I was not aware of it

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16)

 

After deceiving Esau and blessing of prayer by his father Isaac, Jacob left Beersheba for Haran. He had sleeping at night, on a stone pillow, on the way for Haran. In dream, he saw the angels of God rise and fall on the ladder that touched the sky. And Jacob heard God in the heaven saying. The gist of God’s word to Jacob was the Lord will accompany Jacob and lead to fulfill all promises the Lord said to him wherever he would go. Jacob as gained a new enlightenment built an altar there, confessed himself to the Lord and made a vow.

 

Change of humans and all the created things is absolutely done under the hands of God. To the regret, but nobody can choose and decide one’s own destiny by oneself. Only, it is a duty up to people to accept a life silently and to live faithfully. It’s no matter if you like or dislike it. Complaining or refusing is not a right and suitable attitude before the Lord. We can clearly see a truth through looking at the case of Esau and Jacob. So we need to realize and accept what twins, brothers’ different looks and personalities one another, blessings given to Jacob, and experiences of changed life, these things had not been all made by each one’s intention.

There are nights and days on the journey of our life, and sometimes lonely and uncomfortable situations such as in the wilderness are given. During bright day time, we can see things correctly and distinguish them well. We thus should not be lazy in the day time and work hard. And, at night, we have to take a rest for the next day. We can relax the tiredness of day in the night and we also make new plans. Jacob walked around 800km almost days and nights for several days of tens, heading to his destination Haran. Thinking Jacob’s hard journey, we realize we should not spend the time of life that God gave us negligently. We have to work earnestly for daily work, lifelong purposes, and eternal goal during the day time of human life. When you can, when you have power, you must not waste the time of opportunity. If men do not learn by parents and teachers the faith for God the Creator from early age, the purpose of life would may be wrong and depraved.

In the dream, Jacob saw the ladder reaching the sky, the angels going up and down, and God on the above. Well, I would like to compare this situation to roles of the Holy Trinity God, how do you think? Christ the God’s Son who is linking to God the Father, the Holy Spirit who works through Christ so that people can ascend to heaven, and the promise of eternal blessing of God the Father, all these are the blessed conditions given to me already. Blessed be forever the one who realizes this heavenly secret!

God’s promise never changes. God said to Jacob, “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” That promise applies same to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Jacob’s current situation was lonely and scary, and there was no conviction or guarantee for the future. Yet God gave him a clear word of promise. Faith is assurance about what we do not see, as the said written in the Book Hebrews 11:1. To say a visible thing cannot be called faith. That’s just an expression checking the fact. However, it is a real faith to look forward without doubt to the existence and emergence of something that do not exist before the eyes now.

Jacob would had heard and learned many things about God through his parents. Without any particular doubt, he would had lived until then observing teachings and traditions from his parents and his ancestors. And he deceived his elder brother Esau as his mother Rebekah told him to, and at present was going a long way following his father’s blessing and request.

 

Although Jacob had done everything on his own will until now, he had never experienced existential enlightenment yet. It was only then that he realized a fact that God had taken care of and guided himself. The moment of enlightenment is the beginning of a new life. As Jacob had set up the stone of the pillow as a pillar and he had poured oil on the stone, if you give the foundation of your life in the name of Christ, the life of success led by God will unfold brilliantly in front of you.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on August 1st 2021)