Hello! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Genesis 28. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 28 took place in 1928 B.C. approximately
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 28 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 28. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. He is my teacher and He is also your teacher. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I write these bible studies to share with you what the Holy Spirit has taught me and my observations. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 27, we read about Isaac giving Esau’s blessings to Jacob because he was deceived by Rebekah and Jacob. In today’s Bible study on Genesis 28, we will read about how Jacob is sent away to his uncle Laban by his parents Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 28 is a continuation of Genesis 27. Rebekah complained how much of a burden Esau’s two wives were to her because they were Hittites (descendants of Canaan) and were pagans.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 28, shall we?
Genesis 28 at a glance
01
Genesis 28:1-5
Isaac Sends Jacob to Padan Aram
Isaac blessed his son Jacob and instructed him to go to the house of Bethuel and Laban in Padan Aram to choose a wife from among his cousins. This was done under the advice of Rebekah. Isaac forbade Jacob from marrying a Canaanite woman, as Esau’s wives (who were Hittites) were already causing a great deal of distress to Rebekah.
Bethuel was Rebekah’s father, while Laban was her brother. Rebekah and her family were Syrians.
Note
Rebekah convinced Isaac that it would be best for Jacob to go to her father’s house and choose a wife for himself. However, Rebekah did not disclose to Isaac that one of the reasons she wanted Jacob to leave was to protect him from the wrath of her eldest son, Esau. Esau had vowed to kill Jacob, and Rebekah feared for Jacob’s safety.
02
Genesis 28:6-9
Esau Marries Ishmael’s Daughter
Esau witnessed how Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him away to find a wife from Rebekah’s father’s household. Isaac had warned Jacob against taking a wife from among the Canaanites. Realizing his own mistake in marrying Hittite women, Esau decided to marry one of his relatives, Mahalath. She was the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Hagar. Esau hoped that this act would correct his past error and improve his standing with Isaac, so he could receive a blessing from him (Read Genesistand the background).
03
Genesis 28:10-15
The Ladder Dream And God’s Promise
Jacob traveled to Padan Aram and on his way, at sunset, he stopped to rest in a place called Luz. He used a stone as a pillow and fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a ladder that reached from the earth to heaven, and the angels of God were going up and down the ladder. The Lord appeared to Jacob and introduced Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac. He promised to give the land to Jacob and his descendants, and also promised to protect Jacob and fulfill all of His promises to him.
04
Genesis 28:16-21
Jacob Vows To God
Jacob woke up in the morning from his sleep and poured oil on the stone where he had rested his head. He then set up the stone as a pillar and named the place Bethel, which means the house of God. Jacob made a promise to God that if He kept His promise to him, then he would also be his Lord God. He declared that the stone he had set up as a pillar would be God’s house, and he would give God a tenth of everything He gave him as a tithe.
Lessons we can learn from Genesis 28
Genesis 28:8-9 | It is better to be safe than sorry
Esau was eager to impress his father Isaac, but he was furious that Jacob had tricked Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing. Desperate for his father’s approval, Esau even married Mahalath in the hopes that it would please Isaac. However, it is important to remember that there is no use clinging to what is left once one has lost their blessing. Esau’s lost hope shows us that it is better to be cautious and stay alert to avoid any unfortunate situations.
Genesis 28:12 | Angels of the Lord minister to heirs of salvation
The angels of the Lord are ministers to the heirs of salvation. Here, they were ministering to Jacob in his dream as he was the chosen one to receive Abraham’s inheritance.
Genesis 28:13-15 | The Lord is faithful
The Lord is faithful. He is a covenant-keeping God. He promised Abraham that he would bless him with many descendants and fulfill His promises. He worked through Abraham’s generations, blessing Isaac, and then Jacob. He kept his promises to Abraham by choosing Isaac to receive his inheritance instead of Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Hagar. Similarly, He chose Jacob to receive Isaac’s inheritance instead of Esau, even though Jacob and Esau were twin brothers.
Genesis 28:20-22 | Trust in the Lord like Jacob did
Jacob was worried about his safety because he was afraid that his brother Esau might seek revenge against him for cheating him in the past. This was one of the the main reasons (besides looking for a wife) why he was escaping to his uncle’s house in Padan Aram with his parents’ blessings. However, when the Lord appeared to Jacob in a dream, he trusted Him without any doubt. Jacob had faith in the Lord and felt reassured by the knowledge that God had blessed him and was looking after him.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Genesis 28. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with others. Also, share your thoughts about it and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Genesis 28. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time, God-willing!