Depending On God
We can depend on God when we face difficult situations.
Genesis(73) (Part of the Origins(70) series)
by Stuart Johns(79) on May 24, 2026 (Sunday Morning(103))
Communication(1), Dependence(2), God's Presence(1), God's Protection(1)
Origins
Depending On God
(Genesis 32:1-21)
INTRODUCTION
“As the story appeared in The Joyful Noise Letter, a psychologist, an engineer, and a theologian were hunting when they stumbled upon a cabin where a potbellied stove was suspended in midair by wires attached to the ceiling. The psychologist theorized, ‘The lonely trapper has elevated his stove so he can curl up underneath and feel the warmth as if he has returned to the womb.’
‘No,’ said the engineer. ‘By elevating the stove, the man is simply distributing the heat more evenly in the cabin.’
‘Actually, lifting up the fire has been a religious symbol for centuries,’ explained the theologian.
About that time, the trapper returned, and the three hunters asked him to explain why he had suspended his stove in the air.
‘I had plenty of wire,’ he replied, ‘but not much stove pipe.’
Sometimes simplicity is best. Jacob had been through two decades of manipulation and treachery. His stove had been hanging in midair with some frequency. His plans had been held together with bailing wire more than once. But now he began to mature, journeying southwest at God’s call. We discover in Jacob, as we did in his grandfather Abraham, a man of prayer.”
[Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 275]
When Jacob realized he had nowhere else to turn, he turned to the Lord in prayer. He had to depend on the Lord instead of his own ability to scheme or manipulate.
BODY
ME
Depending on God
Years ago, I was laid off from my job
We had three young children
We owned a home
We lived away from family
I was fearful about how I would provide for my family
I wanted them to feel secure and not be afraid
God’s provision
I had to depend on God to provide for me and my family
We had to humble ourselves and allow others to help us out
A friend from church owned a construction company, so I worked for him briefly
I served as the part-time Administrative Pastor at our church
I also worked at Walmart part-time as a cashier and then at the service desk
My spiritual life grew and matured during that difficult time as I depended on God
WE
Most of us have probably had to depend on the Lord at some time in our lives
Perhaps there are some of us who need to depend on the Lord right now as we face a difficult situation
Jacob had just been through a difficult situation with Laban, who had caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead and confronted him. That difficult situation had been resolved peacefully as they parted ways. Jacob did not have a chance to enjoy the peace between him and Laban before he was confronted with another difficult situation. Jacob had to depend on God, because he had to address this difficult situation head on. We will learn from Jacob’s example that…
BIG IDEA – We can depend on God when we face difficult situations.
Let’s pray
GOD (Genesis 32:1-21)
Presence (vv. 1-2)
Jacob’s journey
Laban left the hill country of Gilead and returned to Haran
Jacob left and traveled further south in the hill country of Gilead on his way to Bethel
God’s presence
While Jacob traveled, the angels of God met him [#1 – Young people, who met Jacob as he traveled south? (the angels of God)]
They were obviously sent by God to meet Jacob
No conversation was recorded here in the narrative – in fact the angels ascending and descending at Bethel, 20 years earlier, did not speak
Their presence was a reminder of God’s promise to Jacob, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)
“Although outside the land of promise, he was not outside the hand of promise.” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 547]
We can depend on God when we face difficult situations.
PRINCIPLE #1 – God keeps His promise to be with us and protect us.
God’s promise of His presence
Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Deuteronomy 31:8, The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Hebrews 13:5b-6, because God has said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Matthew 28:20b, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
God’s promise of protection
Psalm 91:9-11, If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord, who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
Romans 8:31, What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
#1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Claim God’s promise of His presence and protection as I face _______.
