God Reaches Out To The Outcast Series

Genesis 28:10-22

September 14, 2003

Do you remember the first time that you were away from home? Maybe it was staying with grandma or grandpa. Maybe it was your first sleep-away camp. Maybe it wasn’t till you went away to university or got your first job. Do you remember what was going through your head? Do you remember the loneliness? Did you feel homesick?

Now imagine that first time away didn’t happen till you were 40. That is at least how old Jacob is in our story this morning from Genesis 28. He and Esau were twins and in 26:34 we are told that Esau was 40 when he took his wives. So Jacob is somewhere in his forties.

He has been the ultimate mama’s boy.

He is off to seek a wife with no help from mom and dad.

He is leaving under his brother’s threat to kill him.

Now as we find him in the wilderness he is in the most pathetic situation possible. All alone, he makes camp as night falls and pulls up a rock to serve as his pillow for the coming night.

1. The vision Gen. 28:10-13

we are climbing Jacob’s ladder, we are climbing Jacob’s ladder,

We are climbing Jacob’s ladder, Won’t you climb with me.

Is that the picture of the ladder.

No - we don’t climb up to God, he sends down his ministry to us.

Heb 1:13 To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?

14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

2. The promise of God Gen. 28:13-15

the promise of the Abrahamic covenant

3. The response of Jacob Gen 28:16-22

This is the first tentative step that Jacob makes toward God.

Each generation has to come into relationship with the covenant keeping God. It didn’t matter that Jacob was Abraham’s grandson and Isaac’s son. So was Esau and he was outside of the covenant blessing. God had chosen Jacob and now Jacob begins to respond to the grace of God in faith.