Faith In The Midst of SorrowGenesis 35:16-29

If God cares for his children, why does he allow suffering and sorrow?

Children of God are more likely to reach out to God in times of distress or

sorrow than in times of blessing.

During Blessings we don’t need God, or forget the blessings are from Him.

– Adam

– Jacob

– After all the blessings in Joshua the Israelites forgot their God (Judges).

– Saul

– David

– Solomon

People call on God during times of sorrow, distress or danger.– Jacob

– Joseph

– Job

–Hanah

–David

– Jeremiah

Jacob’s Life of Blessing

• Jacob’s name – Heal holder• Bought his first born rights of blessing.• Deceived his brother and father for father’s blessing.• When in distress at Bethel he made a vow to God that

he would serve God if God blessed him.• God Blessed Him in the household of Laban.• He was deceived by Laban and then deceived Laban for

the sake of blessings.• He wrestled with Angle of the Lord for a blessing.• God told him to return home, but he remained in

Shechem where he continued to prosper.

With all his prosperity and blessings, Jacob (Israel) was not right with God.

Sorrow, danger and distress would bring Jacob closer to God.

When People Suffer they look up

• Dinah was raped• Son’s committed murder men and

Pillaged their village.– Jacob cleans house and turns to God and

acknowledges God: “who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”

– He completes his vow builds an alter at Bethel

• He sorrowed over the death of Deborah– God comes to Him and confirms his

relationship and blessing

Genesis 35:16–29 (ESV)

Where there is blessing….16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were

still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into

labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor

was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not

fear, for you have another son.”

The most important thing in Rachel’s life was having children.

She told Jacob, “Give me children or I will die.”At Joseph’s birth she said, … "May the LORD add to me another son!" Gen 30:24

… There is often sorrow18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she

called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him

Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the

way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20 and Jacob set up a

pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb,

which is there to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on and

pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

Ben-oni – Son of my sorrow.Benjamin – Son of my right hand.She Was buried near Bethlehem.Leah’s death won’t be recorded, but her place of burial will be with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, and later beside Jacob.

Can things get worse?

22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.

• May not have been an act of lust, but a power move.

• Examples: Absalom (II Sam. 16), Adonijah asks for Abishag (I Kings 2).

• Result: Forfeits first born rights.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The

sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn),

Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and

Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant:

Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob

who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

Sorrow over the death of

Isaac (a fading rose).

27 And Jacob came to his father

Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba

(that is, Hebron), where

Abraham and Isaac had

sojourned. 28 Now the days of

Isaac were 180 years. 29 And

Isaac breathed his last, and he

died and was gathered to his

people, old and full of days. And

his sons Esau and Jacob buried

him.

Isaac is a faded Rose. Jacob is also beginning to

fade. The beauty of the rose hides

the pain of the thorns.

The Fading Rose becomes twelve.

One Rose will stand above

the rest.

There has never been a Rose like Jesus