Exploring the Scripture
The scripture text tells the story of Jacob, who must leave his home and family as a refugee, fleeing for his life toward an uncertain future. He is in this predicament because of his bad motive in stealing his brother Esau’s blessing from their father, Isaac. Esau is angry and vows to kill Jacob. On his journey, he encounters God and God’s blessing on him, his family, and future generations.
Before he leaves, his father gives Jacob a blessing. This parting blessing advises him to go to Paddan-aram and take as a wife of one of Laban’s daughters. Isaac gives him a blessing that was also given to his father (Isaac) and grandfather (Abraham). Isaac tells Jacob that God would bless him, make him fruitful and many, and that his descendants would possess many lands (Genesis 28:1–3).
On his journey, he stops for the night at an unexpected place and has a dream that changes his life. In his dream, he sees a stairway that reaches from Earth to heaven with angels climbing and descending. The Lord stands beside him and says, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac” (v. 13). God then blesses him and his descendants. As Jacob awakes, he says, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” (v. 16). He then takes the stone that he used a pillow and makes a pillar. He pours oil on it and calls the place Bethel—house of God. In so doing he names what will become the northern kingdom of Israel’s major shrine of Bethel.
This story shows God wants to bless us despite where we find ourselves; regardless of our bad decisions. We can encounter God in the middle of our most desperate times. In Jacob’s darkest moment, when fleeing for his life, God comes and stands with him. He is assured that God will be with him and bless him on his uncertain journey.
This message is powerful for us today. God wants to pour blessings on us. We are always worthy of an encounter with God and to receive a blessing. In our lowest points of life, God is with us. God wants to engage with us—sometimes disrupting our lives—and help us get to a better place.
Faith Unfiltered Podcast
Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.
Central Ideas
- God is always seeking ways for us to encounter the Divine Presence.
- We may have made some bad choices that put us in a difficult place, but God wants to have a relationship with us.
- We are worthy of God’s presence and blessing. God is standing with us.
- When our future is uncertain, God wants to bless us.
Questions to Consider
- Why does God want to have such a relationship with us?
- Who in your congregation and neighborhood does God want to stand with and bless?
- Where is your holy place where you know that “surely the Lord is in this place”?
- Where is your holy place that you are invited to experience and say, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it” (Genesis 28:16)?