God Reveals Himself to Jacob
“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.”
In this passage, God revealed Himself to Jacob through a dream.
On his journey to visit his uncle Laban, Jacob stopped for the night. The place he stopped to sleep was a Canaanite city named Luz that was later renamed Bethel (verse 19). He slept, using a stone for a pillow (verses 10-11). During his sleep, Jacob dreamed about a ladder reaching into the heavens. He saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder, a vision of the righteous angels who come and go on the earth and report back to God in heaven (verse 12).
While still dreaming, Jacob heard God speak from the top of the ladder and introduce Himself as the same God that his father and grandfather worshipped. God affirmed His promise that He would give Jacob and his descendants the land of Canaan (verse 13).
God told Jacob that his descendants would spread throughout the world and be innumerable (verse 14). Jacob’s descendants would bring blessings and benefits to the entire world (Genesis 12:3). To learn more about these blessings, read our Dec. 5, 2013, commentary.
In Genesis 28:15 God told Jacob that He would look after him and bring him safely back from his journeys. God then told Jacob that He would not leave him until He had fulfilled His purpose for him.
Verses 16 and 17 explain that Jacob awoke from his sleep and realized the gravity and specialness of his dream.
As Christians, we should remember that God has made great promises to us as well (1 Peter 1:4).
God’s greatest promise to us begins with His calling. To learn more, read “God Calling!”
Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “Jacob Answers God’s Call Partially.”
