ARISE AND GO FORTH

HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Genesis 35:1

God had set His hand to make Jacob a saint. He had given him a glimpse of His ideal at the Jabbok ford, but his nature was not then capable of taking in the Divine conception; and, as we have seen, both in his subterfuge to Esau and his settling outside Shechem, he had fallen back into the schemer and money-maker. In this chapter, God uses several methods of awakening and renewal. I hope at the end of this message we will be awakened from the things which are weighing us down and come to back to reality with God.

The Divine summons.  “Arise, go up to Bethel.” He had been in the lowlands too long: too long had he “lain among the pots.” The voice of God spoke words of resurrection life into his grave, as afterwards into that of Lazarus. Many of us are still waiting to hear those words to “arise” and go forth. Maybe we are still in our graves of this sin-cursed world of pleasures. Today God id more than able to take up out that low lying situation. Listen for that still voice and ARISE.

The power of old association.  What memories clustered around that name and place of Bethel! It recalled his distress and fear; the angel-ladder, and the comforting assurance which had inspired him with new hope. Directly he heard it, he seemed to have felt the incongruity of the life that was being lived in his camp, and he said to his people, “Put away the strange gods… Arise, let us go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto God.” Brethren, you have to hear and take action with whatever you hear. Here Jacob did not hesitate, but he did not go alone. He ordered his household to arise and move with him, but first, they had to put away their strange gods. There are many things in our lives that are like gods to us, job, money, sex, material things, the lust of the flesh, pleasures of this wicked world and I can go on and on naming things that are like gods. Get rid of then, God is saying “ARISE’. Let us go to Bethel.

A fresh revelation.  God appeared to him again. For long there had been no vision of God; but now that the idols were put away, his eyes were opened to see Him who had been beside him amid all his backslidings. Notice here that the message was given to the man of God, a leader. God spoke to Jacob directly, He didn’t speak to the congregation. As I was with Moses so I will be with you. He only spoke to Moses, He spoke directly to Saul and the men with him heard not but saw the light. Hallelujah. The problem with the church today is everyone is hearing something but not the direct message. Too, many prophets in the land and they do not know what is the message for the people.

Death.  Deborah, the beloved Rachel, the old father – one after another were taken from him; and there came the far-away look into his eyes which showed that he had imbibed the pilgrim-spirit and had become Israel the Prince. So God stripped him that he might be better able to run the race set before him. Amen, Amen brothers and sisters. There are times when God wants you to respond in a timely manner and He does things you will not like but for you to get to your destiny God has to make a move in His time for His purpose and will. Sometimes He will remove the things that you love best, yes He will take them away from you. He is God and besides Him, there is no other.

Today if you will hear His voice listen to the message and act on it. God bless you.