Genesis 28:1
Isaac blessed him, and charged him — Those that have the blessing must keep the charge annexed to it, and not think to separate what God has joined.... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaac blessed him, and charged him — Those that have the blessing must keep the charge annexed to it, and not think to separate what God has joined.... [ Continue Reading ]
Two great promises Abraham was blessed with, and Isaac here entails them both upon Jacob. The promise of heirs, God make thee fruitful and multiply thee. Through his loins that people should descend from Abraham which should be numerous as the stars of heaven. Through his loins should descend from A... [ Continue Reading ]
Rebekah is here called Jacob's and Esau's mother — Jacob is named first, not only because he had always been his mother's darling, but because he was now made his father's heir, and Esau was postponed.... [ Continue Reading ]
This passage comes in, in the midst of Jacob's story, to shew the influence of a good example. Esau now begins to think Jacob the better man, and disdains not to take him for his pattern in this particular instance of marrying with a daughter of Abraham.... [ Continue Reading ]
The stones for his pillow, and the heavens for his canopy! Yet his comfort in the divine blessing, and his confidence in the divine protection, made him easy, even when he lay thus exposed: being sure that his God made him to dwell in safety, he could lie down and sleep upon a stone.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached heaven, the angels ascending and descending on it, and the Lord stood above it — This might represent The providence of God, by which there is a constant correspondence kept up between heaven and earth. The counsels of heaven are executed... [ Continue Reading ]
In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed — Christ is the great blessing of the world: all that are blessed, whatever family they are of, are blessed in him, and none of any family are excluded from blessedness in him, but those that exclude themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold I am with thee — Wherever we are, we are safe, if we have God's favourable presence with us. He knew not, but God foresaw what hardships he would meet with in his uncle's service, and therefore promiseth to preserve him in all places. God knows how to give his people graces and comforts accom... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not — God's manifestations of himself to his people carry their own evidence along with them. God can give undeniable demonstrations of his presence, such as give abundant satisfaction to the souls of the faithful, that God is with them of a truth; sat... [ Continue Reading ]
He was afraid — So far was he from being puffed up. The more we see of God, the more cause we see for holy trembling and blushing before him. Those whom God is pleased to manifest himself to, are laid and kept very low in their own eyes, and see cause to fear even the Lord and his goodness, Hosea 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
He set up the stone for a pillar — To mark the place again, if he came back, and erect a lasting monument of God's favour to him: and because he had not time now to build an altar here, as Abraham did in the places where God appeared to him, Genesis 12:7, he therefore poured oil on the top of this s... [ Continue Reading ]
It had been called Luz, an almond — tree, but he will have it henceforth called Beth — el, the house of God. This gracious appearance of God to him made it more remarkable than all the almond — trees that flourished there.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob vowed a vow — By religious vows we give glory to God, and own our dependance upon him, and we lay a bond upon our own souls, to engage and quicken our obedience to him. Jacob was now in fear and distress, and in times of trouble it is seasonable to make vows, or when we are in pursuit of a... [ Continue Reading ]