Jacob’s First Encounter with God

Topic: Salvation
Passage: Genesis 28:1–22

April 29, 2024

Commentary

The next eight chapters of Genesis are about Jacob. We see God saving Jacob (Chap. 28), subduing him (Gen. 29-32), separating him (Gen. 33-34), and sanctifying him (Gen. 35). Isaac gave Jacob some advice. He told him not to marry a pagan but to walk in the ways of the Lord. The reason for marrying with his own clan was to maintain purity of the blood line and to be loyal to one’s family. The quickest way to lose tribal distinction was to intermarry with people of mixed elements. When Esau realized that his parents were grieved at his Hittite marriages (v. 8) and that his parents had sent Jacob to Haran to get a wife, he tried to gain favor with them by marrying a third wife (26:34) who was a daughter of Ishmael (vv. 5-9). He apparently thought that since Ishmael was related through Abraham, this marriage would be pleasing to them. He did not realize, however, that Ishmael had been separated from the house of Abraham by God Himself. Esau’s intention may have been good, but he did not really improve his position either with his parents or with God.
Jacob was on his way out of the land of Canaan when God revealed Himself to him. Later, God would remind him of this event when He instructed him to return to the land (Gen. 31:13). Jacob stopped for the night and had a dream of angles on a stairway to heaven (v. 12). In this dream he was reminded that the God of Abraham and of Isaac could become the God of Jacob also (v. 13). God reconfirmed the original covenant made to Abraham that promised Jacob the land, descendants as numerous as the dust, and universal blessing through him (vv. 14-15). It was not enough to be Abraham’s grandson. Jacob had to establish his own personal relationship with God. God has no grandchildren, each of us must have our own personal relationship with Him (Gal. 3:6-7). Jacob took the stone that he had used for a pillow and set it up as a memorial pillar (vv. 18-22). He poured oil on it to sanctify it and called the place Bethel which means “the house of God.”

Application

God has ways to get my attention when I attempt to run from situations like Jacob did. In each case I just need to get back to the Word of God and His direction.

Genesis 28:1– 22 (NET)

1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman! 2 Leave immediately for Paddan Aram! Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and find yourself a wife there, among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May the Sovereign God bless you! May he make you fruitful and give you a multitude of descendants! Then you will become a large nation. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing he gave to Abraham so that you may possess the land God gave to Abraham, the land where you have been living as a temporary resident.” 5 So Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean and brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan Aram to find a wife there. As he blessed him, Isaac commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman.” 7 Jacob obeyed his father and mother and left for Paddan Aram. 8 Then Esau realized that the Canaanite women were displeasing to his father Isaac. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, along with the wives he already had.

10 Meanwhile Jacob left Beer Sheba and set out for Haran. 11 He reached a certain place where he decided to camp because the sun had gone down. He took one of the stones and placed it near his head. Then he fell asleep in that place 12 and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it 13 and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. And so all the families of the earth may receive blessings through you and through your descendants. 15 I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

16 Then Jacob woke up and thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” 17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”

18 Early in the morning Jacob took the stone he had placed near his head and set it up as a sacred stone. Then he poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, although the former name of the town was Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, 21 and I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will become my God. 22 Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”

Illustration: Barna Says 13 of Christians Think Good People Will Go to Heaven

In a survey conducted by the Barna Research Group, nearly 1/3 of all born-again Christians stated that all good people will go to heaven, whether they have embraced Jesus Christ or not. While 88% in a recent Barna poll believe Jesus Christ was a real person, what they believe about him differs sharply from scriptural teaching. 42% (even 1/4th of the “born again” Christians) believe that while on earth Jesus sinned just like other people. 61% believe the devil is just a symbol of evil, not a living being. And 54% think that if people are good enough, they will earn a place in heaven regardless of their religious beliefs. (Barna Research Group).

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