Genesis 28:10-22

CRITICAL NOTES.—

Genesis 28:11. And he lighted upon a certain place.] “The term means he fell upon the place, as the providential stopping-place incidentally coming upon it, or coming up to it, as the lodging place for the night. This place was about forty-eight miles from Beersheba, and eight miles north of Jerusalem, near the town of Bethel, and is defined as the place from its being so well known in the history.” (Jacobus.)—

Genesis 28:12. A ladder.] “Whether it was the vision of a common ladder or flight of steps, or whether, as some suppose, it was a pile of mountain terraces, matters little. The flight of steps hewn in the rocky sides of the mountain near Tyre, on the edge of the Mediterranean, is called “the ladder of Tyre.” (Jacobus.)—

Genesis 28:17. How dreadful is this place!] Heb. “Awe-inspiring, commonly rendered fearful or terrible.” (Jacobus.)—

Genesis 28:18. Took the stone.] A collective singular for “stones,” as it appears from Genesis 28:11 that there was more than one of them. Poured oil upon the top of it.] This was an act of consecration to God.—

Genesis 28:19. And he called the name of that place Beth-el.] This name means the house of God, and was not now for the first time given. Abraham also worshipped God here, and found that the place already bore this name. (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3; Genesis 25:30.) But the name of that city was called Luz at the first. “The city in the immediate neighbourhood was, at the time, called Luz. The descendants of the patriarchs transferred the name of Bethel to that city. The Canaanites, not caring for this, continued to call it Luz, which was retained till Joshua occupied the land. Bethel, the holy place, is distinguished from Luz, the city. (Kurtz).—

Genesis 28:20. If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to pat on.] “This is not making any condition with God, for this is only a recital of the promise, and is more properly rendered since—inasmuch as. It expresses no doubt or contingency. ‘I, if I be lifted up,’ means ‘as surely as I shall be lifted up.’ And so here—as surely as God will be with me (has promised to be).” (Jacobus.)—

Genesis 28:21. Then shall the Lord be my God.] “And (so surely as) he shall be my God, my covenant God—the same as He has been to Abraham and Isaac, so shall this stone.” (Hengstenberg.)—

Genesis 28:22. God’s house. “A place sacred to the memory of God’s presence—as a place where He manifested Himself. The apostle calls ‘the Church the pillar and ground of the truth,’ alluding to this passage.” (1 Timothy 3:14.) (Jacobus.)—

Genesis 28:22. I will surely give the tenth unto thee.] After the example of Abraham. (Genesis 14:20.) The number ten, being the last of the cardinal numbers, expresses the idea of perfection.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 28:10

JACOB’S VISION

I. It was vouchsafed to him in a time of inward and outward trouble. The sense of his sin is now lying hard upon Jacob. He had been guilty of deceit, had incurred the anger of his brother, and disturbed the peace of his father’s household. He had claimed his title to the blessing in a self-righteous frame of mind, and gained admission for that claim by unrighteous means. As long as he is supported by his mother’s sympathy and by the excitement of success, he feels but little sense of shame and sorrow. But this is the time with him of outward trouble; and the thought of his sin is forced upon him, and he has also inward trouble. He who had never left his father’s house before, for whom everything was provided, now becomes a wanderer. He is left all alone on an untried journey. He set out in the sunshine, and as he was young and vigorous he could keep his spirits from sinking under despondency. But now night comes on. He has no tent, no pillow. He is alone with himself, all seems desolate around him, and he is like one forsaken. A sense of sin rests upon his soul, and a vague dread of unknown terrors. It was thus when everything in life seemed against him that this vision was vouchsafed.

II. It satisfied all his necessities. I. His spiritual necessities.

(1) It assured him that heaven and earth were not separated by an impassable gulf. Sin has created a distance between God and man. Men feel this when they think at all upon the subject. They think upon the righteous character, and sadly feel that they are not so with God. Jacob felt now that he had sinned, the heavens seemed to him as brass—no opening there, no voice or sign from God above. He himself was oppressed by a sense of sin, and dared not look up. Then it was that this dream assured him that there was no necessity for despair, that heaven and earth, the sinner’s soul and God could yet be brought near together.

(2) It assured him that there was a way of reconciliation between God and man. The gulf was bridged over. There was a way of communication between heaven and earth, in both directions, so that the love of heaven was sent down and the answer of the human heart was returned. Not only was the way to heaven opened, but it proved to be a well-trodden path. Messengers of mercy were descending from the highest heaven, and thankful prayers and praises were ascending thither.

