Lesson 12: November 18, 2018 Jacob Forms A Relationship With God Bible Background GENESIS 28:10 22 Printed Text GENESIS 28:10 22 Devotional Reading PSALM 42:1 5 In the midst of human turmoil, we grow weary and can lose sight of the purpose for our lives. How can we escape the confusion to refresh and reorient ourselves to get back on track? God created an opportunity for the weary Jacob to reconnect with his spiritual mission and resources for him to begin his life s journey with renewed vigor. Words You Should Know A. Haran (Heb.) A city in Mesopotamia near the Euphrates River. B. Vow neder (Heb.) A solemn oath or promise. Say It Correctly Bethel. BETH-uhl. Beersheba. beer-she-buh. Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: SYMPATHIZE with Jacob s feeling weak and vulnerable; AFFIRM that God s strength meets us in our human weakness; and RESOLVE to make time for God to refresh us when we feel weak. In Focus Pastor Reed had been the full-time senior pastor at his church for fifteen years. He preached two services every Sunday, made it a point to be at Sunday School, plus a church ministry meeting every day of the week. Then he also faithfully fulfilled all of his administrative, pastoral care, and sermon preparation work. One Sunday he found out that his younger brother had died in a car accident. Then his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. One of his associate ministers told him a former deacon was spreading rumors about him mismanaging money. On top of this, Pastor Reed had preached through illness three times already this year. He decided in the midst of all he was going through, something had to be done. His associate pastor said, Pastor Reed, the congregation needs you healthy, and we need new vision for the next year. I think it may be time for you to take a sabbatical. At least a month to take care of you and your family. The church will be OK while you re away. God can give you restoration and fresh revelation, but you have to take time with God away from the church to listen again. Pastor Reed looked down. He knew his associate minister was right. He needed God to meet him with strength during his time of weakness. Why do people wait until they are overwhelmed to seek God for restoration? Have you had a time when you needed God to restore you, but were afraid to take time to care for yourself amid other responsibilities?
Keep in Mind And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of (Genesis 28:15, KJV). Focal Verses KJV Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee. NLT Genesis 28:10 Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. 11 At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. 12 As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. 13 At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. 15 What s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you. 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn t even aware of it!
17 But he was also afraid and said, What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven! 18 The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. 19 He named that place Bethel (which means house of God ), although it was previously called Luz. 20 Then Jacob made this vow: If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, 21 and if I return safely to my father s home, then the LORD will certainly be my God. 22 And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me. People, Places, and Times Bethel. Located about 12 miles north of Jerusalem and west of the Jordan River, Bethel has many significant connections to Old Testament events. Bethel was originally called Luz and belonged to the Canaanites. Upon his entry into Canaan, Abraham set up camp between Bethel and Ai (Genesis 12:8). It is here that Abraham worshiped God when he returned from Egypt (13:3 4). When Jacob fled from Beersheba to Haran, he spent the night here and dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels climbing up and down (28:11 12). This prompted Jacob to rename the city from Luz to Bethel, which means house of God (v. 19). During times of trouble, the people of Israel went to Bethel to seek counsel of God (Judges 20:18; 21:2). It was also at Bethel that the Ark of the Covenant was entrusted to the care of Aaron s grandson, Phinehas (20:27 28). After the nation was divided, Bethel was included in the northern kingdom of Israel and became the official center of worship. Under King Jeroboam, Bethel became a site of idol worship (1 Kings 12:28 33) and was not purged of its idols until the reign of King Josiah of Judah (2 Kings 23:15). Background Jacob had stolen the blessing and birthright of his brother Esau by tricking him and his father Isaac. Isaac was nearing death in his old age and was concerned about his descendants inheriting the promise of God. Jacob s mother Rebekah knew that Esau would try to kill Jacob to get revenge once Isaac had died, so she decided to send him to live with his uncle Laban in Haran until Esau calmed down. Rebekah also knew that Jacob could find a wife from her own family in her hometown instead of marrying a local girl where they lived in Canaan. Neither Isaac nor Rebekah wanted their children to marry Canaanite women who worshiped different gods and would have allowed unrelated descendants to inherit the promise. Isaac reaffirms to Jacob, his inherited son of promise, that God would bless him, multiply him, and be with him in the same way He had been with Isaac and Abraham before him. The promise to Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob was similar yet more specific than the blessing God had given Adam and Eve in the garden. Esau learns of the prohibition on marrying Canaanite women and decides to marry into his uncle Ishmael s family, again reinforcing the contrast between the son of promise and the one who forfeited the promise. Isaac sends his son Jacob to the same place his father Abraham told him his wife would be found, the house of Betheuel and Laban in Haran. Jacob is weary after his long journey from Beersheba to Haran to find a wife and decides to rest in the wilderness near Luz, where our Scripture takes place.
