Genesis 55
MAHANAIM
(Genesis 31:43-32:2)
Introduction:
Jacob successfully overcame the crisis of Laban, who was chasing him to kill him. However, when he goes down Mount Gilead, he will reach the Jabbok River.
Across the river, there is Jacob's older brother, Esau, whom he fears the most. God sends angels to Jacob when he is most afraid (Gen32:1-2).
Then Jacob meets God's angels. After Jacob met them, the name of the place was Mahanaim, which means two camps.
Judging from the fact that there were not just one or two angels, Jacob saw many angels, more than enough to fill two camps.
God sent enough angels to fill two camps for Jacob. So many angels were sent to comfort Jacob, who was afraid of his brother and was afraid of death.
However, when Jacob became unable to bear the fear and frustration, he sent an errand boy to Esau. The messenger reported that Esau was coming to meet
Jacob with as many as 400 people.
Upon hearing those words, Jacob feels tremendous fear and frustration, incomparable to anything he has felt before.
Rev.22:10-12 said that the physical people choose physical work, physical judge, and physical things so they have no choice but fail. Spiritual man choose spiritual work, spiritual judge, and spiritual choose so they receive spiritual result.
1. The dire consequences of choice of spirit and flesh.
1) Joseph and his brothers
2) Abraham and Lot
3) Jacob and Esau
4) David and Saul
5) The bible explain two kind of people. (Psa.1:1-6)
2. Laban’s physical chase.
1) Concern
2) Contents of conversation
3. The spiritual phenomenon that appeared to Jacob
1) Jacob’s vow (Gen.31:53) May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob took an oath
in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.
2) Jacob’s worship(Gen.31:54) He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten,
they spent the night there.
3) The Spiritual blessing comes after prayer.
(1) Genesis 32:1 Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
(2) Revelation 8:3-5
v. 3. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints,
on the golden altar before the throne.
v. 4. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.
v. 5. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings,
flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
(3) Exodus 14:19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved
from in front and stood behind them,
(4) Dan 6:10-22
v. 22. My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.
Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
(5) Dan 3:25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
(6) Psalm 103:20-22
v. 20. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
v. 21. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
v. 22. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
4) Jacob enjoyed spiritual blessing.(Gen.32:2)
v. 2. When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.
Conclusion: God establishes Jacob, who holds onto the covenant, as a man of spirit.
1) As he gets closer to his hometown, his fear grows. At that moment, God sends an angel to comfort him. Genesis 32:1-2
“v.1. Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
v.2. When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.”
God’s messengers, that is, the army of angels, appeared to him. When Jacob saw the scene, he named the place ‘Mahanaim.’
Mahanaim means ‘two camps’ in plural.
2) Angels are spiritual beings. Since he does not have a physical body, he cannot see it with the naked eye, but it seems that God specifically opened
Jacob's eyes and showed him. Not just one or two, but a large group gathered together like an army, and if you look closely, they form two camps.
They are surrounding Jacob and his group from front to back and guarding them.
3) There are many passages in the Bible that mention the existence of angels. It is mentioned over 100 times in the Old Testament and over 160 times
in the New Testament. Let me quote just two verses among them. Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.” Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
The world we live in is, in a word, a harsh world. How many difficult problems are there in our lives? But the bigger problem is fear.
If you are afraid, you lose. How can you overcome fear? You must have the faith of Mahanaim. You must have great faith, not just a confession with
your lips, but a belief that God's angels and the Holy Spirit are with you. Therefore, please continue to increase the size of your faith. Don't wrestle
with problems, but wrestle with God through the Word and prayer. So, I hope that you and I will have courage and live confidently and victoriously.