Prayer Prompt: God, I worship You because You provided Your presence and protection when I faced…
When Jacob saw the angels of God, he knew the Lord was with him and had kept His promise
Naming the place
During his first encounter with the Lord and His angels, on his way to Haran, Jacob named the place Bethel, meaning “house of God” (Genesis 28:19)
Jacob again named the place where he encountered the angels of God
He recognized that the place where he met the angels was the camp of God
He named the place Mahanaim (makh-an-ah’-yim/mock-hen-a’-yem)
The literal meaning of the name is “two camps” [#2 – Young people, what does Mahanaim mean? (two camps)]
It was located east of the Jordan and north of the Jabbok River [show map]
It would have been in the hill country of Gilead [show picture]
Its actual location has yet to be discovered by archaeologists
“Mahanaim is located east of the Jordan, on the border between the territories of the half-tribe of Manasseh and of the tribe of Gad (Josh. 13:26, 30). For a while it served as the capital of Ishbosheth, Saul’s son (2 Sam. 2:8), as well as a temporary capital for David after Absalom’s coup (2 Sam. 17:24, 27). Solomon later made it a district center (1 Kings 4:14).” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 318]
Gangel & Bramer state, “Most scholars assume this second camp was the army of God for protecting Jacob on his journey.” [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 276]
Jacob’s camp and God’s camp were together, as two camps, as Jacob prepared to meet his brother Esau
Jacob named the place where he met the angels of God on his return trip to Canaan
He knew that the Lord was with him
Now he needed to prepare for his meeting with Esau
Preparation (vv. 3-8)
Messengers sent
Location
Jacob sent his messengers to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom
Seir
The meaning of the name Seir is “hairy”
This reminds us of Esau’s physical appearance from birth to adulthood (Gen. 25:25; 27:11)
Edom
The meaning of the name Edom is “red”
This again reminds of Esau’s physical appearance at birth (Gen. 25:25)
It also reminds us of the “red stew” that enticed Esau to sell his birthright (Gen. 25:30)
After Jacob instructed his messengers where to find Esau, he told them what to say
Content
Greeting/Salutation
My master Esau
Calling Esau his master did not mean that Jacob was returning the birthright and blessing to him
It was a way of showing his brother that he had changed and was willing to reconcile
“Like Abraham with Lot, Jacob takes the first step toward giving up the rights of his election to the blessing (13:1-12), trusting God to fulfill the promise.” [Waltke, 442]
Closing
Your servant
Jacob was being humble and submissive as a first step in reconciling with his brother
Signature
Jacob
Esau would know that his brother had returned
Body
Where he had been
He had been staying with their uncle Laban for the past 20 years
Jacob had not been hiding from Esau, avoiding Esau, or sneaking around behind Esau’s back [Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 603]
What his intentions were
He was simply returning to the Promised Land
God has provided plenty for him, so he would not try to take anything from Esau or trick him out of anything [Walton, 603]
What he hoped would happen
He hoped that Esau would welcome him
He wanted to reconcile with Esau
“One should not surmise that by using ḥēn (khane/hane) [favor] Jacob considers himself an inferior to Esau. In using this word, Jacob is appealing to the generosity, the goodwill, of Esau, that the rift between them might be healed.” [Hamilton, 321]
“He waved the white flag with every word of his message.” [Gangel & Bramer, 276]
PRINCIPLE #2 – Communication is key.
Jacob
Jacob did not try to sneak back into the Promised Land unannounced
He opened up the lines of communication with his brother, Esau
Jacob took the first step in addressing the elephant in the room – the tension caused by his deception
He humbled himself before Esau
Jacob paved the way to peace
Us
Are you currently at odds with someone? (family member, coworker, neighbor, fellow student, friend)
Do you need to open up the lines of communication with that person?
Are you willing to take the first step to address the elephant in the room?
Will you willingly humble yourself before them?
#2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Take the first step by humbling myself and opening up the lines of communication with ________.
Jacob had taken the first step and communicated with Esau that he had returned to Canaan
Messengers returned
When the messengers returned they told Jacob that they had delivered the message
They also explained that Esau was coming to meet Jacob and that 400 men were coming with him [#3 – Young people, how many men were coming with Esau? (400)]
400 men
According to 1 Samuel 22:2, 25:13 and 30:10, 17, the 400 men would have been the standard number for a militia [Waltke, 442; Gangel & Bramer, 276]
Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham had rallied 318 men for a rescue mission (Gen. 14:14)
So, perhaps when Jacob heard that number his immediate thought was military in nature
What was Esau’s intention – escorting or eliminating/protecting or purging?
