Genesis28:10-12 Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. He came to a certain place and camped for the night since the sun had set. He took one of the stones there, set it under his head and lay down to sleep. And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground and it reached all the way to the sky; angels of God were going up and going down on it.
13-15 Then God was right before him, saying, “I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I’m giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as the dust of the Earth; they’ll stretch from west to east and from north to south. All the families of the Earth will bless themselves in you and your descendants. Yes. I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you wherever you go, and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you.”
16-17 Jacob woke up from his sleep. He said, “God is in this place—truly. And I didn’t even know it!” He was terrified. He whispered in awe, “Incredible. Wonderful. Holy. This is God’s House. This is the Gate of Heaven.”
18-19 Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. He christened the place Bethel (God’s House). The name of the town had been Luz until then.
20-22 Jacob vowed a vow: “If God stands by me and protects me on this journey on which I’m setting out, keeps me in food and clothing, and brings me back in one piece to my father’s house, this God will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a memorial pillar will mark this as a place where God lives. And everything you give me, I’ll return a tenth to you.”
Jacob is leaving before his twin Esau can kill him. After tricking Isaac into giving the blessing that should have gone to Esau, Jacob is heading eastward to stay with his mother’s brother Laban. At this point, Jacob might be by himself or only leading a donkey; certainly, there is nobody else around the night Jacob has his magnificent vision. God speaks to Jacob, making incredible promises to him. In the morning, Jacob takes the stone he has used as a pillow and stands it up as a memorial pillar, pouring oil over it. Not only does Jacob christen this place as Bethel, the House of God, but Jacob also promises that if God will protect him and prosper him, when Jacob returns this way, he will give a tenth of his possessions to God.
Jacob has no animals with him, so he uses the only thing he has to make an offering, the anointing oil he carries with him as part of his daily toilet. This oil is likely quite precious and one of the most expensive things Jacob has; therefore, it is a valid sacrifice. The stone acts as a type of altar. Although Jacob is not slaughtering animals, this offering is just as binding as any animal sacrifice might be. God has made His promises and now Jacob responds to seal the covenant.
At this point in the story, we might question what God is up to. Here is this guy who has deceived and cheated his brother out of his birthright as well as his father’s blessing. This man doesn’t exactly look like patriarchal material, for goodness’ sake. But God knows what he’s doing. Even though Jacob is sneaky and a cheat, God is going to take him through decades of training. By the time Jacob is through working for Laban, he will be a far better man and will have learned to listen to God and to rely on God.
Despite all his failings, Jacob does one thing right: he responds to God’s promises by making the only sacrifice he can under limited circumstances. God is wonderful, for He always meets us where we are and then develops us from there if we will only let Him.
Today, ask God what He wants to do with you. After all, God took Jacob from being a penniless fugitive to become a father of nations and one of the heroes of the faith. Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, here we are. We give You our hearts and our lives. Please guide us and help us to fulfill Your perfect Will for us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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