32 Let God Prevail
32 Let God Prevail
Think about what Jacob did to let God prevail in his life.
Also think about how when we let God prevail, He enables us
to prevail.
Isaac and Rebekah were sad that Esau had decided to marry
outside of the covenant. If you remember, Abraham had sent his servant to go
find a wife for Isaac among his brother’s family, and Isaac wanted Jacob to do
the same thing.
So he went and he met his Uncle Laban. He fell in love with
Rachel right off and wanted to marry her. Laban was happy about that too, but
he wanted something out of it, so he made Jacob work for him for seven years so
that he could marry Rachel.
Jacob loved her so much that he didn’t mind doing that.
Genesis 29: 20 20 And Jacob served seven years
for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for
the love he had to her.
What happened after that?
Laban tricked him and veiled Leah for the marriage and sent
Leah into the tent with Jacob. In the morning, Jacob knew he’d been deceived.
He asked Laban why he would treat him so. He had fulfilled his agreement to
work seven years for him. Laban said that in his country, they oldest daughter
should be married first. He told her to fulfill one week with Leah, and then
he’d let him marry Rachel too, if he’d stay and work another seven years for
him.
So Jacob served Laban for 14 years because he wanted to do
what was right and marry in the covenant.
Will we run into obstacles in life, even if we are
striving to keep our covenants and seeking to let God prevail in our lives?
After that, he worked for another 6 years so that he would
own some of the cattle. The Lord blessed everything that Jacob did. But Laban
still didn’t want to let him, his daughters, and his grandchildren leave back
to their own land.
The Lord commanded Jacob to return. His wives supported him in that, and so
they left. Soon Laban was pursuing after them. But the Lord visited Laban in a
dream and told him to do Jacob no hurt. Then came to a truce with one another
and promised not to ever cross into each other’s lands in order to hurt one
another. The family departed with good and friendly terms. Then Lord continued
to blessed Jacob.
Jacob was scared to return and face Esau. He had taken both
his birthright and his blessing, and Esau had wanted to kill him, and now he
was returning with his family and didn’t know what Esau would do. But the Lord
prepared the way for Jacob.
Angels met him. And Jacob sent messengers ahead of himself
to Esau.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall
ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with
Laban, and stayed there until now:
5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and
menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may
find grace in thy sight.
6 ¶ And the messengers returned to Jacob,
saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four
hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed:
and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks,
and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and
smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
9 ¶ And Jacob said, O God of my
father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst
unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal
well with thee:
10 I am not worthy of the least of all
the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy
servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two
bands.
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand
of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and
smite me, and the mother with the children.
12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good,
and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude.
Vs 22-24 Jacob sent his wives and children safely ahead and
stayed that night in preparation to meet Esau. He was along and he had a
wrestle with the Lord that night.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against
him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh
was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh.
And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy
name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast
thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
29 And Jacob asked him, and
said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said,
Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after
my name? And he blessed him there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel:
for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Chapter 33
Vs 4-9 The brothers met and embraced each other. Esau was
pleased to see Jacob and all Jacob's family. He was happy to gain his brother
back. He didn't need the droves of gifts that Jaoc had sent.
10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I
have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for
therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou
wast pleased with me.
11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is
brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have
enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
20 And he erected there an altar, and called
it El-elohe-Israel.
Video: Jacob and His Family
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2021-11-1120-jacob-and-his-family?lang=eng&alang=eng&collectionId=ab6d1069e6042bac6f18858da3ce0a8705719884
President Nelson: Are you willing to let God prevail in your
life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life?
Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what
you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are
you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other
ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?
Video: A Day for a Mission
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2012-01-0002-your-day-for-a-mission?lang=eng
Our Father Jacob is an example of letting God prevail in his
life. He went to great effort to marry in the covenant, gain the Lord’s
blessings in his day-to-day work, and do what God asked him to do to heal his
family relationships. This lesson can help students increase their willingness
to let God prevail in their lives.
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