text:** Genesis 35:9-15

**[Genesis 35:9-15]**

9 God appeared to Jacob again when he returned from Paddan Aram, and He blessed him.

10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So He named him Israel.

11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will come from you, and kings will descend from your body.

12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

13 Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.

14 Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a stone pillar, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.

15 Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

### The Ages of the Old Testament Figures

One of the remarkable things we’ve noticed while studying the history of Genesis over the past few weeks is that these people, though they lived thousands of years ago, in many ways aren’t so different from us.

We live in an age of space shuttles, the internet, A.I., and self-driving cars, while they had no means of communication and traveled mostly by foot. Yet the differences between them and us aren’t as significant as we might think.

This fact challenges evolutionists, as it suggests that humanity has not undergone substantial changes over thousands of years. Despite the rise and fall of many civilizations, the moral and ethical foundations of these people remain very similar to our own. This is largely due to the Bible, which has become the most important moral guide throughout human history.

Even today, thousands of years later, the stories of these biblical figures are still the most widely read and shared across the globe, with the same scriptures being proclaimed today as they were then.

However, one key difference we’ve discovered while looking into the lives of these people is that they lived much longer than we do. When viewed through the lens of our modern age, many of the events in Genesis seem hard to comprehend.

For example, when Pharaoh wanted to take Sarah as his wife, she was in her late 60s. Later, when Abimelech desired her, Sarah was almost 90 years old. Of course, it’s also quite shocking to think that Sarah gave birth to Isaac at such an advanced age.

It’s almost unimaginable.

And when we calculate Jacob’s age when he fled after receiving Isaac’s blessing, the results are just as astonishing. We typically think of Jacob as a young man during that time, as we picture him meeting Rachel, falling in love at first sight, and getting married after seven years of labor. But when you add up the years in the Genesis narrative, Jacob was actually in his mid-70s when he fled to Haran to escape from Esau.

For many people, this is a shocking reversal of the image they had in their minds.

Theologians explain that because the lifespan during that time was nearly double what it is today, it’s more accurate to think of their ages as roughly half of what we calculate by today’s standards.

This would mean that when Pharaoh found Sarah attractive, she was about 30 in today’s terms, and Abimelech desired a Sarah who was in her mid-40s.

Likewise, Jacob would have been in his late 30s when he left home, according to our standards. And when Jacob wrestled with the angel on his way back to his homeland, although he was nearly 100 in biblical terms, it’s easier to understand him as being in his late 40s by today’s standards.

This makes the story much easier to relate to.

### A World Corrupted by Sin

Geneticist and former Cornell professor, Dr. Sanford, in his book *"Genetic Entropy and the Mystery of the Genome,"* warns that humanity's genome is deteriorating due to accumulating genetic mutations, and that this weakening will eventually render human reproduction impossible.

In Genesis, after sin entered the world, we see that the first humans lived over 900 years, but after the global flood and subsequent environmental changes, the human lifespan drastically decreased. Noah’s son, Shem, lived to be 600, his son lived about 400 years, and Abraham’s father Terah lived to be 205. Abraham himself lived 175 years. These are remarkably specific numbers recorded in ancient texts, showing a clear trend of declining lifespans over generations.

The Bible attributes this shortening of life to the fall of creation due to sin. As we take a closer look at Genesis, it’s clear that even the great patriarchs of faith were marked by weakness and sin.

Despite their weaknesses, God still helped them, but He required a minimum level of faith. Yet God did not want them to stay at the minimum; He wanted them to rise beyond it. At times, we even see God’s joy when they exceeded expectations.

This was true when Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac in obedience, and when Jacob, despite being injured, held onto the angel all night, refusing to let go until he was blessed. This moment finally earned Jacob the name “Israel.”

### Back to Being Jacob

Jacob’s transformation into Israel is undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in the Old Testament, defining his life. But unfortunately, Jacob didn’t always live up to his new name.

When we look closely at Genesis 33, we see that Esau, by God’s grace, had no anger toward Jacob. Yet Jacob continued to act cautiously. He repeatedly referred to Esau as "my lord," and in one instance even said, "Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God," an excessive and insincere flattery.

To make matters worse, Jacob wasn’t being truthful. Esau invited him to come to his home in Seir, and Jacob agreed, saying they would follow shortly. However, Jacob had no intention of keeping that promise. Instead, he settled in Succoth, deliberately avoiding Esau.

In Succoth, Jacob and his family lived peacefully for about ten years before moving to Shechem. Although Jacob had promised to return to Bethel, where he had encountered God in his dream, he curiously chose to settle in Shechem instead.

Though no specific reason is given for this decision, one thing is certain: Shechem was the largest city Jacob would have encountered on the way to Bethel. It’s likely that Jacob was drawn to the city’s strategic advantages and chose to settle there instead of continuing on to Bethel.

**[Genesis 33:18-20]**

18 Jacob arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan, having come from Paddan Aram, and camped within sight of the city.

19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent.

20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.

Verse 18 says that Jacob arrived safely—“in peace”—at the city of Shechem. In ancient times, cities with walls and gates were considered safe havens. This indicates that Jacob’s family, after living for so long in Succoth, no longer felt secure there and sought out the safety of a walled city.

There, Jacob built an altar and called it “El Elohe Israel,” meaning “God, the God of Israel.” This scene is familiar, as Abraham and Isaac also built altars and called on the name of the Lord when they returned to the Lord.

However, this time, there is no response from God.

This silence from God foreshadows the tragedy that is about to occur.

The name “El Elohe Israel” is incredibly grandiose, even somewhat excessive. When translated literally, it means “The God of the God of Israel.” Since the word “Israel” already includes the name of God, Jacob seems to be using overly embellished language.

When religion begins to decline, the crosses grow larger and the symbols more ornate.

Jacob’s family settled in Shechem, bought land, and prospered. But soon after, tragedy struck. Jacob’s teenage daughter, Dinah, went out to visit the women of the city and was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the local chieftain.

Shechem, however, became infatuated with Dinah and asked his father Hamor to request her hand in marriage from Jacob. Hamor approached Jacob, offering to pay a generous bride price. But Jacob, strangely, remained silent until his sons returned home.

When Jacob’s sons, particularly Simeon and Levi (Dinah’s full brothers), heard what had happened, they were filled with rage. Dinah was still staying in Shechem’s household, and her brothers began to plan a scheme for revenge.

They told Shechem and Hamor that they would only agree to the marriage if all the men in Shechem were circumcised. Shechem, eager to marry Dinah, persuaded all the men of the city to undergo circumcision.

On the third day, when the men were in the most pain, Simeon and Levi attacked and killed every male in the city, including Hamor and Shechem. They then took Dinah from Shechem’s house and returned home. Their brothers joined in, looting the city and taking its women, children, and livestock as spoils.

