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Page 1: THE FEATURES OF REVIVAL Second, Jacob had walked in ... · THE FEATURES OF REVIVAL Genesis 35:1-15 If there is a need for today, it is for “revival”, a genuine returning of God’s

THE FEATURES OF REVIVAL

Genesis 35:1-15

If there is a need for today, it is for “revival”, a genuine

returning of God’s people to obedience to the Living, Eternal, Holy

God. The world that we live in finds many who claim the name of

Christ to be living much like the world. Many who profess Christ,

and even are leaders in churches are “caught” in sinful activities, and

their stories are aired via the news media.

The sobering truth is, there are many who claim to be

followers of Christ, that go to the same places and participate in the

same thing as the lost. Believer often go to the same places and tell

the same unclean stories as unbelievers. Believers are found

involved in wrongful activities much like the unbelieving world. The

reality is, there is a world of believers that are in need of revival.

How can we expect to make a difference in a wicked world, when the

world sees us being involved in wickedness ourselves? When you

read Genesis 35, you read the accounts of the first recorded Bible in

Scripture…it is the return of Jacob to Bethel, but it also gives us the

features of real revival. The sobering truth is this…if there is real

revival that comes to our hearts and lives…there is a cost. But with

that cost come the wonderful blessings from Holy God to our

1. THE CALL TO REVIVAL. The first feature to any moving of

God, begins with the call of God Himself. God had called Jacob to

revival. Jacob was facing trouble, and he was frightened to the core

of his being. His daughter, Dinah had been abused and raped. In

retaliation, his sons had killed all the males of the city. Jacob was

now facing retaliation from the surrounding rulers. Jacob was

expecting them to join forces and destroy him. Needless to say, his

life was on edge. There were certain realities in the life of Jacob.

First, Jacob had not set a spiritual example for his children.

He had not given them the guidance they needed. Jacob, in reality

had lived a carnal life and the children were feeling the consequences

of his life. The sobering reality is, often times the circumstances we

face in life have a way of drawing us back to Him. Are your children

feeling the consequences of your lack of spiritual leadership in the

home? Have you seen the impact on your children’s life because of

your life as a parent?

Second, Jacob had walked in disobedience. Jacob had lived

in the promised land for 9-10 years, but he hadn’t take time to go to

Bethel to fulfill his vow before God. While Bethel was only a day’s

journey, Jacob had lived those years not honoring his “vow” to God.

How do you respond to the vows you take before God? What about

the vow that He will be the Lord of your life? What about the vow to

love, honor and cherish the mate God has given you? What have you

done with those vows. Jacob had been disobedient in his vows.

Third, Jacob had allowed idolatry, the worship of others gods

within his household. The reality was, Jacob had not made God the

Lord of his household. God had removed his protective hand from

Jacob, and Jacob knew that the fault and the blame lie in his own

heart. When we are wise enough to realize the lack of God’s

blessings upon our life, is not the fault of others, our friends,

neighbors, or even a governmental problem, we are on our way to

spiritual renewal. While it took time for Jacob to face up to his

failures, and his wickedness before the Lord, the fact remained that

the Lord had never left him. God used a threatening crisis to move

him back to the Lord. The “crises” in the life of Jacob called him to

review his relationship with the Lord, and they were the tool to draw

him back to the Lord. What “crises” has God brought to your life to

draw you back to Him? God makes it clear that He loves a heart that

is broken, and repentant before His presence. (Ps. 34:18, 51:17)

2. GOD’S MESSAGE FOR REVIVAL. There is only “One” who

can give the message for revival and that is Holy God. As Jacob

heard from the Lord, he gathered the people around him and shared

the points of God’s message to the people.

First, there is the call to get rid of false gods. They had the

gods take by Rachel. They had foreign gods. In short the people

were filled with all manner of gods. A god was something that took

the place of Holy God. If God’s people are to experience revival,

then the call of God is to get rid of all false gods. A god can be

anything that takes the place of God. It can be self, money,

possessions, a love of anything above God. No revival will ever visit

the heart where there are “gods” that take the place of Holy God. If

we desire the hand of God upon our lives, and families we must put

away everything that competes with God.

