Although Isaac wasn’t aware of Rebekah’s deceitful plans, it seems that he is right with God again and so, he lets his son go to get a wife. Sadly, this was the last time Jacob was going to see his parents alive. The blessings and promise of land and a seed are passed on to Jacob, Genesis 12:1-3. Abraham, Isaac and then Jacob, the promises are being passed on as God promised.
For Esau it seems like he always had a difficult time pleasing his father. He simply didn’t understand that it was because of his behaviour, he liked to keep company with ungodly people, especially ungodly women and because of this he couldn’t live in faith like his father did. Esau adds to his wives by marrying others but notice that it seems he’s trying to get back into his father’s good books by marrying a non-Canaanite woman named, Mahalath.
After a trip of around 300 miles, Jacob is about experience something miraculous, something he simply wasn’t expecting. I would imagine he’s feeling isolated and scared and tired from the long journey. He took a stone, using it as a pillow and fell asleep and whilst sleeping he dreamt of a stairway resting on the earth but reaching heaven.
The stairway was symbolising a connection between heaven and earth. This stairway is the access to heaven, Jesus uses this event to share the same important truth, John 1:51, Jesus is the way, he doesn’t show the way, John 14:6, Jesus is our access to heaven. God has provided us with access to heaven, through Jesus and Jesus only.
The angels who seem to act as messengers between God and man, or guardian angels, Hebrews 1:14, are ascending and descending. We would think that they would be descending and ascending, in other words, coming down from heaven to earth but they’re not.
The purpose of the event was to reassure Jacob that through him the promises made to Abraham would be continued, Genesis 12:1-3, but more importantly to remind him that God is present wherever he goes, Psalm 139:7.
God speaks words of comfort and repeats the covenant promises to Jacob and this was going to be a life changing experience for Jacob, Philippians 1:6.
Jacob after he awakes, proceeds to worship God and puts emphasis on this place, says ‘this is the house of God’.
1. Jacob set up the stone he used for a pillow and anointed it with oil to memorialise the location.
Over the years all kind of theories have come about concerning this stone. Some suggest it was taken to Jerusalem, some suggest it was taken to Spain, others suggest it was taken to Ireland, and still other claim it was taken to Scotland, upon which, the Kings of Scotland sat to be crowned.
Even today in Scotland they claim this stone is kept at the now-ruined Scone Abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland.
2. Jacob changed the name from Luz to Bethel.
A little later in Genesis God, Himself when he’s speaking to Jacob calls Himself, the God of Bethel, Genesis 31:13. Bethel was later to become a high place for idolatry, 1 Kings 13:32 / Hosea 10:15 / Amos 4:4.
3. Jacob made a vow to return to God a tenth of those blessings that would come his way by the blessing of God.
Interestingly, this is only the second time that tithing in the Old Testament has been mentioned, the other being in the instance of Abraham’s tithes to Melchizedek, Genesis 14:20 / Hebrews 7:2.
Notice that Jacob made a vow with God, after the event, in other words, it’s possible that he didn’t fully trust God up to this point. Maybe it’s now a case of seeing is believing, Philippians 4:13, Nahum 1:7.
God is teaching him and will continue to teach him lessons on humility.
Notice the following:
God’s Promise. Genesis 28:13-15 Jacob’s Vow. Genesis 28:20-27 I am the Lord your God If God will be with me I will give to you And keep me I am with you In this way I am going I will not leave you Give me bread and clothing (Until all has been done) So that I come back to my father’s land
Please note that God is still willing to accept him, even after his worldly prayer. What a merciful and loving God we serve.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."