This week our Come Follow Me curriculum brings us to Genesis 28-33. We discuss how Jacob left his family and found God at Beth-el; also a series of deal changes affect the establishment of the house of Israel. Study with me!
Anchor.fm:
Soundcloud:
Youtube:
This week, our Come Follow Me curriculum brings us to Genesis 24-27. We look at matchmaking for Isaac, and a single birthright for twins Jacob and Esau. Study with me!
Anchor.fm:
Soundcloud:
Youtube:
"And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." (Matthew 15:22-28)Again when he appeared to the Nephites, he affirmed his connection with the covenants of Israel:
"And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them. And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel." (3 Nephi 16:11-12)God's promises to the house of Israel are notable. If Christ cares so much about individuals, (and not just certain people, but individuals from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people), how was it ever possible that he became so tightly coupled with the children of Jacob?
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:7-11)How did Jacob develop this desire to be blessed, and the faith to ask, seek, and knock? Surely he could have said that the power of Jesus enabled him. Though he lived thousands of years before the birth of Christ, because of the timeless and infinite power of the atonement, it would not have been inaccurate for him to proclaim that "Jesus suffered for me."
"In general, the Lord sends to earth in the lineage of Jacob [Israel] those spirits who in pre-existence developed an especial talent for spirituality and for recognizing truth. Those born in this lineage, having the blood of Israel in their veins and finding it easy to accept the gospel, are said to have believing blood."Of course, this does not mean that people who are born into the house of Israel are guaranteed to receive divine favor... or even that they will be decent human beings. Israelites produced men as awful as King Ahab and King Manasseh. Even of his own children, Reuben, Levi, Simeon, and Judah were guilty of terrible sins.
"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Genesis 32:24-30)Initially, the account states that he wrestled with a man. At the end of the passage, he says that he has seen God face to face. One of the most fundamental aspects of this wrestling match is that it somehow involved communion with God.
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." (Luke 18:1-5)The idea of the parable of the unjust judge is that God hears the persistent cries of his children. This is something to which many people can relate. A child might go through a phase where they desire something, but by the next week, the thing is forgotten and they have moved onto other things. Even for adults trying to make better financial decisions, it is common to hear counsel to wait on purchasing decisions to avoid impulse buying.