Page 2: THE FEATURES OF REVIVAL Second, Jacob had walked in ... · THE FEATURES OF REVIVAL Genesis 35:1-15 If there is a need for today, it is for “revival”, a genuine returning of God’s

Second, there is the call to purity. God called Jacob and

those around him to purify their hearts of sin, which meant to confess

and forsake sin. The reality of our world is that many who name the

name of Christ refuse to confess and forsake sin. Dabbling in sin is

rebellion before God, and the sobering reality is that God will deal

with all Christians who dabble in sin…through time sin will always

be exposed. God declares to all His people, “Wash away thy sins,

calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)

Third, there was the call to change their clothes. “Changing

clothes” symbolized putting away the old of life of sin. For many

believers, there is a complete need to change the wardrobe of their

lives. God will never overlook our lives and our sins. Culture

doesn’t make a person sin, but rather reveals what is deep within the

heart all along. Our culture doesn’t make us sin, it just reveals our

heart. The God that meant business then, means business now. He

calls us to do the same. God never saved us to compromise. We are

called to be the light and the salt to a lost world. If we lose our

saltiness, it is impossible to be “resalted” and become reusable unto

the Lord. Imagine the thought….being saved…but unusable before

God and man.

Fourth, there is the call to go to the house of God, seek God

in worship. We live in a culture where many who name the name of

Christ saying, “I can be a good Christian and not go to church.” That

line of reasoning will not wash with Holy God. God called Jacob to

go to Bethel and worship the Lord. They were to seek His face.

They were to call upon His holy name. This was not isolated to

Jacob but involved his entire household of servant. God is serious

about our worship of Him. God calls for His people to call out to

Him in worship, to sing to Him in worship, and to declare His

wonders and amazing ways. “Seek the Lord and His strength: seek

his face forever.” (Ps.105:4) To be in the house of God worshipping

Him is an act of obedience, and He sees us and will honor our lives

and bring His blessing, because He loves the praises of His people.

While sin had brought trouble into his life, there was only one hope

and that was putting away sin, and seeking God. The truth is…that is

the same today. We cannot comprehend what God would do in our

world today, if people would put away their sins, and get back in the

house of God, and worship Him. Homes would be renewed, lives

would be restored, our land would begin a healing process. But it

must first start with the people of God.

Fifth, remember God’s deliverance in the past. Jacob

recalled the times God delivered him in the past, and was reminded

of the power of God’s deliverance. Real revival is refocusing on our

God who has delivered us in times past. In the 40’s it looked like our

world was going to be overtaken by a sinister ruler in Hitler…but

God saved our land. In the 60’s it looked like we were headed for

disaster with Cuba, and Russia…but God delivered us and saved us.

When astronauts in Apollo 13 were stranded in space…it looked like

all was hopeless and we had lost some of the best minds…but God

heard the prayers of many and brought them back home safely. We

have a God who has delivered His people in the past and He will do

it today…if we are serious and call on Him. It is time we all

remembered our God as Deliverer. He delivered then and He can

today.

3. GOD’S CALL TO REPENTANCE. When you examine v.4,

you find that the people were convicted to the core of their being of

their sins and desired to seek God. Because they meant business

with God…they handed Jacob their foreign gods. Their gods were

rings, earrings and other things that symbolized worldly living. They

released all their “gods” into the hands of Jacob. The sign that we

mean business with God is that we willingly, deliberately release out

of our hands, those things that we have held on to for years. When

we release our “gods” before Holy God. He will shine His face on us

again. What is there that is a “god” in your life. Is money your god?

Is your house your “god”? God doesn’t want you to become

homeless but release it to him and tell Him that you refuse to have

any competitors in your life over and above the Lord God!

When the people released their “gods” into Jacob’s

possession, it was a sign that those “gods” were no longer

emotionally significant anymore. It meant that they were no longer

going to give allegiance to those things above the Lord God.

What is there that you need to release before Holy God that is

being a competitor for your allegiance, time and energy? What is

there that you have such an emotional attachment to that you will not

give it up. The call of God is to surrender all idols up to Him, and in

return He will bring His blessings overflowing into your life.