At a Glance and In Depth At-A-Glance 1.Resting in Promise (Genesis 28:10 12) 2.Renewing the Promise (vv. 13 17) 3.Remembering the Promise (vv. 18 22) In Depth 1. Resting in Promise (Genesis 28:10 12) Jacob is traveling from the house of his father Isaac in Beersheba in Canaan to the house of his uncle Laban in Haran. During his journey, he stops at sunset near the city of Luz. Jacob embodies obedience to his parents in making the journey to find a wife from his own family line. This is a welcome change from the Jacob who had been a selfish trickster concerning his brother Esau s blessing and birthright. As a result, Isaac kept his word of blessing, but sent Jacob to travel alone in the wilderness with no servants, resources, or protection. His sin against his brother did not negate the promise of God, but it did have the consequence of losing his father Isaac s provision and protection for his journey. Jacob now walks through the wilderness alone because he tricked his brother. His deceit leaves him confused about his purpose, in danger at home, and weary on his trip. Too tired to continue alone in the night, Jacob sets up camp and decides to rest his head on a rock as he sleeps. When he falls to sleep, he dreams about a stairway reaching from earth up to heaven and angels going up and down it. Jacob discovers as he dreams that there is a connection between earth and heaven in that place. Jacob has the revelation that God was present while he slept undistracted by his journey and danger at home. God was present for Jacob even while he was alone in the wilderness. 2. Renewing the Promise (vv. 13 17) God identifies Himself as the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac (Genesis 28:13). There is to be no mistake. Jacob is in the presence of the God honored and revered by his father and his grandfather. At this point God confirms His covenant blessings that He had promised to both Abraham and Isaac of land, numerous descendants, protection, and God s presence. Jacob had not experienced the blessing of God until his arrival in the place that God had promised to bless. We would do well to remember that for some of us, our blessings will not happen until we get to the place where God wants to bless us. Here Jacob was a fugitive, fleeing from the wrath of his brother. He was certainly not a likely candidate to be selected by God. Jacob s actions toward his father and brother clearly indicated he was a thief and a deceiver. Yet God had chosen him to be the steward of the great covenant. When Jacob awakens from his dream, he is astonished. He has encountered God for himself. Jacob does not have to rely on the testimony of his father or grandfather; he now knows without a doubt, Surely the LORD is in this place (Genesis 28:16). Now he recognizes that God is right there on the spot he is standing on! Not
only is God present, but God has promised him the very blessings he had unsuccessfully tried to steal. No longer is Jacob alone or running away from his past. He now has God s promise: I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of (v. 15). Rather than escape his past, Jacob now has the hope of a future that is rightfully his. Jacob goes from alone with nothing on his journey to renewed in purpose and in the presence of the Lord who will provide everything he needs. Knowing that Jacob now has divine assurance that God will never leave him, we can now understand Jacob s description of this place as dreadful. The use of the word dreadful implies a reverential awe at what Jacob had experienced. Jacob understood, perhaps for the first time in his life, how awesome and powerful God was and how weak and ineffective he was. 3. Remembering the Promise (vv. 18 22) Here in the desert, outside of this Canaanite city, God had chosen to reveal His presence. It is no wonder that Jacob wants to preserve the memory of this awesome experience and erect a memorial. He does not have the necessary materials to build a proper altar, so he uses the materials at hand: stones. This act is reminiscent of Jacob s grandfather Abraham, who similarly constructed an altar in the place God had appeared to him (Genesis 13:18). What a wonderful reminder to Christian parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Our children are always watching us. We must model godly behavior, and provide them with models of godly worship and thanksgiving. Our praise, worship, and acts of thanksgiving are not private matters but ought to be demonstrated daily. God s presence in our lives has to be shown to them. If they see us build altars to God, they will know to build altars. If they see us recognize and worship God even after mistakes, setbacks, and wilderness experiences they will know God can meet them in their wilderness as well. In memorializing the spot where he had discovered God, Jacob also swore to adopt his grandfather s practice in dedicating to God a tenth of all he received (Genesis 14:20). Search the Scriptures 1. What does Bethel mean (Genesis 28:19)? 2. What does God promise Jacob (vv.13 15)? What does Jacob promise God (vv.21 22)? Discuss the Meaning 1. When Jacob found himself tired from running, God made him rest and spoke to him. Are there times where God has made you rest or slowed you down to speak to you? Explain. 2. Jacob received a great blessing from God at a time when his actions made him the least deserving. Discuss a time when you were certain that God had confirmed His promises to you when you felt undeserving or weak.
