Genesis 28:13-15

2008.Oct.24 03:00

Reiterate the Promise, Again

Read Genesis 28:13-15 | Full Chapter

The LORD was standing beside the ladder and said: I am the LORD God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people. Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you–I will do all I have promised.
(Genesis 28:13-15, CEV)

The narrative of the Jacob’s Ladder story notes first the angels and the stairway, and then, almost as an aside (certainly in the way I remember it from various “kid’s church” lessons as a child), notes that Yahweh is standing beside the ladder!!! “Oh, yes, I had this nice dream, angels, stairway, lots of stuff interpret. Oh, yeah, and the creator of the universe was standing there, wanting to talk to me.”

We do, as humans, get blinded by the flair.

Yahweh is here to reiterate a promise, that the descendents of Abraham, now through Isaac and then Jacob, will possess Canaan. They will be many, they will be watched over by Yahweh, and (this is important) they will be a blessing to others. God will not leave Jacob or his descendants. His promise is certain, but it is not accomplished yet. Nor does Yahweh specify the timing. It is includes in this version, an acknowledgment that Jacob’s descendants will go out from the land (not noting for what reasons), but that God will bring them back together.

Yahweh seems to do this a lot, making a promise, reiterating it, only fulfilling it in his time, which may be a long way off. This is only a problem if I do not believe his promises. Yes, I must be patient, but I can be relieved completely of worry. And, very cool, he encourages us with reminders of his promises, throughout the Bible, and often in other ways.