Genesis 28
Isaac blessed Jacob’s trip to Labanverses 1-5
And Isaac called Jacob – and blessed him – and charged him
and said to him
You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan – arise
go to Padanaram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father
and take you a wife from there of the daughters of Laban
your mother’s brother
And God Almighty bless you – make you fruitful – multiply you
that you may be a multitude of people
and give you the blessings of Abraham
to you – and to your seed with you
that you may inherit the land wherein you art a sojourner
which God gave to Abraham
And Isaac sent away Jacob – and he went to Paddanaram to Laban
son of Bethuel the Syrian – the brother of Rebekah
Jacob’s and Esau’s mother
Esau marries Ishmael’s daughter – third wifeverses 6-9
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob
and sent him away to Paddamaram
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 of the daughters of Canaan
and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother
and was gone to Paddanaram
and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan
PLEASED NOT Isaac his father
THEN went Esau to Ishmael
and took to the wives which he had Mahalath
the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son
the sister of Mebajoth – to be his wife
Jacob dreams of a stairway to heaven with angelsverses 10-12
And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba – and went toward Haran
and he came to 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
LORD gives Jacob a promiseverses 13-15
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 whereon you lie – to you will I give it
and to your seed
And your seed shall be as the DUST of the earth
and you shall spread abroad to the west – east – north – south
and in you and in your seed shall all the
FAMILIES of the earth be blessed
And behold I am with you
and will keep you in all places to which you go
and will bring thee again into this land
for I will not leave you
until I have done that which
I have spoken to you of
Jacob calls the place the house of Godverses 16-17
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep – and he said
Surely the LORD is in this place – and I knew it not
And he was afraid – and said
How awesome is this place
this is none other but the HOUSE of God
and this is the GATE of heaven
Jacob names the place Bethel in the morningverses 18-19
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 on 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
Jacob vows a vow to the LORDverses 20-22
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 – and this stone
which I have set for a PILLAR – shall be God’s house
and of all that YOU shall give me I will surely
give the TENTH to YOU
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram. (8085 “obeyed” [shama] means her, pay close attention to, heed, listen, respond in conformity, or to consent)
DEVOTION: We have a picture of what has often been the case in many families. One child is obedient and the other is rebellious. Sometimes all the children are obedient to their parents and sometime the opposite can be true too.
Parents sometimes question God regarding what is happening with their children. They wonder what they did right or wrong to cause their children to end up the way they did. It is a mystery.
Here we have one son who is obedient to his parents. Sometimes this obedience was to a fault. His mother had him lie to his father to get the blessing of the eldest son. Our obedience to our parents should always be measured by our obedience to the Word of God. When we are real young we don’t know enough to discern the difference but when we are older we know that some things our parents might have taught us were wrong. We can correct that even when we are older.
Now we find that Jacob’s parents wanted him to marry a cousin who was part of the ones who understood who the LORD was in their life. They knew that the Canaanites didn’t want to worship the LORD. They apparently tried to convert them to their beliefs.
All Christians should only marry Christians. This doesn’t happen all the time it causes many problems. There are some people who think they are believers when they are young but may really never have been taught what it means to be a genuine believer and therefore never made a genuine commitment. Only the LORD knows for sure.
Well if a Christian only dates a Christian and they have a strong relationship with the LORD HE will guide them regarding their future. It is important for both parties to have a strong conviction regarding obedience to the LORD. Their actions will show if it is genuine.
CHALLENGE: Jacob was not a genuine believer yet but he would meet the LORD on his journey and begin his relationship with the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father. (7202 “seeing” [ra’eh] means perceive, become aware of, know, to understand, to spy, examine, inspect, or have the power to perceive by sight)
DEVOTION: Rebellion is real in every family. We all were born with a sin nature and that nature stays with us until we die. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit in their life and HE helps them overcome the world, the flesh and the devil in their life. It is only with HIS help that we can overcome these three temptations. The temptations are with us as long as we are in our human body.
Now we see that Jacob obeyed his parents regarding marriage. Well here is older brother observing all the events surrounding Jacob leaving to marry someone who is related to his mother. He sees that this pleases his parent so he does the exact opposite.
He goes to the family of Ishmael who was the son of Abraham and Hagar that the LORD had Abraham send away because the blessing was coming through Isaac. He goes to him and asks for a wife from his family. These were also cousins from the wrong side of the family tree.
