Monday, October 31, 2005
Genesis 28
Genesis 28
“Stairway to Heaven” (I couldn’t resist!!!)
Vs. 1-5 “Do not marry a Canaanite woman”
Jacob, with the help of Rebekah his mom, has just tricked Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau. So, due to his disobedience, Jacob is forced to run away. Rebekah decides that one great way to get Jacob to safety is to send him for a wife. Despite the problems, Isaac knows if Jacob is going to be the one to carry on the faith, and the promise, that he must have a good, believing, wife.
Vs. 6-9 “Do not marry a Canaanite woman”
Have you ever just done something to irritate your parents? Of course, we all have. Maybe now that you may be too old for that, it has become a spouse, or even a boss. This is why Esau married one of Ishmael’s daughters, just to be displeasing to the family out of rebellion. We all have done this, and one thing remains true, it is worse on us every time. When was the last time that something you did to irritate someone else was truly fulfilling, long term?
Vs. 10-15 “Jacob had a dream”
Jacob’s lifestyle of trickery and conning people has put him out now away from his family. He is journeying to a land that is distant family members to find a wife for himself while he lets his brother “cool off” about their situation. Meanwhile Jacob has a dream.
His dream is one of realizing that God not only exists in some far off way, but that God is real and personal. The stairway signifying that God does interact and care about fallen humanity. Angels were going up and down to obviously tend to the work of God. And then it happened. God Himself shows up and talks to Jacob. He re-covenants the promise given to Jacob’s father, and to his grandfather Abraham. He tells Jacob I am with you, I will protect you, and you will come back to this land.
Vs. 16-17 “I was not aware of it”
Jacob finally learns that there is more to God than he had ever known.
Vs. 18-End “Jacob makes an Altar”
All at once, Jacob has a realization about God. He says if God is like this, than I want to live for God. He takes a stone, and builds a place to where he can honor God and commit his life to living for God. He promises to live life for the One who created him.
- What was the turning point where you decided you needed God in your life?
- How has God made Himself ‘real’ in your life?
The most important question you will ever have to answer is who God is to you. Peter was asked this very question by Jesus, when Jesus was on Earth:
Matt 16:15-18
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