3. It assured him that the love of God was above all the darkness of human sin and evil. God was at the top of this ladder (Genesis 28:13). The Lord above, and the object of His mercy beneath, and a way of communication opened up between both. Thus God is the author of salvation, and we are accepted through a Mediator.

4. It imparted to him the blessings of a revelation from God. The Lord spake to Jacob, renewing the old promises made to his father Abraham, and assuring him that he would have protection to the end (Genesis 28:13). It is revelation when God speaks to man. We cannot know the mind and purpose of God concerning us unless He thus declares Himself. Good things might have been prepared for us through the mercy of God, and yet we might have been unaware of them until He was pleased to make them known. There are those who say that we can have no revelation from heaven. But can we deny to God the right to speak and declare Himself—a right which we willingly concede to all His intelligent creatures? We are not left to draw rational, and too often precarious, inferences from the known dealings of God; but we have the advantage of a distinct declaration of His mind. We Christians have heard the voice of God through His word. We have heard His exceeding great and precious promises. We have a “ladder”—a way of reconciliation to God through Christ, who unites the human with the divine. Through and by Him we have access to the Father. Our prayers have free course to ascend to heaven, and the Holy Spirit descends into our hearts to inspire them. In the incarnation, God is no longer at the head of the ladder but at the foot, brought quite near to us, seeing that we have “God manifest in the flesh.”

III. It revealed the awful solemnity of human life. When Jacob awaked out of his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16.) Things that were regarded hitherto as common are now invested with an awful interest and significance, and are felt to be pervaded by a Divine presence. Such is human life when God awakens us to a sense of the reality of things. We may pass through this life quite thoughtlessly, but when we begin to think seriously, then life becomes solemn. Mystery lies on all sides of us. Whence are we? Whither do we tend? This life of ours is touched, overshadowed, and informed by a higher life. When God opens the eye of our soul, we need not travel far to some holy shrine to draw near before Him; for we are already in His house, and at the very gate of heaven. When this dream of life is over, we shall waken up to the true reality of things.

IV. It resulted in Jacob’s conversion. Jacob before this time was a worldly man. He was of the earth, earthy. Now his character is changed, not only outwardly, but inwardly. He becomes a spiritual man. All things are now seen in a new light. To know the realities of God, not from tradition, or as the fruit of speculation, but from a heartfelt and true knowledge, is the conversion of our soul. Balaam felt that Israel was a righteous nation, and that Jacob was a righteous man, when he said, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.” “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.” (Numbers 23:10.) This vision is Jacob’s conversion, and his conduct afterwards gives evidence of that great change.

1. He erected a memorial of the event. He marked the spot, so that he might ever be reminded of that solemn night. Thus the impressions of the whole scene would be fixed deep in his mind for ever. The value of forms lie in the fact that they give us something material to rest upon. Where God has revealed himself to us is our holy place, our Bethel.

2. He resolved to make God supreme in all his thoughts and actions. “Then shall the Lord be my God.” (Genesis 28:21.) Henceforward he would not worship honour, pleasure, or the world. He would respect all the rights of God, and make a full surrender of himself and of his worldly substance. (Genesis 28:22.) He is now altogether a devoted man; being no longer his own, but belonging to God. To have the Lord for our God is something more than an impression or a saying. It is the doing of His will. Knowledge and feeling are converted into action.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Genesis 28:10. Jacob’s departure from his father’s house formed a striking contrast with the pompous mission which had been sent to the same country when a wife was to be procured for Isaac. Without a servant to attend him, or a beast to carry him, being provided only with “a staff” to walk with (as he afterwards informs us), he pursues his solitary way. (Genesis 32:10.) We here behold the heir of the promise, the chosen servant of God, in whose loins were an elect people, and many powerful kings, whose history was to occupy so large a space in the book of God; in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed; a forlorn wanderer, banished from his father’s house, his whole inheritance his staff in his hand. But the sequel informs us that in the midst of this scene of outer and inner darkness God was graciously preparing a message of peace and joy for His exiled servant.—(Bush.)

Genesis 28:11. He lighted upon a certain place, little thinking to have found heaven there. Let this comfort travellers and friends that part with them. Jacob never lay better than when he lay without-doors; nor yet slept sweeter than when he laid his head upon a stone.” (Trapp.)