He set out to displease his parents on purpose. There are children who seem to have the same thoughts in their life. They will do just the exact opposite of whatever the parents are trying to teach them. They know it is wrong but they don’t care. This rebellious spirit comes from the devil.
It can be corrected if the individual wants to make a choice to follow the LORD. We should pray for any rebellious sibling or relative that we know is not heading in the right direction. We should never accept the fact that there is no hope. While relatives are still alive there is hope. Once they die they have to face the judgment of God for eternity in the lake of fire.
CHALLENGE: If you are presently rebelling against what your Christian parents are teaching ask the LORD to help you turn in a different direction. HE can do it!!!
: 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. (3372 “dreadful” [yare] means held in honor, cause astonishment, godly fear, to revere, to frighten, reverence, awesome or terribleness)
DEVOTION: Isaac sends his son, Jacob, away on the advice of his wife. She is sending him to her brother for him to marry one of his children. The word “blessing” is used many times to show that Isaac didn’t feel anger toward him.
Esau saw that Jacob was blessed and that his parents didn’t want him to marry a Canaanite woman. So he went out and married his third wife. Polygamy was started with Cain and continued with those who lived outside of God plan for marriage, otherwise HE would have created more than one woman for Adam. However, we find others who marry more than one wife and that includes Abraham. The general rule throughout Scripture seems to be one man with one woman for life.
Now Jacob is on his way to his uncle’s place. The journey is long, so after a day’s journey he stops to sleep. While sleeping he has a dream. He sees a ladder going from earth to heaven. He sees angels walking back and forth.
Next the LORD talks with him about his future and the future of his children. HE promises the land to him. HE promises that his descendants would bless ALL the nations of the world. This, of course, is a reference to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Jacob was afraid of what he saw in his dream. He saw how awesome God was. He saw that he should reverence the place. He saw that this was something very unique to him. He was amazed at what he saw. He didn’t have a personal relationship with God until this time. He was willing to worship God with a pillar. He was willing to vow a vow to give God a tenth of all if God furnished him with protection, food and a safe return from this trip. He was willing to let the LORD be his God. He also promised the LORD one tenth of all that HE gave him.
This was a real revelation to Jacob of the reality of God. God gave Jacob a promise. God gave him the same promise HE had given to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob realized that this place where he had spent the night was the house of God. He has seen angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reached to heaven. He called the place Bethel or house of God. Beth means house in Hebrew. El is short for Elohim, which is a name for God our Creator.
Isaac had told Jacob that God Almighty would protect him on his trip. Here was the answer to that statement. Isaac had faith. It was time for Jacob to stop being a supplanter, and start being a servant.
There were more lessons ahead but this was the start of his spiritual journey. What started us on our spiritual journey? How far along are we in our trust of the LORD? How far along are we in our worship of the LORD? Do we realize that HE is the one who gives us one hundred percent of our wealth? How much are we giving back to HIM? Do we stand in AWE of HIM?
CHALLENGE: When we go to church on Sunday, do we stand in AWE of God or expect the pastor or choir or singers to entertain us? Are we genuinely there to WORSHIP? Are we surprised when the JOY of the LORD visits us in church? Is our church a genuine HOUSE OF GOD when we arrive? IF God met us in church would it scare us or THRILL US?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 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 (5087 “vowed” [nadar] means to make a solemn promise, or voluntary gift)
DEVOTION: Making a promise to God is important. There have been many people who have said that if God got them out a certain situation they would do _____. The problem is that God did get them out of that situation and they forgot their promise to HIM. HE remembers these things. If we break a promise to God we need to confess it and if it is possible keep our promise.
Here we find Jacob dreaming a dream and seeing a ladder to heaven and angels coming up and down. He wakes us afraid that God is in the place where he was sleeping and he didn’t do something about it. So he promises God that if HE will be with him as far as protect him on his journey and if HE will provide for him and if HE will give him a safe trip home, he will give God a tenth of his income for the rest of his life. He also states that the God of his father’s house will be his God.
Promises at times need to be made to God regarding something that is happening in our life. It should never be done lightly. If we say we are going to do something we should do it.
Once we become believers we promise God that we will obey HIM and what is written in HIS Word. That is part of our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
Jesus expects obedience to HIS teachings. At the start of our Christian life we don’t know too much about the Word of God usually so it takes years to understand what is expected of us but once we know what is expected we can either obey or disobey.