This violent and shocking story, which took place 4,000 years ago, is so dramatic that it could easily be adapted into a modern film and still be a hit.

Jacob, after this violent incident, finally found out what had happened. Upon hearing the news, he rebuked Simeon and Levi harshly.

**[Genesis 34:30-31]**

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed."

31 But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"

Jacob's reaction shows that the reason he had remained silent when he first heard about Dinah's assault was because he was afraid. He feared for his life and his family’s survival in the foreign land.

Some might argue that Simeon and Levi appear to be heroes here—rescuing their sister and exacting revenge. But what they did wasn’t God’s will. Simeon and Levi’s plan of revenge wasn’t a matter of righteous anger. It was a mix of cunning deception and brutal violence, reflecting not just their father Jacob's tendencies but also the cruelty of the pagan peoples around them.

Though it might seem like Simeon and Levi acted justly, their actions led to a lifetime of consequences for them both.

Yet the root cause of all this tragedy, beginning with Dinah’s assault, can be traced back to Jacob’s decision to settle in Shechem rather than fulfill his vow to return to Bethel. Jacob had settled in a place that seemed good to him rather than where God had called him to go.

### The Call to Bethel

Finally, amidst his fear and distress, God spoke again to Jacob.

**[Genesis 35:1]**

1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau."

God recalled His earlier encounter with Jacob, as if it had only happened yesterday. He told Jacob to go to Bethel, where they had first met, and to build an altar to honor Him there. God reminded Jacob of the time when he had fled from Esau and made a vow to return to Bethel.

At long last, after enduring so much heartache, Jacob began to resolve the long-neglected issues in his life. We can now see why Jacob had not gone up to Bethel earlier—why he had delayed fulfilling his vow. Jacob's family had become entangled in the worldly ways around them, so much so that they were not ready to dwell in God’s presence. Their clothing and their appearance symbolized the internal state of their hearts; they had grown distant from God and resisted living intimately with Him.

What does "Bethel" mean? It means "house of God."

Jacob wanted the benefits of God’s protection and provision, but he was not ready to live in close fellowship with God. He offered sacrifices and worshipped, but he kept God at a comfortable distance, treating Him like a distant deity to be called upon only when needed.

This attitude is what grieved the heart of God. To believe in God but to keep Him at arm’s length, treating Him like any other god, and only seeking Him in times of crisis, is to misunderstand the relationship God desires with us.

**[Genesis 35:9-15]**

9 God appeared to Jacob again when he returned from Paddan Aram, and He blessed him.

10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So He named him Israel.

11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.

12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

13 Then God went up from him at the place where He had spoken with him.

14 Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a stone pillar, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.

15 Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

Do you see the heart of God here? Like a father rejoicing over the return of a prodigal son, God embraced Jacob with joy, blessed him, and reaffirmed His covenant with him. Even though Jacob had taken detours and delayed his return, God welcomed him back, saying, "Well done for coming back."

Interestingly, though, God says that Jacob had come from Paddan Aram, when in fact, Jacob had come from Shechem. This is also mentioned when Jacob moved from Succoth to Shechem. The Bible consistently frames Jacob’s journey as though he had come from Paddan Aram, even though he had been in Shechem and Succoth before arriving at Bethel.

This isn’t a coincidence. God was showing Jacob that Succoth and Shechem had not been part of His divine plan for him. They were the result of Jacob’s own choices, decisions based on self-interest, rather than God’s direction.

**[Genesis 33:17]**

17 Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

While God didn’t stop Jacob from going to Succoth or Shechem, neither did He meet with Jacob there. God neither visibly guided Jacob nor prevented him from settling in those places. Jacob had interpreted this silence as God’s permission to go wherever he wished, leading him to rationalize that God had approved his choices.

Do we not sometimes do the same? How many people remain in that vague middle ground, living in a "Succoth" or "Shechem" of their own making? There are many who live their entire lives this way—holding on to the memory of past blessings, while believing that as long as God doesn’t explicitly stop them, they’re on the right path.

Like Jacob, we sometimes offer empty sacrifices, living in false peace, but avoiding the true encounter with God.

**Let us listen to Jacob’s call today:**

"Let us arise and go up to Bethel! To the God who answered me in my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." Let us return to the house of God!

Not to the places that merely seem good in our eyes or paths that offer superficial comfort, but to the place where God has called us, even if the way seems steep or challenging.

This is where God declared to Jacob, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel."

The name "Israel" appears about 2,600 times in the Bible—both in the Old and New Testaments. God spoke tenderly to Jacob: "Jacob, you who I created; Israel, you whom I formed—do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine."

This is a deeply moving testimony of how dearly God loved Jacob. And it is a reminder of why we, as Christians, must become spiritual Israel—those who possess and are possessed by the Holy Spirit.

### The Trials that Come Upon Israel

However, it may seem puzzling. As we’ve seen from Jacob’s life, it wasn’t always filled with blessings. In fact, Jacob faced many hardships.

In the final years of his life, Jacob moved to Egypt, and when he met Pharaoh, he said:

**[Genesis 47:9]**

9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my ancestors."

Jacob had come to realize that the true Promised Land, the place of ultimate peace, could only be found in the Kingdom of God. Until we reach that eternal home, we remain pilgrims, travelers, and strangers in this world.

This coming Wednesday, we will begin reading a book in our study group titled *"Suffering is Never for Nothing"* by Elisabeth Elliot. From the title alone, it may seem like it’s a book meant only for those who are going through great suffering.

But I believe that every Christian needs to grapple with this topic as part of their spiritual growth. The book helps us understand the true basis of hope for those who live as Israel, in a world full of "why?" questions.

Think about it: Is there any fear or anxiety greater than the desire to escape from all suffering and misfortune in life?

True peace, joy, and blessing come from a deep understanding of the meaning of this life.

Thus, the exact opposite of what we might expect begins to happen. If we see this world as the final destination—the land of promise where all blessings should be fulfilled—we will constantly find new sources of anxiety and fear. We will live our entire lives in an endless cycle of worry.

However, if we live in this world like travelers or pilgrims, we will find more peace, joy, and freedom. Even kings of this world, who seem to have everything, will eventually bow their heads and seek blessings from those who live as pilgrims, those who live for God's purpose.

**[Genesis 47:10]**

10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

God’s promise to Abraham wasn’t just, "You and your descendants will be blessed." No, the greater promise was, "You will be a blessing."

When our lives align with God’s purpose, when we live not as wanderers wasting time in vague places like Shechem, but as pilgrims traveling towards our true home, then all things work together for good. Fear and anxiety will begin to disappear.