Lesson in Our Society and Make it Happen Liberating Lesson It can be very difficult for people to find resources, opportunities, and renewed purpose in society after wandering in the wilderness because of their own sinful choices. Whether it be recovering addicts, newly released prison inmates, or political refugees from violent wars, many people find themselves feeling isolated with limited resources on their way to renewed promise. How can we show mercy and build places of rest and renewal in our congregations for those who are trying to change and find purpose after bad choices or circumstances leave them in the wilderness? How can we create an environment where people can encounter God s presence and promise when they are trying to rejoin communities? Application for Activation Our involvement in our careers and families make it difficult for many of us to spend quiet time with the Lord. Yet, if we are to hear Him, we have to make time. Determine to find time early in the morning, late in the evening, or another time that is just for you and God. Close yourself away from others, and turn off your TV and phone. Begin by praying, and then read the Scriptures. Allow God to speak to you through His Word. Follow the Spirit What God wants me to do: Remember Your Thoughts Special insights I have learned:
More Light On The Text Genesis 28:10 22 10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. In obedience to his father s command to seek a wife (v. 2) but also in compliance with his mother s counsel to evade the wrath of Esau, Jacob set out on his journey toward Haran. As Jacob traveled from Beersheba to Haran, he came to a place where he was obliged to stop all night because the sun had set. Jacob might have intended to reach Luz, but because the sun had set, he opted to stop and rest for the night. Using the verb lighted upon (Heb. paga, paw-gah) suggests that the stop was not anticipated, and to Jacob s mind seemed like chance. Rather, the stop was divinely appointed; the place where he stopped had already been consecrated by one of Abraham s altars (12:8, 13:4). Jacob took some of the stones and made them his pillow. Hard headrests were common pillows in those days, rather than today s soft cushions. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Jacob fell asleep and had a dream where he saw a ladder (Heb. sullam, sool-lawm) resting upon the earth with the top reaching to heaven and upon it angels of God going up and down. Although the etymology of the Hebrew word for ladder is not entirely certain, its meaning and symbolism are without doubt. It was a visible symbol of the real and uninterrupted fellowship between God in heaven and God s people upon Earth. The presence of the angels, God s messengers, served to support the notion that God wanted to communicate with Jacob. Also dreams often served as instruments of divine revelation in the Old Testament. As Jacob slept, he had a powerful dream that gave him insight into the realm of God s power. In ancient days gods were thought to be confined by certain physical boundaries, but also having special places where heaven touched earth. As Jacob saw the ladder stretched from heaven to earth, God revealed to Jacob that He was available and accessible. What a much-needed, refreshing, and inspiring experience for Jacob! God showed up for him at the right time. Jacob was tired, lonely, and forlorn when he arrived at Bethel. He had no company to travel with, no place but the ground for a bed, and no pillow but a stone for his head, but he experienced God in a personal and unusual way. The doors at home, to his family, and to Beersheba were shut, but the window of heaven was wide open to him. God showed a ladder of hope to a hopeless Jacob who was caught up with a problem of his own making. For a short while, God made His presence, promise, and providence accessible to Jacob. God never ceases to seek relationship with humanity and He continues to communicate with humanity in unexpected ways. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. The vision was not just about angels. The Lord stood (Heb. natsab, naw-tsab) above the ladder; this is a personal revelation of Jehovah to Jacob. In proclaiming Himself to Jacob as the God of his fathers, God not only confirmed to him all the promises made to Abraham and the blessing for which Isaac had prayed (Genesis 28:3 4) in their fullest extent, but God also assured Jacob of protection on his dangerous journey and a safe
return to his home (v. 14). God revealed Himself as God who keeps promises through generations. He reinforces the promise of this land that will continue to be central throughout the Old Testament. 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. Jacob seems to have left home with a heavy heart. Through this dream, God reiterated His promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1 3; 13:14 17; 15:1 5, 18 20 17:1 8; 22:16 18) and Isaac (Genesis 26:3 4, 24), relayed to Jacob the prosperity of his descendants, and reassured the fearful patriarch of His presence during this dangerous journey. The Hebrew used in His promise of presence, not to leave ( azab, aw-zahv), is also translated forsake or abandon; its common use between God and His people makes it a covenantal word. The promise to make Jacob s children as the dust of the earth is a direct quote from a previous promise to Abraham (Genesis 13:14 16). There, God clearly uses this simile to emphasize the multitude of descendants. Here, with the next phrase they shalt spread abroad, God seems to include a sense of ubiquity of influence, too. There is no place on Earth where there is not dust. Similarly, there will be no place on Earth where Jacob s descendants are not found. God showed him the communication that exists between heaven and Earth the guard of angels and His ever watchful eye looking down on him, whether awake or asleep. God confirmed Jacob s destiny as the heir of God s promise to his forefathers and to the world. Jacob then has nothing to fear. No evil would happen to him while God was his guardian and strong defense. The Lord, in this dream, completely dispelled Jacob s fears by confirming the covenant and promises He had made to Abraham and renewed with Isaac. 