GOD's Promise to Jacob at Bethel

Passage to be read: Genesis 28: 10-22

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, 

and I will bring you back to this land.

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

(Genesis 28: 15)

Done the mischief, a generational cheating with the help of his mother, and Jacob is on his way, escaping from his brother, searching for refuge until his brother is not angry. A passage that takes our thoughts to the extremes of human endurance, while questioning the basics of values that we follow. 

Surely it was not an easy journey for Jacob himself. He had done something that was hurtful to his own brother and something that was not useful withdrawing, because it was a blessing! A generational blessing from the father to the son, Isaac to Jacob. And he is on his way of finding his own way if life until the troublesome situation calms down back at home, because he had received the blessing that belonged to to his elder brother, Esau. (Genesis 27, 28)

On the way, as the sun sets and darkness surrounds him, Jacob pauses and wanted to spend the night. Found a stone, laid his head on it and slept off. But God knew that Jacob's heart was full of confusions. His life was filled with questions. His future was with a question mark. His then status was a sad condition. A generational blessing from his father Isaac on one side, and the curse of escaping from his own home to stay away from his angry brother Esau on the other. What a pathetic condition for a young man. God remembered Jacob and He met him at the right time. The exact time when Jacob needed it.

The imagination of this heart throbbing dream that Jacob had that night just brings goosebumps. Wow... A ladder that connects heaven and the earth. Angels ascending and descending on it, and it looked like the gateway to heaven. And the most wonderful part of this dream was that Jacob saw the Lord standing above the ladder; the completeness of the entire assurance. This beautiful description just brings the celebration of our Lord in our hearts. What a caring and wonderful Lord is He. The Lord comes in contact with Jacob not when he was doing great, but when his circumstances and conditions were so bad and troublesome. The Lord met Jacob in His dream and spoke to Him few promises that last until this very day! Isn't that amazing?

The Lord knew what was Jacob's last thought before went to sleep while laying his head on that stone that he had set. He knew that last broken string of Jacob's violin that had no hopes of being mended. God knew that last piece of colour empty rainbows that were in Jacob's life that night. And God wanted to strengthen Jacob with His everlasting promises.  

And the Lord promises Jacob, that night, something that Jacob never thought of, even in his most cherished dreams ever. And this is that life-changing promise!

“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.

 I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, 

and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. 

All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, 

and I will bring you back to this land. 

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

(Genesis 28: 13-15)

My dearest friend in Christ, today you may also be reading this with a heavy heart that is full of questions about the future, not feeling safe in your own self and the your surrounding, and sometimes even rejected and sent away from your homely conditions; conditions that you love and cherish so dearly. You may be ignored and not cared by the people whom you want in your life so much as a part of it and instead you may be chased away from them. You may become tired as darkness surrounds you and without any other option you would have found that one stone on which you are going to lay your head and fall asleep for a while, searching for the peace that you need for a while. But, my dear friend, let me tell you, it's not just the peace, but a promise awaits you on this day. And that is the promise God wants you to remember.

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, 

and I will bring you back to this land. 

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

(Genesis 28: 15)

I pray, that as you read this, may the presence of the Lord fill you, may you feel that the Jacob's ladder is even kept near you and the Lord wants you to remember that He is with you and the Lord will watch over you, wherever you may go. And also remember, that the Lord is promising to bring you back to where you were before (back to your land), whatever you had lost and wherever you were being ashamed, God will take you back to those places and positions and HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU even for a slight moment until He has done what He is promising you today. Be assured in the promise of God. 

May God bless you.

Yours in Christ,