INTRODUCTION: This chapter is a refreshing change from the carnality displayed in the narrative of Genesis 27. Many believe that in Genesis 28 Jacob was truly converted.I. ISAAC SUBMITS TO GOD'S PLAN - verses 1-5. ,br> In Genesis 27:33, it seems that Isaac was truly humbled before God. Here we see him back on track with God's plan. No longer is he rebelling against God's will, but he seems to have accepted the fact that Jacob is God's choice. Note that he blessed Jacob and gave him godly counsel.
A. He charged Jacob to return to Padanaram for a wife. Jacob was to marry a woman who worshipped the true God.
B. He invoked God to bless him with many descendants.
C. He invoked God to bestow upon him the blessing of Abraham. This involved the inheritance of Canaan, as well as a place in the Messiah's lineage.
II. ESAU'S SPIRITUAL BUMBLING - verses 6-9.
Esau was a man with no spiritual perception. He could not do right because he was not right spiritually. In growing up, he never understood why Abraham sent to Padanaram for Isaac's wife. Spiritual concerns were of no concern to him. He never seemed to even consider what God or his parents thought of his pagan wives. Seeing that Isaac wanted Jacob to marry a godly woman, and that Jacob wished to obey, he became upset. Now that Isaac had submitted to God's plan, Esau may have felt unsure of his position in the family. He finally wished to please his parents. (Sadly, he never cared to please God.)Esau's plan for gaining favor was, however, just another mistake. The family of Ishmael had already been cast off from God's favor. Polygamy, of course, was never God's will. Until one is born from above and is able to act from proper motives, his or her attempts at doing right are just spiritual stumblings.
III. JACOB MEETS GOD - verses 10-12.
In John 1:43-51 we have the story of Nathanael coming to the Lord Jesus. Nathanael was a spiritually honest man [verse 47], who saw his need of a Savior. In verse 51, Christ described Himself as the ladder to Heaven. God's blessings descend to us through Christ and our prayers ascend to God in Jesus' name [John 14:13-14]. This Nathanael understood as he trusted Christ.In making this allusion to Jacob's dream, was not our Lord telling us that Nathanael's experience was much like Jacob's. There is no doubt Jacob came to Bethel with a humble and contrite heart. In his dream, he sees a ladder reaching to God. Was not this a revelation of Christ as the "way" to God [John 14:6] and the "one mediator between God and man" [I Timothy 2:5].
Remember that there was no Bible when Jacob lived. God often spoke to men in dreams and visions. In this way the gospel was made known [Numbers 12:6]. Today, however, the gospel is made known by the preaching of God's word [Romans 10:14].
IV. GOD'S PROMISES - verses 13-15. ,br> God came to Jacob on the basis of unconditional grace. He speaks not of what Jacob must do, but of what He will do for Jacob. God promised Jacob the land of Canaan. He promised to be with Jacob in his wanderings and to return him safely to Canaan.
V. BETHEL - verses 16-19.
Bethel means the house of God. Jacob recognized this as the place where God had and would meet with him. In later years after backsliding from God, he came back to God at Bethel [Genesis 35:1-7]. Jacob raised a memorial to the revelation of God's presence in that place [verses 18-19]. God has always had a house where He met with His people. Today the church is God's house [I Timothy 3:15]. Here we find the ordinances and the true gospel which points to Christ as the way to Heaven. Here we meet with and worship God. Most of us met God for the first time through the ministry of one of the Lord's churches. Our service and spiritual sacrifices are offered to God through the ministry of the church. Like Jacob our attitude toward Bethel is a test of the closeness of our walk with God.VI. JACOB'S VOW - verses 20-22.
Jacob's vow was no mere contract with God. He loved God and believed His promises. Having believed the promises of God, he made three promises to God to show his gratitude:A. Jehovah will be his God. He dedicates himself to worship, serve, and trust the true God.
B. Bethel will be the place where he will worship and serve God.
C. The tithe will be given to God. This was already shown to be sacred to God [Genesis 14:20].
Many believe that this gives us the account of Jacob's conversion. Truly we do see in Genesis 28 a picture of God's child following the path of obedience.
Notice the similarities here with the path of God's children today:
A. By confessing Christ, we commit ourselves to the true God and the true gospel.B. By coming into the church in God's appointed way (baptism), we are vowing to worship and serve God in and through His house. We are recognizing the church as "Bethel."
C. In church membership, we covenant to give back to God a portion of what He has given us, that His work might be carried on.
Scriptural vows are always proper. In church membership, we promise God and covenant with the church to serve Him. Let us, however, beware of making vows that we will not keep [Ecclesiastes 5:4-6].
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