Jacob's Fear Removed

    "And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes."

    When Jacob heard the report of his sons that Joseph was yet alive and that he was governor over all the land of Egypt, the old man fainted. Then, when he was revived, being assured that it was so, he said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.” Bold, confident, full of joy, Jacob packed up all his family and everything he owned, and started out for Egypt.

    Along the way to Egypt, Jacob came to Beersheba. There he worshipped the Lord his God. But God saw what Jacob never expressed. As the Lord looked upon the heart of his worshipping servant, he saw an old man whose heart was tossed about with many fears. And the Lord God graciously removed the fears of his beloved servant. This is another picture of grace. As God removed Jacob’s fear, so he graciously removes the fears of his people today by the revelation of himself to us, not in visions and dreams, but by his Spirit and through his Word.

    Jacob, like all believers in this world, was a man with two natures. As you read the text, did you notice that Jacob is called by two names? “Israel took his journey.” “And God spoke unto Israel…and said, Jacob, Jacob.” Israel was the name God gave him, the name of his strength. Jacob was the name his father gave him, the name of his nature, the name of his weakness.

    It appears that Jacob started out for Egypt, inspired by the news concerning Joseph, without the least fear. The old man had the sparkle of joy in his eyes. But when he came to Beersheba, he seems to have halted by reason of fear. Beersheba was on the border of Canaan. When he left Beersheba, he knew he was leaving the land of promise and would be on his way to Egypt. Realizing what a momentous move he was about to make, the old man began to tremble. We should ever be aware of these two facts, the one very sad and lamentable, the other most blessed.

    1. So long as we are in this world God’s chosen people are men and women with two natures. Our name is both Israel, prince with God who prevails, and Jacob, supplanter, weakness and failure (Rom. 7:14-23; Gal. 5:17-23).

    2. Our great God and Savior sympathizes and tenderly cares for us in the state of weakness. The Lord God saw Jacob’s need and met it. He does not excuse, condone, or approve of Jacob’s fear. But he does not cast him off because of his fear. “He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Psa. 103:14; 78:37-39; 1 John 2:1-2).

    Before proceeding to Egypt, Jacob paused at Beersheba to worship God. Beersheba was to him a holy place. It held many memories for him. It was at Beersheba that God had met with Abraham and called upon him to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 21:31). As that was a critical turning point in Abraham’s life, Jacob paused here to worship God, because he had come to a critical turning point in his own life. He was about to go where he had never been before. He was about to break new ground. So he came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices to God, the God of his father Isaac. What wisdom he displayed.

    As he began a new era in his life, he consecrated himself anew to his God. When Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, we do not read of any devotion to God. But when Jacob was going to Egypt, before doing so, he consecrated himself to God again. He is wise who begins everything with God. Young people just beginning to set up their own homes, business men venturing a new enterprise, churches and pastors setting out upon a new sphere of ministry, believers beginning a new day, -- all should, first and foremost, begin with God.

    Jacob “offered sacrifices” to the Lord. He did so for at least three reasons. First, he offered sacrifice to God to ceremonially and typically purge himself and his household of sin. By an act of faith, by blood atonement, Jacob both confessed his sin and sought cleansing for his sin and for his family. He knew that he could not walk with God, enjoy God’s fellowship, or expect God’s blessings, except his sins be purged from him by the blood of Christ, God’s Sacrifice.

    Second, his sacrifices were also thank offerings to his God for all that he had done. Benjamin had come back to him safe and sound. Joseph was yet alive and he was going to see him. Once he had said, “All these things are against me.” Now, he is beginning to see that God had been working for him; and he humbly repents of his unbelief.

    Third, I am sure that Jacob offered these sacrifices upon the altar at Beersheba that he might inquire of the Lord as to what he should do. He was in a great dilemma. Shall I go down to Egypt or not? He wanted to know God’s will. So he sought God’s direction. What trouble and heartache we might save ourselves if, before doing anything or making any decision, we sought direction from our God (Pro. 3:5-6).

    The reason Jacob needed God’s special direction was the fact that his heart was troubled with fear at what lay before him. I would not put words into his mouth; but it seems that the cause of Jacob’s fear is obvious. He was going down to Egypt!

    His grandfather, Abraham, once went down into Egypt and found much trouble there. That is where he got Hagar. Abraham’s journey into Egypt was probably the greatest mistake of his life. Isaac, Jacob’s father, once started to go down into Egypt, but God stopped him. Jacob was now an old man, an experienced saint, experienced in his own frailty. He must have paused with fear asking himself, “Is it right for me to go to Egypt? What effect will this move have upon me and my family? How will this move affect the truth of God, the glory of God, and the people of God?” These were matters of great importance to Jacob.

