Jacob Leaves to Find His Future

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Introduction: Jacob has had it easy up to now. He has lived as a plain man in the tents (Genesis 25:27). He has been his mother’s favorite (Genesis 25:28). He has purchased his brother’s birthright and tricked him out of his blessing (Genesis 27:35-36). But now, his life of trickery begins to catch up with him. He must flee the country for his life’s sake and go 500 miles from home. Before God is through with Jacob, a “few days” (27:44) will become 20 years and his beloved mother will die before he ever gets to see her again. Yet, God is working. In this lesson, Jacob takes a major step toward spiritual maturity. He will have far to go but he will be a better man for the experience in this chapter.

I.           THE VALUE OF SEPARATION (28:1-9) 

A.   Isaac’s Charge to Jacob (v.1-2) 

1. Avoid the daughters of Canaan (v.1)

2. Go to your mother’s family (v.2a)

3. Take a wife of the daughters of Laban (v.2b) 

B.   Isaac’s Blessing of Jacob (v.3-4; Hebrews 11:20) 

1. The blessing of a seed (v.3)

2. The blessing of a land (v.4) 

C.   Isaac’s Sending of Jacob (v.5) 

D.   Esau’s Imitation of Jacob (v.6-9) 

1. Esau observes (v.6-8)

a.    Jacob’s blessing (v.6)

b.    Jacob’s obedience (v.7)

c.    Isaac’s displeasure with Esau’s wives (v.8)

2. Esau marries of the daughters of Ishmael (v.9)

a.    Adding tolerable to bad

b.    Coming halfway in order to please 

II.          GOD’S VOICE IN SOLITUDE (28:10-15) 

A.   Jacob Stops to Rest (v.10-11) 

1. The trip from Beersheba to Haran was about 500 miles and would have taken several weeks to complete

2. Bethel is about 70 miles north of Beersheba. Even with a donkey or camel, it would have taken about three days to get that far. 

B.   Jacob Dreams of a Ladder (v.12-13a) 

1. The ladder is set on earth

2. The ladder reached to heaven

3. The ladder had angels ascending and descending on it

4. The Lord stood at the top of the ladder

5. The ladder is a type of Jesus Christ (John 1:51)

a.    He is set on earth in His humanity

b.    He reaches to heaven in His deity

c.    He connects the two in His ascending and descending

d.    He satisfies the demands of God at the top (Isaiah 53:10-11) 

C.   Jacob Hears the Lord (v.13b-15) 

1. The identity of the Lord (v.13)

2. God’s sevenfold promise to Jacob (v.13-15)

a.    The promise of the land (v.13)

b.    The promise of the seed (v.14)

c.    The promise of a blessing (v.14)

d.    The promise of God’s presence (v.15 – “with thee”)

e.    The promise of God’s protection (v.15 – “will keep thee”)

f.     The promise of God’s guidance (v.15 – “will bring thee again”)

g.    The promise of God’s preservation (v.15 – “for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of”) 

III.         JACOB’S VOW OF SURRENDER (28:16-22) 

A.   Jacob Draws Some Conclusions (v.16-17) 

1. The Lord is in this place (v.16)

a.    “I knew it not”

b.    So many times we do not know when God is in something that we are going through

2. This is a dreadful place (v.17)

a.    God’s power and presence brings fear to man

b.    Yet, this fear can cause man to serve with greater conviction and obedience (Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; 112:1)

3. This is the house of God (v.17)

4. This is the gate of heaven (v.17) 

B.   Jacob Dedicates the Place to God (v.18-19) 

1. The pillar (v.18)

a.    He sets up the pillar

b.    He anoints it with oil

2. He renames the place (v.19)

a.    From Luz

b.    To Bethel (meaning house of God) 

C.   Jacob Makes a Vow to God (v.20-22) 

1. God’s Part (v.20-21a)

a.    To be with Jacob

b.    To keep Jacob

c.    To sustain Jacob

d.    To bring Jacob back home in peace

2. Jacob’s Part (v.21b-22)

a.    He will claim the Lord as his God

b.    He will establish Bethel as God’s house

c.    He will give a tenth of his goods to God (this is the second mention of tithing in the Bible – Genesis 14:20)

Conclusion: Just as God worked with Jacob in order to bring him to where He wanted him, so God works in our lives in the same way. What life changing experiences have you gone through? What is God trying to do in your life right now?

MEMORY VERSES:

1. Genesis 28:16
2. John 1:51
3. Genesis 28:15