Gen 28: Jacob sent to marry one of Laban's daughters, his obedience, and encounter with God

Jacob left his parents to go to Paddan Aram to seek Laban, as per his father's instruction. On the way there, he dreamed of a ladder reaching heaven and God blessed him. In response, he made a vow to God.

• Jacob was blessed, but immediately sent away poor. God's blessing was to be confirmed in him, yet for a season he had to endure hardship. Those who inherit the blessing must expect persecution, those who expect to find peace in Christ will first have tribulation in the world.
• v1-2: He was ordered not to marry a Canaanite. "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Co 6:14)
• v3-4: Isaac repeated God's original covenant with Abraham to Jacob. The blessing poured upon Abraham like anointing oil was to run down through the generations to the chosen seed.
• v5: Unlike his father, whose wife was brought to him by servants and camels, Jacob had to go alone, on foot, to fetch his wife. Rebekah was called Jacob's and Esau's mother: Jacob named first, because he was now his father's heir, and Esau was set aside.
• v6-9: Esau now began to see Jacob as the better man and better example. He finally saw that the Canaanite women were displeasing to his father, but it was probably too late. His attempt to rectify the situation made things worse - he married a daughter of Ishmael, the son of the concubine who was cast out of the inheritance. He was thus joining with a family which God had rejected, taking a third wife. Hence Esau became wise when it was too late, like the foolish virgins (Matt 25:11)
• v10-11: Bersheeba to Bethel in a day (forty miles!!!)
• v11: After a hard day of trekking, Jacob had stones for his pillows, with the ground for his bed, open to the weather.
• v12: In the midst of material discomfort, he had a pleasant dream where he heard the words of God and saw a vision that encouraged his spirit.
• v12-14: The stairway with angels ascending and descending represents the constant correspondence and interaction between heaven and earth. The wisdom of God, at the upper end of the ladder, directs the angels (ministering spirits) in the work of the Lord. "He then added, "I tell you the trth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."" (John 1:51). Christ is the ladder - the foot on earth His humiliation and death, the top His exaltation and glory. Climbing the ladder is the only way of getting to heaven, for Christ is the one who has reconciled things on earth and heaven.
• v15: God protects, God watches over, and God's hand is upon whom He loves.
• v16: Jacob was not expecting to meet God in that place. We sometimes meet with God when and where we least expect it.
• v17: He was in awe of God, rather than being puffed up in conceit at being given great revelation and blessing.
• v18: Do you take time out to remember the sweet communion you had with God? Or do you just move on with your life and forget the revelation and the place God spoke into your life and brought you hope?
• v20-22: Jacob made a solemn vow, gave glory to God. In it, we see Jacob's faith, him taking God at His Word and relying on it.