This chapter continues the story of Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob. The events in this chapter took place between 1816-1757 BC.
Verses 1-5
Isaac sends Jacob to Haran because they did not want him to marry a Canaanite woman.
Isaac blessed Jacob and asked the Lord to fulfill His promises through Jacobs descendants.
Jacob had to flee from his brother’s anger to Haran to his Uncle Labans house which was Rebekah’s brother.
Verses 6-9
Esau saw how his parents were not happy with the Canaanite women he had married so he also married another woman of Ishmael.
Verses 10-22
Jacob began his journey to Haran which will be about 500 miles.
He fell asleep using a rock for a pillow. He had nothing materialistic but he did have his father’s blessing. All his possessions, authority and prestige were removed.
This was a low point for Jacob having to leave home, lying to his father and betraying his own brother. Yet he had an encounter with God!
He dreamed of a ladder (staircase type structure) that stretched from heaven to earth and angels were ascending and descending the staircase.
The Lord stood above the staircase and told him his children would be as numerous as the dust of the earth and all nations would be blessed through them.
God promised to be with him and eventually bring him back to Canaan.
In the morning he made a pillar of stone, anointed with oil and named the location Bethel.
He vowed to worship God and now Jacob was learning to depend on God.
Jacob was facing an uncertain future in a far away place but had the confidence that the Lord was with him. Jacobs situation looked hopeless but God had a plan for him and something He wanted to do in his life.
Hebrews 13:5 God has reassured us He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Remember:
God’s Plan is bigger than our current reality and before God works through us, He works in us.
Jacob had the blessings of Abraham on his life just as we have the same blessings on our life.
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. Genesis 28:15
Jacob’s start is not perfect, his journey is not going to be perfect and at the end of the story he is still not going to be perfect.
Christine Cane said: Faith is not an exemption from trials or tragedies. The very same faith that enables some to escape trouble enables others to endure that same trouble. Faith and endurance go hand in hand. Just like the heroes of faith in the Bible we will have need of endurance too. Endurance means the power to withstand pain or hardships. We need the ability to continue. We can overcome the things we never thought possible!
But that is not going to stop God from blessing him. Is anyone perfect? No, we are all flawed people but that will not stop God from blessing us.
Steve Brown said it best: You don’t know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you got!
