Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and told him he was not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Jacob was instructed to go to Padan Aram, house of Bethuel (Rebekah’s father) and find a wife from the daughters of Laban (Rebekah’s brother). Laban was Jacob’s uncle. Verses 1-5.
Perhaps Isaac resigns himself to what the LORD said earlier to Rebekah, that she was carrying two nations and that the older would serve the younger. It was always so in God’s economy. Abel took precedence of Cain, Abram of Nahor and Haran, Isaac of Ishmael, and, later on, Judah of Reuben, and David of his brethren. “The last shall be first, and the first last” (Matt. 20:16). That which man esteems is never God’s choice. Man’s best and God’s best are of a different order. It would be Jacob, not Esau, who would receive the birthright and blessing.
Maybe it was a time of reflection for not only Isaac who favored Esau because of ‘his venison’, so appetite played a part; but also Rebekah who favored Jacob. Regarding one child above another caused strife between their sons. Appetite (desire) was also an issue in the Garden, very interesting.
Jacob is the one who inherits the birthright and carries on the seed of the Messiah to come. It was important the he not take a Canaanite wife because of their idolatrous ways. Esau did not heed the instructions to abstain from these women for he took two of them to be his wife, and only later married a second cousin from his familial circle.
Abraham’s blessing that was to be transferred (vs. 3-5), is the aspect of the birthright that Esau despised. Esau’s heart was bend toward the sensual, adulterous heath nation of Canaan. Esau mingled himself with these heathen people which affected his allegiance to right doing. He exposed himself to pagan practices. Even though Jacob seems equally unworthy, God knew there were redeeming values that he possessed. Jacob is the one that would carry on God’s promise to Abraham. Essentially, Jacob is promised a land, a nation, and a blessing; even as Abraham was (Genesis 12:1-3).
Jacob is by no means worthy of this blessing. Each of the four parties in this whole birthright scenario were in the flesh somewhere along the line. The amazing thing is God brought good out of all this, and this is an example of a triumph of God’s sovereignty. Tragically, this is the last time Jacob will see his father or mother.
Esau saw that Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as his father blessed Jacob and gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan”. Although Jacob was a deceiver, he obeyed his father and mother regarding a spouse. Esau also saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father. In fact, we are told that this grieved his father and mother (Gen. 26:35). Now, Esau already had two Canaanite wives, so to try to please his father he went to Ishmael and took his daughter, Mahalath. Now, Ishmael was his uncle for he was his father’s (Isaac) brother.
By this time, the blessing and the birthright seemed to be important to Esau. At least, they were important enough to him that he determined to impress his father by marrying a non-Canaanite women when he saw that Jacob obeyed his father and mother in regards to selecting a wife.
Jacob meets God at Bethel in his Dream of the Ladder.
Genesis 28:10-12, “Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So, he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”
In this desolate wilderness, Jacob had a significant dream. He was alone, no distractions, a time that God used to work with Jacob. In the dream, a ladder was set up on the earth and its top reached to heaven, and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. In Jacob’s dream, there is now access to heaven. Jacob now knew God was closer than ever and there was real access and interaction between heaven and earth. It was a visual as to how the Messiah bridges the gap brought upon mankind through sin.
The people of the Old Testament looked forward to the Messiah by faith, which was demonstrated through sacrifice of animals and was expanded upon in the sanctuary service in the time of Moses. For us, we look back upon the true sacrifice on calvary and his mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary as our High Priest since.
Jesus made it clear in John 1:51 that He is the access to heaven. He is the means by which heaven comes down to us and by which we can go to heaven. He is the “ladder”. And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). Jesus is this way to heaven. He does not show us a way, He is the way. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).” It is not Mary, the saints, or angels that mediates to the Father on our behalf. This is why understanding the sanctuary is vital in understanding salvation. See: https://theplainword.com/his-way-in-the-sanctuary/, also there will be a future series of posts regarding the sanctuary once we begin our study in Exodus.
In verses 13-15, God speaks to Jacob. As Jacob laid on the land, God told him it would be given not only to him but also to his descendants. God was not just speaking of the physical land, but a land (city) which foundations and builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10). This is the place that Abraham was looking for. These words offered comfort and hope in the life of Jacob, at this critical crossroads in his life. Essentially, God repeats to Jacob the terms of the covenant He gave to both Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3) and Isaac (Gen. 26:2-5). Before, Isaac told Jacob the covenant was his (Gen. 28:3-4), but now the voice of God Himself confirms it.
Jacob had no doubt heard about the great God who appeared to Abraham and to Isaac, but now this same God has a personal encounter with Jacob himself. This was a life-changing experience for Jacob.
God told Jacob that he would be with him and will bring him back to the land of promise. God gives to Jacob the same kind of promise found in Philippians 1:6 which tells us that we can be confident that He (God) who has begun a good work in us…will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ’s return. Just as in Jacob, God won’t let us go until His work is complete in us UNLESS we make Him let go.
Jacob worships God, naming the place Bethel, meaning house of God (Genesis 28:16-19). Jacob was right in sensing the presence of the LORD there, but he was wrong in perhaps thinking God was in some places and not in others. David knew this: “where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? (Psalm 139:7). From his fleshly perspective, Jacob puts too much emphasis on a particular place. He doesn’t realize that if the presence of the LORD is not with him in every place, then God can never fulfill His promise to him.
The city of Bethel plays an important (though not glorious) role in Israel’s history. It is second only to Jerusalem in the number of times mentioned in the Old Testament. Later, when speaking to Jacob, God refers to Himself as ‘the God of Bethel’ (Gen. 31:13). Bethel would eventually become a high place, notorious for idolatrous sacrifice (1 Kings 13:32, Hosea 10:15, Amos 4:4).
In verses 20-22, Jacob maked a vow unto God. When he said ‘if God will be with me’, it could also be translated “since God will be with me”; but knowing Jacob, he undoubtedly means it in the sense of “if God will be with me”. God has given him a promise, yet he is still making ‘deals’ with God, even promising God money if He makes good on His promise. The way Jacob prayed, it was evident God’s mere word was not enough for him. He had to see God do it before he would believe. Are we the same way? God says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19); He says, “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Do we believe these things before we see them?
Jacob set the terms of his covenant with God by asking him to keep him in the way that he was going and to give him bread to eat and clothes. Here, Jacob sets the terms of his covenant with God. He is laying down the deal for God, instead of humbly receiving what God said would be the deal. Jacob isn’t very submitted to God. God will teach him submission in a very tough situation, through his Uncle Laban.
Unfortunately, there is a great contrast between God’s promise and Jacob’s vow. One is totally God-centered; and the other is terribly man-centered. God’s promise (Gen. 28:13-15):
- I am the LORD God.
- I will give to you.
- I am with you.
- I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken.
Jacob’s vow:
- If God will be with me.
- And keep me.
- In this way that I am going.
- Give me bread and clothing.
- So that I come back to my father’s house.
How much better if Jacob had prayed like this: “Because You promised to be with me and to keep me and to provide for all my needs, and to bring me back to the land which you swore to give to my fathers and to me, I will be completely Yours, God.” This is the place referenced in Hebrews above.
God is gracious enough to not call off the whole deal when he saw such a carnal response from Jacob. Instead, He is willing to be called, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6). Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”