Genesis 28:10-22
Q.1. What made Jacob’s dream significant? What promises did God make? How did God confirm His covenant promises to Jacob? – (Gen.28:10-22)
Jacob was fleeing from the wrath of Esau. He had a spatial view of God – … Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it (Gen.28:16). Isaac had ratified the Covenant blessings to Jacob, but now it was God Himself Who met Jacob, in an awesome vision of the Lord standing with the angels at His disposal – 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Gen.28:13-14). God would apply His promised blessing of a land to his descendants and – in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Gen.28:14).
Q.2. How did Jacob mark the significance of his meeting with God? Why did he call the place Bethel? What made Jacob promise to give tithes to God? – (Gen.28:18-22)
Was this just a dream? For Jacob it was so much more – … how awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven (Gen.28:17). For this reason, he called the place Bethel, and marked it with – … the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top (Gen.28:18). It is always wise to mark these not-to-be-forgotten encounters with God. God promised to keep him wherever he travelled. He would never be alone. Thank-you Lord, for placing Your Holy Spirit in me as a mark of your ownership, and a guarantee of your presence. However, Jacob was still a schemer. He declared that – the Lord will be my God … – IF God would protect him on his journey. IF God would supply him with food and clothing. IF God would bring him back safely (Gen.28:20-21). IF God did all that, THEN – of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You (Gen.28:22 c.f. Gen.14:20). Jacob had a lot to learn about God’s grace.