Wednesday Sermon by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

DAN AND NAPHTALI BY BILHAH

SERIES: THE 12 STONE MEMORIAL

TEXT: GENESIS 30:1-8.

 

Today let us look at the 2 sons born to Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid. Dan means vindication and Naphtali means victory.

Leah had given birth to 4 sons and then stopped for a time.

Rachel continued to feel more and more pressure as she continues to be barren. Barrenness in any culture is looked with disdain and disgust. Rachel was barren upto the time.

Rachel’s declaration to Jacob was “give me children or I die.”

Barrenness of any kind is not good; financial, economic, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social.

Times of barrenness in our lives are difficult days in any life.

Rachel decided enough was enough and she had to do something. She took the approach of grandmother Sarah-she gave her handmaid to Jacob.

It was customary for a barren woman to conceive children through handmaids. Anything the handmaid owed became her property, including her children.

Here comes Bilhah, the church has gotten through the LEAH-STAGE and steps into trouble time. Let us learn:-

BILHAH:

  • The name Bilhah means trouble.
  • The impatience that we experience as Leah continued to bear drove us to the point of doing something about the situation.
  • It becomes time to take matters into our own hands.
  • The desperation brought about by barrenness drives people to do desperate things.

We fake pregnance, pseudo-pregnancies are common, we steal babies, miracle baby scandals.

  • In days of barrenness the men start side families in desperation.
  • Bilhah was Rachel’s solution to her barrenness. How many times do we try and do God’s work for Him?
  • The concept was generational in that Abram lay with Hagar and Ishmael was the fruit of that relationship.
  • The trouble Ishmael (Arabs) has brought to this world is so great, including the Islamic religion and the god called Allah.
  • Hunger for the forbidden, hunger for power. A hunger to be somebody or do something that is not for you.
  • How many has the church sacrificed for her own desires?
  • Bilhah’s two sons:

1. DAN.

  • Dan means to be judges or vindicated.
  • Rachel declared that she had finally been judges worthy by God.
  • The real question is this; Did God only judge Rachel worthy when Dan was born or she had always been worthy in God’s eyes?
  • Rachel was looking for vindication in the eyes of people more than eyes of God-1st 4:3-4.
  • Paul declares that the only judgement that matters is that of the Lord. It is only what God says about us that truly matters.
  • Our self-worth is not based on what we have done, but by His grace alone.
  • Dan does indeed serve as a reminder that God has judged us as worthy, but it is not circumstantial judging.
  • We are worthy in God’s eyes not because of what we do, but because of whose we are.
  • The real danger in life is that we can desire to be judges worthy so desperately that we seek that worthiness over being fruitful.
  • God is not vindicating you on the basis of what you have achieved. God is looking for fruit to be born in our lives for His own glory.

2. NAPHTALI.

  • Naphtali means to struggle or wrestle.
  • Rachel declared that she has wrestled and prevailed.
  • The battle was with her sister Leah.
  • We should never get to a place that we feel as though our battle is against flesh and blood.
  • This became a big competition for Rachel and she was going to do whatever it took to win in her eyes.
  • It is possible that Rachel’s barrenness was prolonged by her inability to see things in the right way.
  • God give us things including children for His own glory-not our glory.
  • Naphtali stands for victory and prevailing.
  • God still has a way of producing good out of our messed up intentions.
  • In Deuteronomy 33:23, Moses declared a blessing over the tribe of Naphtali saying, “Naphtali is abounding with the favour of the Lord and is full of His blessing.”

CONCLUSION

  • We are worthy before God, not because of our work and achievement in life, but by His grace alone.
  • God’s grace is sufficient to give us favour with people.
  • God gives victory over circumstance.
  • You are worthy and special before God, just as you are.
  • Salvation is a free gift from God, it makes us God’s children and co-heirs with Christ. Co-heirs of God.
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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