People who make God's house, Bethel, their home—those who live in the presence of God—will be spared many meaningless hardships.

Yet, there are certain trials meant to renew us, reminding us that we are temporary residents in this world. These trials keep us uncomfortable so that we don’t forget our true purpose as missionaries and travelers in this life. Such trials are like the refining process of metal, purifying us into gold. We must welcome this process with trust in our Master, who is perfecting us through these challenges.

No one can be sure that they will never face suffering again and, as a result, live in total peace and freedom.

Only those who trust in the Lord can love Him even in the midst of difficulties. Only they can truly praise the Lord and look forward to the genuine light of God’s presence, which will shine brightly in their lives.

### We Are Now at Bethel

You are now in Bethel. If our hearts reside in the house of God, if we dwell with Him in intimacy, then God’s heart will be with us. He will speak to us as well:

"I have called you by name. You are Mine."

Let’s pray.

09/22/2024 Study Guide

Acts 29 - Study Guide: The Blessing of Holding on to God and Overcoming

Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

1. What is the significance of Esau's name in the context of the biblical narrative?

2. How does the passage compare and contrast the characters of Jacob and Esau?

3. Describe the circumstances surrounding Jacob receiving his father's blessing.

4. Why does the passage argue that Jacob's deception of Isaac was not inherently wrong?

5. How does Laban, Jacob's uncle, deceive Jacob?

6. What is the significance of Jacob's dream at Bethel?

7. How does Jacob's approach to facing Esau change after he leaves Laban?

8. Explain the significance of Jacob wrestling with the angel and the name change to "Israel."

9. What is the main point the sermon is trying to convey about the difference between "Jacob" and "Israel" in a spiritual sense?

Answer Key

1. Esau's name, derived from the Hebrew word for "to do" or "to complete," reflects his seemingly "complete" or mature appearance at birth, contrasting him with Jacob, who was born grasping Esau's heel.

2. Jacob is portrayed as cunning and persistent, willing to go to great lengths to obtain what he desires, while Esau is depicted as strong and impulsive but lacking foresight and spiritual understanding.

3. Jacob, disguised as Esau at his mother's urging, deceives his aging and blind father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing intended for the firstborn son.

4. The passage argues that Jacob's actions, though involving deception, were part of God's plan to fulfill His promise that the younger son would be greater. It cites examples like the Hebrew midwives and Rahab, where deception served a higher purpose aligned with God's will.

5. Laban tricks Jacob into working seven extra years for Rachel's hand in marriage after already working seven years, highlighting the deceitful nature of Laban and the difficult lessons Jacob learns about himself.

6. Jacob's dream at Bethel, where he sees angels ascending and descending a ladder to heaven and receives God's promise of land and descendants, signifies a turning point in his life, where he encounters God's presence and makes a covenant with Him.

7. Initially reliant on his own schemes, Jacob, after leaving Laban, turns to prayer and seeks God's protection and guidance when facing Esau, demonstrating a shift from self-reliance to dependence on God.

8. Jacob wrestling with the angel represents his struggle to surrender to God's will fully. The name change to "Israel," meaning "he strives with God," signifies his transformation from someone who relied on his cunning to someone who perseveres in seeking and wrestling with God.

9. The sermon emphasizes that moving from "Jacob" to "Israel" represents a spiritual transformation from relying on one's own strength and cunning to fully embracing dependence on God, clinging to His promises, and ultimately being transformed by His grace.

Essay Questions

1. Analyze the character of Jacob throughout the biblical narrative. How do his experiences, particularly his encounters with God and his relationships with others, shape him? Do you think his actions were justified?

2. Explore the theme of deception in the story of Jacob. How does the text portray deception? Is it always wrong? How do Jacob's acts of deception contribute to the larger narrative of God's plan?

3. Examine the significance of names and name changes in the story of Jacob. How do names reflect identity and destiny? What is the significance of Jacob's name change to Israel in light of his spiritual journey?

4. Compare and contrast the ways in which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob experience and respond to God's call and promises. What do their stories teach us about faith, obedience, and the nature of God?

5. Discuss the significance of the sermon's emphasis on becoming "Israel" rather than remaining "Jacob." What does this transformation entail in a contemporary context? How can individuals and communities strive to embody the qualities of "Israel" in their relationship with God and others?

Glossary of Key Terms

TermDefinitionEsauThe elder twin brother of Jacob, known for his physical strength and skill as a hunter.JacobThe younger twin brother of Esau, known for his cunning and persistence. He later becomes known as "Israel."IsaacThe son of Abraham and Sarah, husband of Rebekah, and father of Jacob and Esau.RebekahThe wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau.LabanThe brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel. He deceives Jacob into working for him for 14 years to marry Rachel.LeahThe older daughter of Laban, given to Jacob as his first wife in a deceitful act.RachelThe younger daughter of Laban, loved by Jacob, and his second wife after working for Laban for seven years.BethelThe place where Jacob has a dream of a ladder to heaven and receives God's promise. It means "house of God."JabbokThe river where Jacob wrestles with God's angel.IsraelThe new name given to Jacob after wrestling with God's angel. It means "he strives with God."Lord's SupperA Christian sacrament also known as Communion, commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples.CovenantA solemn agreement between God and his people, involving mutual promises and obligations.FirstbornThe first son born to a couple, often holding a privileged position in inheritance and succession.BlessingA divine favor, often bestowed on individuals or families, signifying God's grace and protection.

9/22/2024 The Blessing of Holding on to God and Overcoming

The Blessing of Holding on to God and Overcoming

I’ve been meditating on Isaac since last week, and it struck me that the generation we are living in here in America resembles Isaac’s generation.

On this continent, where the Pilgrims risked their lives to find a new promised land, they walked the pioneering path, much like Abraham. After many wars and historical challenges, by God’s blessing, an unprecedented new nation was born.

And we, the next generation, have been enjoying the prosperity of this nation, which has become the strongest in nearly every aspect — militarily, technologically, and economically.

Yet, this prosperity no longer moves us deeply. When autumn comes, the cool breeze, the abundance of water, the clean air, and the blue sky are all taken for granted.

Even among Christians who verbally acknowledge these rare conditions and prosperity as blessings from God, in reality, there is little deep gratitude for such abundance or for these long, peaceful days.

When we experience small inconveniences, the irritation and complaints that rise up so quickly reveal how long we’ve lived with countless blessings as our baseline, feeling no emotion.

No matter how intact it seems, if salt loses its flavor, it is thrown away. And even if the most delicious meals are prepared for us every day, if we no longer enjoy them or feel any excitement, it becomes a misfortune and a curse.

