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"THE FORGOTTEN VOW OF JACOB"
Genesis 35:1-7
INTRODUCTION
1. We begin our study today with a reading of Gen 35:1-7 ...
a. Where we find God telling Jacob to go to Bethel
b. In which he is to build an altar
2. Why did God command this?
a. Nearly thirty years earlier, Jacob had made a vow
b. But he seems to have forgotten about it, and God is now calling
him to fulfill it
3. There are several lessons that can be gleaned from "The Forgotten
Vow Of Jacob" which can easily be applied to our service as
Christians
[But before I point these lessons out, a little more historical
background might be helpful...]
I. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
A. THIRTY YEARS BEFORE, JACOB HAD MADE A VOW...
1. It was made as he was fleeing the wrath of Esau (for Jacob had
stolen Esau's blessing from their father Isaac)
2. Leaving Beersheba, he headed toward Haran (consult map)
3. On the way, he stopped at what is now called Bethel (consult
map) - Gen 28:10-15
a. There he had a dream, in which he saw what we commonly call
"Jacob's Ladder" (angels ascending and descending on a
ladder between heaven and earth)
b. In this dream, God promises to be with him and safely
return him to his home
4. The dream prompted Jacob to make his vow - Gen 28:16-22
a. To make the LORD his God if God carries out His promise
b. To sanctify the stone upon which his head had rested and
which he has set up as a pillar
c. To give God a tenth of all that God will give him
B. FOR THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS, JACOB DWELT IN HARAN...
1. As God promised, He was with Jacob
2. Jacob prospered both in family, and in gaining wealth - Gen
29-30
3. Upon Jacob's return, God kept him safe...
a. From Laban, who was pursuing him - Gen 31
b. From Esau, who was coming to meet him - Gen 32-33
C. BY THE TIME OF OUR TEXT (GEN 35), JACOB HAD BEEN LIVING IN CANAAN
TEN YEARS...
1. He had settled near the city of Shechem (consult map) - Gen 33:18
2. But he had not bothered to go back to Bethel, where the Lord
had appeared to him and where he had made his vow
[So it appears that Jacob had forgotten his vow, and for this reason
God commands him to return to Bethel - Gen 35:1
What lessons or principles of truth can we learn from this? There are
several...]
II. THE APPLICATION
A. FIRST, GOD EXPECTS US TO KEEP THE VOWS WE MAKE...
1. He does not take vows lightly, and neither should we - cf. Ecc 5:2-5
2. So let's be sure to keep any covenant or vow that we make with
God; for example...
a. The "vow" we made when we became Christians
b. I.e., to turn from sin, and to follow Christ with all our
heart
-- Are we faithfully keeping this "vow"?
B. SECOND, WE ARE PRONE TO FORGET OUR VOWS WHEN GOD HAS FULFILLED
HIS SIDE OF THEM...
1. We saw where God fulfilled His side, but Jacob had not
2. This "forgetfulness" seems to occur most often when vows are
made in times of trouble
a. Like those made in a foxhole
b. Or those made in an airplane during extreme air turbulence
or mechanical problems
c. Or those made in an effort to solve marital problems
3. But such vows are just as binding as those made upon careful
reflection!
C. THIRD, WE ARE PRONE TO FORGET OUR VOWS WHEN THINGS ARE GOING
WELL...
1. In the case of Jacob...
a. He had a nice family
b. He had become extremely wealthy
c. He had settled down in his home country
2. The same is often true of many Christians...
a. Many obey the gospel at times in their lives when they are
troubled
b. But later, especially if they enjoy financial security,
they forget their commitment to God and Christ
3. But consider God's warning to Israel against forgetfulness
after they entered the "promised land" - Deu 8:11-20
D. FOURTH, WE ARE PRONE TO FORGET OUR VOWS WHEN WE HAVE ALLOWED
OURSELVES TO BE INFLUENCED BY THE WORLD...
1. Note that Jacob's family had accepted the foreign gods of the
people around them - cf. Gen 35:2
2. In similar fashion, many people do not live up to the vow they
made when they became Christians - cf. 2 Ti 4:10 (Demas)
a. E.g., many teen-age Christians
1) Zealous at first
2) But when influenced by...
a) Their peers
b) Popular music
c) Humanistic teaching in the schools
...they often lose interest in spiritual matters
b. E.g., many adult Christians, who are influenced by the
materialism and immorality of our society
3. But again, this is no excuse for "forgotten vows"
E. FIFTH, IF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR VOWS, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE
BEGINNING...
1. We noticed that Jacob was told to go back to Bethel
2. In a similar way, Jesus told the church at Ephesus to go back
to the beginning - Re 2:4-5
a. They had left their "first love"
b. They were told to "remember...from where you have fallen"
c. And to "repent and do the first works"
3. For Christians who have left their "first love", they too need
to "do the first works" (the fundamentals, such as Bible
study, prayer, etc.)
F. FINALLY, WHEN WE FULFILL OUR FORGOTTEN VOWS, THERE ARE RENEWED
BLESSINGS!
1. When Jacob fulfilled his vow, God appeared to him and renewed
the promises that had been made to Abraham and Isaac - Gen 35:
9-15
2. So it can be with us!
a. It may be that we have forgotten the original commitment we
made when we first obeyed the gospel of Christ
b. But if we will just return to Christ...
1) In full repentance and prayer
2) And fulfill our vow of service and devotion to Him
...all the spiritual blessings that He has to offer can be
ours again! - cf. 1 Jn 1:9
CONCLUSION
1. Are you a Christian, but not living the dedicated and committed life
that God expects?
2. Then, like Jacob, you have forgotten your vow...
a. And you need to come back to the Lord in full repentance
b. The blessings of heaven await you if you do!
If you are not yet a Christian, these same blessings can be yours if
you will only accept the gospel of Jesus Christ - cf. Mark 16:15-16
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