Faith In The Midst of SorrowGenesis 35:16-29

By David Turnerwww.BibleStudies-Online.com

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