In this abundance, we have everything, yet we become spiritual blind men who can’t truly enjoy anything.

So if God blesses us, it will not be with a more stable and prosperous life that brings no deeper emotion. He will lead us beyond Isaac’s blessings to the blessings of Jacob, who held tightly to the Lord and lived depending on Him.

Today, we will encounter the God of Jacob — the God who completes an era of history through Jacob, following Abraham and Isaac.

This translation preserves the original message and tone of your reflection on Isaac, American prosperity, and the spiritual insights you drew from these observations.

As we saw last time, Jacob was born in the land of Canaan as a twin with Esau.

Esau’s name seems to be derived from the Hebrew verb ‘עָשָׂה’ (’asah), which means “to do,” “to complete,” or “to make.” Therefore, Esau’s name can be interpreted as describing his appearance at birth as “already complete” or “mature.”

In contrast, Jacob’s defining characteristic was that he was born holding onto this perfect child. Thus, he was named Jacob, meaning “one who grabs the heel” or “one who holds with his hand.”

Several hundred years later, in the book of Deuteronomy, it is written that in Jewish law, the eldest son would inherit twice as much as the other children. At that time, however, we can see from the fact that Abraham gave almost all of his inheritance to Isaac that, not only in Abraham’s family but also in the local culture, the eldest son was expected to inherit nearly everything.

In such a culture, Jacob, who was born as a twin, must have felt very unfair. Though he was born almost at the same time, he had to follow Esau as his elder brother for life and was destined to receive very little inheritance.

However, the Bible says that their mother, Rebekah, loved Jacob more than Esau. This may have been due to a greater maternal affection for Jacob, who was always trailing behind, but it is also possible that Rebekah remembered the words God had spoken when she prayed in the midst of great pain during her pregnancy. God had clearly said, “Two nations are in your womb, and the older will serve the younger.”

To Jacob, who always felt discouraged by being constantly compared to the physically strong and confident Esau, their mother Rebekah would have reminded him of God’s promise: “It’s not Esau, Jacob. You will be the one to succeed your father Isaac. In the end, Esau will serve you.”

However, looking at the reality, there seemed to be no possibility of this happening. So, the Bible shows that Jacob was always looking for an opportunity to take Esau’s birthright. Eventually, through his plan, Jacob secured Esau’s oath and took the birthright.

Yet, when the day came for Esau to receive his birthright, he disregarded that oath, and Isaac, who particularly loved the strong Esau, ignored the agreement between his sons and intended to give Esau the birthright and blessing.

Though his eyesight was nearly gone and he sensed that his time was short, Isaac intended to have a blessing ceremony that should have involved the entire family with only Esau present, intending to finish it privately between the two of them. This shows that Isaac was not unaware that what he was doing might be against God’s will, not merely opposing his wife Rebekah.

At that moment, Rebekah overheard the conversation between Isaac and Esau.

[Genesis 27:6-13]

God blessed the midwives who risked their lives and lied to the king in order to save the children.

[Genesis 27:18-19]

18 Jacob went to his father and said, “My father.” And Isaac said, “Yes, my son. Who are you?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”

In this scene, Isaac could not see, but he recognized that the voice was not Esau’s. Suspecting that it was Jacob, he asked, “Who are you?” and called him closer to confirm.

[Genesis 27:22-24]

22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.

24 “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked. Jacob replied, “I am.”

Isaac shows an astonishing level of naivety. Even though Jacob was in disguise, he could not tell apart two sons who were very different from each other.

[Genesis 27:27-29]

27 So Jacob went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.

28 May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine.

29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”

Isaac poured out a tremendous blessing upon Jacob. But he did so thinking that Jacob was Esau.

Immediately after this, Esau, unaware of what had happened, brought the game he had hunted and cried out in anger. He asked his father if there was any blessing left for him. Isaac replied that there was nothing left, and he spoke words that were almost like a curse.

[Genesis 27:41]

Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Esau was so consumed with rage that Jacob’s survival was in danger if they met.

However, we must make one thing clear. No matter how Isaac was deceived into blessing Jacob, could God Himself be deceived?

It was God’s original plan for Jacob to receive the blessing through Isaac, and that is why it was fulfilled.

In fact, Isaac also knew that he should bless Jacob, but his heart was more inclined toward Esau.

In this situation, Rebekah prevented Isaac from committing the sin of going against God’s will.

Additionally, Rebekah overheard the conversation between Isaac and Esau about the blessing ceremony. Even though Isaac was blind, the fact that he couldn’t tell the difference between their voices and was fooled by the goat hair disguise—these things all show that God’s hand was involved in the whole process.

This leads us to an important question: Does this mean Jacob was innocent despite the schemes and lies he told when Isaac asked multiple times if he was truly Esau?

The Ten Commandments clearly prohibit lying, but the Bible also records exceptions to this.

[Exodus 1:15-20]

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”

17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.

God blessed the midwives who lied to the king in order to save the children, risking their own lives in the process.

[James 2:25]

This scene is reminiscent of when Joshua sent spies to Jericho, and Rahab, the prostitute, lied to the soldiers, telling them the spies had already left in another direction when, in fact, she had hidden them. Because of this action, the Bible says that Rahab was considered righteous before God.

God extended grace to those who lied, and in Rahab’s case, it even says she was declared righteous.

This suggests that in certain situations, where someone is clearly opposing God’s will, a lie may be permitted in order to fulfill His purpose. However, most lies that are told to protect one’s pride or personal gain do not fall into this category.

And, it is certainly not the case that Rebekah and Jacob’s method was entirely right. We can see this when Jacob leaves his home and heads to Haran, where his uncle Laban, from his mother Rebekah’s hometown, lived. There is a saying, “There is always someone smarter than the clever one,” and Laban was exactly that kind of person.

If Jacob was cunning, then Laban was a full-fledged swindler and thief.

Laban had two daughters, the elder Leah and the younger Rachel. When Jacob arrived in Haran and saw Rachel leading the flock, he immediately fell in love with her. So, he proposed to Laban that he would work for seven years in exchange for marrying Rachel. After seven years, they held the wedding, and according to custom, the bride’s face was veiled, and the groom would spend the first night in a state of heavy intoxication.

The next morning, something like a scene out of a movie happened. What occurred? When Jacob woke up, he realized that the woman beside him was not Rachel, but Leah. While Leah’s situation was unfortunate, how shocked must Jacob have been?

Jacob, who had deceived his father, never expected to be deceived like this after working for seven years for this marriage. Furious, Jacob confronted Laban, who had anticipated this situation and, without shame, said:

[Genesis 29:26-27]

Laban was truly a master of schemes. Without any apology, he forced Jacob to work another seven years. So, Jacob ended up working a total of 14 years, and because he couldn’t accumulate any wealth during that time, he worked another six years, spending a total of 20 years with his deceitful uncle. Through this time, Jacob painfully learned how the life of deception he had once lived, constantly tricking others for personal gain, actually brought misery to those around him and was a shameful way to live.