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. When Jacob wakes from the dream, he knows God had made this place His peculiar residence. In that moment Jacob realized that God had been with him even when he did not know it. Jacob had fallen asleep fearful, helpless, alone, sorrowful, and anxious, without any thought that he was especially cared for or watched by Abraham s God. He thought he had been exiled from the presence of the Lord because he had cooperated in deceiving his brother Esau. Instead, God offered him promise, not condemnation. The Lord gave Jacob the promise of future generations and of God s continued presence with them. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Jacob seems to wake up in two stages. As he awakened, a feeling of awe came upon him. He voices how special this place is. House of God (Heb. bet elohim; BATE eh-lo-heem) anticipates the name Jacob was about to give to the place, Bethel (v. 19). Gate of heaven occurs only here in the Old Testament, but the concept that heaven, the divine abode, has one or more entrances is a familiar idea in ancient thought. The dream had, no doubt, left an impression so strong that Jacob declared, How dreadful is this place! Here the word dreadful comes from the Hebrew yare (yaw-ray) and means both to be afraid and to stand in awe or godly fear. This particular form is used variously to refer to the dangerous wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:15), shining crystal (Ezekiel 1:22), or more often God s awesome miracles (2 Samuel 7:23; Psalm 66:3). It describes things (whether good or bad) that make you stop and consider them. As Jacob continued on his journey, he was to carry with him a holy awe of the gracious presence of God.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. The appearance of the ladder, the Lord standing at its top, and the movement of the angels left Jacob with a true sense of God s commitment to keep His covenant with Jacob s forefathers. Consequently, when he arose, he solemnly dedicated one of the stones and vowed to follow God himself and bring his tithes to the God who dwelt in this place (vv. 18 22). The next morning Jacob turned the pillow into a pillar. He erected the stones upon which he had laid his head as a monument of the extraordinary vision he had in this place. The word pillar here (Heb. natsab, naw- TSAB) derives from the same word used for the Lord standing in verse 13. It could mean a heap of stones that is piled up for a memorial, hence the word monument. The pillow stones served to mark the place of his restoration. Jacob s experience moved him to worship and praise the Lord. He poured oil upon the top to consecrate it as a memorial of the mercy that had been shown him there. Jacob named the place Bethel, house of God (Heb. Bethel, bate-ale); the town had been called Luz. It appears that Jacob gave the name not to the place where the pillar was set up, but to the town in the surrounding neighborhood where he had received this divine revelation. He would renew this name on his return from Mesopotamia (35:15). 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee. Jacob made a vow (Heb. neder, NEH-der). This was no ordinary vow, but a grand and solemn expression of Jacob s complete acceptance of the Lord to be his God, the significance of which is underscored by its mention again at key points in Jacob s journey (Genesis 31:13; 35:1 3, 7). Typically, in the Old Testament, vows were made in situations of distress. Jacob s vow was no exception. He was in a distressed state. He was running away from home and the threat of death. But now he has received an unexpected revelation announcing his return to his country and guaranteeing him safety on the journey. Here God showed Jacob the future and confirmed to him the covenant promise. God had already made an unconditional promise to Jacob to watch over him and bring him back to this land (v. 15). Jacob did not need to do anything in return, but still, he offered to God an altar, a tithe, and a commitment. One thing is certainly clear from this episode: Jacob was gradually coming to the end of himself. Instead of relying on his abilities, he was to stop being the trickster, as his name implies, and to rely on God to supply His needs and protect him. Yet Jacob seems to establish some conditions for this relationship, so he offered to mark the Lord s sacred space and to tithe as a sign of his commitment. The if in Jacob s vow is the progression of Jacob taking word: If God is going to do so much for me, then I will do something for Him. Jacob s character as a bargainer did not change instantly as he sought to know God s character as sovereign and faithful. Although Jacob waits until much later in life to rid his house of idols once God has demonstrated more of the promise (Genesis 35), he makes the commitment to God here in Genesis 28. In other words, if God were willing to fulfill His covenant promise, then Jacob would acknowledge and worship Him as his God, both by building an altar and tithing all his possessions. Jacob did not yet know that God was sovereign and ever faithful, but we can have faith in God s character and do not need to bargain with Him for what He has already promised.
Daily Bible Readings MONDAY Samuel Hears the Voice of God (1 Samuel 3:1 9) TUESDAY Elijah Meets God s Angel (1 Kings 19:4 9) WEDNESDAY The Lord Renews the Weary (Isaiah 40:27 31) THURSDAY A Great Priest for the People (Hebrews 10:19 25) FRIDAY Tithe to Support Levites and Community (Deuteronomy 14:22 29) SATURDAY Nathanael Will See Greater Things (John 1:47 51) SUNDAY Transformed by God s Visitation (Genesis 28:10 22)