THE GOD OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES

EXODUS 3:6

A. "I AM THE GOD OF THY FATHER, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB"
  1. There is something very thought provoking in these divinely inspired words:
    1. The God of Abraham
    2. The God of Isaac
    3. The God of Jacob - Matt. 22:32; Acts 7:32; Mark 12:26
  2. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were three distinctly different characters - they had different personalities:
    1. Abraham was a man of great faith; ever on the move for a closer walk with God
    2. Isaac was timid, retired, and to him, God was to be feared. Jacob called God - the Fear of Isaac - Gen. 31:42,53
    3. Jacob was cunning and very tenacious in his ways - Gen 32:26 B. THE GOD OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES:
  3. Abraham is a type of all men of faith:
    1. Romans 4:12-16; Gal. 3:26-28
    2. He staggered not at the promises of God - Rom. 4:15-17; Gen. 22:1-12
  4. Isaac is a type of people who rather be in the background unnoticed:
    1. There are many Isaacs in the church who prefer to stay in the background
    2. They love the family life, and God loves them too. He blesses them in their small and humble way
  5. Jacob was, actually - two men - worldly and unworldly; dishonest and honest;
    1. He was double dealing with his brother and his father - Gen. 25:29-34; 27:14-41
    2. He was very penitent and that is what God loved about him - Gen. 32:24-32
  6. God loved all three and dealt with each according to their peculiarities:
    1. Abraham was tested - Gen. 22:1-12
    2. Jacob was tested and preserved
    3. And Isaac became one of the progenitors of God's promise - "In Isaac shall thy seed be blessed" - Gal. 4:26-27; Rom. 9:7 C. THE GOD OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES:
  7. In studying the lives of the three patriarchs we find that God dealt or trained each differently from the others:
    1. Abraham's faith was purified by many disappointments
    2. Such a school would have been disastrous to Isaac and for that reason God trained Isaac through his family life Jacob received his training in many reproves from God
    3. His experience in the home of the father of his two wives for over twenty years was a purifier for his soul - Gen 29:14-35; 30:28-43
    4. His trials with his wives bowed his heart on many occasions
    5. Then his experience with Esau, his brother, brought him on his knees Gen. 32:26-29
  8. There is a special lesson in our text for all of God's people:
    1. There are many members in the church, but each differs in temperament of character
    2. Each of the members worship God in some different concept, and yet God is with each and prepares each for translation
  9. This should be a lesson for us:
    1. We should not expect our brother to see and do things just the way we see and do them
    2. Each of us is responsible to God alone for our individual life - Rom. 14:14
  10. This truth seems to be confirmed in the twelve gates in the New Jerusalem:
    1. Above each gate was the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel - Rev. 21:12
    2. All the redeemed will enter through one of the gates - that indicates to me that God recognizes the different characters of the twelve sons of Jacob
  11. It is wonderful to know that the Lord is reasonable in dealing with each of us.
  12. We, too, must be reasonable with our brother - apply the golden rule to our relationship with each other - Matt. 7:12


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