God, through these blessings and experiences, taught Jacob many lessons, leading him toward a transformed life.

The name “Jacob” means “to grasp firmly.” Even while he was at home, he clung to his mother’s words that, though he was weak and small, he was destined to become the firstborn. Throughout his life, Jacob, true to his name, always held onto something. Though he received Isaac’s blessing, he ended up with nothing and had to flee from Esau to Haran, living as a fugitive. He found himself sleeping with a stone as his pillow, only to encounter God in a dream.

[Genesis 28:12-15]

Jacob must have felt amazing. After a miserable night, it was surely a morning filled with hope. What did Jacob do? He held on tightly!

[Genesis 28:20-22]

This scene is reminiscent of when Isaac, who had always worshiped the God of his father, built an altar and called on the name of the Lord at Beersheba.

But Jacob did more than just call on God; he clung to Him and made a covenant with God. Not only was He the God of Abraham and the God of his father, but Jacob said, “If You bless me and protect me, You will become my God as well, and I will worship You and give a tithe of everything You provide.” Jacob seized this opportunity to enter into a covenant with God and didn’t let it slip away.

As time passed, Jacob grew weary of Laban’s continual deception. Then God appeared to Jacob again in a dream, instructing him to leave Laban and return to his father’s household. Now, 20 years later, Jacob was preparing to return home with his wives and children.

And yet, we see Jacob once again devising clever strategies.

At first, Jacob sent messengers ahead to meet his brother Esau, instructing them to say, “I seek to find favor in my lord’s eyes and will present oxen, donkeys, flocks, and servants as gifts.” But when the messengers returned, they told Jacob that Esau was already on his way to meet him with 400 men.

Upon hearing this, Jacob was seized with great fear and distress. He divided the people and animals into two groups, thinking that if Esau attacked the first group, the second group could escape.

However, Jacob was no longer a man who relied solely on his own strategies.

He began to pray.

[Genesis 32:9]

He prayed, reminding God that he was following the Lord’s will, and pleaded for protection and grace as promised. Jacob held onto God’s promise in his prayer.

After that, he carefully prepared gifts for Esau, sending them ahead in three separate groups, each at a distance, accompanied by a message of blessing. After sending the gifts, and finally his family, Jacob remained alone at the Jabbok River crossing.

[Genesis 32:24-27]

This scene surpasses the covenantal relationship between God and Jacob.

Jacob held on to God’s angel with all his strength and did not let go until daybreak. Even after his hip was dislocated, he refused to release his grip.

He said, “I won’t let go unless You bless me! Until You promise to protect us when I meet Esau, I won’t release You!”

[Genesis 32:28]

It’s not that Jacob had the strength to defeat God. However, considering that God only gives us trials we can bear, it seems that God met Jacob at a level where he could succeed if he fought with all his heart and strength.

Thus, Jacob, who had once relied on his mother’s wisdom and his own cunning, became one who held onto God. He now had a new name, “Israel,” meaning “one who wrestled with God and won,” or “one who obtained God.”

After that tumultuous night, when the morning finally came, Jacob met Esau. But instead of the confrontation he expected, Esau ran to Jacob, weeping and embracing him, saying that he didn’t need any gifts.

If some of you have accepted Jesus but still live your life solving problems using your own wisdom and strategies, you are living as Jacob. But the Lord desires for us to become Israel. We must become Israel.

Jacob’s long-standing hope was to avoid Esau. He wished never to face him. But the Lord made Jacob meet Esau, and even with a weakened body, limping as he walked toward Esau.

It was a scene Jacob could never have imagined, nor could Esau. Yet, because Jacob had held onto and relied on God fully, entering into a new dimension of faith, he became Israel. This was a miracle and blessing brought about by God.

Through Abraham, we saw the courage to embark on the journey of faith and the absolute direction that faith must take. We also learned that true love for all things in this world only comes when we honor and love God above all. Though Abraham faltered in fear, he became the father of faith through God’s continued guidance, showing that we, too, can attain such faith.

Through Isaac, we saw the limitations of mechanical obedience, even amidst great blessings. True blessing and eternal benefit come from walking the path of faith and obedience that begins with a personal trust in God’s will, which is always right. Only those who love God can experience true joy and freedom beyond material blessings.

Through Jacob, we see the type of person who pleases God. It is the one who does not let go of the opportunities God gives, the one who holds onto God’s promises, and ultimately the one who holds onto God Himself to obtain grace! This person is given a completely new name, becoming the one who obtains God—Israel.

Only when we become Israel do all the promises made to Israel in the Bible become promises for us.

Those who believe in and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior—the true Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—have already been planted with the seeds of all these blessings.

Because we belong to Jesus Christ, we are Christians.

[Revelation 21:7]

The overcomer… Israel did not defeat God, but rather overcame the self that wanted to give up on God. He overcame the self that sought only blessings while keeping God at a distance, treating Him in the third person. By touching and holding onto God, he became the true Israel, a person whom God would hold onto for the rest of his life.

Are you still Jacob? Or have you become Israel?

Let us pray.

09/15/2024 Study Guide

1. Summary

   I. Introduction: From Abraham to Isaac (Summary)

   This section transitions from the previous sermon on Abraham, highlighting how God identifies Himself not only as the God of Abraham, but also as the God of Isaac. It prompts the listener to consider who Isaac was and what his life reveals about God.

   II. Isaac: A Life of Inherited Blessing (Summary)

   This section contrasts the life of Isaac with Abraham, emphasizing how Isaac lived a life of privilege and inherited blessing. Unlike Abraham, who journeyed extensively and faced numerous trials, Isaac remained in Canaan and enjoyed material prosperity.

   III. Isaac: A Supporting Character in His Own Story (Summary)

   This section examines Isaac's limited role in the biblical narrative. It points out that even in key events like his marriage and the blessing of his sons, Isaac appears passive, with others playing more active roles. This begs the question: why is Isaac's story significant?

   IV. Eliezer: A Model of Faith and Respect (Summary)

   This section shifts focus to Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, who is portrayed as a model of faith and respect. It analyzes Eliezer’s prayer for guidance in finding a wife for Isaac, highlighting his specific requests and unwavering belief in God's provision. Eliezer's example is presented as a model for the Church today.

   V. The Joy of Missionaries in Israel (Summary)

   This section shares an anecdote about a missionary in Israel who witnesses the transformative power of the Gospel in the lives of people from resistant backgrounds. The story emphasizes the joy and fulfillment found in sharing the Gospel and living a life transformed by Christ.