Those who chose to disobey have to really ask themselves if their commitment was real. They are the only ones who know their own heart. They can fake out other people but they can’t fake themselves out or God.
CHALLENGE: Once a commitment to obedience is made, we should keep it for the rest of our lives. Obedience brings blessings!!!
:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God. (7965 “peace” [shalom] means 1 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace. 1a completeness (in number). 1b safety, soundness (in body). 1c welfare, health, prosperity. 1d peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment. 1e peace, friendship. 1e1 of human relationships. 1e2 with God especially in covenant relationship. 1f peace (from war). 1g peace (as adjective). [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship].)
DEVOTION: Jacob was on a journey. He had left his father’s house after deceiving his father and stealing from his twin brother. He was literally running for his life. With that in view, why would he think that God would ever smile on him again?
He encounters a surprise at Bethel. In his dream, he sees a ladder going up to and down from heaven with angels on it. Why he decided that this was a manifestation of the LORD is unknown. In any case, this prompts him to make a vow to the LORD. It was that he would worship the LORD and the LORD alone if and only if God gave his mission success and he was able to return home.
How many of us have attempted to bargain with God this way? It is likely that many of us have made similar foxhole decisions for God in the past. If only God spares our life, if only God helps to be successful in business, if only God heals us from disease, if only God allows us to marry the person we want…the list goes on and on. Then, as time goes on, we forget our promises and/or we get disappointed by God not doing what we think that He should do. It was not until about 20 years later that he really finally got serious about worshipping the LORD when he had to wrestle with Him.
God is under no obligation to meet our preconditions in order for us to follow Him. In fact, He wants us to trust Him no matter what our circumstances are. This is called faith. The one kind of peace that He does promise us is the peace which passes all understanding when we follow Him (Philippians 4:7).
CHALLENGE: Make no attempt to bargain with God. Decide to worship the LORD no matter what comes your way. (MW)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Then shall the LORD be my Godverse 21
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Jacob promises God a tenthverse 22
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Jacob set up a pillar to worship Godverse 18
Promises to give tenth to Godverse 22
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God (Elohim)verses 3, 4, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 22
Almightyverse 3
God Almightyverse 3
Blesses peopleverse 3
Makes people fruitfulverse 3
God gave Abraham landverse 4
LORD (Jehovah)verses 13, 16, 21
LORD stood above ladderverse 13
LORD Godverse 13
LORD God of Abrahamverse 13
God of Isaacverse 13
Promises made to Jacobverse 13
House of God (Bethel)verse 17
Gate to heavenverse 17
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angelsverse 12
Angels of Godverse 12
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Isaacverses 1-8, 13
Blessed Jacob
Sent him to Padan-aram
Fruitful
Multiply
Blessing of Abraham
Inherit the land
Not pleased with daughters of Canaan
Jacobverses 1-5, 10-22
Blessed by father
Charged him not to take wife of Canaan
Sent to Laban
Obeyed his father
Went to Haran
Dreamed a dream regarding ladder
God promised blessings
Many children
Land
Called place of dream: Bethel
Vowed a vow: LORD shall be my God
Promises a tenth to God
Daughters of Canaanverse 1
Labanverses 2, 5
Son of Bethuel the Syrian
Brother of Rebekah
Jacob and Esau’s mother
Esauverses 6, 8
Saw that father was not pleased with
Daughter’s of Canaan
Went to Ishmael and took wives
Abrahamverses 4, 9, 13
Son Ishmael
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Take Canaanite wifeverses 1, 9
Not pleasing parentsverse 8
Three wivesverse 9
Afraidverse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Blessedverses 1, 3
Obedience to father & motherverse 7
Promiseverse 13
Presence of the LORDverse 15
Protectionverse 15
Vowsverse 20
Peaceverse 21
Tenth given to LORDverse 22
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Heavenverse 12
Gate to heavenverse 17
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QUOTES regarding passage
28:16–22. Jacob’s worshipful response included (a) having fear before the Lord, (b) erecting a memorial stone … pillar, (c) consecrating the stone by anointing the top of it with oil, (d) naming the place Bethel (“house of God”) to commemorate the event, (e) making a vow in which he expressed for the first time his faith in the Lord (the Lord will be my God), and (f) promising to tithe (v. 22). All these enhance the central idea of God’s protecting presence.
Several motifs pertaining to later Israelite customs are established here in Jacob. The most notable is the memorial at Bethel. Later the conquering Israelites would reckon this to be a holy place where God could be “seen.”
Another motif here is tithing (as with Abram in 14:20). To give a tithe was an act whereby a person acknowledged that everything he had belonged to God. Faith outwardly recognizes this fact in token form.
Also Jacob’s vow was an important element in this event. He vowed that if God would protect him, provide for him, and return him to his homeland, then this place would become a major worship center for Him. Vows were important later to Israel.
Moreover, standing stones also become important from this point on. These are different from altars. Memorials were set up to recall divine visitations so that others might learn about God when they would ask, “What do these stones mean?” (Josh. 4:6)
The presence of these important religious motifs stress the point that an anonymous “place” became a major worship center for Israel. The parallel structure between the two sections (Gen. 28:10–13 and 16–19) shows that the worship was a response to the vision. For example, “head” is repeated, first for Jacob’s head on the stone (v. 11), then for the top (lit., “head”) of the stairway (v. 12), and then for the top of the pillar (v. 18). Another wordplay occurs with the word “standing”; first, the Lord stood at the top of the stairway (v. 13), and the stone was set … up (lit., “stood up”) as a memorial (v. 18). These parallels show that Jacob’s miniature altar represented the vision.
God’s promise to be with His people is a theme repeated throughout Scripture (e.g., God said to Isaac, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you,” 26:24). The assurance of God’s presence should bring about in every believer the same response of worship and confidence it prompted in Jacob. This is the message from the beginning: God by grace visits His people and promises them protection and provision so that they might be a blessing to others. They in turn were to respond in faith, fearing Him, worshiping Him, offering to Him, vowing to Him, and making memorials for future worshipers at such places.
This event at Bethel then was archetypical of Israel’s worship, patterned after—and indeed named after—her patriarch Jacob. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Genesis. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 74–75). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
A significant decision (vv. 16–22). On awakening, Jacob’s first response was one of fear and surprise. God was in that place, and he didn’t know it! But “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7), so Jacob’s response was the right one. He discovered that he could find God in unlikely places and that any place is “the house of God” (Bethel) because God is there. He would be away from his father’s house for at least twenty years, but the Lord would be his “dwelling place” no matter where he went (Ps. 90:1).
His next act was to worship the God who had appeared to him. He turned the headpiece into a pillar to memorialize the great experience that had been his that night. By pouring oil on the stone, he consecrated it to the Lord. He didn’t use the stone as an altar or make a sacrifice; he simply set it apart as a memorial. In later Hebrew liturgy, the pouring out of liquid was symbolic of pouring one’s life out in devotion to the Lord (Ex. 29:38–41; see also Phil. 2:17; 2 Cor. 12:15).
But most important, Jacob dedicated himself to the Lord that morning and claimed the promises that God had made to him (Gen. 28:13–15). The “if” found in many translations of verse 20 can also be read “since.” Jacob wasn’t making a bargain with God; he was affirming his faith in God. Since God had promised to care for him, be with him, and bring him back home safely, then Jacob would affirm his faith in God and would seek to worship and honor Him alone.
Jacob didn’t have an easy life in the years that followed; for though God forgave his sins and was with him in his journeys, Jacob suffered the consequences of his sins. God in His grace forgives us, but God in His righteous government sees to it that we reap what we sow.
Jacob had deceived Isaac, but his father-in-law Laban lied to Jacob and deceived him. Jacob used a kid to deceive his father, and Jacob’s sons used a kid to deceive their father (37:29–35). During the years he worked for Laban, Jacob endured many trials, both as a shepherd and as the husband of four wives and the father of many children (31:36ff). The thing that kept him going when the going was tough was his faith in the promises of God. God promised to be with Him, and that’s what Jacob depended on (31:42; 49:24–25).