Jacob, in this wretched condition on his journey, is a symbol of the Messiah. Christ had not where to lay his head. (Lange.)

A solemn conviction is stealing over Jacob of what life is, a struggle which each man must make in self dependence. He is fairly afloat like a young swimmer, without corks, striking out for his life; dependant on self for defence, guidance, choice. Childhood is a state of dependence; but man passes from the state of dependence into that in which he must stand alone. It is a solemn crisis, because the way in which it is met often decides the character of the future life.—(Robertson.)

Probably Jacob found the gates of the city shut upon his arrival, and was obliged to spend the night in the open air. In the time of their darkest calamity God comes to the aid of His servants.
Perhaps the declining sun never withdrew its light from one more deep in gloom than Jacob when he paused at Luz. The canopy of heaven was his only roof—the bare earth his couch—the rugged stone his pillow. Instead of a tender mother’s tender care, he had hardness in its hardest form. The Lord, whose love is wisdom, and whose wisdom is love, leads His children into depths for their good; but leaves them not in depths to their hurt. It was so with Jacob. It will be so, while saints on earth need to be brought low, that they may more securely rise. (“Christ is All,” by Archdeacon Law.)

Genesis 28:12. God made a direct communication to his soul. “He lay down to sleep, and he dreamed.” We know what dreams are. They are strange combinations of our waking thoughts in fanciful forms, and we may trace in Jacob’s previous journey the groundwork of his dream. He looked up all day to heaven as he trudged along, the glorious expanse of an Oriental sky was around him, a quivering, trembling, mass of blue; but he was alone, and, when the stars came out, melancholy sensations were his, such as youth frequently feels in the autumn time. Deep questionings beset him. Time he felt was fleeting. Eternity, what was it? Life, what a mystery! And all this took form in his dream. Thus far, all was natural; the supernatural in this dream was the manner in which God impressed it upon his heart. Similar dreams we have often had; but the remembrance of them has often faded away. Conversion is the impression made by circumstances, and that impression lasting for life; it is God the Spirit’s work upon the soul.—(Robertson).

Our Saviour applies these words to Himself, the true ladder of life, through whom alone we are able to ascend to heaven (John 1:51). He that will go up any other way must, as the emperor once said, erect a ladder and go up alone. He touched heaven, in respect to His Deity; earth in respect of His humanity; and joined earth to heaven, by reconciling man to God. Gregory speaks elegantly of Christ, that he joined heaven and earth together, as with a bridge; being the only true Pontifex, or bridge-maker. Heaven is now open and obvious to them that acknowledge Him their sole Mediator, and lay hold, by the hand of faith, on His merits, as the rounds of this heavenly ladder. These only ascend; that is, their consciences are drawn out of the depths of despair, and put into heaven, as it were, by pardon and peace with God, rest sweetly in His bosom, calling Him Abba, Father, and have the holy angels ascending to report their necessities, and descending, as messengers of mercies. We must also ascend, saith St. Bernard, by those two feet, as it were—meditation and prayer: yea, there must be continual ascensions in our hearts; and as Jacob saw the angels ascending and descending, and none standing still, so must we be active and abundant in God’s work (1 Corinthians 15:58).—(Trapp.)

As connecting earth and heaven it was a striking image of mediation and reconciliation by Him who is the Way. This is the New Testament explanation of it (John 1:51). The idea plainly is of communication opened with heaven, which had been cut off by sin. And the immediate application of it is the providential care which is secured to him by the covenant. Angelic messengers traversing this stairway executing the gracious purposes of Redemption (Hebrews 1:14), and all on the basis of the mediation of Christ, the Angel of the Covenant—this is the traveller’s vision.—(Jacobus.)

Genesis 28:13. God stands above the methods and means of Providence and Grace. The Divine love is the fountain of Redemption.

The heavenly ladder seen by Jacob in a dream, on which angels were ascending and descending, with the Lord himself at the summit, was itself but the weak intimation of a closer union between earth and heaven to be effected in the person of the Son of Man—an union wherein God should no longer appear far off, but near; men now at last beholding the “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”—(Trench.)

By this promise Jacob is secured beyond the reach of his brother’s wrath.
It is remarkable that Abraham is styled his father, that is, his actual grandfather, and covenant father.—(Murphy.)

