When you were a kid did you ever run away from home? Maybe one of your kids?
I read a story about a 5-year old who decided to run away. His neighbor lady saw him go, as she worked in her garden. There he trudged down the sidewalk, past her house, hauling a little suitcase in his red wagon. He disappeared around the block. A few minutes later, he reappeared and went past her again. Again, he circled the block. The third time, she finally asked: "Whatcha doing?" He answered, "I’m running away from home!" “So” she said -- “why do you keep circling the block?" He answered timidly, "cuz I’m not allowed to cross the street!!"
When I was about 10 years old I attempted to run away from home.
[My running away story.]
But the more my Mom told me what it would really be like out in the world the more I wanted to stay at home.
As we saw last week, Jacob has to leave home. The family is in turmoil and he just wasn’t safe there. Things didn’t turn out like he wanted them to. I mean, he’s gained his brother’s birthright, which meant a double inheritance for him. And he’s gained his father’s blessing, which meant he would be in charge of the family when his father died. He had everything he wanted – money, power, his mother’s love. But the way in which he got what he wanted caused him to have to leave home.
His father didn’t trust him and his brother wanted to kill him. All the money and power in the world doesn’t do you much good when you’re six feet under. So he sets out on a 500 plus mile journey to his mother’s homeland to find a wife and to let things at home cool down.
[Read Genesis 28:10-11.]
You really get the impression here that Jacob’s trip was a difficult one. Because of the bleak circumstances that he’s in it seems that he didn’t leave home with servants or many supplies. He doesn’t even have a bedroll or blankets or something with which to make a pillow out of. He’s resting his head on a rock! Now that’s hardcore! So let’s put this in context.
At home Jacob had it all. But because of his own selfish and deceitful actions he’s homeless, alone, in the midst of a huge journey, probably broke, his dad doesn’t trust him, his brother wants to kill him, and his mom isn’t there to help or comfort him. It stinks to be Jacob!
Can you imagine what must have been going through his mind? “How did I end up like this?” “Where is everyone?” “I want to go home!”
He must have thought this was the worst time in his life. But actually this was a good place to be. Because when you’re on the mountain top you feel like you don’t need God’s help. But when you hit rock-bottom the only direction you can look is up. Jacob has hit rock bottom and his life has positioned him to be open to God maybe for the first time in his life! So guess what God does…
I. God shows up! (God reveals Himself to Jacob.)
[Read Genesis 28:10-15.]
Isn’t this amazing. Here’s this deceitful, spoiled, mama’s boy Jacob who’s done everything he could to ruin his own life, homeless and alone, and God shows up. God out of His love and grace shows up in Jacob’s dream and reveals Himself to him. What love God has.
Now what did this dream mean? There’s a couple of main themes in its symbolism:
1. God’s love and grace is shown in the ladder or staircase.
[Read Genesis 28:12-13a.]
The angels ascending and descending between God and man show how God cares about the affairs of man and is involved in the world. The staircase also shows the connection or porthole between the earth and heaven. It’s like a dimensional doorway on a spiritual level with man on earth and God standing at the doorway of heaven. God loves man and has made a way for us to be with Him.
2. God’s faithfulness to man is shown in the Abrahamic covenant.
[Read Genesis 28:13b-15.]
God repeatedly says that He will perform it. That He wont leave Jacob until God has accomplished the covenant. He will build the nation, Israel, through him in such a way that all the world will be blessed through him.
Of course, God’s love and grace and faithfulness to man was ultimately fulfilled and displayed through His Son Jesus Christ, who came through the family line of Jacob.
[Read John 1:45-51.]
Nathaniel, being a good Jew would have recognized how Jesus was using the imagery of Jacob’s dream to make the point that He is now the connection between God and man. Jesus is the stairway to Heaven and all who walk in faith will reach God. Out of God’s love and grace and faithfulness God has provided a way for man.
