how did god reveal himself to jacob

The Way Back (Genesis 35:1-29) | Bible.org Nearly thirty years have passed since Jacob vowed to return to Bethel, where God had revealed Himself to him during his flight from Esau to Paddan-aram. Answer (1 of 2): A keen observer would immediately confirm that GOD was actively present in the life of Jacob from birth: the day he got away with trying to arm-twist GOD into him being first-born? How could the covenant continue if the bearers of the covenant were destroyed? Up has reference to the higher altitude of Bethel. We may be like those in the church at Ephesus, who have lost their first love (Revelation 2:4), or those at Laodicea who, due to their wealth and security, considered themselves to be doing well spiritually when they were destitute, cold, and indifferent (Revelation 3:15-17). He is God to those who are outstanding in their faith. Exodus 13:14ff. Jacob was next given an endowment of power, which would be recognized in the eyes of both God and men. Whether this is done the hard way or the easy way is determined by our resistance or cooperation, but Gods purposes will be achieved (Romans 8:28-30). [2] Marion G. Romney, TemplesThe Gates to Heaven, Ensign, March 1971, 16. And he [the visitor] said unto him, What is thy name? The repetition of the change of Jacobs name to Israel further assured him that the One he had seen face to face in chapter 32 was the same God who had twice revealed Himself to him at Bethel. No doubt Deborah was one to whom Jacob felt very attached, especially if he knew that his mother had died. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. More careful calculations inform us that there was something like ten years or so between Jacobs return and his fathers death.21 Moses simply did not care to stress this fact. The Prophet Joseph Smith applied the concept of wrestling for a blessing to Zacharias, whose situation, at least in principle, parallels that of Jacob. How much more difficult the night must be in the face of a test of a lifetime, an Abrahamic test of complexity and contradiction. Thus, there is a period of nearly ten years between Jacobs departure from Paddan-aram and his final arrival at Bethel. I do not wish to imply that I am in favor of no military defense system or in a weak or obsolete one. Despite his intimate contact with Deity and his temple experience twenty years earlier, the threatening situation with Esau was more than he could comprehend. 9-10 God revealed himself once again to Jacob, after he had come back from Paddan Aram and blessed him: "Your name is Jacob (Heel); but that's your name no longer. : Eerdmans, 1983), 1:233. Rachel demanded children of her husband out of jealousy toward her sister Leah. English Standard Version Jacobs gift of 580 animals indicates how much wealth he had accumulated while in the land of Laban and how much he had prospered through the Lords guidance. The messenger wanted to know why Jacob was asking. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau., 2-3Jacob told his family and all those who lived with him, Throw out all the alien gods which you have, take a good bath and put on clean clothes, were going to Bethel. Let there be no misunderstanding; the text says Jacob was blessed, and then the very next words out of his mouth which are (or, perhaps, can be) reported to us are, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved (Genesis 32:30). That night, as Jacob was settling down, inspiration came. Significantly, Moses added that this pillar was still standing in his day. A paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages so that they were unable to pursue the sons of Jacob. I think Jacob is finally broken to the point where he will now trust in God. Second, there cannot be renewal without separation. How does God reveal Himself to us? | GotQuestions.org Genesis 35 MSG - God spoke to Jacob: "Go back to - Bible Gateway 12 We can deduce that some time has passed from two lines of inquiry. We cannot thwart the purposes of God for our lives. While Jacob was dwelling beyond the tower of Eder, another painful incident saddened his heart: Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. Once the Israelites possessed this land, it would become known by the name which Jacob had given it. God affirmed His promise that He would give Jacob and his descendants the land of Canaan (verse 13). Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like In Abraham's day the peoples of the Mesopotamian valley were advanced civilizations as evidenced by their trade, libraries, astrology, and use of metals. Is it not candidacy for exaltation? Flourish! After more than twenty years of labor under the household rule of the scheming and jealous Laban (see Genesis 31:115, 38), Jacob finally left Padan-aram to return to the land of his covenantal inheritance. So far as we are told, there is only one act of immorality rather than an ongoing relationship. More than this we need not ask, we cannot have, to make us happy. ; Josh. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved (Genesis 32:2630). 4. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook (Orem, UT: Grandin Book, 1991), 41. Jacob is at the end of his rope. God had just been playing with him! . God also said to him, I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. . Thus, Gods appearance to Jacob the second time is recorded as though it happened shortly after he returned to the land of Canaan. Jacob was told of it but did nothing.19 This was probably because the sin had been committed only once and was not repeated. From now on your name is Israel (God-Wrestler).. Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.". First, trees were not all that numerous there, and so it may have been the only tree around. Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor. Numerous passages of scripture show that the Hebrews attached great importance to the meaning and possession of names. That the personage was merely a mortal seems unlikely, first of all, because the text takes care to point out that Jacob was left completely alone, with no other humans close by (see Genesis 32:2224). Jacob was a son of promise and of the promise. I pray that you will do this now by simply acknowledging your sin and your utter inability to gain Gods favor or admission into His kingdom. It is also reasonable to suppose that Jacobs opponent that night was a being from the unseen world of heavenly messengers, a divine minister possessing a tangible but translated body, because he was able to wrestle all night and throw Jacobs hip out of joint (see Genesis 32:2425). He blessed him there (Genesis 32:29). Life, even the Spirit-filled life, is full of sickness (Philippians 2:25ff. Show Citation Jacob in the Presence of God Andrew C. Skinner Few prophets in the Old Testament teach us more about covenant making and personal revelation than Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes. Used by permission. Genesis 35 CEB - Jacob establishes worship at Bethel - Bible Gateway The Prophet Joseph Smith said, The sacrifice required of Abraham in the offering up of Isaac, shows that if a man would attain to the keys of the kingdom of an endless life; he must sacrifice all things.[10] Furthermore, in an 1833 revelation, the Prophet wrote, Therefore, [the Saints] must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham (D&C 101:4). Exodus 15:16; 23:27; Deuteronomy 2:25). The Hebrew word used to describe Jacobs visitor is simply ish, meaning man, with no overt reference to divine status. . 14 Elsewhere I have referred to the commands of God as His declared will, the expressions of the desires of God as His desiderative will, and the decree of God as His determined will. Only the last of these is inviolable. By contrast, Jacob trifled not with sacred things (see D&C 6:12). . Some commitments are rashly made, especially by those who are immature. How God's Provision Is Revealed Through Joseph's Dreams 35God spoke to Jacob: Go back to Bethel. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Thus, the great blessing Jacob received that night was no less than the ultimate theophany of his (or anyones) lifehis being privileged to enjoy the literal presence of God and to have every promise of past years sealed and confirmed upon him. that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, . Spiritually, however, Jacob was not near to God at all. The faith of Jacob must become the faith of his children. It was not simply a matter of marrying someone from a proper family; it was a matter of understanding and appreciating the significance of the covenant, of ones whole attitude toward sacred things. 2 Jacob said to his household and to everyone who was with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you. The steps of a man are established by the LORD; And He delights in his way. Make an altar there. Strange to say, Isaac lived to witness Jacobs grief over Joseph. Leupold, Genesis, II, p. 929. A nationa whole company of nations! will come from you. 18With her last breath, for she was now dying, she named him Ben-oni (Son-of-My-Pain), but his father named him Ben-jamin (Son-of-Good-Fortune). Zacharias had no children. Fourth, Jacob learned that if he kept the covenant, God would be with him everywhere he went, that God would fulfill everything He promised to do for Jacob, and that God would bring him back to the land of his inheritance. Hosea 2:13), were collected and buried under the oak tree near Shechem. But, the point is, Jacobs life was never one of ease or devoid of challenges and conflicts. But in the final analysis we will do what God has purposed. Flourish!A nationa whole company of nations!will come from you.Kings will come from your loins;the land I gave Abraham and IsaacI now give to you,and pass it on to your descendants. First, there was no need for a tithe here. The final event of the chapter seems to have been inevitablethe reconciliation of Jacob, his father Isaac, and his brother Esau: And Jacob come to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Virtually nothing new was promised Jacob here, and the former promises given to him at Bethel 30 years before were simply reiterated. 