JACOB SETS UP A SACRED PILLAR
LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE:
GENESIS 28 : 10-22
Key Verse
“So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had placed as a support for his head and set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on its top. Then he named that place Bethel”.
Genesis 28: 18-19
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes we do not understand the Plan of God for our lives even though it has been told to us by our family. Sometimes we get so accustomed to our way of life that we forget our responsibilities to God, and to our parents, and siblings. But sometimes our responsibilities to God clash with our limited understanding of what God wants from us. When we are even a little bit outside of the path that God wants us to be on we know that we will have some painful experiences.
But despite that we know the promise of God that He will always be with us. His presence means a lot for sometimes the world seems like a frightening place, and things confront us that are not pleasant. It is very important for us to remember the verse in the Bible which states that sometimes when stress comes we do not know what to pray for. But there is a great hope:
“ And we know that all these things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”.
We are studying the experience of Jacob the son of Isaac who was the son of Abraham. God had promised this special son to him and Sarah. Through this son blessings would come to all nations. Jacob was in the family line that God promised would give birth to the Messiah who would come to bless and save all nations of the earth. Jacob knew he was descended from Abraham and that the many blessings promised to the specially named descendants of Abraham connected him to Abraham’s promises, but he did not take everything connected to this position seriously. So he behaved very badly like a crook and took over the position of blessing from his elder brother Esau by trickery. That trickery was not necessary but it got Esau so furious that he threatened to kill Jacob when their father died. So Jacob’s father told Jacob to go to some family members in the town of Haran to get a wife and to stay away from Esau until Esau’s temper cooled down. Jacob had to run away for his life and all alone, frightened, and despondent and full of shame for what he had done, he fell asleep near a town called Luz. There he had a frightening experience and had a dream that frightened him.
He dreamed there was a big wide stairway connecting heaven and earth. It had angels going up and down. They were doing the work of God on earth, and they were reporting to God. They received instructions from God as to what to do on earth. The Bible tells us that angels are “ministering spirit” sent by God to take care of the people on earth that belong to God.
The fabulous scene shook up Jacob and he declared that this place was awesome. He was afraid. He knew however when Jesus appeared to him in the dream and repeated the terms of the covenant that God had made with Abraham his grandfather and Isaac his father that God was watching over him. God would protect him wherever he went and would bring him back to his home safely.
So the encouraged Jacob knew God would bless him. He would have wives and children. He would have a land for himself and his children. God was powerful and in complete control of everything and that God would make him a success everywhere he went. Jacob used a stone that he had been using as a pillow and set up an altar to God and poured oil on it as an act of worship. He renamed the city called Luz where he has slept as Bethel which meant the house of God.
Jacob was now certain God would always be with him and would keep watch over him, give him food and clothes and take him home eventually. You are a child of God and God has set up a covenant with you. You do not need to fear. The blessings of God will be with you even when you make a mistake. But God wants you to know He is your God and you have to remain committed to Him. You should follow the path He has set out for you fully confident that like Jacob you have set up a worship place for God in your heart. That means you are to listen to the Holy Spirit who is always speaking to you.