    He knew that Egypt was a notoriously idolatrous country. There learned, philosophical men worshipped everything from cats, calves, and crocodiles to the vegetables they grew in their gardens. His associations in Egypt would be very trying for Jacob and his family. He knew, too, that God had told Abraham that his people would be afflicted in Egypt for four hundred years (Gen. 15:13-14).

    Jacob knew that if he went down to Egypt, unless God went with him, he was headed for trouble. He knew that Joseph was there; but would God be there? He knew that corn was there; but would God be there? Everything seemed to draw him there; but would God be there? This was the matter of concern for Jacob. And this ought to be the matter of concern for us in every decision we make.

    I am a man with only one child, a daughter. As she began to mature and I tried to direct her in the kind of man she should consider for her husband, I told her several things which I am convinced are of paramount importance. I told her to “Find a man who worships God. Settle in a place where you can worship God. Do nothing that will interfere with or keep you and your family from the worship of God.” The worship and glory of God must ever be the dominant concern of the believer’s life. All other things are indescribably less than secondary to this.

    The Lord appeared to Jacob “in the visions of the night” to say to him “fear not.” Jacob’s fear had to be removed. It is both displeasing and dishonoring to God for his people to walk in carnal fear (Matt. 6:19-33). Fear, fretting, and worrying are things most unbecoming to men and women who claim to believe God. Fear robs us of joy (Phil. 4:4-5), and weakens us in the path of known duty and responsibility.

    C. H. Spurgeon wrote, “Before we begin a new enterprise, fear may be seasonable; we ought to be cautious as to whether our way is right in the sight of God. But when we once know God’s will and begin we must say farewell to fear, for fear will be fatal to success. Go straight ahead. Believe in God, and carry the work through.”

    Fear is an indication of a quarrel with God’s will. Jacob must go down to Egypt by God’s command; but he was afraid. He was afraid to obey God’s command. We must not judge him too harshly. Who has not been guilty of the same offense? God will never send us where he will not go with us. God will not require you to do anything he will not enable you to do. No believer will ever meet a trial or temptation in the path of obedience through which God will not sustain him (1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:24). His word to his servant is, “Fear not.”

    The Lord removed Jacob’s fear in the most tender and gracious manner imaginable. Our God always deals with his children in grace. What a picture we have here of God’s grace dealing with poor, fearful Jacob, and with us. He removed Jacob’s fear by letting him know that he knew him. “God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob.” In essence, he said, “I know you, I know what you are going through, and I know what lies before you.”

    Then he allowed Jacob to know by experience that he was in communion with God. When the Lord spoke to Jacob, Jacob spoke to God and said, “Here am I.” That is the language of a submissive heart in communion with God (Gen. 22:1; 1 Sam. 3:10; Isa. 6:8).

    Next, the Lord assured Jacob of his covenant faithfulness. He said, “I am God, the God of thy father.” That means, “I am the God of the covenant. The blessing I have promised I will perform. I am the God who is for you” (Rom. 8:28-32).

    Then the Lord promised Jacob that he would bless him in Egypt. “I will there make of thee a great nation.” These things should ease us of fear, as we face the trials through which our heavenly Father is pleased to send us. Where God brings us, God will bless us. Peter, James, and John “feared as they entered into the cloud” (Lk. 9:34). But they were blessed of God in that place. And we shall be blessed of God in whatever place or circumstance we find ourselves by following his direction.

    The Lord also assured Jacob of his presence, saying, “I will go down with thee.” He further promised his servant that, no matter what happened in Egypt, his inheritance in Canaan was sure. He said, “I will also surely bring thee up again.” This is precisely what he says to us to assure, comfort, and strengthen our hearts in the face of trial. Our inheritance in Christ is sure (Rom. 8:33-39).

    The Lord gave Jacob one more word of promise by which he removed his fear. God told Jacob that he would die in peace with Joseph by his side. “Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.” He has done the same for every believer. For the child of God, death is a covenant blessing. “So he giveth his beloved sleep!” At God’s appointed time, the Lord Jesus shall put his hand upon your eyes. It is written, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord!” Therefore, the sons of Jacob are told to cease from fear (Isa. 43:1-5). For the believer, there is no cause for fear.