What a dream! This is something that would no doubt get Jacob’s attention. So not only did Jacob physically wake up from the dream he wakes up spiritually as well. That’s the next thing we see:
II. Jacob wakes up! (Jacob reacts to the reality of God.)
[Read Genesis 28:16-17.]
This is a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life. God Almighty has just appeared to him and he knew it. I think this is probably the first time Jacob has really encountered God.
[Read Genesis 27:20.]
Jacob’s previous attitude was horrible towards God. God was Isaac’s God or Abraham’s God but not his. After all, what did he need God for? He had his intelligence, his cunning and his mom.
But remember, he’s hit rock-bottom in his life. Maybe it was at this moment that he was actually open to God and so God shows up. Look at how Jacob reacts to the reality of God.
1. Recognizes His presence
[Read Genesis 28:16.]
2. Becomes afraid and awestruck towards God
[Read Genesis 28:17a.]
3. Realizes the eternal significance of the dream
[Read Genesis 28:17b.]
These are all very good reactions to finally understanding the reality of God. Actually, these are very good daily attitudes towards the reality of God. We should always:
1. Recognize God’s presence
2. Revere God
3. Realize the eternal significance of what He’s doing in and through us
May we all live every day as blown away by the reality of God as Jacob was when he
woke up from that dream. We should never get used to God!
So what did Jacob’s realization move him to do?
III. Jacob man’s up! (Jacob responds to God in faith.)
[Read Genesis 28:18-22.]
Sounds like Jacob had himself a little church service! All he needed was a choir and some ushers! Jacob is so moved by his encounter that his life is radically changed. The things we see him do here are mere expressions of a new found faith. Jacob:
1. Memorialized the event with a rock and a name
Jacob takes that rock he used as a pillow, sets it up as a pillar, and anoints it with oil. The rock that symbolized his downfall. The rock that symbolized his desperation. The rock that symbolized the consequences of his sin, would be a constant reminder of what an amazing thing God had done. So beautiful Every time he would look at that rock he would remember the love and grace of God that moved him to give him another chance at life.
Jacob, having recognized the presence of God there, named the place Bethel which means, “house of God”. It was no longer Luz – it was Bethel, the house of God, the place where God met me!
[TJC ID card illustration.]
Jacob memorialized the event with a rock and a name. Jacob also:
2. Vowed life-long allegiance to God
[Read Genesis 28:20-21.]
Now quite honestly, it kind of sounds like Jacob has put some stipulations upon his vow. It sounds like Jacob, moved by God’s promises to care for him, responds back with a, “If God keeps His end of the deal, I’ll keep mine.”
[Read Genesis 28:20-21.]
I do believe that this was a sincere vow from Jacob towards God, but an immature vow. Remember, we look back at Jacob as a great patriarch, one of the fathers of Israel. But here he’s a brand new believer. He does have faith, but his flesh is still pretty strong. He seems to have a little doubt in God’s grand promises. So he promises to follow God as long as the Lord is providing for him.
But the next promise Jacob makes really shows me that he did have a genuine faith and desire to follow God: Jacob now:
3. Sacrifices to God what was important to him
[Read Genesis 28:22.]
Jacob promises to give the Lord a tenth of all that He blesses him with. Amazing! I think Jacob recognized that his love for money and power caused him to not realize what was important in life. Now he’s willing to give up a tithe to the One who’s given him a new life.
Now even though Jacob was currently broke and alone, he knew that his inheritance and family blessing was still his. All he had to do was find a good wife and come back home in a few years. So he’s offering up to God a sacrifice from what he was looking forward to more than anything. But something that got him into the mess he was in. That’s faith. When you’re willing to turn away from what kept you turned away from God. That’s what Jacob was doing here.
This event in Jacob’s life show us a great principle of life when God’s involved. It’s simply this: God visits His people, promises life and life’s provision, so they can be a blessing to others.
Has God visited you? Has God blessed your life? Bless others with what God’s blessed you with! Bless others with the Truth, with your offerings, with your ministry, with your time, all of which has come from our loving and gracious God who’s made Himself known to us!