Esau had removed the Horites or was in the process of removing them from the land of Seir, so perhaps he was coming to meet Jacob in order to escort and protect Jacob and his family
If Esau was still intent on killing Jacob for stealing his blessing and birthright, then his intention would be to eliminate and purge Jacob and his family
Jacob thought he knew Esau’s intention, so he was terrified
Jacob’s reaction
Jacob was terrified at the news (NLT)
PRINCIPLE #3 – Fear and distress are the result of assuming we know someone else’s intentions.
Jacob
Perhaps Jacob had a guilty conscience, because he knew how he would react if the shoe was on the other foot
He knew how he left his relationship with his brother
Fear gripped him and he was distressed as he allowed his mind to run wild with the possibilities of Esau’s revenge
Us
How many of us know exactly how Jacob was feeling?
Perhaps we were not truthful in a relationship and have not attempted to reconcile with that person
The thought of talking with them or meeting them scares us to death
What will their intentions be toward us – reconciliation or revenge?
Is fear gripping you and causing you distress as you allow your mind to run wild with the possibilities?
How often have we been wrong about someone else’s intentions?
Communication is key!
Satan wants nothing more than to create chaos and disunity within our families, neighborhoods, place of work, school, and even the church
Don’t assume you know what someone else is thinking and feeling, instead turn to the Lord in prayer, asking him to give you strength and courage to open up the lines of communication, so that peace can be restored
Unfortunately that was not Jacob’s first step
Fear and distress drove him to execute his own plan first
Jacob’s plan
Two camps [#4 – Young people, what was Jacob’s plan? (divide his family into two camps)]
While it is not specifically stated in this narrative it would not be a stretch to speculate that Jacob divided his family into two camps based on his two wives
Leah, Zilpah, and their eight children
Rachel, Bilhah, and their three children
Perhaps Jacob divided his flocks, herds, camels, and servants evenly between the two camps
Jacob’s reasoning
If Esau attacked one camp, the other camp could potentially escape
Jacob’s entire family would not be eliminated
“When faith is crowded out by fear, we’re prone to start scheming and trusting our own resources. A lady said to evangelist D.L. Moody, ‘I’ve found a wonderful verse to help me overcome fear’; and she quoted Psalm 56:3: ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee’ (KJV). ‘I can give you a better promise,’ said Moody, and he quoted Isaiah 12:2: ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid’ (KJV).” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Pentateuch, 131-132]
What an incredible reminder – when God is our salvation, we can trust Him and not be afraid
Jacob acted first and then prayed
Prayer (vv. 9-12)
PRINCIPLE #4 – Total dependence on God is the correct attitude for prayer.
Jacob could not retreat to Haran, because it would violate his covenant with Laban [Waltke, 443]
Read Genesis 31:51-53
He had already communicated with Esau, so he would have to face his fears as Esau drew near
He finally turned to the Lord like he should have done from the start
Application
Are you in a position where you cannot retreat and have to face your fears?
Maybe you are finally ready to totally depend on God and cry out to Him
“Prayerlessness is our declaration of independence from God.” [Daniel Henderson]
Turning to God in prayer acknowledges that you are dependent upon Him and His ability to accomplish anything
God is the only One who can change hearts, minds, and circumstances
God is the One who can give you courage, strength, and wisdom to face your fears so you can seek peace and reconciliation
Hebrews 11:6, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
#3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Totally depend on God and cry out to Him about __________.
With nowhere else to turn, Jacob had to depend on God, so he cried out to Him
We can depend on God when we face difficult situations.