And the Lord didn’t fail him, nor will He fail us.“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps. 46:7, kjv). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Be authentic (pp. 33–34). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
28:22 a tenth. Tithing, though not commanded by God, was obviously already known and voluntarily practiced, and served to acknowledge God’s providential beneficence in the donor’s life (see note on 14:20). Jacob may have been bargaining with God, as if to buy His favor rather than purely worshiping God with his gift, but it is best to translate the “if” (v. 20) as “since” and see Jacob’s vow and offering as genuine worship based on confidence in God’s promise (vv. 13–15). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ge 28:22). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 22. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house, &c.] Building an altar of it with some others, and sacrificing to God on it; and whereever God is worshipped, that place is his house, be it what or where it will; and Jacob did as he promised to do, see ch. 35:3, 7: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee; for the support of his worship; for the maintenance of such that were employed in it; for the provision of sacrifice, and for the relief of the poor, or for any use or service in which God might be glorified: this was imitated by the Heathens in after-times, who gave the tenth of their substance to their gods, Jupiter, Hercules, and others. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 194). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
The closing verses of the chapter chronicle Jacob’s first steps as a changed man. Some of his acts, of course, betray his spiritual immaturity, but nevertheless they mark the new dimension of spiritual life that had arisen in his soul and they give evidence of genuine conversion.
First of all Jacob acted promptly. He “rose up early in the morning” (28:18a). A new life pulsated in his soul. He skipped out of his bed with the morning light with the joybells ringing in his soul. Heaven above was deeper blue and the earth around was sweeter green! It was not just that it was a new morning; he was a new man.
Then we read that Jacob acted purposefully (28:18b–19). He took the stone he had used for a pillow and set it up as a pillar. He poured oil upon it to sanctify it and called the place “Bethel.” The Spirit of God notes that “the name of that place was called Luz at the first.” The name Luz means “separation”; Bethel means “the house of God.” The man who had been “afar off,” separated from God by sin and wicked works, was now “brought nigh.” Jacob, in setting up that memorial to his conversion was, in a sense, giving public testimony to what had happened to him. That is always a good sign.
Finally, he acted practically (28:20–22) acknowledging the Lord’s presence, the Lord’s provision, and the Lord’s protection. He vowed a vow, we are told. It is the first time a vow is mentioned in the Bible; trust Jacob to make it! “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me [or, better, ‘since God will be with me’; he is not using the language of uncertainty but of assurance] 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.” That was Jacob’s verbal confession of his inner heart conversion.
But he has not finished yet. “If God will be with me … then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me” he adds, addressing God directly, “I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” That was practical evidence of Jacob’s conversion. Up to now the ruling passion in his heart had been greed. He always had to get. Now he wanted to give. He stood there like an Old Testament Zaccheus. Zaccheus, we recall, having taken the Lord Jesus into his heart and home, at once began to express his gratitude in terms of giving (Luke 19:1–10). “This day is salvation come to this house,” was the Lord’s comment. Zaccheus was not saved because he gave; he gave because he was saved. The same was true of Jacob.
Thus, Jacob, in the first flush of his conversion, promised the Lord that he would never forget two things. He would never forget God’s place, and he would never forget God’s portion. It was an excellent start. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Genesis: An Expository Commentary (Ge 28:18–22). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
There are several commonly held misconceptions about how God evaluates the deeds of men. One idea is that as long as we don’t do anything “terrible,” God will overlook our “little” sins. Another is that God weighs all our good works on one side of a scale and all our bad works on the other. If the good outweighs the bad, we’re okay. A third incorrect notion is that God lines up all the people who have ever lived from the best to the worst and then divides them in half. If you make the cut, you’re okay. The truth the Bible teaches is that God demands sinlessness. And since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, all people are condemned. There is only one way out: Receive Jesus as your personal Savior. Through Him, all your sins can be forgiven. (QuietWalk)
Jacob’s vow involves three petitions: (1) God’s protective presence (v. 20a), divine provision (v. 20b), and Jacob’s safe return (v. 21a). The last requirement is actually stating the result of the former two preconditions. Verses 21b–22 state three promises made to God: (1) devotion to the Lord God (v. 21b), (2) dedication of the site to God (v. 22a), and (3) the offering of a tithe (v. 22b). (Mathews, K. A. (2005). Genesis 11:27–50:26 (Vol. 1B, p. 454). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
There are two interpretations suggested of Jacob’s vow: (1) that he is bargaining with God by saying “If … if …”; (2) that he is showing faith in God, for the Hebrew word can be translated “Since … since …” This is actually the first vow recorded in the Bible. It is likely that both interpretations are true: Jacob believed God’s Word, but there was still enough of the “old man” in him to try to bargain with God the way he bargained with Esau and Isaac. He was so accustomed to “scheming” that he tried to scheme his way into God’s blessing! This was finally exposed and dealt with at Jabbok (Gen. 32). Jacob did return home in peace (Gen. 35:27–29), and he practiced tithing (v. 22). He realized that his dedication to God meant nothing unless his material goods were under His control as well. Abraham had practiced tithing (14:20), and in both cases the Law had not yet been given. Those who say that the tithe is not for this age of grace miss the fact that the early saints practiced tithing. It was their expression of faith and obedience to the Lord who guided them, guarded them, and provided for them. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
Nehemiah 1
Nehemiah weeps as he learns of Jerusalem’s deterioration.
INSIGHT One of the essential characteristics of leadership is that the leader feels the full weight of the plight of certain people and assumes responsibility for their condition. Many people knew of Jerusalem’s condition, but few felt the impact and had the vision for response. Nehemiah did and God used him in a mighty way. What in life “hits” you? What situations cause you to feel the impact of the plight of others, and for what situations do you have a vision for response? It might be as large as a nation or as small as a church nursery. But if you feel it and have a vision for it, chances are God would like to use you there.
(Quiet Walk)
I’ve always had a collector’s heart. As a kid, I collected stamps. Baseball cards. Comics. Now, as a parent, I see the same impulse in my kids. Sometimes I wonder, Do you really need another teddy bear?
Of course, it’s not about need. It’s about the allure of something new. Or sometimes the tantalizing draw of something old, something rare. Whatever captivates our imagination, we’re tempted to believe that if we only had “X,” our lives would be better. We’d be happy. Content.
Except those things never deliver the goods. Why? Because God created us to be filled by Him, not by the things that the world around us often insists will satisfy our longing hearts.
This tension is hardly new. Proverbs contrasts two ways of life: a life spent pursuing riches versus a life grounded in loving God and giving generously. In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Proverbs 11:28 like this: “A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.”
What a picture! Two ways of life: one flourishing and fruitful, one hollow and barren. The world insists that material abundance equals “the good life.” In contrast, God invites us to be rooted in Him, to experience His goodness, and to flourish fruitfully. And as we’re shaped by our relationship with Him, God reshapes our hearts and desires, transforming us from the inside out.
By Adam R. Holz
A TOTALITARIAN DEMAND
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34:8
Christianity is a way of life. And it is a way of life that demands a total commitment; it is, if you like, a totalitarian demand. It does not merely ask that we consider it and say, “Oh yes, I can take on that teaching; that’s a good emphasis there, I’ll add that!” No; it is not something to be applied as we think and when and where. Jesus says, “Seek ye first.” In other words, let me put it like this: Men and women will never know the truth of Christianity or the blessings that it can give until they have given themselves to it. You can examine Christianity from the outside, but you will never know it, you will never get it. “If any man will do his will,” says our Lord, “he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God” (John 7:17).
Here is a great fundamental principle about this way of life: “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). You will never know that the Lord is good until you have tasted Him, until you have tried Him. So many of us are like a man standing in an orchard, and there he looks at an apple tree or a pear tree, and he examines it at a distance. Somebody says, “You know, that has a most wonderful flavor. If only you would try it, you would say that it is the most wonderful fruit you’ve ever tasted in your life.” But the man looks on, and he is not quite satisfied; he is not convinced, and he can argue and stay there for as long as he likes, but he will never know the fruit until he takes it and puts it in his mouth and bites it and proves it. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.”
A theoretical examination of Christianity will never bring us anywhere. Our Lord always calls for a committal.
A Thought to Ponder Christianity is a way of life that demands a total commitment.
(From The Kingdom of God, pp. 31-32, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
This article is an excerpt from the introduction of Dr. Mohler’s newest book, The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church. For more information, click here. To order a copy of the book, click here.
It was as if Western civilization was burning, right before our eyes. The great cathedral known throughout centuries as Notre-Dame de Paris burned through the April night, and the damage was catastrophic. The majestic cathedral that had symbolized Paris for more than nine hundred years was a smoldering ember.
Notre Dame’s iconic image is more than a feat of architectural genius; the cathedral stood as an essential monolith of Western civilization, signifying the central role of Christianity in the development of European identity. Indeed, the very design of the structure itself marked the emergence of Gothic architecture–an architectural style intended above all to communicate the transcendence and glory of God. Gothic architecture intends to make a person entering through its space feel small, almost infinitesimal. The seemingly endless perpendicular lines lead the eyes upward even as the magnitude of the space appears breathtaking. The message sent by the architecture of the cathedrals was clear–the cosmos is all about the glory of God.
The great cathedrals of Europe, and their successors elsewhere, were intended to make a huge statement of Christian identity for the entire society. For centuries, the landscape of Europe would be dominated by the cathedrals and their soaring towers and spires. The message would be clear.
The relevance of Notre Dame’s fire to the crisis of Western civilization was there for all to see, but few seemed to see it. The story of Western civilization cannot be told without the cathedrals of Europe. The fact that cathedrals like Notre Dame would for centuries dominate the skyline of European cities points to the central role of Christianity in providing the worldview that made Western civilization possible. The basic tenets of Christian theology and ethics constructed the superstructure of European culture, providing its morality, basic truth claims, understanding of the cosmos, and language and meaning.
And all of that was burning, but the threat to the values of Western culture had already been burning for some time.
Notre Dame’s history chronicles the erosion of Christianity’s dominance over Western civilization. The gathering storm of secularism can be told through the narrative of arguably the most recognized cathedral in the world. More than mere bricks and mortar, Notre Dame’s story captures the sorrow of secularism and its corrosive determination to exterminate the influence of the Christian worldview…
When the storm of secularism thunders on the horizon, it often seems unassuming, undaunting, a mere change in the weather. But secularism will seduce a civilization away from the very foundations that it stood upon for centuries. The tale of Notre Dame points to the endgame of secularism: what was once a testament to Christianity’s centrality to the culture, is now mostly a civic monument and symbol of French nationalism…
Something fundamental has reshaped our entire culture. In Europe, the process is now very advanced, and the dechristianization of European societies is now largely true in Canada, where the society is in this respect far more like Europe than the United States, which is right across the border. In the US, we can see the same process now in play, and accelerating. Eventually, this process will reshape the entire culture. It is happening right now, right before our eyes.
The Secular Advance
The West’s new cultural and moral environment did not emerge from a vacuum. Massive intellectual changes have shaped and reshaped Western culture since the dawn of the Enlightenment. At the heart of this great intellectual shift is a secular reframing of reality.
Secular, in terms of contemporary sociological and intellectual conversation, refers to the absence of any binding theistic authority or belief. It is both an ideology, which is know as secularism, and a consequence, which is known as secularization. The latter is not an ideology; it is a concept and sociological process whereby societies become less theistic, and in our context that means less Christian in general outlook. As societies move into conditions of deeper and more progressive modernity, they move out of a situation in which religious belief–and specifically, belief in the God of the Bible–provided the binding authority that held society together and provided a common morality, a common understanding of the world, a common concept of what it meant to be human. Secularizing societies move into conditions in which there is less and less theistic belief and authority until there is hardly even a memory that such a binding authority had ever existed…
This article is an excerpt from the introduction of Dr. Mohler’s newest book, The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church.
O My Soul
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” (Psalm 42:5)
This expression (“O my soul”) is not used here by the psalmist as a trite exclamation but as a plea of heart-searching introspection, concerned over the dark depression that was about to settle over him because of the oppressions of his enemies (Psalm 43:2). The question in our text is asked three times by him in these two short psalms (Psalm 42:5,11; 43:5), and each time he answers himself: “Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him.”
Yet, God continued to withhold His answer. His enemies were taunting him about it (Psalm 42:3, 10), and the psalmist, in spite of himself, found himself crying out “Why?” no less than 10 times. Nevertheless, his faith in God never failed, and it thus becomes a great testimony to us today for he asked his “why?” questions in submission to God’s will. When we are tempted to “go…mourning because of the oppression of the enemy” (42:9; 43:2) and still God seems to have “forgotten,” then is the very time we must continue to affirm: “I shall yet praise him!” He is “the God of my life,” and “in the night his song shall be with me” (42:8).
It may not be God’s will to set us free from the “noise of thy waterspouts” (42:7) or “the deceitful and unjust man” (43:1), but His light and truth will still lead, and we can yet praise Him, despite the circumstances.
In our text, the psalmist praises God for “the help of his countenance.” In the verses that echo this verse (42:11; 43:5), his testimony is slightly—yet significantly—changed. “I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance.”
Therefore, even in a dark night of “O my soul,” we can see Him by faith, with countenances full of joy. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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