Unaware of God

 October 20, 2020 (Tuesday)

 

Isaac is able to deal with two issues at the same time in Genesis 28:1, “So Isaac summoned Jacob, blessed him, and gave him these orders: “Don’t marry a Canaanite woman.” [CEB] Esau threatened to murder Jacob and Esau had taken Hittite wives that made Isaac’s life miserable. Isaac took the opportunity to send Jacob away.

 

The key to the story is Jacob now carries Abraham’s covenant. “He will give you and your descendants Abraham’s blessing so that you will own the land in which you are now immigrants, the land God gave to Abraham.” [Genesis 28:4 CEB] It is significant to understand, Abraham’s covenant included land.

 

The story records Esau beginning to come to his senses, “Esau realized that his father Isaac considered Canaanite women unacceptable.” [Genesis 28:8 CEB] Later, we are going to see Esau make peace with Jacob. Despite losing out of the birthright and the blessing, life is not over and Esau is not completely lost.

 

However, his descendants will be a constant thorn for Israel. The Bible says nothing positive of them. They become a satanic instrument, attempting to eliminate God’s plan. One notable descendant includes King Herod. Eventually, God issues the edict that everyone from Edom would be eliminated from the earth.

 

As Jacob flees, he spends a night in what will become known as “Bethel” (house of God). As he sleeps, he dreams, “As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.” [Genesis 27:12 NLT] At this point, the LORD promises Jacob the land, plentiful descendants, becoming a blessing to the earth, and personal protection.

 

Here, Jacob utters words that should be a “wake up call” for everyone. “Then, Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” [Genesis 28:16 ESV] I wonder if we have a sense of God’s presence in the place we find ourselves in today. I wonder what difference it would make.

 

Wherever you are reading this, whenever you are reading this, if you follow Jesus… God is with you and in you. That’s not just a platitude we utter in church. It is a reality. Are you aware of God in your life… right now… in this place?