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Genesis 28:

Reading #121 Jacob’s flight

Now we have Jacob and his mother’s reaction to their sin.  First some verses from chapter 27.

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Genesis 27: 

42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah [the death decree]: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau, as touching you, does comfort himself, purposing to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee you to Laban my brother to Haran [in upper Syria, across the Euphrates river], 44 and tarry with him a few days, until your brother's fury turn away [Her advice was to leave his God-given position!].

45 Until your brother's anger turn away from you, and he forget that which you have done to him: then I will send, and fetch you from there.  Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?”

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If Esau carried out his plan he could be killed as a murderer under the laws of the land and Rebekah would lose both sons, so something had to be done. (See Numbers 35:11-18.) But this time Rebekah and Jacob made their plans without any reference at all to what the Son of God wanted (it was man’s way by man’s system).  Always He says, “Stay at your post of duty and I will protect you even if you have been in the wrong”, but they ignored that and tried to protect themselves.  (See 1 Kings 19:13.  In that chapter it is recorded that Elijah ran away after killing the prophets of Baal against God’s will and had to be reminded how God works when He is left to His own ways.)

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Genesis 27: 

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth [Esau’s wives].   If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?”  

Genesis 28:

1 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. 2 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. 3 And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people; 4 and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your seed with you; that you may inherit the land wherein you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham.”

5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother [they were in Haran].

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It was a good reason being used as an excuse!  But he did go as Eliezer had before him, back to where the nominal Christian girls were more likely to be.  I have now learned that Haran was north-east of Canaan about 700 km (450 miles) distant, about half way to Babylon.  It would probably have taken Jacob three or four weeks to get there.  Haran (aka Charran) was in the “land, or field, of Aram” and its name means “the road” or “the way, the route”. (Consider Isaiah 35:8.)

Since Abram’s departure from Ur some of his relations had settled in Haran, midway between Babylon and the future Jerusalem.  By this action God was able to picture the fact that He had followers who stood between the two major religious divisions of the world.  It is for them that Christians work, the “lost sheep”.  Matthew 15:24.  Like Terah, Abram’s father, they mingled the worship of idols with some knowledge of the truth, and needed rescuing.

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Genesis 28:

6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from there [the twins were about 77 years old at the time]; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan” [the Spirit repeats this thought because of its importance for our happiness and our children’s lives on earth]; 7 and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother [and so disobeyed God], and was gone to Padanaram: 8 and Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 9 then went Esau to Ishmael, and took to the wives which he [already] had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth [the firstborn son], to be his wife [his cousin, as a third wife in outright defiance of God].

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So Esau publicly reconfirmed his decision not to repent or change his way.

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Genesis 28:

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went [north] toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon 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. 

12 And he dreamed, and beheld a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God [were] ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, “I am the LORD God of Abraham your  [grand]father, and the God of Isaac [but not yet yours]: the land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. 14 And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed [a promise of the Messiah].”

15 “And, behold, I am with you, and will keep you in all places where you go, and will bring you again into this land; for I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you of.”

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So the Son of God will go with us even when we are determined to have our own way!  He will always be with us UNLESS WE CHOOSE TO CUT HIM OFF BY ACTIVELY SINNING AGAINST HIM.  See Isaiah 59:1-2.  “Mistakes” He can deal with, for they are pictured as “flirting” with Satan.  He can even handle deliberate sin which is “adultery”, but “divorce and remarriage” stops Him completely from having any influence in our lives. 1 John 1:9; Matthew 12:31-32.  The “sin against the Holy Ghost” is simply the persistent (permanent) refusal to respond to His invitation to repent, i.e. the “divorce” followed by “remarriage” to Satan and his “way” of rebellion.

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Genesis 28:

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.” 17 And he was afraid, and said, “How dreadful [awesome] is this place!  This is none other but the house of God, and THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN [because he had seen the angels coming from and going back to heaven there].”

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stones that he had put for his pillows, and set it [them] up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it [By the oil he invoked the Holy Spirit because he didn’t have a sacrifice to illustrate the Son of God.  See 1 Samuel 16:13].

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel [the house of God]: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. [The two cities existed side by side as twins for centuries after that, illustrating how close heaven and earth are.  See Joshua 16:1-2.]

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If [because] God will be with me [Jesus had already promised], and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God [in deed.].  22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be [a reminder of] God's house: and of all that You shall give me I will surely give [return] the tenth to You [He was now a converted man].”

Hebrews 13:

15 By Him [Jesus] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name [character]. 16 But to do good and to communicate [share] forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

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Jacob was not here seeking to make terms with God. The LORD had already promised him prosperity in his Christian life, and this vow was the outflow of a heart filled with gratitude for the assurance of God's love and mercy.

Jacob felt that God now had claims upon him which he must acknowledge, and that the special tokens of divine favor granted him demanded a return. So does every blessing bestowed upon us call for a response to the Author of all our mercies.  Not as a payment but as a return of love.

As Christians we should daily and weekly review our past life and recall with gratitude the precious deliverances that God has worked for us, how He has supported us in our problems, opening ways before us when all seems dark and forbidding, refreshing us when we are ready to faint. We should recognize all of them as evidences of the watchcare of heavenly angels under His direction.

In view of these innumerable blessings we should often ask, with subdued and grateful heart, "What shall I render unto the LORD for all His benefits toward me?" Psalm 116:12.  Such is the response of love.  Just as a loving wife wants to have children for her husband so we should want to help others see Him as their Father.

This mention of tithing is made here because Jacob had realised that it is not enough to praise God with words, but we must also share with others [communicate] what God has given us, for righteousness is “right-doing”, love in action. 1 John 3:7.  But of course, “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [God-given love], it profits me nothing.”  1 Corinthians 13:3. 

Once we have that love, our time, our talents, our property, should be sacredly devoted to Him who has given us these blessings in trust.

However, by returning the first tithe to Him “at the place where His name is” we can ensure that His ministers are fully supplied for their spiritual work.  Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21.  The tithe is His, not ours, and to withhold it from Him is robbery. Malachi 3:8-9.   

The second tithe can be a source of funds to help our neighbours physically and we can personally distribute it in consultation with the Spirit of God. See Deuteronomy 12:11, 17-18; 14:28-29.

These two tithes are “expected” requirements of love, and in returning them we are governed by His rules.  Should we choose to make an offering of our own freewill over and above this, we may control where and when it is used.  However, as sensible followers of righteousness we would certainly be foolish if we did not first ask for confirmation that our choice is wise.

All this was revealed to Jacob in his dream. Although his mind at once grasped a part of the revelation, its great and mysterious truths were the study of his lifetime, and unfolded to his understanding more and more, as it may with us.

I’ll leave you with these thoughts,

Bye,

Ron

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