2024.07.28.Sermon Notes.Jacob’s Ladder and GOD’s Pathway to Heaven
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA 1: How would you respond to GOD’s Blessing and Promise to be with you and complete what HE has begun in you? While many of us would say, So Be It LORD, Jacob answered another way. Genesis 28:1-22
SCRIPTURES: Philippians 1:6, Genesis 27:41-46, Genesis 28:1-22, John 1:51, John 14:6, Matthew 28:20, Joshua 1:9
KEY VERSE: Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
BIG IDEA 2: Genesis 28 – Jacob’s Ladder is JESUS CHRIST, the WAY to the FATHER. GOD Blesses Jacob with HIS Promises, but Jacob’s response is apparently less than spiritual, and seemingly cautious in trusting the ALL SUFFICIENT ONE.
Recap. Jacob’s escape from Esau. A GOD Send…
Genesis 27:41-46 (NKJV)
41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42 And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away, 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?”
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
ISAAC’S INSTRUCTIONS TO JACOB
Genesis 28:1-22 (NKJV)
1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.
1-2 Isaac finally comes in alignment with the LORD’s Will that the older Esau would serve the younger Jacob, as Jacob had received the birthright. So he blesses Jacob and gives him instructions, charging him. Do not take a wife from the Canaanites, but rather from Uncle Laban.
Esau had taken wives from the daughters of Canaan, from the sons of Heth, and this displeased Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob was the one to inherit the birthright and from his descendants would come the Messiah.
THE TRANSFERENCE OF ABRAHAM’S BLESSING
3 “May God Almighty bless you,
And make you fruitful and multiply you,
That you may be an assembly of peoples;
4 And give you the blessing of Abraham,
To you and your descendants with you,
That you may inherit the land
In which you are a stranger,
Which God gave to Abraham.”
3-5 MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU. El Shaddai in Hebrew. The All Sufficient One. The King of the Universe.
AND GIVE YOU THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM. The specific covenant blessing GOD gave to Abraham.
This was the birthright despised by Esau who gave it to Jacob. Jacob was the one to carry on GOD’s promise to Abraham. To inherit the land, to be a nation of people, and to receive the blessing of Abraham to be passed on for generations to come.
Jacob was not worthy of the blessing. The entire family acted in an unspiritual manner.
Isaac offering the blessing for food.
Esau giving the birthright for food.
Rebekah’s deception of Isaac
Jacob’s deception of his aging, near blind father.
But GOD showed HIS Sovereignty, Mercy and Grace through this family.
5 So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.
5-ISAAC SENT JACOB AWAY. Jacob would travel to his mother’s home land. He would not see his father for another 20 years. And would never see his mother Rebekah alive again.
ESAU MARRIES MAHALATH, DAUGHTER OF UNCLE ISHMAEL
6 Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. 8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.
6-9 ESAU SAW THAT ISAAC HAD BLESSED JACOB. Esau now saw the blessing and birthright as important. Esau had married Canaanite women, and realized it displeased Isaac and Rebekah, and that Jacob obeyed his parents and received the blessing. So Esau heads to his Uncle Ishmael to marry from that family line.
JACOB MEETS GOD AT BETHEL. BETH EL, HOUSE OF GOD
10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
10-12 JACOB’S DREAM AND THE LADDER
We’ve most likely heard of Jacob’s Ladder. But what is it’s significance. I remember as a child singing “We are climbing Jacob’s ladder, every rung goes higher, higher. Soldiers of the cross.” In the wilderness, it says Jacob used a rock as a pillow. I would prefer a down filled pillow myself, but remember when camping resting my head on a log.
Then he dreamed. We can only imagine what he may have been feeling, having traveled and now tired and weary needing rest. Perhaps fear, loneliness, and yet, excitement and anticipation for finding a wife.
The Ladder. In his dream, a ladder was set on earth, reaching to heaven. And on that ladder Jacob saw angels traveling up and down on it. Jacob is now awakened to the spiritual realm, and that there is access between heaven and earth.
Spurgeon notes that GOD is concerned about the things on earth. HE is not a GOD who shuts himself in heaven, but GOD who fixed a ladder between the heavens and earth.
JESUS speaking with Nathaniel tells him that HE, JESUS, is the ladder.
John 1:51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
JESUS IS the WAY to Heaven. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: “I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
13-15 GOD SPEAKS TO JACOB
I AM THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM YOUR FATHER AND THE GOD OF ISAAC. GOD has met Jacob in a very personal way. This is life changing for Jacob.
GOD repeats the covenant terms HE gave to Abraham and Isaac, now to Jacob.
I WILL GIVE TO YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS, THE LAND ON WHICH YOU LIE.
IN YOU AND YOUR OFFSPRING, ALL THE FAMILIES ON EARTH WILL BE BLESSED.
I AM WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
The Promise of GOD WITH US. EMMANUEL.
Matthew 28:20b “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
I WILL BRING YOU BACK TO THIS LAND.
I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU UNTIL I HAVE DONE WHAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
PARALLELS OF JACOB AND ABRAHAM’S JOURNEY.
• BOTH LEFT THEIR FATHER’S HOUSE
• BOTH MADE THEIR FIRST STOP AT BETHEL WHERE GOD SPOKE TO THEM
• GOD PROMISED THE ABRAHAMIC BLESSING TO BOTH ABRAHAM AND JACOB AT BETHEL.
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.
THIS WAS JACOB’S WOW MOMENT. HE HAD HEARD FROM GOD IN THIS VERY PLACE. HE HAS FINALLY BEEN AWAKENED TO THE SPIRITUAL REALM.
JACOB WORSHIPS GOD AND NAMES THE PLACE BETH EL, HOUSE OF GOD.
THE EMPHASIS IS ON “THIS PLACE”.
IS JACOB’S PERCEPTION OF GOD LIMITED TO “THIS PLACE”?
WE SEE JACOB’S AS LIMITING GOD.
BUT DAVID TELLS US DIFFERENTLY Psalms 139:7-8 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
20-22 JACOB’S VOW TO GOD.
“IF GOD BE WITH ME.”
ONCE AGAIN, THERE’S THAT WORD “IF”.
REMEMBER JACOB WAS A HEAL CATCHER, A SUPPLANTER, TRYING TO GET WHAT BENEFITED HIMSELF. HE USED DECEPTION TO GET WHAT HE WANTED. SO BECAUSE OF HIS OWN DECEPTION, HE COULDN’T TRUST OTHERS, AND HERE, IT APPEARS HE CAN’T EVEN SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO GOD.
GOD’S PROMISE TO JACOB.
1. I AM THE LORD GOD
2. I WILL GIVE TO YOU
3. I AM WITH YOU
4. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU UNTIL I HAVE DONE WHAT I HAVE SAID
JACOB’S RESPONSE AND VOW TO GOD.
1. IF GOD BE WITH ME
2. IF GOD KEEPS ME IN THE WAY I AM GOING
3. IF GOD GIVES ME BREAD AND CLOTHES
4. IF GOD BRINGS ME HOME TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE
5. I WILL GIVE GOD MONEY.
SERIOUSLY???
WOW. HOW’S THAT FOR A RESPONSE TO GOD?
Once again, we see JACOB’S physical desires ruling his thoughts rather than following after the spirit.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR?
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE ALLOWED OUR SOUL TO BE DRIVEN BY OUR BODY AND NOT THE SPIRIT?
REMEMBER, when the soul listens to the body, we react in the physical, in the flesh.
BUT, when the soul listens to the SPIRIT, our physical reaction is led by THE SPIRIT.
GOD wants us to live by the SPIRIT, not by the flesh. Therefore we must be tuned into GOD. And listen and obey what HE says, without question.
WHEN GOD TELLS US, or shows us something HE is doing in our lives or wants us to do, do we challenge HIM?
WHO ARE WE TO CHALLENGE THE ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD?
GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS IMAGE.
TOO MANY TIMES, we try to make GOD in our image, our perception of GOD, rather than taking HIM at HIS WORD.
JACOB WAS MADE A PROMISE BY THE ALMIGHTY GOD, THE ALL SUFFICIENT ONE, THE LIMITLESS ONE.
THE ONE WHO CAN and WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS.
And Jacob couldn’t comprehend it, and looked to THE ALL SUFFICIENT ONE and said, if YOU do this, I will do that.
JACOB has not yet submitted himself to GOD. And we’ll see GOD teaching him submission later on through His Uncle Laban.
But the point here is, how do you respond to GOD?
Do you take HIM at HIS WORD?
Look at your bible, do you believe it, and the promises GOD has for you?
And when you read HIS WORD and the words seem to jump off the page and into your heart, do you respond to it?
FATHER GOD,
We praise YOU, for giving us access to YOU, our HEAVENLY FATHER, THE ALL SUFFICIENT ONE, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD and SAVIOR. Open our understanding to YOUR SPIRIT and YOUR WORD, and YOUR Direction. Forgive us when we don’t understand, or lack faith. Help us to understand that JESUS is the birthright that YOU have given to every believer, and that the blessings come from YOU FATHER. Help us to listen to YOUR WORDS and take YOU at YOUR WORD without compromising YOUR Promises based on our own understanding. Teach us to know YOU more. Open our minds, our souls, to the spirit, so that we would conform to YOU in our lives. In JESUS Name, Amen.
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Bill