5. After Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father, he took another wife from the lineage of Ishmael, Abrahams posterity (Genesis 28:89). Finally, Jacobs renewal involved reconciliation with those who had been injured and offended by his sins. Again, Jacob gave this place, which was presently known as Luz, the name Bethel (verse 6). As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 10 Times Jesus Showed Up in the Old Testament and What They Reveal No one saw God's actual face. 34 Bible verses about God Appearing - Online Bible Only due to the urging of Bathsheba did David designate Solomon, her son, as the heir to the throne. From before their ancestor's birth, God has loved Israel. Theophany - How God Appears to Man in the Old Testament If you have never come to that point which Jacob had come to thirty years previous to this time, the point of recognizing your sinfulness and impending peril, the point of recognizing that the only way to Gods heaven is through some means which God Himself provides, then you must come to God by faith for the first time. But Abraham was obedient in the face of a test that shook him to his very core. in 1971. Skinner, Andrew C., Jacob in the Presence of God in Sperry Symposium Classics: The Old Testament, ed. (Check one. . Have children! One might conclude that Jacob had scarcely arrived at his fathers home when Isaac died, and so it seems that Jacob arrived just in the nick of time. When used in this way, the word also often connotes the operation of the principle of divine investiture of authoritythe authorization that God grants to others to speak in His name, even sometimes as though they were God Himself. 34:30). Jacob saw a ladder on the earth, which reached to heaven. God seems to have overlooked this one, too hastily made by Jacob. verse 20). And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a libation on it; he also poured oil on it. 23 The command of our Lord, This be doing in remembrance of Me (Luke 22:19, my translation), is a present imperative, suggesting a continuing observance through the ages, till He comes (cf. Second, Jacobs status as a prophet was confirmed. So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel (Genesis 35:9-15). He was about to enter into a relationship with the Canaanites which would undermine the purity of this chosen race. For shortly after this, when Joseph was sold into Egypt, he was seventeen years old. Part of the explanation for this is the fact that many foreigners had been added to Jacobs household. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. That is why the scriptures speak of God first opening the heart of men (cf. The first appearance of God was at Bethel, thirty years previous. Jacobs descendants would bring blessings and benefits to the entire world (Genesis 12:3). But all of a sudden, when God called him to return to Bethel, he was greatly concerned about purity. The significance of Jacobs first vision was at least sixfold. The second lesson which Christians need to learn is that even when we do renew our relationship with God, all things will not go smoothly for us. THEISM THEISM How God Reveals Himself People sometimes wonder whether God exists because they cannot see him. (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 193251), 1:283. also I Corinthians 11:26). She was buried just below Bethel under the oak tree. From Bethel, Jacob undoubtedly came away understanding the order of heaven, the possibilities for exaltation, and the promises of the Abrahamic covenant if he proved faithful. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved (Genesis 32:2930). And he [the visitor] said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? Why does God refer to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob The threat of a vengeful brother probably cannot be overestimated, for it was a life crisis of staggering proportion. Jacob told Esau he would meet him at Seir (33:14), but he went the opposite direction to Succoth, then to Shechem. Far worse, it had been ten years since Jacob had left Laban and returned to the land of promise. Jacob was asked for his name, and he disclosed his own given name to a divine being or minister. He concluded his affirmation with a promise to tithe all that he would come to possess (see Genesis 28:1822). Jacob put away those foreign gods which he had so long tolerated and which were so offensive to God. Thus, Esau sold the birthright (see Genesis 25:2934). What does Isaac name mean? Esau added to his own misery and that of his parents by vowing to kill Jacob because of the lost birthright and blessing, even though he himself was responsible for the loss and Isaac did give him a blessing in the end (see Genesis 27:3942). But I must say that it is not our military strength that is going to keep us secure. 31:41). New Living Translation I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai'God Almighty'but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set for the kings mother, and she sat on his right. Now Gods people will be begotten through all the sons of Jacob.20. James 1:2-4). Paul said in Romans 1:19-20 that, ever since the creation of the world, God has made the knowledge of Himself evident to all people: "They know the truth about God . God did not appear when He commanded Jacob to return to Bethel in verse 1, it would seem, but only spoke to him. And she said, Do you come peacefully? And he said, Peacefully. Then he said, I have something to say to you. And she said, Speak. So he said, You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel expected me to be king; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brothers, for it was his from the LORD. President Brigham Young said that all of us are situated upon the same ground, in that we must struggle, wrestle, and strive, until the Lord bursts the veil and suffers us to behold His glory, or a portion of it.[12] And so it was with Jacob on that lonely night near the River Jabbok, when he began to wrestle with a divine visitor for a blessinga blessing that would, in President Youngs words, burst the veil and shower down on him greater light and glory from God. about 108 years. Jacobs condition is not that different from many Christians in our own time. Jacob somewhat passively accepted the rape of his daughter and even entered into an agreement whereby the purity of the covenant people of God would be lost (chapter 34). For Jacob, this event served as a rededication to the God Who had set His love on Him in eternity past and Who had sought him out thirty years before when he was fleeing from Esau. We strive, and deceive, and manipulate to get what we want, but among us are those who seek to know God, and to receive His blessing. It matters a great deal. What did God do to Jacob when He wanted to get hold of Jacob's life? Moreover, God is a spirit (John 4:24), Since God is not physically discernable, some wonder how God reveals himself. In some respects, even to know a name was regarded as giving one power or control over the object or being in question. The Names God calls Himself - Helpmewithbiblestudy.org [7] Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:11011. Man cannot first choose God, for he is born at enmity with God. Genesis 28:16 Commentaries: Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said At the River Jabbok, Jacob was given the ultimate blessing and guarantee that can be given in mortalitythe guarantee of eternal life sometimes referred to as calling and election made sure. Before the Lord touched Jacob and crippled him, Jacob probably thought that the fight was pretty evenly matched. First, from the age of Dinah in Shechem as compared to her age at the time of Jacobs departure. 11 Bethel was only thirty miles away from Shechem, and yet it was quite ten years since Jacobs return into Canann. God does not, like many of us do as parents, yell and holler, fuss and fume, over the disobedience of His children. No doubt Jacob intended to get around to going up to Bethel in time, but there was no hurry in his mind. Such would come later, after years of righteousness. That night the LORD appeared to him [Isaac] and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Far worse, it had been ten years since Jacob had left Laban and returned to the land of promise. But recognizing that God has blessed him because of Jacob's presence, Laban asks Jacob to stay and continue to manage his flocksand Laban promises to let Jacob name his wages. Jacob (Genesis 25:19-49:33) Much of the heartache which Jacob experienced in this chapter was the result of his previous sins. These were Jacobs sons, born to him in Paddan Aram. Jacob set up a pillar to mark her grave. Perhaps just as important to Jacob was the possibility that Gods promises to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant through him were all empty words, that God was not omnipotent and omniscient, that He was, after all, just like the gods of the Canaanites. [13] Hugh Nibley, The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: An Egyptian Endowment (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), 243. They wish to go from one novel experience to another. Jacob was asked first to disclose his given name, and then he was given a new name, Israel, which symbolized his struggle before God and men for a blessing. These Canaanites undoubtedly kept their gods with them (or made new ones) when they were taken captive. ), suffering, and sorrow (II Corinthians 6:4-5; 12:7-10). It was here at Bethel that Deborah, Rebekahs maid, died. When Jacob left Paddan-aram, she must have been a very young child, for Dinah was born after Leah had borne Jacob six sons (cf. It seems very unlikely that the being involved with Jacob was Jehovah Himself, because the Lord did not yet possess a physical body. He chose to obey his mother and father in many things and ultimately set out on a journey to seek a wife from among a known and acceptable branch of the covenant family. Perhaps that last statement is one we should focus on when we think of Jacob. They prayed for it, worked for it, and lived for it. His wrestle resulted in, to use President Brigham Youngs poignant words, the Lord burst[ing] the veil . What Jacob thought about on this first leg of his travels we do not know, but one supposes it was about the covenants of the Lord and promises of obedience. Isaac Isaac, the son of Abraham, received personal revelation from God. Thus, the angel of Yahweh ([Hebrew] malakh) often appears in the form of an ish, a man. Either both terms are used interchangeably for an angel . Perhaps Jacobs foretold soberness and obedience were qualities that had been developed, nurtured, and proven over and over throughout the long eons of a premortal existence and thus lay at the heart of Jehovahs promise to Rebekah of Jacobs future greatness (see Genesis 25:2326). [5] G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, eds., Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, rev. The way has been provided in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who died in your place and Who offers His righteousness to all who will believe on Him alone for salvation. Other great prophets have left us accounts of their Jacob-like experiences, especially the Apostle Paul and the Prophet Joseph Smith. Under the oak18 her body was buried. Exodus 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God And so this chapter not only describes the way back for Jacob, but it also outlines the way back for any believer who has grown cold and indifferent by failing to walk in the path which God has made clear. And God said to him, Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name. Thus He called him Israel. Exodus 14:13-14; Proverbs 8:13; 10:27; 14:26; Isaiah 8:13-15). In response to this charge Jacob hotly retorted: The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself (Genesis 31:32). But the second two avenues of revelation are personal, full, and complete. 6-7Jacob and his company arrived at Luz, that is, Bethel, in the land of Canaan. The second time he encounters God at Bethel (Genesis 35:1-4, 7, 9-15), he arrives after departing from his father-in-law, Laban, and having reconciled with Esau. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you ran away from your brother Esau.". It is not difficult to imagine that as children Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were taught or, at the very least, heard about their fathers and grandfathers supreme faithfulness. What a sense of history this pillar must have helped to create. As Jacob begins to fade from the spotlight, his twelve sons come to the forefront. No software to install. Perhaps he was really asking what name or personage the visitor represented and by whose authority he, the visitor, bestowed the new name and new power. . Insofar as the Scriptures report, God had been silent for nearly ten years, ever since He had commanded Jacob to leave Paddan-aram and return to Bethel (31:3).12 The question must be asked, Why did God wait so long to instruct Jacob to get on with the matter of returning to Bethel, as He had clearly commanded him earlier? To me, the answer is quite simpleuntil now Jacob wasnt listening. We should all do our duty in bringing our loved ones through them.[2]. In faith he wrestled for a blessing with a divine visitor, one appointed to guard the portals of heaven and also sent to test Jacobs resolve and his request. And it came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine; and Israel heard of it. The sequence of events up to this point is clear: 1. But while the guilt and condemnation are dealt with, the consequences of sin remain. The invisibility of God (and of much that makes up our spiritual walk and warfare) means that we must rely on senses other than our physical sight. His daughter had been raped, his sons had put the men of Shechem to death, and it appeared that neither he nor his family could live safely in that region any longer. The best value in digital Bible study. Joseph is one of the most well-known male . Let us wrestle for this blessing as we continue to worship in the temples of our God. First, Jacob yearningly prayed to God for safety; second, he wrestled that night for a desperately needed blessing at the hand of Deity (see Genesis 32:913, 2430). [12] Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses (London: Latter-day Saints Book Depot, 1856), 3:192; emphasis added. The writer to the Hebrews spells out the relationship between faith and the unseen: I suspect that this is for two reasons. . 34:1ff.). In the Scriptures, however, I see little of this happening, either to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. There is a song which says, whatever it takes to be closer to Thee, Lord, thats what Ill be willing to do. I doubt that many of us are willing to make that kind of commitment for fear of what might have to be set aside.
Discerning Monastic Vocation, Savage River Campground, Top 10 Oldest Church In Nigeria, Please God Bring Him Back To Me, Articles H