Genesis, Message 30: The Process of Maturity

Crystallization-Study of Genesis, Message 30:

"The Process of Maturity"

In Jacob's life, we clearly the transforming work of God. He started his life as a supplanter (Genesis 27), who had so much natural ability, cleverness and ambition. He was definitely a conniver, cheater and robber. By God's grace, he went through dealing after dealing, and was eventually transformed to Israel, a prince of God (Genesis 37). From Genesis 37 to Genesis 45, his life went through another crucial step of Christian life called "maturity."

In Genesis 33-36 (message 27), Jacob went through the process of transformation, which is the organic and metabolic change of life. His old natural element was removed. The divine element of the Triune God was added to his life. In the New Testament, the process is beautifully explained by the apostle Paul in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NKJV)

In Genesis 37-45, Jacob went through the process of maturity, which is the final stage of transformation. This process has nothing to do with our old natural element. It is having God's life added to our life, filled to the brim, and flowed over to other people as blessing.

  

Jacob is emptied out and filled with God’s life.

Even after the process of transformation, Jacob still suffered. He lost Joseph (Genesis 37). And later on, he suffered a great famine (Genesis 41) and a loss of his 10 sons and Benjamin (Genesis 43). Through these sufferings, he became completely emptied out. He had no more concern of himself. He did not depend on his own plan or ability any more. He put his trust totally in God. 

One thing we can observe in Jacob life is that he was very calm. When he realised he had to let Benjamin go to Egypt in order to get some grain from there, his speech was so calm. He did not complain nor angrily murmur. Before his sons’ leaving, he calmly told them:

And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved! (Genesis 43:14 NKJV)

From his speech, we see his secret. He acknowledged God as the El Shaddai, the All-sufficient or the Almighty One, and he was so submissive to His sovereignty. He accepted any loss God allowed Him to face. He suffered outwardly. But having been emptied out, he became filled with God's life inwardly.

We must learn from Jacob's life. We must be empty, hungry and thirsty all the time. We need to be like the empty jar (2 kings 4), so that we will be filled with the oil, which represents the Spirit of life.

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves."
So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors --- empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones."
So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased.
Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest." (2 Kings 4:1-7 NKJV)

Let's be like an empty vessel all the time. This is the means whereby we become matured and filled with God's life to the brim. As a result, the divine life in us will overflow to others as blessing.

Brothers and sisters, when we are afflicted by someone or have an unpleasant situation, remember that all things, with no exception, are for our good to them who love God. Yes, our good sometimes is God’s blessing in this age. But in the context of Romans 8, our good is nothing else but gaining more of Christ.

Therefore never escape from His arrangement. Trust in God and depend on His strength to overcome them. And take the opportunity to grow in life and become fully matured. 

Jacob’s matured life is expressed as a blessing life.

Genesis 47 portrays Jacob as a fully matured man. When Jacob got Joseph back and knew the truth regarding what his sons had done to his beloved son Joseph, he was still so calm. No sign of anger or overwhelmed happiness was seen in him.

This is the life of a fully matured person. He was not sentimental. When he heard either good or bad news, he remained calm. An immature person with lack of God's life in him has a numb spirit but a revived soul. Contrariwise, a fully matured person has a revived spirit filled with God's life, but his soul (mind, will and emotion) is numb.

And interestingly, Instead of blasting or blaming, he blesses. The fully matured Israel, prince of God, blessed Pharaoh when they met. In his matured life, God’s life was overflown from him to others as blessing.

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. (Genesis 47:7 NKJV)

So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. (Genesis 47:10 NKJV)

Lord, may we be like the fully mature Jacob, who had a revived spirit and a numb soul. May our life be filled with Your divine life, so that we will be a real blessing to others and fully prepared as the Bride of Christ. 

Thirayost Nimmanon (Tony)

Further reading

• The Holy Word for Morning Revival: Crystallization-Study of Genesis, week 30.
• Life study of Genesis, Messages 92-94.

Genesis, Message 27: Transformation for God’s Building

Crystallization-Study of Genesis, Message 27:

"Transformation for God’s Building"

The most obvious work of God in Jacob’s life is the transforming work. Therefore let’s continue learning from Jacob’s life so that his experience may also become ours.

Jacob’s life is recorded in Genesis 25-50. There are 3 distinct periods in his life.

• Genesis 25-32 record the period of dealings. Jacob passed through dealing after dealing. Nevertheless, no change was seen in his life. He remained the same. He was still cunning and conniving, employing his clever schemes to gain what he wanted.
• Genesis 33-36 describe the period of transformation. Since he was renamed as "Israel" at the Peniel, his life was gradually transformed. And we can notice a clear change in his life as a transformed person in Genesis 37, which was the first time he had actually been called "Israel."
• Genesis 37-50 portray the period of maturity, the final step of transformation. He was already transformed in Genesis 37. But that was not good enough. Because of God’s love, He still allowed Israel to have some situations by which his life would not only be transformed, but also fully matured. And the matured life was expressed as a blessing life in Genesis 47.

 

Everything is for our good.

What is transformation? It is not an outward correction or adjustment. Instead, it is an inward, organic (associated with life) and metabolic change, in which our old natural element is removed and the divine element of the Triune God is added. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in all believers. Through this process, we will be conformed to the image of the Son of God outwardly.

In Genesis 33-36, we see that Jacob suffered because of his sons. The situations were under God’s sovereignty for his good. Nothing happened just by chance. Nothing could surprise God nor happened out of His control. God worked all things for Jacob’s good, which is his life transformation.

Brothers and sisters, we need to be thankful that our life is not very easy. If our life was too easy, we would never have a chance to enjoy the process of transformation. So don’t forget to praise the Lord and thank Him for any situation, either good or bad, knowing that all things are under His sovereignty and used by Him just for our good, which is having our life conformed to Christ’s image and becoming His many brethren.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29 NKJV)

  

Transformation process starts when we wrestle with God and see Him face to face.

And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:28 NKJV)

At Peniel, after the wrestling with the Lord for the whole night, the Lord renamed Jacob, the supplanter, as Israel.

The word "Israel" means "one who struggles with God" or "the prince of God." After the wrestling with God, Jacob called that place "Peniel," which means "face of God." Not until Jacob saw God face to face and struggled with God did his life start to be transformed.

How could we apply this to our experience?

Brothers and sisters, we all were sinners and God’s enemies. Like Jacob, we were also supplanters. By God’s grace, we were called, forgiven, and regenerated, given a new life in Christ. Yes, God loves us as we are, but He too loves us to let us remain the same. He really wants us to become His princes.

If we would like to see God’s transforming work in your life, having our soul (mind, will and emotion) conformed to the image of the Son (Romans 8:29; 12:2), we need to learn from Jacob’s experience. We need to diligently wrestle with God by fervent prayer and supplication (Ephesians 6:18).

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

... praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints -- (Ephesians 6:18 NKJV)

Furthermore, we need to be at Peniel, seeing God face to face. Because our veil has already been taken away, we need to behold God’s glorious face day by day (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NKJV)

By this means, our life will be gradually transformed from a "supplanter" to a "prince of God," who reigns in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17), expressing God and representing Him on the earth (Genesis 1:26). We would ultimately become a living stone and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9) for the building up of God’s house, the Church, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem.

For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17 NKJV)

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5 NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV) 

Thirayost Nimmanon (Tony)

Further reading

• The Holy Word for Morning Revival: Crystallization-Study of Genesis, week 27.
• Adam Clarke's 1810/1825 commentary and critical notes on the Bible, Genesis 32:28