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Genesis 32c:

Reading #132 

Perseverance in prayer

We finished last week with Jacob in the throes of combat with the Son of God.  Then we read that the Angel tried to release Himself. He urged, "Let Me go, for the day breaks;" but Jacob answered, "I will not let You go, except You bless me." Had this been a boastful, presumptuous confidence, Jacob would have been instantly destroyed; but his was the assurance of one who confesses his own unworthiness, yet trusts the faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God.  See Luke 18:13-14 for more on this.

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Genesis 32:

29 And Jacob asked Him, and said, “Tell me, I pray You, Your name.”

And He said, “Why is it that you do ask after My name?” [Why do you want to know?  To be like Me?]  And He blessed him there [because he wanted to be like Him].

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From the experience of Jacob we may learn the power of importunate prayer, prayer that does not give up no matter what the obstacle or delay.  Below is another story that Jesus told regarding this point.

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Luke 18:

1 And He spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint [or give up, because the last days will be long and hard]; 2 saying, “There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 and there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Avenge me of my adversary [give me justice]’.”

 [Consider Revelation 6:9-11 in this context.]

4 “And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me’.” 

6 And the LORD said, “Hear what the unjust [the non-Christian human] judge says [through weariness].” 

7 “And shall not God [the true Judge] avenge [or judge] His own elect, which cry day and night to Him, though He bear long with them [appears to take His time]?”

8 “I tell you that He will avenge them [give them justice, as] speedily [as He can]. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith [like that of the widow] on the earth?”

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Here the Son of God puts the question to us.  Have we that kind of faith?  Can we be like the widow there, or like the Greek woman of Syrophenicia who wanted healing for her daughter?  Matthew 15:21-28.  Will we be able to hang on when all seems to be against us, even God?  That is what Jacob’s trouble was all about and he came through with flying colours.  He did not give up even when crippled because he knew that the fate of his family depended on him.

In like manner, the living Christians of the last days will know that the fate of all their fellow Christians lying in their graves depends on them.  Not until the second coming takes place are they to be called forth, and that cannot happen until all of God’s people overcome their attachment to this earth (earthliness).

It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us.  The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of that ordeal.  Jesus said it will be “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21.

In that time of trial, every living Christian must stand for him or herself before God without the benefit of like-minded companions. "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job" were in the land, "as I live, says the LORD God, they shall deliver neither [underage] son nor daughter [see 1 Corinthians 7:14]; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness [perseverance ]." Ezekiel 14:20.

This “Time of Trouble” occurs during the judgment.  Maybe we should look more into that fact?  First, we should establish that there are three parts to the judgment occurring at three different times with three different judges.

The first part:

This beginning of the judgment is by the Father and determines who of humanity may enter into His kingdom for eternity.  There are no humans present at this meeting, therefore the judgment is for the benefit of the unfallen inhabitants of the universe.  It occurs BEFORE the second coming and takes place in heaven at the time the Son of God comes “as a thief”, unseen by men.  See 1 Thessalonians 5:2-5.

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Daniel 7:

9 I [Daniel] beheld till the thrones were cast down [placed], and the Ancient of days did sit [God the Father], whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery [living] stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand [of angels, Revelation 5:11] stood before Him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened…. 

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven [His attendant angels], and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. 14 And there was given Him [the Son of God the right to] dominion, and glory, and a kingdom [the new world], that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed…. 

18 But the [living] saints of the most High shall TAKE the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever…. 

26 But [first] the judgment shall sit [the first part], and [then] they shall take away his dominion [that of the prince of this world, John 14:30], to consume and to destroy it to the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven [the universe], shall be GIVEN to the [rest of the] people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

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The second part of the judgment:

This section of the judgment is made by the successful Christians under the guidance of the Son of God so that they can understand why some they thought should have been in the kingdom have refused to be there.  This investigation occurs AFTER the first resurrection (which takes place at the second coming) and while the rejecters of grace are still in their graves.

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Revelation 20:

4 And I [John] saw thrones, and they [the Christians] sat upon them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and [those] which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned [on their thrones] with Christ a thousand years. 

5 But the rest of the dead [the rejecters of grace] lived not again until the thousand years were finished [so they are not present in person either]. This is [a description of] the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 

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The third part of the judgment:

The final part of the judgment is presided over by the Son of God in the presence of all humanity, saint and sinner alike, and after which the accepters and rejecters are separated forever.  This takes place at the third advent when eternity begins for humanity.

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Matthew 25:

31 When the Son of man shall come [to the earth] in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. [This is not the second coming because He does not touch the ground at that time.  The Christians meet Him in the air.  1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.] 

32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations [accepters and rejecters]: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats [this must be after the 1,000 years because “the rest of the dead” are here]. 33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say to them on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… 

41 Then shall He say also to them on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…  

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment [the second death from which there can be no resurrection, Revelation 20:11-20]: but the righteous into life eternal. 

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Want to hear more?  Look for it next week.

Ron.

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