“Go,” said Jacob’s mother. “Go,” said Jacob’s father. They both loved him dearly, but Jacob’s twin brother did not love him at all. In fact, he was angry enough to kill him, so it seemed best that Jacob should go away for a while to save his life.
His brother Esau had reason to be angry. Esau was the firstborn, so he had the right to the blessing - a double share of his father’s possessions - but Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessing by selfishness and lies. Now the right to the blessing was gone, gone forever, and Esau could not get it back. The blessing was now Jacob’s.
You have a right to blessing from God too, just because you were born into the world. Satan can’t steal it from you unless you give it to him or throw it away. “God so loved the world” - that includes you, doesn’t it? God loved you so much that He gave His only Son for you, and He is telling you about it right now. Don’t throw His message away!
Jacob wanted Esau’s blessing of the double share, and he chose crooked ways to get it. But this was not necessary. God knows what to do. God is ready to give you a better blessing than you ever thought of asking for. Don’t throw it away. Jesus died for sinners like you, and He wants to give you not only forgiveness for your sins, but a home with Himself in heaven forever - a home where only God’s children are welcome to come. You know you are a sinner, so what is your answer to the Savior of sinners?
Jacob went away to find his uncle Laban, but it was a very long, tiring journey on foot. Night came, and he found a spot to lie down on the ground and used a stone under his head for a pillow. In his sleep he had a very wonderful dream.
In his dream, Jacob saw a ladder so high that it reached right up to heaven. On that ladder were angels, going up from earth to heaven and down again. Did you notice that they started at the bottom and went up? Is that a surprise? We think of angels as heavenly beings, but they must have been down on earth already. Perhaps they had been appointed by God to guard Jacob on his journey, and in his dream Jacob was allowed a glimpse of them, although they were really there all the time.
He woke up and remembered the dream, but not with joy. In fear he said, “How dreadful is this place! this is . . . the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
Why should that frighten him? Wouldn’t you like to go to heaven? The truth is this: If your sins are not forgiven, you would not be happy in heaven, and the real presence of God would be terrifying to you.
That morning Jacob tried to make a bargain with God. He promised God that if He would take care of him and bring him home again, he would give Him ten percent of his wages!
But that money would not take away his sins and bring God’s blessing. And there is nothing you can do - nothing to take away your sins - but let Jesus save you. He gave His life’s blood for you, and there is nothing more for you to do but to accept His gift. A million dollars cannot buy it. Jesus has paid the price, and you can be justified freely by His grace: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:2424Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24)). Look to Jesus right now and take His free forgiveness and thank Him for it. You may not have another chance. Don’t throw away your blessing!
I think Jacob trusted himself rather than God that day. However, he remembered his dream, and he set up his pillow-stone for a memorial before he went on his way.
Think About God’s Word!
1. What did Jacob promise to give God to receive blessing?
2. Do you try to earn someone’s love and kindness by being good? Can you do that with God? What verses support your answer?
Project: What blessings has a Christian already received? Can they be lost? Start your search in Ephesians 1.