Title I Want This Place to Be Bethel
Contents
I want this to be Bethel
Genesis 28:10-22
The protagonist of today's sermon is Jacob. Jacob was forced to leave the house because his brother Esau had taken away the blessing of his firstborn son. With the blessing of his father Isaac, he left the house and headed for Haran. On the road to Haran, the sun goes down and Jacob sleeps on the road.
1. The Lord's Promise from a Foreign Land
He spent the night in a foreign land and became homeless. Verse 11, when he came to a place, he took a stone and made it a pillow, and lay down there and slept.
Jacob had a dream while lodging on the road. He is reminded of God's promises in his dream. The dream is as follows.
First, as in verse 13, the God of Abraham and Isaac will give you and your descendants the land on which you lie. That is, the promise of the land of Canaan.
Second, as in verse 14, it is a promise to descendants. This blessing also continues the promise made to Abraham. Now, in this lonely moment when I am driven out and stand alone, my descendants will become like dust and will spread all over the east, west, north and south. No matter how much I look around, no matter how much I stand alone, the promise of the Lord will not change and will come true.
Third, in verse 14, the second half, all peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. That is, it is a promise of blessing.
Fourth, verse 15, is the promise of Immanuel.
2. Stone Pillow as an Altar
Jacob woke up. Thinking it was just a life of escape, he dreamed of God's wonderful blessing and woke up. Verse 16 says, “Surely the LORD is here, and I did not know it.” He realized this. We often have to succeed, but we often think that the Lord is with us and the Lord is not with us in the humble circumstances of those who have failed or the process. But the Lord is always with us. In times of hardship and joy, when we fail, when we succeed, when we are sick, the Lord is always Emmanuel, the One who never leaves.
Surely the LORD is here, and I did not know.”
The Lord knew my humble and insignificant moment, and the fact that the Lord was with me at this moment made him build an altar with fear and amazement. I looked around and there was nothing to build an altar. He took the stone he had made to be laid, set it up as a pillar, anointed it with oil, and named it Bethel, and built an altar to the Lord. The stone he used when he escaped and was homeless became the pillar of the altar. It is said that hard and uncomfortable stones formed the altar.
3. supplications and vows
After building an altar in Bethel, Jacob, in reality, is in a humble situation on the way of escape, but when he realizes that the Lord is with him, he boldly makes several requests and prayers before the Lord. Verses 20-22 follow Jacob's vows and supplications.
First, God is with us. I want you to stay with me.
Second, keep me on my way. A plea for protection.
Third, inject food to eat and clothes to wear. It is a petition about food, clothing and shelter.
Next, he offers a prayer of vows and a prayer of determination before the Lord.
First, he made a profession of faith. He confessed before the Lord, as in verse 21, that the Lord is my God.
Second, as in verse 22, it is a vow that the altar of Bethel made of stone pillows will become an eternal altar.
Third, it is a vow to tithe.
Jacob is not rich now and waking up from a comfy bed in a luxurious mansion and making this confession on the sofa with morning coffee and jazz music playing. It was Jacob, who was trembling in fear and barely slept in a barren land where no one could help him. But even in the midst of it, he saw the work of God who was with him, so he built an altar with the stones he had cut and slept and worshiped before the Lord and made supplications and vows. Are we like this Jacob? Do I have a stone pillow? Even that, the Lord wants to receive it through worship.