   VI. Isaac’s Sons: Jacob and Esau (Summary)

   This section delves into the well-known story of Isaac's sons, Jacob and Esau, and the conflict surrounding the birthright. It highlights how God’s prophecy of the younger son’s dominance plays out through their contrasting personalities and choices.

   VII. Isaac's Blindness: Physical and Spiritual (Summary)

   This section analyzes Isaac’s decision to bless Esau despite God’s clear favor on Jacob. It connects Isaac’s physical blindness with a spiritual blindness that hinders his ability to discern God’s will. This blindness is interpreted as both a consequence of Isaac’s misplaced affections and a form of divine protection.

   VIII. The Unfulfilled Potential of Isaac (Summary)

   This section explores the paradox of Isaac’s life: despite experiencing abundant blessings, he seems to miss out on the fullness of a personal relationship with God. It suggests that Isaac's obedience, while commendable, lacked the depth of faith and intimacy that characterized Abraham’s relationship with God.

   IX. Beyond Mechanical Obedience: Embracing Intimacy with God (Summary)

   This section challenges listeners to move beyond a superficial understanding of obedience and cultivate a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. It uses the parable of the prodigal son to illustrate the difference between begrudging obedience and the joyful freedom found in the Father's love.

   X. Conclusion: From Isaac to Our God (Summary)

   The sermon concludes by urging listeners to embrace their identity as beloved children of God, free to approach Him with honesty and vulnerability. It encourages them to move beyond simply acknowledging God as the God of Abraham and Isaac to experiencing Him as their own personal God. The sermon ends with a call to prayer and reflection.

2. Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences based on the provided sermon excerpt.

1. How does Isaac's life differ significantly from Abraham's, and what does this difference highlight about Isaac's position in God's plan?

2. Describe the role of Eliezer in the life of Isaac. What key character trait does Eliezer exemplify, and how does this trait manifest in his actions?

3. According to the sermon, what causes the Palestinian Muslim students and the North Korean official to weep during their encounters with missionaries?

4. Explain the significance of Rebekah receiving the prophecy about her sons instead of Isaac.

5. How does the sale of Esau's birthright foreshadow the eventual fulfillment of the prophecy regarding Jacob and Esau?

6. What reason does the sermon give for Isaac's preference for Esau over Jacob?

7. What is the significance of Isaac's blindness in the context of Jacob receiving the blessing? How do biblical commentators interpret this event?

8. What turning point in Isaac's spiritual life is marked by him building his own altar?

9. According to the sermon, what is the "missing element" in Isaac's relationship with God, despite his blessings and obedience?

10. What message does the sermon offer to those who, like Isaac, may be living in "mechanical obedience" to God?

Essay Questions

1. Analyze the character of Isaac as presented in the sermon. What are his strengths and weaknesses? How does his life compare and contrast with his father, Abraham?

2. Discuss the significance of Eliezer's prayer in Genesis 24. What does it reveal about his faith and his relationship with God? How can his prayer serve as a model for believers today?

3. Explore the sermon's comparison of Isaac to the older son in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). What parallels can be drawn between their stories, and what lessons can be learned from both?

4. The sermon argues that Isaac's blessings did not necessarily translate to true joy and fulfillment. Discuss the relationship between material blessings, spiritual blessings, and genuine happiness in the life of a believer.

5. How does the sermon encourage its listeners to move beyond a "mechanical obedience" to a deeper, more personal relationship with God? What practical steps does it suggest for cultivating this kind of intimacy with God?

Glossary of Key Terms

• Rhema: A Greek word often used in Christian theology to describe a spoken word from God that carries specific, timely application and revelation.

• Patriarch: A male ancestor heading a family or tribe. In the Bible, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are considered the patriarchs of the Israelites.

• Birthright: The special privileges or inheritance traditionally given to the firstborn son in a family.

• Prophecy: A message that is claimed to have been communicated by a divine being, often concerning future events or God's will.

• Covenant: A binding agreement or promise between two parties, often involving God and his people.

• Blessing: God's favor and protection, often resulting in prosperity, health, and spiritual well-being.

• Obedience: Compliance with God's commands and will.

• Mechanical Obedience: A form of obedience that is done out of duty or fear, lacking genuine love and heartfelt devotion.

• Second-Generation Believer: Individuals whose parents converted to Christianity, and thus they grew up in a Christian household.

Answer Key

1. Isaac lived a more settled life, primarily in Canaan, unlike Abraham's nomadic journeys. This stability highlights that Isaac was born into a position of established covenant blessing, inheriting the promises made to Abraham.

2. Eliezer, Abraham's servant, is entrusted with finding a wife for Isaac. He displays remarkable faith and obedience, evidenced by his detailed prayer for guidance and his reliance on God for direction and success in his mission.

3. The tears of the Muslim students and the North Korean official stem from a yearning for the genuine joy and purpose that the missionaries embody, which stems from their relationship with Jesus.

4. Rebekah receiving the prophecy emphasizes her role in God's plan and foreshadows her active involvement in ensuring the fulfillment of that prophecy, even if it means going against societal norms.

5. Esau's willingness to trade his birthright for a bowl of stew reveals his lack of appreciation for spiritual things and foreshadows his eventual loss of the greater blessing, aligning with the prophecy of the younger serving the older.

6. The sermon suggests that Isaac, being naturally compliant and non-confrontational, saw in Esau a reflection of the rebellious and independent spirit he himself lacked, perhaps finding a vicarious sense of freedom in his son's personality.

7. Isaac's blindness, understood by commentators as a consequence of spiritual blindness, prevents him from mistakenly bestowing the primary blessing upon Esau. It ensures that God's will, despite the deception involved, is carried out.

8. Isaac building his own altar, distinct from his father's, represents a step towards a more personal faith and a direct connection with God, signifying spiritual independence and growth.

9. Despite his obedience and the abundance of blessings, Isaac seems to lack a close, intimate relationship with God, relating to Him more formally and through the lens of his father's faith.

10. The sermon urges listeners to go beyond mere rule-keeping and instead cultivate an honest, heartfelt relationship with God, characterized by open communication, vulnerability, and the confident acceptance of His love and forgiveness.

09/15/2024 The God of Isaac, My God

Title: The God of Isaac, My God

Date: September 15, 2024

Scripture: Acts 7:6-8

Last week, we delved into the faith of Abraham—the forefather of faith and the first name God proudly mentioned when He said, "I am the God of Abraham." We explored the stories of his lifelong faith and personal growth, as well as the various tests and growing pains he had to endure along the way.