From Jacob’s ladder we receive the first definite intimation that beyond Sheol, heaven is the home of man.—(Lange.)

What an honour is this to Abraham, that God was not ashamed to be called his and his son’s God! “Friend to Sir Philip Sidney,” is engraven upon a nobleman’s tomb in this kingdom, as one of his titles. Behold the goodness of God, stooping so low as to style Himself “the God of Abraham;” and Abraham again, “the friend of God.”—(Trapp.)

It is enough for us to be assured that God will be the same to us as He has been to our fathers, and that He will perform the same for us. By faith we become heirs of an ancient heritage, which is secure to us as an eternal possession—as long as God is our God.

Genesis 28:14. This expression points to the world-wide universality of the kingdom of the seed of Abraham, when it shall become the fifth monarchy, that shall subdue all that went before, and endure for ever. This transcends the destiny of the natural seed of Abraham.—(Murphy.)

Against his four-fold cross, here is a four-fold comfort.

1. Against the loss of his friends, “I will be with thee.”
2. Of his country, “I will give thee this land.”
3. Against his poverty, “Thou shalt spread abroad to the east, west,” etc.

4. His solitariness; angels shall attend thee, and “thy seed shall be as the dust,” etc. And “who can count the dust of Jacob,” saith Balaam. (Numbers 23:10.) Now, whatsoever God spake here with Jacob, He spake with us, as well as with him, saith Hosea. (Hosea 12:4.—(Trapp.)

Genesis 28:15. He then promises to Jacob personally to be with him, protect him, and bring him back in safety. This is the third announcement of the seed that blesses to the third in the line of descent. (Genesis 12:2; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 26:4.—(Murphy.)

Jacob was lonely, on an untried journey, with an uncertain fate before him. What could have been more comforting and assuring than this promise of protection in his travels, a safe return home, and success in his mission; and all because he was heir of the covenant? Thus God’s promises, while they are all-embracing, are suited to our special need.
Esau’s blessing was soon fulfilled; but Jacob’s related to things at a great distance, and which none but “God Almighty” could bring to pass. How seasonable then were those precious promises which furnished at his outset a ground for faith to rest upon!—(Fuller.)

Genesis 28:16. He who had felt no fear in laying himself down to sleep in a lonely place, and under the cloud of night, is now filled with a holy dismay when the morning arose at the thought of being surrounded with God. But the element of joy was not extinguished by the feeling of the awful which the scene had inspired. The Lord had been specially present to him where he little thought of meeting with Him. He had laid him down to sleep, as on common ground, but he found that it was a consecrated place, hallowed by the presence of God Himself in this blessed vision of the night. It seemed a lone and uninviting spot, but it proved to him a magnificent temple.—(Bush.)

He knew His omnipresence. But he did not expect a special manifestation of the Lord in this place, far from the sanctuaries of his father.—(Murphy.)

The commonest things of life become sacred if we only think deeply about them.
We do not really discover God anywhere, not even in His Word, unless He reveals Himself inwardly to our souls. Then do we truly know that God was there, though we knew it not.
Every fresh revelation of God obliges us to confess our ignorance and inattention in the past.

Genesis 28:17. This was the place where God manifested Himself as He was wont to do in the sanctuary.

In whatever place the soul of man feels the presence and power of God, there is the House of God.

The place of God’s public worship is a place of angels and archangels, saith Chrysostom; it is the Kingdom of God; it is very heaven. What wonder, then, though Jacob be afraid, albeit, he saw nothing but visions of love and mercy. “In Thy fear will I worship toward Thy holy temple,” saith David (Psalms 5:7).—(Trapp.)

The last impression made upon Jacob was that of the awfulness of life. Children play away life. It is a touching and softening thing to see the child, without an aim or thought, playing away his young moments; but it is sad indeed to see men and women do this, for life is a solemn mystery, full of questions that we cannot answer. Whence come we? Whither go we? How came we here? Say you that life is short, that it is a shadow, a dream, a vapour, a puff of air? Yes, it is short, but has an eternity wrapped up in it; it is a dream, but an awful, and appalling one, the most solemn dream of eternity that we shall ever have. Remember this is the gate of heaven, this is a dreadful place, the common is the Divine; God is here.—(Robertson.)

Earth is a court of Paradise; life, here below, is a short pilgrimage; our home is above, and the life of a blessed eternity illuminates our path.—(Krummacher.)

