Jacob Has a Dream

Genesis 28:10-22

Following his parents’ instructions, Jacob headed out toward Haran in his journey for a proper wife, but the sun was setting so he stopped for the night. He lay on the ground and used a stone for a pillow. Then he had a dream, but not just any ordinary dream. This dream would change his life.

In Jacob’s dream, a ladder reached from the earth all the way to the heavens, and the angels of the Lord were using this ladder to ascend and descend from one to the other. The Lord stood above and declared that He was the God of Abraham and of Isaac, promising the land on which Jacob lay would be given to him and his descendants. 

God told Jacob that his descendants would be like the dust of the earth, spreading to the north, south, east, and west, and that in him and in his descendants all the families of the earth would be blessed (spoiler alert: Jesus came through the line of Jacob). God also promised Jacob that He would be with him, that He would take care of him, and that He would bring him back to his land. God promised He would not leave him until fulfilling that promise.

Jacob woke up, but he knew this was no ordinary dream. He knew that God had been there with Him, but he was afraid. He felt like this place on which he stood was some kind of gate to heaven. Jacob took the stone (his pillow) and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on it and called it “Bethel”, replacing its previous name “Luz”. Jacob then made a vow that if God took care of him and provided for him, and returned him to his father’s house safely, then he would commit himself to God and make that stone which he set up as a pillar God’s house, and he would give God back a tenth of all God gave him. (I guess that’s where tithing comes from.)

This was not a deal Jacob made with the Lord. This was the promise of the Lord, and Jacob recognized and accepted that promise. God promises us too that He will always be with us, no matter what may come. God doesn’t promise that the road will be smooth. In fact, the Bible assures us that we will have troubles in this life. The only trouble-free life will be the life that begins when this one ends…but only if we accept the promises of the Lord.

God bless and stay in the Word.