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GENESIS 28
Jacob left with his parents’ blessings and encountered God in a dream. -- (DATE: Around 1714 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 28: Despite the stunt his younger son had pulled with the blessing of the firstborn, Isaac was not angry with Jacob. And in reaction to his wife’s plight with Esau’s wives, Isaac sent Jacob off to Rebekah’s brother Laban, so that he may take a wife from among his daughters. Isaac even blessed Jacob again, so that the blessing of Abraham may lay on him and his offspring, expecting him to return from Paddan-aram, and take possession of this land of Canaan, just as the LORD had promised. -- Esau observed this parting, and hearing his father say that Jacob was not to take a wife from among the Canaanite women, he realized that his two Canaanite wives apparently didn’t please his father. With so many blessings and goodwill going to his brother Jacob, Esau decided to gain some ground by going to Ishmael, the half-brother of his father Isaac. There he took Mahalath as an additional wife from among Ishmael’s daughters. -- Esau’s brother Jacob did as he had been told and went on the journey to his uncle in Mesopotamia. On his way night set in while he was near Luz. Having nothing better, he rested his head on a stone lying on the ground. As he slept, a dream came to him of a ladder up into the heavens, which was heavily traversed by angels. -- He saw the LORD standing above the ladder and the LORD spoke to him, repeating the blessing he had given Abraham and Isaac and now granting it to him, Jacob. The LORD promised him not only plenty of offspring and the possession of the land of Canaan, but also that He, the God of his grandfather and the God of his father, would be with him and keep him wherever he would go. The LORD would not leave his side until He had made good on the promise He had just given. -- Upon waking from this dream, Jacob did not question it, but instead fully realized that the LORD was in this place, a gateway into heaven. Thus he named that place Bethel (Hebrew for God’s House) and erected a pillar there, using the stone he had rested his head on during the night for this purpose. But in spite of this recognition, Jacob still had doubts about the God of his father. Thus he made a vow, promising that if God made good on His promise and kept him fed, clothed and allowed him to return to his father’s place in peace, then he would accept the LORD as his God. He also declared to make God’s house from the stone he had raised as a pillar and to give God the full tenth of everything God would provide him with. (NOTE: This place called Bethel later became an important place of worship for the Sons of Jacob.)
PRAYER: Holy God of Abraham and Isaac, we thank you for these details, which show us, how you unfolded your plan of salvation from one generation to the other, reaching Jacob, the son of Isaac. Thank you for appearing to Jacob in this dream and for promising him what you had promised his father and grandfather before him. We praise you and glorify your name, LORD, because you are a truthful and faithful God. In you we trust through Jesus Christ your Son and build our lives on your truth and your faithfulness. Amen.
QUESTION 28: What did the LORD God promise Jacob and what did Jacob promise the LORD?