CSSA 1-1-11 - JACOB JOURNEYS

Language English

11. JACOB JOURNEYS

"I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of €

Aim

To show how God loved Jacob and cared for him.

Jacob's life was threatened by Esau and his parents urged him to flee from his home. So he took the long journey which Eliezer had taken many years before to seek a wife for Isaac. Jacob also went now to find a suitable wife who would help him in the Truth. Isaac had told him that he must not marry one of the women of Canaan, for they were godless just like people in the world today. Many years were to pass before he would see Isaac again. Meanwhile he lived with Laban and his family at Haran and worked hard for his living.

There many important things happened which have continued to be important to this very day, for in this time the family of Jacob became the nation of Israel.

Genesis 28:1-22; 29:1-30; 31:1-7, 24-29

THE DREAM AT BETHEL: Genesis 28:10-22

Jacob left his home in Beersheba and travelled north. As the sun set he settled down to sleep, using stones for his pillows. He was soon asleep, but as he slept, God spoke to him in a dream. In his dreams Jacob saw a ladder, or stairway, reaching from earth into heaven and angels of God were going up and down upon it and "behold, Yahweh stood above it". Again God repeated to Jacob the promise given to Abraham and Isaac that, "thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth". God said, "Behold I am with thee ... and will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of (v. 15). God was telling Jacob that He would be with him and his seed until the promises were fulfilled. Jacob woke up afraid at the wonderful vision he had seen. He called the place Bethel, saying, "this is none other but the house of God" (v. 17). When he arose in the morning he set up the stone he had used for a pillow as a pillar and poured oil on it. He promised to worship God all his life and give him a tenth of all his possessions (vv. 19-22).

JACOB'S MARRIAGE: Genesis 29:1-30

The next morning Jacob journeyed on and finally arrived outside Haran. There at a well, as he helped to water the sheep, he met Rachel and was invited to the house of her father Laban, the brother of Jacob's mother, Rebekah. Laban had two daughters, Leah, the elder, and Rachel, the younger. Rachel was beautiful, and Jacob loved her deeply. He wanted to marry her and as dowry, agreed with Laban to work seven years for her - and he did so. He loved her so much that seven years seemed to fly, but when the time came, Laban deceived him and gave him Leah for his wife instead of Rachel! Remember how Jacob had deceived his father when he lied to him and said he was Esau. Now he himself was deceived by Laban and others. God was teaching him a lesson. Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel, but such was his love for her, he willingly did so. Jacob now had two wives after doing fourteen years of hard work for Laban. Each of his wives had a handmaid, Zilpah belonging to Leah, and Bilhah to Rachel. Both of these handmaids became Jacob's wives too and mothers of his children.

Laban expected Jacob to tend the flocks and as part of the bargain, he was allowed to keep the poorer sheep and cattle. But God blessed Jacob "and the man increased exceedingly and had much cattle and maidservants and menservants, camels and asses". During these years Jacob had 11 sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Joseph. He also had one daughter named Dinah. Benjamin, his youngest son was not born until later. Altogether Jacob had 12 sons who became the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel. Learn their names off by heart.

JACOB LEAVES LABAN: Genesis 31:1-7, 24-29

Eventually, Laban's sons became jealous of Jacob and God spoke to him: "Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee" (v. 3). While Laban was away shearing his sheep, Jacob packed his camels and set out with his wives and sons. Three days later Laban found that he had gone and set out to follow him.

A week later, while Laban journeyed, God spoke to him in a dream by night and warned him to be careful how he spoke to Jacob. So when Laban found Jacob he did not harm him, but after talking the matter over, they made a solemn covenant together. Laban blessed his daughters and their sons (vv. 54-55) and allowed them to continue their journey back to the land of Canaan to the place where Isaac lived.

JACOB PREPARES TO MEET ESAU: Genesis 32

Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, because of what had happened many years earlier. Now he prepared to meet him again. He knew God's help was needed and he cried to God: "Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, and the mother with the children" (v. 11). He sent ahead of him cattle and goods as gifts for Esau, to stop any anger Esau might still have for him. Then that night he arose and sent his wives and children across the River Jabbok for safety and he remained there alone.

JACOB WRESTLES WITH AN ANGEL: Genesis 32:24-32

Jacob "was left alone and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (v. 24). This was an angel and the record tells of a great struggle between them until the angel smote Jacob's thigh, putting it out of joint and making him limp. The angel wanted him to let go, but he would not, saying, "I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me". The angel then said, "What is thy name?" Jacob answered, "My name is Jacob" (meaning Heel-tripper, or Supplanter) (v, 27). The angel then told him that his name would be changed from Jacob to Israel which means 'a prince with God' and he blessed him there.

JACOB MEETS ESAU: Genesis 33:1-11

In the morning he joined his family on the other side of the River Jabbok and went on to meet Esau. When Jacob saw that Esau had 400 men with him, he placed his family behind him for safety and bowed to his brother seven times. Contrary to what Jacob expected, it was a joyful meeting. Esau ran forward and hugged and kissed his brother and they both wept. Esau was very rich and did not need the presents sent by Jacob, but he accepted them graciously and they became at peace with one another. God protected Jacob and his family and as time went on they became the very large nation of Israel through whom the promises would be fulfilled. Let us remember that God cares for us as He did for Jacob provided we show our love for Him in return.

LESSON FOR US

We often get back in life what we give. Jacob deceived his father about the blessing, pretending he was someone else. As he had deceived his father Isaac, so Laban deceived him in the matter of Leah. But as troubles came upon Jacob, he learned the great lesson that only God can deliver us from the difficulties of life - Someone who cannot be seen, but who is always there ready to listen and help. In all his years of toil and travel Jacob grew older and wiser. He recognised God as his only hope. He learned to talk to God in prayer and to find that each new trouble in his life taught him yet another lesson. We can learn the same lessons that God taught Jacob if we listen to Him and learn to do what is right. Truth, honesty, patience and trust in God will please the Father and He will help us in time of trouble.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

The ladder, or staircase, that Jacob saw in his vision was a ladder of time. It reached from Jacob's time until the time when his promised seed, the Lord Jesus Christ, will rule over God's Kingdom, and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will have inherited the promises. During all that long time God's angels have watched over Jacob and his children, "the children of Israel". The angels are God's messengers who guide and guard His children all their lives (see Psa. 34:7). Jacob was very conscious of the angels working in his life (see Gen. 48:16) and, as we learned in this lesson, he even wrestled with an angel because he wanted him to stay and bless him.

We cannot see angels but they do watch over us, so long as we walk in the Truth. They are God's "ministers" or servants on behalf of all those who are "the heirs of salvation" (Heb. 1:14). If we continue to study God's Word and try to obey His commands*, His angels will preserve us so that we may share the promised blessing with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers