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31 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

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Chapter twenty eight. We have here Roman I Jacob parting with his parents to
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go to paddan Aram. The charge his father gave him Verses one and two,
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the blessing he sent him away with Verses three and four. His obedience
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to the orders given him Verses five and ten, and the influences had upon
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esau Verses six to nine. Roman two Jacob meeting with God and his communion
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with him by the way, and there one his vision of the latter Verses
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eleven and twelve. Two. The gracious promises God made him Verses thirteen to
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fifteen. Three, the impression this made upon him Verses sixteen to nineteen,
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and four, the vow he made to God upon this occasion Verse twenty and
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et cetera. Jacob dismissed with a blessing BC seventeen sixty, Verses one two
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five. And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and
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said unto him, thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of canaan
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Arise, go to padame Aram, to the house of bethul Thy, mother's
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father, and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of laban Thy
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mother's brother. And God Almighty, bless THEE, and make THEE fruitful,
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and multiply THEE, that thou mayest be a multitude of people. And give
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THEE the blessing of Abraham to THEE and to thy seed with THEE, that
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thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto
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Abraham. And Isaac sent away Jacob, and he went to padan aram unto
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Laban, son of Bethul the Syrian, the brother of Rebecca, Jacob's and
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Esau's mother. Jacob had no sooner obtained the blessing than immediately he was forced
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to flee from his country. And as it if were not enough that he
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was a stranger and a sojourner there, he must go to be more so
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and no better than an exile in another country. Now Jacob fled into Syria
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Hooseiah, chapter twelve, verse twelve. He was blessed with plenty of corn
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and wine, and yet he went away poor, was blessed with government,
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and yet went out to service a hard service. This was one, perhaps
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to correct him for his dealing fraudulently with his father. The blessing shall be
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confirmed to him, and yet he shall smart for the indirect course he to
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obtain it. While there is such an alloy as there is of sin in
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our duties, we must expect an alloy of trouble in our comforts. However,
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two, it was to teach us that those who inherit the blessing must
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expect persecution. Those who have peace in Christ shall have tribulation in the world.
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John chapter sixteen, verse thirty three. Being told of this before,
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we must not think it stray, and being assured of a recompense hereafter,
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we must not think it hard. We may observe likewise that God's providences often
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seem to contradict his promises and to go cross to them. And yet when
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the mystery of God shall be finished, we shall see that all was for
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the best, and that cross providences did but render the promises, and the
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accomplishment of them the more illustrous. Now Jacob is here dismissed by his father
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Roman one with a solemn charge. He blessed him and charged him Verses one
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and two. Note those that have the blessing must keep the charge annexed to
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it, and not think to separate what God has joined. The charge is
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like that in Second Corinthians, Chapter six, verse fourteen. Be not unequally
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yoked with unbelievers, and all that inherit the promises of the remission of sins
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and the gift of the Holy Ghost must keep this charge which follows those promises.
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Save yourselves from this untoward generation Acts Chapter two, Verses thirty eight to
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forty. Those that are entitled to peculiar favors must be a peculiar people.
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If Jacob be an heir of promise, he must not take a wife of
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the daughters of Canaan. Those that profess religion should not marry those that are
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irreligious. Roman Io with a solemn blessing Verses three and four. He had
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before blessed him unwittingly. Now he does it decidedly for the greater encouragement of
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Jacob in that melancholy condition to which he was now removing. This blessing is
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more express and full than the former. It is an entail of the blessing
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of Abraham. That blessing which was poured on the head of Abraham like the
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anointing oil, thence to run down to his chosen seed, as the skirts
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of his garments. It is a gospel blessing, the blessing of church privileges,
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that is, the blessing of Abraham, which upon the gentiles through faith
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Galatians three, verse fourteen. It is a blessing from God Almighty, by
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which name God appeared to the patriarchs. Exodus, chapter six, verse three.
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Those are blessed indeed whom God Almighty blesses, for He commands and affects
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the blessing. Two great promises Abraham was blessed with, and Isaac here In
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tells them both upon Jacob one the promise of heirs, God, make thee
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fruitful and multiply thee verse three. Sub One, through his loins should descend
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from Abraham, that people who should be numerous as the stars of heaven and
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the sand of the sea, and who should increase more than the rest of
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the nations, so as to be an assembly of people, as the margin
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reads it, and never was such a multitude of people so often gathered into
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one assembly, as the tribes of Israel were in the wilderness. And afterwards
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Sub two, through his loins should descend from Abraham that person in whom all
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the families of the earth should be blessed, and to whom the gathering of
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the peace people should be. Jacob had in him a multitude of people.
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Indeed, for all things in heaven and earth are united in Christ Ephesians Chapter
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one, verse ten. All center in him that corn of wheat, which
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falling to the ground produced much fruit. John twelve twenty four two the promise
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of an inheritance for those heirs, that thou mayest inherit the land of thy
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sojournings verse four. Canaan was hereby entailed upon the seed of Jacob, exclusive
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of the seed of Esau. Isaac was now sending Jacob away into a distant
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country to settle therefore some time, and lest this should look like disinheriting him,
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he here confirms the settlement of it upon him, that he might be
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assured that the discontinuance of his possession should be no defeasance of his right observe.
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He is here told that he should inherit the land wherein he sojourned.
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Those that are sojourners now shall be heirs forever. And even now those do
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most inherit the earth, though they do not inherit most of it, that
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are most like strangers in it, those have the best enjoyment of present things
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that sit most loose to them. This promise looks as high as heaven,
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of which Canaan was a type. This was the better country which Jacob with
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the other patriarchs, had in his eye when he confessed himself a stranger and
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a pilgrim upon the earth. Hebrews, Chapter eleven, verse thirteen. Jacob,
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having taken leave of his father, was hastened away with all speed,
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lest his brother should find an opportunity to do him a mischief. And away
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he went to Paddan Aram verse five. How unlike was his taking a wife.
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Thence to his father's Isaac had servants and camels sent to fetch his Jacob
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must go himself, go alone, and go afoot to fetch his He must
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go, too, in a fright from his father's house, not knowing when
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he might return. Note. If God, in his providence disables us,
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we must be content though we cannot keep up the state and grandeur of our
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ancestors. We should be more in care to maintain their piety than to maintain
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their dignity, and to be as good as they were than to be as
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great. Rebecca is here called Jacob's and Esau's mother. Jacob is named first,
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not only because he had always been his mother's darling, but because he
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was now made his father's heir, and Esau was in this sense set aside.
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Note the time will come when piety will have presidency whatever it has now
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Verses six to nine. When Esa saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent
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him away to padan Aram to take him a wife from thence, and that
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as he blessed him, he gave him a charge, saying thou shalt not
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take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. And that Jacob abaid his father
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and his mother, and was gone to bedan Aram. And Esau, seeing
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that the daughters of kingam pleased not. Isaac's father, then went Esa unto
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Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath, a daughter of Ishmael,
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Abraham's son, the sister of Nebojath, to be his wife. This
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passage concerning Esau comes in in the midst of Jacob's story, either one to
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show the influence of a good example Esau. Though the greater man now begins
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to think Jacob the better man, and disdains not to take him for his
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pattern. In this particular instance of marrying with the daughter of Abraham, the
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elder children should give to the younger an example of tractableness and obedience. It
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is bad if they do not, but it is some alleviation if they take
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the example of it from them, as esa here did from Jacob or two
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to show the folly of an after wit. Esau did well, But he
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did it when it was too late. He saw that the daughters of Canaan
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pleased not his father, and he might have seen that long ago if he
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had consulted it with his father's judgment as much as he did his palate.
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And how did he now mend the matter? Why? Truly as to make
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bad worse? Sub One he married a daughter of Ishmael, the son of
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the bond woman, who was cast out and was not to inherit with Isaac
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and his seed, thus joining with a family which God had rejected, and
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seeking to strengthen his own pretensions by the aid of another pretender. So two,
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he took a third wife, while for aught that appears his other two
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were neither dead nor divorced. SOB. Three he did it only to please
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his father, not to please God. Now that Jacob was sent into a
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far country, Esau would be all in all at home, and he hoped
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so to humor his father as to prevail with him, to make a new
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will and entail the promise upon him revoking the settlement lately made upon Jacob.
