A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

irthright as he had in stealing the blessing. In his anger, he failed to recall his own despising of
the birthright when he so willingly exchanged it for a bowl of his brother’s soup.
When hurt feelings are harbored, they always turn to bitterness, which is often the root of
violence. Before long Esau’s contempt for Jacob turned to hatred; and as with the brothers Cain
and Abel, Esau’s hatred was willing to express itself in murder (v. 41). Out of respect for his
father, he decided to wait until his father had died before enacting his plan. But as soon as the
period of mourning for Isaac had passed, Esau planned to kill Jacob. No one expected Isaac still
had another eighty years to live.
As Esau expressed his plan to others, word soon got back to Rebekah and she feared for
the security of Jacob. Mothers tend to minimize the negative aspects of their children, but she
sensed danger. Esau was merely venting steam, she concluded, and if given time, he would cool
off. Still, there was an immediate danger if the two boys crossed paths before Esau calmed down.
Rebekah had another plan. She would send Jacob off to live with her brother Laban for “a few
days” (v. 44). Perhaps Jacob would find himself a wife in the process rather than bring another
Canaanite into the family as Esau had done. Little did she realize how long “a few days” could
be. By the time Jacob would return, she would be dead.
The confirmation of the covenant (28:1-9)
If Jacob was going to run from his brother, he was going to be given the privilege of
running with his parents’ blessing. After Rebekah shared her fears with Isaac that Jacob might
marry a daughter of Heth, Isaac called Jacob to himself to command him not to marry a
Canaanite but rather find a wife among the daughters of Laban. Confirming the blessing of the
Abrahamic Covenant to Jacob, Isaac sent his son on his way to Paddan Aram with the blessing of
El Shaddai.
When Esau learned his brother had been sent away to find a wife, he realized Jacob was
escaping his reach. But by now Esau was so filled with bitterness that he had to express his
anger. If he couldn’t get Jacob, he would get his parents. Knowing how much they opposed their
sons marrying Canaanites, Esau decided it was time to marry another wife. This time it was
Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael.
The promise of Bethel (vv. 10-22)
Jacob was running from Esau and running as fast as he could. It was more than fifty miles
from Beersheba to the first recorded stop on his journey. The sun had set and he was tired. Jacob
was not used to traveling across the mountainous terrain and knew he was tired enough to sleep
on anything. Instead of soft place to rest his head, he took several stones and arranged them as
pillows. And as he rested his head on his pillow-stones, he slept. And as he slept, he dreamed.
He dreamed an unusual dream that night. He saw a ladder set up on earth which stretched
up to the gate of heaven. And on the ladder he saw angels, some ascending, others descend1ng.
And in the midst of everything was the Lord Himself. And the Lord spoke directly to Jacob.
The Lord confirmed the promise that had been given to Abraham and Isaac before him,
and now God was extending it to Jacob. He was the heir of the covenant. He had deceived his
father for a blessing. Later his father had willingly blessed him as he sent him for a wife. But
now the Lord God Himself confirmed to Jacob the terms of the Abrahamic Covenant. As Jacob
awoke from his sleep, he knew he was on holy ground.
“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it,” he concluded. The place where
he had spent the night was Luz, but hereafter it was to be known as Bethel, which means “the