https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eByBO6cVFVE
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
Do you remember the story of Jacob? To begin with, the Bible tells us about Jacob and Esau, who were twins. They fought in their mother, Rachel's womb even before they were born. Esau was born first, but Jacob was so anxious to beat Esau, he was born clinging to Esau's heel.
Jewish tradition and even law decreed that since Esau was first born, he would inherit from Isaac....but Rachel and Jacob devised a way to cheat him out of his birthright.
Esau came in from hunting and was famished. When he noticed his brother Jacob was cooking a red stew he asked for some of it for he was 'starving'. Jacob told him he could have it, if he'd give him his birthrights. He did this.
This seems underhanded and sneaky...but some Jewish scholars tell that Isaac KNEW both of his sons. He couldn't retract the Blessing, he had to honor it. But these scholars claim Isaac knew God meant for Jacob to have the birthright and the blessing.
Jacob and Rachel got the Father's blessing from Isaac by draping animal skins over Jacob's arms as he brought food for his father. (He was not the hairy man Esau was, and Isaac was blind.)
Jacob knew Esau would be furious...and he was rightly afraid, so he left and went away. On this trek he dreamed a dream.
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord[d] will be my God 22 and[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Our Prayer
When we became born again, knowing the power of the Atonement and what it means, we received blessings that even we cannot recognize and many that enhance our daily lives. We want to praise God and thank Him for the abundance that He sends us.
We thank Thee, Father for Jesus Christ and all He has given and the lessons He taught us.
We ask for guidance and protection. We ask for healing. We ask for comfort. Father help us set the example for others by the way we live and in our service to them. Thou art KING and mighty beyond all things.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
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