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And thus one he was wise when it was too late, like Israel that
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would venture when the decree had gone forth against them Numbers chapter fourteen, verse
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forty, and the Foolish Virgins Matthew Chapter twenty five, verse eleven two.
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He rested in a partial reformation, and thought, by pleasing his parents in
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one thing, to atone for all his other miscarriages. It is not said
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that when he saw how obedient Jacob was, and how willing to please his
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parents, he repented of his malicious designs against him. No, it appears
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afterwards that he persisted in that and retained his malice. Note Carnal Harts are
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apt to think themselves as good as they should be, because perhaps in some
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one particular instance, they are not so bad as they have been. Thus
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Micah retains his idols, but thinks himself happy in having a levite to be
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his priest Judges Chapter seventeen, verse thirteen. J Keop's Vision at Bethel b.
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C. Seventeen sixty, Verses ten through fifteen. And Jacob went out
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from behr Sheba and went toward hern. And he lighted upon a certain place
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and tarried there all night because the sun was set. And he took of
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the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down
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in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set
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up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And
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behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord
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stood above it, and said, I am the Lord, God of Abraham,
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thy Father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest
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to THEE, will I give it, and to thy seed, And thy
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seed shall be as the dust of the earth. And thou shalt spread abroad
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to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the
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south, and in thee, and in thy seed shall all the families of
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the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with THEE, and will
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keep THEE in all places whither thou goest and will bring THEE again into this
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land. For I will not leave THEE until I have done that which I
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have spoken to THEE of. We have here Jacob upon his journey towards Syria,
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in a very desolate condition, like one that was sent to seek his
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fortune. But we find that although he was alone, yet he was not
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alone, for the Father was with him. John chapter sixteen, verse thirty
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two. If what is here recorded happened as it should seem it did.
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The first night he had made a long day's journey from the Ayrsheba to Bethel,
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above forty miles, providence brought him to a convenient place, probably shaded
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with trees, to rest himself in that night, and there he had Roman
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I a hard lodging verse eleven, the stone for his pillows, and the
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heavens for his canopy and curtains, as the usage then was. Perhaps this
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was not so bad as it seems now to us. But we should think
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one he lay very cold, the cold ground for his bed, and which
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one would suppose made the matter worse, A cold stone for his pillow,
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and in the cold air, two very uneasy. If his bones were sore
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with his day's journey, his night's rest would but make them soreer three,
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very much exposed, he forgot that he was fleeing for his life, or
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had his brother, in his rage, pursued or sent a murderer after him.
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Here he lay, ready to be sacrificed and destitute of shelter and defense.
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We cannot think it was by reason of his poverty that he was so
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ill accommodated, but sub one it was owing to the plainness and simplicity of
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those times when men did not take so much state and consult their ease so
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much as in these Las times of softness and effeminacy. So two. Jacob
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had been particularly used to hardships. As a plain man, dwelling in tents
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and designing now to go to service, he was the more willing to inure
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himself to them. And as it proved it was well Chapter thirty one,
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verse forty sob. Three. His comfort in the divine blessing and his confidence
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in the divine protection made him easy even when he lay thus exposed. Being
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sure that his God made him to dwell in safety, he could lie down
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and sleep upon a stone. Roman two. In his hard lodging he had
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a pleasant dream any Israelite indeed would be willing to take up with Jacob's pillow,
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provided he might but have Jacob's dream. Then and there he heard the
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words of God and saw the visions of the Almighty. It was the best
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night's sleep he ever had in his life. Note. God's time to visit
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people with his comforts is when they are most destituted of other comforts and other
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comforters. When afflictions in the way of duty, as these were, do
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abound, then shall consolation so much the more abound. Now observe here one
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the encouraging vision Jacob saw verse twelve. He saw a ladder which reached from
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Earth to Heaven, the angels ascending and descending upon it, and God himself
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at the head of it. Now this represents the two things that are very
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comfortable to good people at all times and in all conditions, except one,
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the providence of God, by which there is a constant correspondence kept up between
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Heaven and Earth. The counsels of Heaven are executed on Earth, and the
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actions and affairs of this earth are all known in Heaven and judged there.