However, when God calls Himself the God of Abraham, there's a name that immediately follows: the God of Isaac. So, who was Isaac?

First of all, Isaac was a second-generation believer, born into the new family of faith that officially began with Abraham.

This means that God was destined to give many blessings to Isaac not for his own sake but to bless Abraham. Because Isaac's well-being was Abraham's greatest joy and desire.

In other words, Isaac was already spiritually born with a "golden spoon." He was born destined to receive blessings.

Therefore, even if Isaac did not passionately pursue God on his own or exhibit tremendous faith—as long as he did not greatly oppose or abandon God, and didn't cause major problems—a guaranteed life of blessing awaited him.

Abraham's life was very spectacular. He moved multiple times, participated in wars, pioneered new lands, made covenants with God, and witnessed cities being annihilated before his eyes due to God's severe judgment. God's amazing works continued unceasingly in his life.

Abraham moved from Ur to Haran, from Haran to Canaan, from Canaan to Egypt, and then back to Canaan. Even excluding migrations within Canaan, if we calculate only the major moves, he traveled about 2,400 kilometers.

Then, how much did Isaac travel? His longest journey was about 40 kilometers. Born in the land of Canaan, he never left it his entire life.

This difference implies many things about Isaac's life.

Even when we consider the amount of space devoted in the Bible, the lives of Abraham, the father, and Jacob, the son, are recorded in very long narratives, whereas the record of Isaac is quite brief.

Moreover, if you look closely at those records, it's not Isaac but the people related to him who play more significant roles. Isaac appears almost like a supporting character.

The first words of Isaac recorded in the Bible were when he asked his father Abraham, at the end of a long silence on Mount Moriah—which we looked at last week—"Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" at that moment.

Even in that event, the focus wasn't on Isaac but on the process of testing Abraham, and afterward, the faith of those related to Isaac is emphasized more than Isaac himself.

Even in the process of finding his wife Rebekah, Isaac wasn't a significant figure at all.

Everything was accomplished through the conversations between Abraham and his servant Eliezer, and the actions and decisions of Eliezer and Rebekah.

At that time, Abraham commanded Eliezer:

**[Genesis 24:4]** 

Finally, in Genesis 24, where the scene unfolds of Rebekah becoming Isaac's wife, it's not Isaac but Abraham's servant—though only referred to as "the servant" here, Jewish rabbis identify him as Eliezer—whose obedience and pure faith shine brightly.

Let's look at Eliezer's prayer:

**[Genesis 24:12-14]**

Looking at his prayer, we see that while he humbly seeks the God of his master Abraham, he prays very specifically. He prays that when he is standing by the well and asks a young woman for a drink, if she responds in this way, he will know that she is the one chosen for Isaac.

He is offering such a specific prayer.

We can see that he has the wisdom to find a suitable bride, and at the same time, he possesses a pure, childlike faith that believes God will hear and guide him through specific prayers.

Moreover, his prayer is not offered in doubt, wondering whether he will receive such an answer or trying it for the first time with uncertainty. Rather, his prayer is offered with confident faith that God will surely grant it.

In the latter part of Genesis 24, the scene where Eliezer meets Rebekah's family in Haran is recorded in detail.

**[Genesis 24:48-49]**

Even though Rebekah's family in Haran did not yet have complete faith in God, they were impressed by the sincere and firm faith of Abraham's servant Eliezer in God, and by his respectful and humble demeanor toward people.

**[Genesis 24:50]**

Rebekah's brother Laban and her father Bethuel told Eliezer, "Since you have confirmed that this is God's will, we cannot say anything to you one way or the other." Even though they had just met him that day, they showed complete trust in Eliezer.

And in their presence, Eliezer reacts as follows:

**[Genesis 24:52]**

After accomplishing his important mission, he astonishingly thinks of God first rather than the people around him. This is truly giving glory to God.

Originally, Eliezer was the one whom Abraham had designated to inherit in place of a son when he had none.

**[Genesis 15:2]**

Eliezer, whose name means "God helps," was intimately close to God, and his faith manifested in treating people with honor and respect.

This is the image that we, the church sent into the world, should show to the world.

When the world sees us, they see Eliezer—the "help of God."

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet via Zoom with Pastor Go Dong-hoon, whom our church supports and whom many of you have met before. He is currently ministering in Israel. Although he had previously visited us and shared his testimony, speaking with him while he is actually in Israel—a place that appears in the news daily—felt surreal. Listening to the daily happenings there challenged me greatly.

God has led him to some of the toughest places: China, North Korea, and now Israel. Yet, we could feel how much he serves with love and joy.

He shared various stories, but he mentioned that the moments he was most grateful for in North Korea were when the Public Security Bureau officers who were following him to monitor his activities asked, "How on earth can you live like that?" Similarly, in Israel, Muslim Palestinian students asked him the same question.

At such times, he would explain how selfish and greedy he used to be—how he immigrated to the United States seeking success and wealth—and how Jesus changed him. He would share that Jesus came, died, and resurrected for sinners like us, and that because His Spirit has come upon us, we can live this way.

When he tells them that he has realized it is more joyful to live for others than for himself, that living the life God desires allows us to experience God's joy, and that only then do we find true happiness and freedom, the expressionless North Korean officers and the Muslim Palestinian students begin to shed tears, saying they too want to live that way.

Seeing the tears flowing from the officers and sharing tears with the Muslim students, the missionaries realize that a new life has been born. He said they live for that joy.

Currently, they are visiting impoverished areas in the Palestinian West Bank, where the situation is so dire that there's hardly any running water. By supplying flour and other necessities weekly, they are meeting Muslims who are gradually opening their hearts to the missionaries. Now, they even pray together in the name of Jesus.

When Christians become Eliezer—**"God's help"**—to someone, like our missionaries have, and when we are faithful to God, value all people highly, and are polite and humble, the church will be able to fulfill its mission of being **"God's light that fully illuminates the world."**

Following that event, the most famous scene involving Isaac in the Bible is when his son Jacob deceives him to receive the blessing of the firstborn.

Even in this scene, Isaac does not appear as the main character.

First, looking at the background, although not to the extent of Abraham, Isaac and Rebekah also did not have children for a long time.

**[Genesis 25:21-23]**

Throughout Isaac's life, there were continuous instances where he pleaded with God, and God answered his prayers. However, after becoming pregnant, when the twins struggled within her womb and she prayed, the words of God in verse 23—"Two nations are in your womb; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger"—were spoken to Rebekah.

It's astonishing that these prophecies—that the twins would become two nations and that the older would serve the younger, words given to Isaac's family by God—were given not to Isaac but to Rebekah.

There aren't many records about the growth process of these two sons, but a few incidents clearly show their dispositions.

