Bible Commentaries

Dreams

Genesis 28:10-22

Dean Stanley tells us a story of a girl whose grandfather, not believing in the existence of God, had written above his bed, "God is nowhere". But the child was only learning to read. Words of more than one syllable were yet beyond her, so she spelled out in her own way what her grandfather had written, and it read for her "God is now here". It was the great lesson that Jacob learned at Bethel.

References.—XXVIII:10-22.—A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture— Genesis 28:12

The vision of Jacob's ladder is God's response to two universal longings of the human heart—a craving for a Genesis 28:12; Genesis 32:1

Wellnigh twenty years had passed away since Jacob had had his vision at Bethel. They had been years of hard and constant labour; they had been years of remarkable prosperity. No longer was Jacob an empty-handed fugitive, leaving his home for an uncertain future. God had been with him, and had advanced him wonderfully, and had blessed him in his basket and his store. And now he was a rich and prosperous Genesis 28:12

The Bible asks us to believe that God did occasionally reveal Himself through the vehicle of dreams. Of course it does not follow from this that God must continue for an indefinite period of time such a method of communication with the spirit of man. Many of the dreams recorded in the Scriptures were vouchsafed to individuals outside the covenant made with Israel, and with regard to the rest it may be remarked that they belong to a very early age when the knowledge of God was scanty and ill-defined.

I. While some of the Bible dreams sound the note of warning, others, including Jacob's at Bethel, are harbingers of blessing. An exile from home, he was not an exile from heaven; for in his sleep he saw the world that is not seen.

II. Hazlitt said: "In Jacob's day there was a ladder between heaven and earth, but now the heavens have gone further off, and become astronomical". But that is only true in the minds of those who have misunderstood the nature of God. There is no dethronement of man by any theory of astronomy, for he is neither less nor more man than he was before; he is still the creature of God's love.

—W. Taylor, Twelve Favourite Hymns, p46.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's ladder, set up on earth, and reaching to heaven; what does it typify or represent but that new way of approach to God which is opened to us in Jesus Christ?

I. The fact that it is Jacob's ladder, that so early as his time God gave notice of a Mediator increases our reverence and admiration for His goodness. It shows how far back in God's counsels the great plan of man's redemption was prepared.

II. Like Jacob we sometimes in our judgment may light upon a solitary place. We must draw near to God, trusting to nothing but the merits and intercession of His dear son. "He is the way."

III. The particular promise that God made to Jacob. He renewed the covenant that He had made with Abraham, and promised that from him should spring the Messiah.

IV. The effect of this remarkable dream on Jacob. When he awakened his soul was filled with awe. It were well if something of this reverent spirit were to be found among worshippers.

—R. D. B. Rawnsley, Village Sermons, Series iii. p58.

References.—XXVIII:12.—J. W. Bardsley, Many Mansions, p; 20. F. Corbett, The Preacher's Year, p149. Bishop Woodford, Occasional Sermons, p242. J. B. Vaux, Sermon Notes (2Series), p66. XXVIII:13.—G. Matheson, The Scottish Review, vol. iii. p49. XXVIII:15.—H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit, No1921. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxvii. No1630. XXVIII:16.—J. B. Lightfoot, Cambridge Sermons, p300. J. Aspinall, Parish Sermons (1Series), p269. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. vii. No401.

Jacob At Bethel

Genesis 28:17

Jacob had his Bethel, and it came to him just at the moment when we should least have expected it, just at the time when he was smarting under the sense of his own sin, and loneliness, and outlawry. The King of Love Himself appears to him, and says: "I will go with thee wherever thou goest". Man's extremity is God's opportunity.

I. What makes our Bethel? Is it not the sense of God's nearness to us and our need of Him? The churches would all be full if the people felt their need of God, for this is God's house, and we want it to be the gate of heaven. Now, and here in God's house; we may look up into heaven and see there our Saviour, Who loves us with an everlasting love, and round about Him those whom we have "loved and lost awhile".

II. Before we leave Jacob, let us look at bis beautiful prayer to God, in which he vows a vow of obedience. This is the use of all Bethels—that as God speaks to us we may make our vows back to Him. Church and churchgoing will do us no good unless we hear God speaking to us in the reading of His Word, and in the preaching, and in the prayers, and in the music, and unless, having heard God's Voice, we do our part and answer back and make our vows that God shall be our God. Will you do this, will you rejoice before God with this blessed vow of Jacob"s, "The Lord shall be my God"? Oh, it will help you so all through your life. This is the house of God; we desire that it should be the gate of heaven. You see sometimes little children pointing upwards, but the Book says that heaven is where God Genesis 28:22

Jacob's vow has been the preacher's theme in every age, yet its teaching for the Christian Church has never been more greatly needed than it is today. Permit me, therefore, to put before you a few thoughts on giving to God as suggested by our text.

I. How we can Give to God.—God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, requires us to give to Him in return.

(a) We give to Him when we give to those whom He has left, or made, poor in worldly substance.—The widow, fatherless, unfortunate, incapable, even those who by sin and prodigality have brought themselves to want. As the father leaves little patches in his garden, and says to his children, "I leave you to cultivate these; those are your little gardens," so does our Heavenly Father leave, in those poor and needy ones, patches in His great garden for us to dress and keep; and he that "giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord".

(b) We give to him when we promote the great purposes which He has at heart.—An earnest man is so bound up with his purposes and work that they are, as it were, but a larger self. We speak of men "embarking" in enterprises—going into them as the pilot into his ship. The wind that wafts the ship on carries him upon his way. Christ is steering the ship of this world's destinies and those of individual souls to the shore of safety and purity and bliss, and to help to fill its sails is to waft on Christ Himself on His triumphal way. Give to promote Christ's cause on the earth, and you are giving to God.

II. The Motive Power.—All motive power which constrains men to give to God is from God Himself.

1. A recognition of dependence upon God.—"All that Thou shalt give me." "What hast thou that thou hast not received?" Tenants of God, we owe Him our rent of cheerful giving.

2. Gratitude to God.—"All that Thou shalt give me." How generous is that "all". "We are always giving, giving," said one. "Not quite that," was the reply, "but we are always getting, getting." He gives life and friends; He gave His Son; He giveth the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits?"

3. Imitation of God.—As He gives let us give. Be the children of your Father, Who maketh His sun to shine and His rain to fall on the just and unjust.

4. Response to God.—"Of all that Thou shalt give I shall give." God's giving to us is the seed which He sows in our hearts and lives, to bring forth from them the fair harvest of kindliness, beneficence, helpfulness. What could He do for His vineyard that He has not done? Surely a "tenth" is but a small return for such bountiful sowing.

III. Practical Rules for Giving.—

1. Seize special times of blessing for devising liberal things for God.—It was just after Jacob had his wonderful and comforting vision that he made this vow. As the swift current of the stream tells of the height of the mountains in which it took its rise, so if we seize the time of signal blessing from God for opening a fresh spring of devotedness and beneficence, its bountiful and eager flow will be preserved far into the tame plains of our ordinary life.

2. Lay your plans and adapt your expenditure for giving.—"I shall surely give." Out of my abundance, if I have it; out of my poverty, if that is my lot. As the ancient Greeks spilt a little wine from the cup before tasting it, as a libation to the gods, so let us provide first for God. The firstfruits. I may want pictures, books, delicacies, fine clothes, travel, sight-seeing, even ordinary comfort, but "I shall surely give". If you have no other luxury, make sure of the luxury of doing good.

3. Bring system to your aid in giving.—Not to check your generous impulses; but still, as the groundwork, there should be system. System as the measure, which, after filling, the heart is free to shake and press together, and make to run over.