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Providence does its work gradually, and by steps. Angels are employed as ministering
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spirits to serve all the purposes and designs of Providence, and the wisdom of
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God is at the upper end of the latter, directing all the motions of
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second causes to the glory of the first cause. The angels are active spirits,
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continually ascending and descending. They rest not day nor night from service,
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according to the posts assign them. They ascend to give account of what they
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have done and to receive orders, and then descend to execute the orders they
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have received. Thus we should always abound in the work of the Lord,
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that we may do it as the angels do it, Psalm one hundred and
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three, verses twenty twenty one. This vision gave very seasonable comfort to Jacob,
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letting him know that he had both a good guide and a good guard
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in his going out and coming in, that though he was made to wander
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from his father's house, yet still he was the care of a kind providence
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and the charge of the holy angels. This is comfort enough, though we
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should not admit the notion which some have that the Tutelar angels of Canaan were
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ascending having guarded Jacob out of their land, and the angels of Syria,
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descending to take him into their custody. Jacob was now the type and representative
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of the whole Church, with the guardianship of which the angels are entrusted sep.
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Two. The mediation of Christ. He is this ladder, the foot
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on earth in his human nature, the top in heaven in his divine nature,
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or the former in his humiliation, the latter in his exaltation. All
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the intercourse between Heaven and earth, since the fall, is by this ladder.
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Christ is the way all God's favors come to us, and all our
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services go to him by Christ. If God dwells with us and we with
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him, it is by Christ. We have no way of getting to Heaven,
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but by this ladder. If we climb up any other way, we
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are thieves and robbers. To this vision our savior alludes when he speaks of
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the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of Man. John chapter
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one, verse fifty one. For the kind offices the angels do us,
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and the benefits we receive by their administration, all are owing to Christ,
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who has reconciled things on earth and things in heaven Colossians, Chapter one,
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verse twenty and made them all meet in himself. Aphesians, Chapter one,
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verse ten two. The encouraging words Jacob heard, God now brought him into
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the wilderness and spoke comfortably to him, spoke from the head of the latter.
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For all the glad tidings we receive from Heaven come through Jesus Christ.
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Sub one. The former promises made to his father were repeated and ratified to
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him Verses thirteen fourteen. In general, God intimated to him that he would
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be the same to him that he had been to Abraham and Isaac. Those
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that tread in the steps of their godly parents are interested in their covenant and
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entitled to their privileges. Particularly one, the land of Canaan is settled upon
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him, the land whereon thou liest, as if by his lying so contentedly
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upon them the bare ground he had taken livery and seison of the whole land.
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Two. It has promised him that his posterity should multiply exceedingly as the
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dust of the earth, that though he seemed now to be plucked off as
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a withered branch, yet he should become a flourishing tree, that should send
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out his boughs unto the sea. These were the blessings with which his father
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had blessed him Verses three and four. And God here said amen to them,
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that he might have a strong consolation. Three it is added that the
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Messiah should come from his loins, in whom all the families of the earth
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should be blessed. Christ is the great blessing of the world. All that
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are blessed, whatever family they are of, are blessed in Him. And
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none of any family are excluded from blessedness in Him, but those that exclude
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themselves. Two fresh promises were made him accommodated to his present condition. Verse
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fifteen. One. Jacob was apprehensive of danger from his brother Esau, but
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God promises to keep him. Note those are safe whom God protects whoever pursues
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them. Two. He had now a long journey before him, had to
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travel alone in an unknown road to an unknown country. But behold, I
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am with thee, says God. Note wherever we are, we are safe
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and may be easy if we have God's favorable presence with us. Three He
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knew not, but God foresaw what hardships he should meet in his uncle's service,
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and therefore promises to preserve him in all places. Note God knows how
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to give his people graces and comforts accommodated to the events that shall be,
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as well as to those that are. Four. He was now going as
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an exile into a place far distant, but God promises him to bring him
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back again to this land. Note. He that preserves his people's going out
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will also take care of their coming. In Psalm one hundred and twenty one,
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verse eight five, he seems to be forsaken of all his friends,
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but God here gives him this assurance. I will not leave thee. Note
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whom God loves, he never leaves. This promise is sure to all the
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seed. Hebrews Chapter thirteen, verse five and six. Providences seem to contradict
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the promises. He is therefore assured of the performance of them in their season.
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All shall be done that I have spoken to thee of Note saying and
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doing are not two things with God, whatever they are with us. Jacob's
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vow b. C. Seventeen sixty, verses sixteen two twenty two. And
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Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, surely the Lord is
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in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid,
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and said, how dreadful is this place. This is none other but the
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house of God. And this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose
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up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put for his
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pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the
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top of it. And he called the name of that place beth El.
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But the name of that city was called luz At the first. And Jacob
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vowed avow, saying, if God will be with me and will keep me
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in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and
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raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in
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peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And this stone which I
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have set for a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that thou
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shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee. God manifested
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himself and his favor to Jacob when he was asleep and purely passive. For
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the spirit like the wind blows when and where he listeth, and God's grace
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like the dew tarrieth not for the sons of men Mygah Chapter five, verse
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seven. But Jacob applied himself to the improvement of the visit. God had
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made him when he was awake, and we may well think he awaked as
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the prophet did Jeremiah, Chapter thirty one, verse twenty six. And behold
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his sleep was sweet to him. Here is much of Jacob's devotion on this
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occasion. Roman one. He expressed a great surprise at the tokens he had
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of God's special presence with him in that place. Surely, the Lord is
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in this place, and I knew it not Verse sixteen. Note one.
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God's manifestations of himself to his people carry their own evidence along with them.
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God can give undeniable demonstrations of his presence, such as give abundant satisfaction to
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the souls of the faithful that God is with them, of a truth,
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satisfaction not communicable to others, but convincing to themselves. Two. We sometimes
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meet with God where we little thought of meeting with him. He is where
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we did not think he had been, is found where we asked not for
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him. No place excludes to by Visits Chapter sixteen, verse thirteen. Here
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also, wherever we are in the city or in the desert, in the
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house or in the field, in the shop, or in the street,
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we may keep up our intercourse with Heaven, if it be not our own
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fault. Roman too it struck an awe upon him verse seventeen. He was
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afraid, so far was he from being puffed up and exalted above measure with
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the abundance of the revelations. Tewod Corinthians, chapter twelve, verse seven,
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that he was afraid. Note the more we see of God, the more
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cause we see for holy trembling and blushing before him. Those to whom God
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is pleased to manifest himself are thereby laid and kept very low in their own
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eyes, and see cause to fear even the Lord and his goodness. Hooseiah
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chapter three, verse five. He said, how dreadful is this place?
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That is, the appearance of God in this place is never to be thought
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of, But with a holy awe and reverence. I shall have a respect
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for this place, and remember it by this token as long as I live.
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Not that he thought the place itself any nearer the divine visions than other
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places. But what he saw there at this time was as it were the
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House of God, the residence of the Divine Majesty, and the gate of
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Heaven, that is the general rendezvous of the inhabitants of the upper world,
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as the meetings of a city were in their gates, or the angels ascending
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and descending were like travelers passing and repassing through the gates of a city.
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Note one, God is in a special manner present where his grace is revealed,
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and where his covenants are published and sealed as of old by the ministry
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of Angels. So now by instituted ordinances Matthew Chapter twenty eight, verse twenty
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two, where God meets us with his special presence, we ought to meet
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him with the most humble reverence, remembering his justice, holiness, and our
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own meanness and vileness. Roman three. He took care to preserve the memorial
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of it in two ways. One he set up the stone for a pillar
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verse eighteen, not as if he thought the visions of his head were in
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any way owing to the stone on which it lay. But thus he would
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mark the place against He came back and erect a lasting monument of God's favor
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to him. And because he had not time now to build an altar here,
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as Abraham did in the places where God appeared to him Chapter twelve,
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verse seven, he therefore poured oil on the top of this stone, which
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probably was the ceremony then used in dedicating their altars, as in earnest of
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his building an altar when he should have the conveniences for it, as afterwards
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he did in gratitude to God for this vision Chapter thirty five, ver seven.
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Note grants of mercy, call for returns of duty, and the sweet
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communion we have with God ought ever to be remembered. Two he gave a
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new name to the place verse nineteen. It had been called luz and almond
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tree, but he will have it henceforward called Bethel, the House of God.
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This gracious appearance of God to him put a greater honor upon it,
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and made it more remarkable than all the almond trees that furnished there. This
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is that bethal where, long after, it is said, God found Jacob,
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and there in what he said to him he spoke with us Hoseiah Chapter
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twelve, verse four. In process of time, this Bethel, the House
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of God became beth Aven, a house of vanity and iniquity. When Jereboam
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set up one of his calves there Roman iov. He made a solemn vow
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upon this occasion verses twenty to twenty two. By religious vows, we give
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glory to God our own dependence upon him, and lay bond upon our own
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souls to engage and quicken our obedience to him. Jacob was now in fear
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and distress, and it is seasonable to make vows in times of trouble,
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or when we are in pursuit of any special mercy. Jonah Chapter one,
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verse sixteen, Psalm sixty six, Verses thirteen and fourteen. First Samuel Chapter
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one, verse eleven, numbers Chapter twenty one, verses one three. Jacob
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had now had a gracious visit from heaven. God had renewed his covenant with
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him, and the covenant is mutual. When God ratifies his promises to us,
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it is proper for us to repeat our promises to him. Now in
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this vow observe one Jacob's faith. God had said verse fifteen, I am
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with THEE and will keep THEE. Jacob takes hold of this and infers,
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seeing God will be with me and will keep me as he hath said,
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and which is implied in that promise, will provide comfortably for me. And
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seeing he has promised to bring me again to this land that is to the
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house of my father, whom I hope to find alive at my return in
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peace. So unlike was he to Esau, who longed for the days of
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mourning for his father. I depend upon it. Note God's promises are to
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be the guide and measure of our desires and expectations. Two Jacob's modesty and
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great moderation in his desires. He will cheerfully content himself with bread to eat
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and raiment to put on. And though God's promise had now made him heir
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to a very great estate, yet he intense not for soft clothing and dainty
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meat. Augur's wish is his feed me with food convenient for me. And
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see for Timothy Chapter six, verse eight. Nature is content with a little,
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and grace with liss Those that have most have in effect no more for
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themselves than food and raiment of the overplus. They have only either the keeping
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or the giving, not the enjoyment. If God give us more, we
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are bound to be thankful and to use it for him. If He give
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us but this, we are bound to be content and cheerfully to enjoy Him
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in it. Three Jacob's piety and his regard to God, which appear here
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sub One in what he desired, that God would be with him and keep
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him. Note we need desire no more to make us easy and happy wherever
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we are than to have God's presence with us and to be under his protection.
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It is comfortable in a journey to have a guide in an unknown way,
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a guard in a dangerous way, to be well carried, well provided
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for, and to have good company in any way. And those that have
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God with them have all this in the best manner. So two, in
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what he designed his resolution is one in general, to cleave to the Lord
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as his god and covenant. Then shall the Lord be my God, not
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as if he would desire own him and cast him off if he should want
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food and raiment. No, though he slay us, we must cleave to
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him. But then I will rejoice in him as my God. Then I
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will more strongly engage myself to abide with him. Note every mercy we receive
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from God should be improved as an additional obligation upon us to walk closely with
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Him as our God. Two, in particular, that he would perform some
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special acts of devotion in token of his gratitude. First, this pillar shall
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keep possession here till I come back in peace, and then it shall be
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God's house, that is, an altar shall be erected here to the honor
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of God. Secondly, the house of God shall not be unfurnished nor his
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altar, without a sacrifice of all that thou shalt give me. I will
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surely give the tenth unto thee, to be spent either upon God's altars or
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upon his poor, both of which are his receivers in the world. Probably
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it was, according to some general instructions received from Heaven, that Abraham and
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Jacob offered the tenth of their acquisitions to God. Note one, God must
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be honored with our estates, and must have his dues out of them.
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When we receive more than ordinary mercy from God, we should study to give
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some signal instances of gratitude to him. Two. The tenth is a very
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fit proportion to be devoted to God and employed for him, though as circumstances
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vary, it may be more or less as God prospers us. First Corinthians,
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Chapter sixteen, verse two, Second Corinthians, Chapter nine, verse seven,
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end of chapter twenty eight