Genesis 28:10-22 How To Turn Pillows Into Pillars : Many years ago during the war, a group of soldiers in a trench, were being shelled. “Can you tell me the way to heaven?” ‘For God so loved the world, Peace came over soldier's face as he kept gasping out “whosoever.” Notice Genesis 28:17, And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. Jacob Discovered:- 1. THE WAY OF SALVATION 10-12, “And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” Jacob took a stone that he used for a pillow, lay down and went to sleep. One man who dreamed about eating marshmallows. (Pillow gone) He Saw :- A. A Picture Of Separation 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. The dream reminds us of two places: earth and heaven. The two are separated by a great distance. in Luke 16. The rich man was in hell and Lazarus was in heaven. Abraham said to the rich man, “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed.” We do not know the distance between earth and heaven, man cannot design and build a craft that can take you there. There is no plane, rocket, or spaceship that has the ability to take you there. Man may be able to go to the moon, but they can’t travel to heaven. The separation is too great and humanly impossible for man to span. B. A Picture Of Salvation 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: John 1:49-51, “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; No Ladder But a Stairway the top of it reached to heaven
Here’s the problem. Many are climbing The ladder of religion, The ladder of rituals, The ladder of rules, The ladder of race, and The ladder of righteousness. But there is only one problem with those ladders. All Too Short Rom.3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: The only ladder long enough to reach from earth to heaven is Jesus. C. A Picture Of Service 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Isa 6 v 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
The Lesson Of Reverence, (face), Of Respect (feet), Of Response (Fly) D. A Picture Of Sovereignty 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. (Joseph) 2. THE WORD OF SALVATION verses 13-15 “And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” A. The Need Of Salvation in v.13 God said “I am the LORD God of Abraham, thy father, and the God of Isaac.” God did not say, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” God was saying, “Your grandfather Abraham had a relationship with Me, and your father Isaac had a relationship with Me. Now Jacob, you need to have a relationship with Me.” (a) His Practical Knowledge Of God did'nt Save Him (b) His Priviliged Birth did'nt Save Him Queen Victoria was once crossing the English Channel in the royal yacht, when a tiny bird followed the yacht with fluttering wings, At last it fell upon the deck at the feet of the queen—dead! There are those who are willing but they are not able to save. (c) His Personnal Cunning did'nt Save Him (outwitting Esau twice)
B. The Nature Of Salvation God reaffirmed the promise that He had made to his grandfather and father. The promise Jacob received involved: God’s Prosperity in Vs.13, “the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.” God’s Presence in Vs.15, “And behold, I am with thee.” God’s Protection in Vs.15, “and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest...for I will not leave thee.” Notice 28:16, “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.” (a) Jacob was not saved because he had a dream. (b) He was not saved because he saw the angels. (c) He was saved because he heard and believed God’s Word. Rom.10:17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
C. The Neglect Of Salvation 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
The word “dreadful” does not speak of something to fear or flee. The word speaks of that which is to “be revered.” The idea is of reverence. He could now enter the House of God and enter the gate of heaven. He had met God and was now a saved man.
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 1 Cor. 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
3. THE WORK OF SALVATION Genesis 28:18-19 A. A Change in His Life “And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.” He turned his pillow into a pillar. The place was called Luz which mean “separation.” But he changed it to Bethel, which means ‘the house of God.” Queen Victoria once visited a large paper mill. She was shown, among other places, the “rag room” where tons of offensively filthy rags were stored.
“Will Her Majesty be pleased to accept a specimen of my paper with the assurance that every sheet was made out of the dirty rags which she saw?”
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. B. A Commitment To His Lord Genesis 28:20-21, “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God.” (a) Jacob Declared his commitment And Jacob vowed a vow, Jacob’s life was not only changed but his Lord was crowned. Jacob made a commitment of his life to the Lord he had met. Jacob made a vow to God that he would live for Him and serve Him. (b) Jacob Demonstrated his commitment. Genesis 28:22, “An21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house:d this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” No sooner did Jacob get saved when he started tithing. Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. (c) Jacob Delivered on his commitment Gen 35 v 1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. C. A Consecration Of His Lot 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house:
