Genesis 28: 10-22
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God: this is the gate of heaven.”
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called the place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
A Thought
Jacob had not made the best of choices until this point. After receiving the blessings of Isaac his father, Jacob follows his command to go to his mother’s brother Laban to take a wife for himself. Our story picks up today as Jacob stops to rest for the night. He places a stone under his head and falls to sleep. While asleep Jacob had a dream with a vision of a stairway with angels ascending and descending reaching from heaven to earth with God at the top. God Almighty spoke to Jacob the same promise of blessings that He had given to Abraham and his descendants that he would be blessed and that God would be with him. When Jacob awoke the next morning, he poured oil over the stone and called this place Bethel, none other than the house of God. Jacob made a vow to God that if he will bless him with provision and safety, God will be his God, Bethel will be God’s house and he will give a tenth of all he receives back to God.
Our Prayer
Father thank you that you have given your rich and precious blessings to all who will receive your Son, Jesus Christ. The same promises that you gave to Abraham are now given to us when we choose to serve you. Thank you for your every provision and protection to all who believe and accept your grace by faith. Thank you for the blessings of our generations before us. Help us to give your blessings of Jesus to all future generations and also teach them your word of truth with faith for them to believe. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
