Genesis28:1-5 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
1. Where did Isaac get his wife Rebekah?
2. Jacob is told to take a wife from his own people. Besides being joined by God, what other family ties would be between a daughter of Laban and Jacob?
3. What was the blessing given to Jacob in verses 2 and 3?
4. Isaac blessed Jacob and charged him, charged him with what?
Genesis 28:6-7 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;
1. Obedience. When you have time consider doing a thorough study on 'obedience' and 'obey'. It may be a study that will change your life.
2. Jesus family line runs through men that had a heart for God and what else?
Genesis 28:8-9 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
1. Who is Ishmael? How is he related to Isaac?
2. What is the name of Esau's new wife?
3. Why did Esau take a third wife?
Genesis 28:10-12 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
1. What was Jacob's head laying on?
2. Does it clearly state here that Jacob is asleep and dreaming?
3. What was it that reached into heaven?
4. What does 'ladder' mean in Hebrew?
5. What were the angels doing?
6. Is there another verse in the Bible that talks about angels 'ascending' and 'descending'? Where?
Genesis 28:13-14 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
1. Who stood, above, what?
2. Exactly whom did He say He was?
3. Is this a confirmation of the covenant God made with Abraham?
Genesis 28:15-17 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
1. What was the Lord's promise to Jacob?
2. Why do you think Jacob was startled, after all it was just a dream?
3. Have you ever been given a dream from the Lord?
4. What does the word 'afraid' in verse 17 mean in the Hebrew?
Genesis 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
1. Look up 'pillar' in the Bible dictionary, what kind of pillar was this one?
2. What do you think the oil was for? (If you have a Bible encyclopedia look up olive oil).
Genesis 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
1. What did Jacob name the place where he slept and dreamed?
2. Did it already have a name, if so, what was it?
3. What do the names Bethel and Luz mean?
Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
1. List the promises that Jacob is making to the Lord?
2. Is this the first time tithing is mentioned in the Bible? (Gen.14:20).