When Esau returned from hunting, Jacob was cooking stew. Esau said he was famished and asked for some. Then Jacob, as if he had been waiting, laid a trap by tempting him, saying, "Sell me your birthright first!"

Jacob, being a twin, had always thought it unfair that Esau, born just a few minutes earlier, would receive the blessing and most of the inheritance. So, although it was somewhat underhanded, Jacob wanted to seize the birthright and blessing whenever the opportunity arose.

**[Genesis 25:32-34]**

Later, when Esau was 40 years old, he ignored God's will and, despite his parents' opposition, took two Hittite women, daughters of the Canaanites, as his wives.

These two incidents show, albeit briefly but definitively, that Esau did not value family order or God's will but lived relying on his own physical strength.

Therefore, it was inevitable that the older would serve the younger. For Rebekah, this became increasingly clear. There was God's prophecy, the birthright had already been transferred to Jacob through an oath, and Esau had even brought foreign women into the family despite his parents' opposition.

However, Isaac, who had witnessed all these situations, strangely still intended to give the birthright to Esau. In contrast to Rebekah, who tried to follow God's will even if it meant breaking common sense and tradition, Isaac appeared stubborn.

Eventually, Rebekah and Jacob conspired to deceive the blind Isaac. Jacob pretended to be Esau, and ultimately received all the blessings of the firstborn from Isaac.

When Isaac realized this, there's a scene where he trembles violently—a moment of intense emotional turmoil in the records about Isaac.

But why did Isaac favor Esau? Was it just because he loved the steaks Esau prepared from his hunting?

Esau was a hairy, very masculine, and free-spirited person. He did whatever he wanted. Wasn't he the exact opposite? Not only was he quite different from Jacob, but he was also extremely the opposite of Isaac.

Isaac was someone who had almost never defied authority in his entire life. He was obedient even to his father's unbelievable request to bind him and offer him as a sacrifice.

He was someone who never resisted, always yielded, avoided conflicts, and gave up what was his. Isaac was thus synonymous with obedience, and because of that, he enjoyed greater blessings than Abraham.

What does it mean that such an Isaac had a deep attachment to Esau, who was the exact opposite of himself?

The fact that Isaac, who lived his whole life obediently and compliantly, greatly loved Esau, who did not obey or conform to anything, suggests that Isaac's obedience was not always done with joy, trust in God, and love.

Didn't Isaac, at the age of 40, accept the wife his father chose for him without any regard for his own opinion and get married?

But Esau, at the same age of 40 but in stark contrast, ignored his parents' opinions and took two foreign women he desired as his wives.

Watching his son, who was the extreme opposite of himself, Isaac was experiencing vicarious satisfaction.

**[Genesis 27:1-2]**

At first glance, this scene makes it seem as though Isaac is about to die soon after giving his blessing, as if it's his final will.

However, in reality, he lived for almost another 50 years.

In his commentary on Genesis, **Calvin** says:

*"He was led by a blind love for his eldest son, preferring him over the other, and thus opposed the revelation of God. His stubborn attachment to his son was a kind of blindness, which acted as a greater obstacle than the external dimness of his eyes."*

Not only Christian commentators like **Matthew Henry** and **Albert Barnes**, but also Jewish rabbis and traditional Jewish literature, view Isaac's early physical blindness as a result of his spiritual blindness.

**Why did God cause his eyes to become blind?**

If Isaac's eyes had not grown dim, he would have ended up blessing Esau instead of Jacob, whom God had chosen, thereby committing an irreversible sin.

Therefore, the fact that Isaac, who was already spiritually blind and unable to discern God's will, lost his physical sight was an inevitable event for God's will to be fulfilled.

In a way, God protected Isaac through this.

When we think about Isaac's old age, God shares with us a sense of compassion.

Throughout his life, Isaac obeyed God's will, and even in situations that seemed unjust, he chose concession and compliance over conflict. **How many blessings came upon Isaac's life because of this?**

Whenever he dug a well, water sprang forth; when he sowed seeds, he reaped a hundredfold harvest.

In the early stages of his faith journey, he practiced a form of prosperity-oriented faith, seeking blessings from his father's God. But eventually, God, who was pleased that Isaac shared blessings even with the neighbors who troubled him, appeared to Isaac and directly blessed him.

**[Genesis 26:23-25]**

This was the moment when Isaac entered into a faith where he built **his own altar**—not his father's—and called on the name of the Lord from the altar he had constructed.

But before long, he reverted to his former ways.

**[Genesis 27:33-35]**

In this scene, observing Isaac's reaction, we see both his anger over Jacob deceiving him to steal the blessing and his acceptance that it cannot be undone—displaying the typical Isaac who conforms to circumstances.

This ultimately reveals the kind of life Isaac led. Although he felt intense anger that made his body tremble, he eventually surveyed the situation and, as always, submitted to God's will.

Isaac's life was one filled with more blessings than anyone else, and overall, it was a life that was praised. However, there are not insignificant regrets.

We, who have the Spirit of Jesus Christ—the perfect seed, the perfect Isaac—when we look at Isaac in that fullness, we notice a regret: he almost always kept God at a third-person distance, rarely approaching Him for a one-on-one encounter.

Isaac, whose name means "he laughs" or "laughter," signifying one who brings joy to God! Yet he kept God at a distance, honoring Him only as the God of his father Abraham.

He couldn't express his own desires, fearing they might differ from God's will. He didn't directly inquire of God. Instead, he always tried to discern God's will through circumstances and third parties, living compliantly while sometimes hiding his dissatisfaction in fear.

God gave him so much, but ultimately, he lived a life that didn't fully enjoy what was given.

It reminds me of the elder son in the story Jesus told. Hearing the sounds of the grand feast his father held joyfully for his younger brother who had returned home, he refused to enter the house and stood at a distance, trembling with anger.

At that moment, the father came out to find this son and said to him:

*"My son,"* he said, *"you are always with me, and everything I have is yours."*

If there are those among us who are like Isaac, they need to hear the voice of this Father.

Not living in mechanical obedience, cautiously making only the correct choices to avoid displeasing the Father, but rather, opening our hearts entirely to our Heavenly Father, whose embrace is unimaginably vast, facing Him warmly, and living a life of love.

When we feel hurt or angry, rather than conforming while watching for cues, we should ask the Lord, sometimes even crying out, sincerely and openly bringing all our sinful thoughts into the light without any veil and confessing them.

To the Lord who already knows everything... To the Lord who has been waiting for us, lay down that heavy burden and confess.

When the cross is placed on one side of the scale, bring everything before the light of truth that there is no sin heavier than that.

At last, you will meet **my God**, not just the God of my father, the God of Abraham, but the God of Isaac.