31 Jan. Jacob has an amazing dream at Bethel
“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he came to a place, he spent the night there because the sun had set. He found a stone and laid his head on it to go to sleep.”
“Jacob dreamed that there was a ladder resting on the earth and reaching up into heaven, and he saw angels of God going up and coming down the ladder.”
“Then Jacob saw the LORD standing above the ladder, and he said, ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your grandfather, and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are now sleeping.’”
“’Your descendants will be as many as the dust of the earth. They will spread west and east, north and south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.’”
“’I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’”
“Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, but I did not know it.’ He was afraid and said, ‘This place frightens me! It is surely the house of God and the gate of heaven.’”
“Jacob rose early in the morning and took the stone he had slept on and set it up on its end. Then he poured olive oil on the top of it. At first, the name of that city was Luz, but Jacob named it Bethel [meaning ‘house of God’].”
“Then Jacob made a promise. He said, ‘I want God to be with me and to protect me on this journey… This stone which I have set up on its end will be the house of God. And I will give God one-tenth of all he gives me.’”
(Genesis 28:10-22)
Jacob left Beersheba and fled to Haran in c.1710BC. Travelling north, he rested for the night at Luz (Bethel) and had an amazing dream.
While asleep, he dreamed of a ladder - or stairway - leading up to heaven, with angels going up and down.
In his dream, the LORD renewed his covenant promise to give the land of Canaan to Jacob and his descendants. God also promised that “all the families of the earth will be blessed” through Jacob’s offspring (Genesis 28:14).
Jacob was awestruck and declared “This place ... is surely the house of God” (Genesis 28:17).
He set up a stone pillar as an altar and re-named the place Bethel (‘Beth-el’ meaning ‘House of God’).
Jacob promised to follow God and to give him a tithe – a tenth of all his wealth.
Today, many non-conformist Christian chapels in Britain are called 'Bethel' – to indicate that they are a ‘House of God’.
The photo (by Deror avi) shows the site of Jacob’s dream at Beit-El (Bethel).
You can read more about Jacob’s journey to Haran @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney2/24-the-journeys-of-isaac-jacob-joseph/jacob-cheats-esau-and-flees-to-mesopotamia/