1. Chapter 28
Chapter 28

2. Jacob/Esau are middle aged
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
A little review:
The deception of Isaac:
There is a school of thought that Isaac was not truly deceived by the ruse perpetuated by Rebekah and Jacob, but that he went along with it in order to bypass Esau, who by marrying Canaanite women, had proven himself unworthy of the blessing.
Isaac knew that reasonable time had not passed for meal preparation.
Isaac knew that it was not Esau’s voice.
The goatskins over the arms seems like a stretch.
The kiss would have brought face to face contact.
Jacob/Esau are middle aged

3. Chapter 27
41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
Isaac lives for another 40 years beyond this
Note the commentary on Esau’s character
Is Jacob really any better?
Any heart can be changed.

4. Chapter 27
41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides.
“consoling” ~ breathing heavily
“kill” ~ to smite with deadly intent
God tweeks the circumstance to keep Jacob from Esau’s error.
What has God “tweeked” to bring you here?

5. Chapter 27
41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. 45When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I’ll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”
Rebekah never sees him again as far as we know.

6. Chapter 27
46Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”
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She covers for Esau & preserves Jacob’s life through deception.

7. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. (Like Esau has)

8. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.
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Isaac must have had some idea about Esau’s rage, otherwise he likely would have sent a servant for a wife just as Abraham had done for him.
Perhaps Jacob had a desire to honor God to some degree at this point in his life, seeing that he, like Esau could have married one of the local girls. He is middle aged at this point.

9. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”
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Genesis 12:1 -3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

10. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”
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Genesis 15: 1, 5, 18-21
“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
“Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
“To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

11. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”
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Genesis 22:17-18
I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

12. The torch has officially been passed, with no deception this time.
Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”
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The torch has officially been passed, with no deception this time.
Abraham Isaac Jacob

13. Chapter 28
1So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman. 2Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.” 5Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
At least a month’s journey

14. Chapter 28
6Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,” 7and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; 9so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.
Do we need to wonder why he was passed over?
There is a continuing deep bitterness in his heart.
(God can change that.)

15. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.
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This was a dream that used the common metaphor of a “gods to earth” stairway. This does not mean that this is how angels travel. It is important to note that God communicates without needing a stairway of the gods indicating that he is not bound by location.
Note that the structure of the 10 commandments is in the common form of a treaty of that time.
Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

16. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.
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LORD ~ YHWH: “I am”, the highest name for God.
“I have a history with your family, which will now extend to you.

17. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “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. 14Your 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.
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Genesis 15: 18-21
“To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates — 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

18. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “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. 14Your 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.
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Genesis 22:17-18
I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

19. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “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. 14Your 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.
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20. Chapter 28
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “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. 14Your 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. 15I 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.”
God’s covenant requires that he do this.
Jesus: “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

21. Chapter 28
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
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Jacob is learning about God.
Pantheism is incorrect (God is separate from his creation)
Panentheism is incorrect. (God is not localized. More to learn.)
Finite godism is incorrect. (God is fully in charge)
Deism is incorrect (God is currently actively involved)

22. How often are we not aware that God is where ever we are?
Chapter 28
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
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How often are we not aware that God is where ever we are?

23. Chapter 28
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
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This is more of a full realization of who he was dealing with rather than being “scared.” “Whoa!” versus “Ahhhhhhh!”
Heaven has no earthly “gate.” His understanding of omni-presence will grow.
Reminders of God’s having blessed you are good.

24. Chapter 28
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God 22and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
God, if you keep your word, I will worship you here and show gratitude to you (through a tithe).
This sounds a little conditional he will learn over time.

25. Chapter 28
Applications:
It is never too late to seek to serve God.
If you have not started, will you?
Will we continue?

26. Chapter 28
Applications:
It is never too late to seek to serve God.
God can change the worst of hearts.
Scripture paints a very honest portrait of the patriarchs.

27. Chapter 28
Applications:
It is never too late to seek to serve God.
God can change the worst of hearts.
Will we yeild?

28. Chapter 28
Applications:
It is never too late to seek to serve God.
God can change the worst of hearts.
God is the sovereign “tweeker”.
Do any of us think that we are here by chance?

29. Chapter 28
Applications:
It is never too late to seek to serve God.
God can change the worst of hearts.
God is the sovereign “tweeker”.
We are called to participate in a 4,000 year old promise.

30. The Calvary Church