Where God’s Word is found, there is a house of God. There heaven stands open.—(Lange.)

We must daily wait at the gate of heaven if we would enter there.

Genesis 28:18. He was in no condition to indulge in sleep. He must be up and expressing the homage of his soul for such precious, gracious revelations.—(Jacobus.)

He set up a memorial of the impressions just made upon him. He erected a few stones, and called them Bethel. They were a fixed point to remind him of the past. The power of this Bethel we shall see in the 35th chap. Herein is the value of forms; impressions, feelings, will pass away unless we have some memorial. If we were merely spiritual beings then we might do without forms; but we are still mixed up with matter, and unless we have a form the spirit will die. Resolve then, like Jacob, to keep religion in mind by the use of religious rites. Church-going, the keeping of the Sabbath, are not religion; but religion hardly lives without them. If a man will say, I can read the Bible at home, think of Christ without attending the Holy Communion, make every day a Sabbath, why his religion will die out with his omission of the form.—(Robertson.)

As Jacob was not induced to set up this stone and worship at it by any superstition or idolatry, so the papists gain nothing in deriving their image—worship from this act; although we read in Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 7:5; Deuteronomy 12:3, that God has expressly prohibited these things.—(Lange.)

Genesis 28:19. This place was long regarded with religious veneration, as we may infer from Jereboam’s having chosen it for the seat of his idolatrous worship of the golden calves (1 Kings 12:28; 1 Kings 12:23), for which reason the prophet Hosea, (Hosea 4:15) alluding to the name given it by Jacob, calls it, Beth-aven, “the house of vanity”—i.e., of idols—instead of Beth-el, “house of God.” In like manner, (Amos 5:5): “Bethel shall shall come to naught.” (Heb. shall be Aven). A good name has no security of permanence where a change for the worse has taken place in the character. God even writes upon His own people, Lo-Ammi, “not my people,” instead of Ammi, “my people,” when by their transgression they forfeit His favour.—(Bush.)

Genesis 28:20. It must not be understood from his conditional mode of expression that he had any doubt as to the fulfilment of the Divine promise, or that he would prescribe terms to his Maker. The language implies nothing more than his taking God at His word—a sincere avowal, that since the Lord had promised him the bestowment of inestimable blessings, he would endeavour not to be wanting in the suitable returns of duty and devotedness. God had promised to be with him, to keep him, to bring him again into the land, and not to leave him. He takes up the precious words, and virtually says, “Oh, let it be according to Thy word unto Thy servant, and Thou shalt be mine, and I will be Thine for ever.” This was all right; for Jacob sought nothing which God had not promised, and he could not well err while making the Divine promises the rule and measure of his desires.—(Bush.)

The order of what he desired is deserving of notice. It corresponds with our Saviour’s rule, to seek things of the greatest importance first. By how much God’s favour is better than life, by so much His being with us, and keeping us is better than food and raiment.—(Fuller.)

The desires of Jacob were moderate. He only asks for the bare necessaries of life. He seeks not high things for himself—no wealth, or rank, or luxury. We know from the case of Solomon that such modest desires are approved by God, who is wont to fulfil them even beyond what we have asked. (1 Kings 3:5.)

Nature is content with little; grace with less. “Food and drink are the riches of Christians,” saith Jerome. Bread and water, with the Gospel, are good cheer. One told a philosopher, “If you will be content to please Dionysius, you need not feed upon green herbs. He replied, “And if you be content to feed upon green herbs, you need not please Dionysius.”—(Trapp.)

Genesis 28:21. This is not the condition in which Jacob will accept God in a mercenary spirit. It is the response of the son to the assurance of the father. “Wilt Thou indeed be with me? Thou shalt be my God.”—(Murphy.)

There is clear evidence that Jacob was now a child of God. He takes God to be his God in covenant, with whom he will live. But what progress there is between Bethel and Peniel. Grace reigns within him, but not without a conflict. The powers and tendencies of evil are still at work. He yields too readily to their urgent solicitations. Still, grace and the principles of the renewed man gain a stronger hold, and become more and more controlling. Under the loving but faithful discipline of God, he is gaining in his faith, until, in the great crisis of his life, Mahanaim and Peniel, and the new revelations then given to him, it receives a large and sudden increase. He is thenceforward trusting, serene, and established, strengthened and settled, and passes into the quiet life of the triumphant believer.—(Lange.)