Genesis 28

When did you truly own your faith? That’s one of the questions we have challenged our children to answer. They “trusted” in Christ early in their lives, but did they trust in Jesus based on their parents’ faith? They have all shared a time in high school or college when they realized their trust in Jesus was for real. This is an insightful discussion to have with other believers and an important question to answer in your own faith journey.

In today’s passage, we’ll see how God began to work in Jacob’s life. Leaving home to escape Esau’s threat and away from the comforts of family, Jacob began a personal journey with God. Genesis 28 records the first of seven revelations that God will have with Jacob.

In Genesis 27, Rebekah’s deceitful scheme worked. Isaac, who could barely see, thought Esau was standing before him when he gave the blessing of the firstborn. But through the trickery, the blessing went to Jacob. Of course, this was God’s plan all along (Gen. 25:23), but Rebekah and Jacob secured the blessing apart from God’s way and timing. A furious Esau threatened to kill Jacob, so Rebekah thought it best to send Jacob away. She knew that Isaac had to make the final decision for Jacob to leave. She planned to bring Jacob back when Esau’s anger subsided (Gen. 27:43-45).

Genesis 27:46-28:5
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?” ²⁸ Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. ² Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. ³ God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. ⁴ May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” ⁵ Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

The Canaanites were a mixed breed. They had incorporated all kinds of people into their society through marriage and treaties. Also, the Canaanites were polytheistic, serving many gods. Abraham had made it clear there should not be intermarriage between his descendants and the people where they were living (Gen. 24:3) because Abraham’s faith focused on Yahweh, and his family line was blessed by God.  For this reason, Abraham sent his servant to secure Isaac a wife from Abraham’s relatives living in Paddan-aram. Now, Isaac does the same by sending Jacob back to Paddan-aram to find a wife and continue the purity of the bloodline.

As you engage in today’s reading, don’t miss the interesting story in Genesis 28:6-9. Esau had married two Hittite women that “made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah” (Gen. 26:35). Hearing his mother say that she “loathed” her life because of his wives, Esau took a third wife, who was the daughter of Abraham’s son, Ishmael. One has said, “Ironically the unchosen son of Isaac married into the unchosen line of Ishmael!”^[1] Esau had no comprehension of the Abrahamic covenant and the plans God had for his people.

So, with Isaac’s blessing and directive, Jacob left Beersheba and started his long journey to Haran in Paddan-aram. After a few days of travel, Jacob stopped for the night and found a stone to use as a pillow. That night, he had a dream.

Genesis 28:12-15
And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ¹³ And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. ¹⁴ Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

As you visualize a ladder reaching to heaven, think of a series of steps leading to the entrance of heaven. God, standing above the staircase, restates the covenant he had given to Abraham and repeated to Isaac (Gen.12:2–3; 15:5, 18; 17:3–8; 22:15–18; 26:2-4). Now, those same promises were being passed to Jacob. God promised that all the families of the earth would be blessed through Jacob’s offspring. His family line would continue to be the people through which Jesus would come. God also reminded Jacob that he would never leave him and that God would one day bring Jacob back to the promised land.

When Jacob woke up, he responded in worship. As you consider this passage, notice what Jacob did.

• He acknowledged God’s presence. He said, “Surely the Lord is in this place…” (Gen. 28:16).
• He feared the Lord. This was not a cowering fear but an emotion of honor and respect. He said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17).
• He took the stone he used for a pillow and set it up as a pillar to memorialize God’s visit. Then he anointed it with oil, commemorating the dream as from God (Gen. 28:18).
• He called the place Bethel (meaning “house of God”) to honor the event and the place (Gen. 28:19).
• For the first time, he expressed his faith in God. He said, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God” (Gen. 28:20-21).
• He promised to give a tithe to God (Gen. 28:22). To give a tithe (“a full tenth”) was an act to show that he was acknowledging everything he had belonged to God.

The event at Bethel demonstrates the essentials of true worship and proved to be a model for worshiping Yahweh throughout Israel’s history.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read Genesis 28. Focus particularly on Genesis 28:10-22. Reflect on Jacob’s experience with God and how he responded.

Talking to God
As believers, God is with us. He never leaves us. He lives within us. Thank God for his presence. Ask him to show you how you are responding to his goodness and grace.

Have Questions?
We desire to help you engage in God’s Word. We have a great team who is ready to answer any questions you have as you read and reflect on today’s passage. Simply submit your question below, and we’ll get back to you soon.

^[1] Allen P. Ross, “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 74.