Content of Jacob’s prayer [Wiersbe, 132]
God’s covenant (v. 9a)
Jacob addressed God as the God of his father Abraham and Isaac
God had made a covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3) that extended to Isaac and to Jacob
Jacob sought God on the basis of that covenant
We have the incredible privilege of approaching the throne of grace because of the new covenant that Jesus instituted in His blood
Read Hebrews 8:6-13
[Share the Gospel]
God’s command (v. 9b)
Jacob reminded the Lord that He had commanded him return to Canaan and his relatives
God would prosper him
“Jacob forgot that God’s commandment always involves God’s enablement, for the will of God will never lead us where the power of God can’t protect us and provide for us.” [Wiersbe, 132]
“Obedience to God and His blessings are inseparable.” [Waltke, 443]
God’s care (v. 10)
Jacob recognized that God was the One who had shown him kindness and faithfulness by taking him from poverty to wealth and from being single to having a family
All of this happened because God is good, merciful, and faithful
Prayer Prompt: God, I worship You because You have been good/merciful/faithful to me when…
[Play lyric video of Matthew West’s song “Good”]
God’s purposes (v. 11)
Jacob sought God’s salvation, because he understood God’s greater plan for humanity through him and his descendants
Jacob was the covenant carrier chosen by God
It would be through Jacob’s line that the Messiah would come (Judah’s line specifically)
God’s promise (v. 12)
Jacob reminded the Lord of the promises He had made at Bethel as he was leaving the Promised Land
Genesis 28:13-14, There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
“No matter what circumstances we may face or what fears may grip our hearts, we can trust God to be faithful to His character and His Word.” [Wiersbe, 132]
Jacob spent the night in the place where he met the angels of God
Present (vv. 13-21)
Selecting the gift
Goats
Female = 200
Male = 20
Sheep
Ewes = 200
Rams = 20
Camels
Female = 30
Young = ? (30, if each female had one young)
Cattle
Cows = 40
Bulls = 10
Donkeys
Female = 20
Male = 10
This would have been a very generous gift of 550-580 animals [#5 – Young people, how many animals did Jacob send as a gift to Esau? (550)]
“Jacob’s gift is not the return of the patriarchal blessing but rather an olive branch, seeking the favor (ḥēn) of Esau.” [Mathews, 553]
Jacob divided the herds into five groups and put them in the care of his servants
Sending the gift
Jacob gave his servants the same instructions
God ahead of me
Keep some space between each herd
When Esau asks you who you belong to, where you are going, and who owns all these animals, tell him they belong to your servant Jacob and they are gift sent to my lord Esau. Jacob is coming behind us
Jacob hoped that the gifts would pacify Esau and that Esau would receive him when they met
The gifts went on ahead of Jacob, but he spent the night in the camp
PRINCIPLE #5 – Generosity can pave the way to peace.
YOU
Do you need to claim God’s promise of His presence and protection as you face a particular situation?
With whom do you need to take the first step of humbling yourself and opening up the lines of communication?
Are you ready to totally depend on God and cry out to Him for help?
WE
What situation are we facing that we need to claim God’s promise of His presence and protection?
With whom do we need to take the first step of humbling ourselves and opening up the lines of communication?
Are we ready to totally depend on God and cry out to Him for help?
CONCLUSION
“Evangelist Luis Palau writes:
During my first semester at Multnomah School of the Bible, Torchbearers founder Major Ian Thomas spoke at our chapel service. He talked about how it took Moses 40 years in the wilderness to learn that he was nothing. Then one day Moses was confronted with a burning bush—likely a dry bunch of ugly sticks—yet Moses had to take off his sandals. Why? Because God was in the bush!
Major Thomas said, ‘God was telling Moses, ‘I don't need a pretty bush or an educated bush or an eloquent bush. Any old bush will do as long as I'm in the bush. If I'm going to use you, it won't be you doing something for me, but me doing something through you.’’
I was that kind of bush: a useless bunch of dried up sticks. I could do nothing for God. All my reading and studying and modeling myself after others was worthless unless God was in the bush. Only he could make something happen.
When Thomas closed his message, I ran back to my room and in tears prayed in my native Spanish. My spiritual struggle was finally over! I'd let God be God and let Luis be dependent on him.”
[https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/preaching/sermon-illustrations/evangelist-luis-palau-learns-complete-dependence-on-god/].
