Tues.’s Devo - The Big Picture

Read: Gen. 32-35
The Bible is the history of the world; it is God’s history of his people. God throws out bread crumbs to give us hints about what he is talking about below the surface. Today we have a big crumb. The meeting of Esau and Jacob was a clash of kingdoms which is why Jacob took it so seriously and Esau was his usual nonchalant self. Jacob had to win the battle the day before the event because that is the way it is in the kingdom. We fight our fears before the event then we face it totally worn out and depleted and God goes before us and makes our way smooth. That is what he did for Jacob. Once they met and Esau wasn’t mad at him, Esau tried repeatedly to help Jacob or lead him and he refused. Esau turned and went back home and Jacob traveled to Succoth which means booths. Succoth will be the place Moses will spend the first night after leaving Egypt during the Exodus. Booths are what are to be set up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast represents our ever abiding place in the Lord and also our Kingdom rest in the end of time. The next place Jacob came to was Shalem which is a city in Shechem. It was the early name of Jerusalem. The Holy Jerusalem is our goal.
So, we can go back and see that Jacob’s struggle with the angel was a picture of Yom Kippor or Jacob’s Trouble. Yom Kippor is the ten days between Feast of Trumpets, when Jesus comes for his bride, and Feast of Tabernacles, when God sets up his Kingdom. This will be the Great Tribulation. We are in birth pains which its purpose is to bring in the harvest. The time of Great Tribulation will be the same. The Jews believe that the gates of heaven are opened at the Feast of Trumpets and closed at the Feast of Tabernacles. The time in between is for those who haven’t decided whether they are going to enter in to make that decision.
The story about Dinah reminds me of the story of Samson. God didn’t want Jacob to make a treaty with the people of Shechem so drastic things had to happen. It doesn’t seem fair to Dinah to be the sacrifice but I don’t claim to know the mysterious ways of God. He works through people who are many times hard to get to. Simeon and Levi were saving their dad from making a treaty with the enemy and were also bringing justice for their sister’s abuse.
God called Jacob back to his roots when he told him to go to Beth-el and live there. This is where Jacob had his salvation experience and he needed a little reminder. He cleaned up the idolatry in his household and God changed his name to Israel which means “he will rule as God.” What a picture of the new kingdom. All sin will be done away with and we will rule with Christ! It is hard for us to grasp but we are to rule as God on the earth. He gave it to us to steward and take dominion.
Rachel died bringing forth Benjamin. She was buried in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. When Benjamin was brought forth it was the birth of the Church.
Lord, you really do put eternity in the mind of every person (Ecc. 3:11). Remind us of the big picture when we become too bogged down with the little one.