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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 207

"You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand." Psalm 89:13

Text: Genesis 28:1-22

AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE INDEED

How should Jacob respond to this special revelation from God? How should anyone respond? Instinctively, and coupled with genuine faith, Jacob responded appropriately.

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said,
‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’
And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place!
This is none other than the house of God, and this is
the gate of heaven!'”

GENESIS 28:16-17

Let us ponder Jacob’s response to this visit from the Lord.

“And he was afraid…”

Jacob had shown no fear of the Lord before. He had defrauded his brother on at least two occasions. He had deceived his father in the hope of obtaining the first-born blessing. He was oblivious of the danger that he had exposed himself to as he schemed all things…the greater part of his life!

Suddenly, he understood who God really was! He was LORD! He was the Almighty! One must have fear and tremble before Him! One does not trifle with Him at any time! He had been most guilty of trifling with things spiritual! He realized how sinful he was as he stood in the presence of God!

“Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it”

Jacob had stumbled into the Presence of God without knowing it! He had just thought that the place he had chosen to rest for the night was no more than a parcel of land! How wrong he was! God was in that place! He must have felt that he had intruded into the private domain of God! Where God was, there must be angels attending Him! Well, there were angels ascending and descending where he was! How could he have chosen this place for his rest? Surely, he had erred terribly! His ignorance would surely be his undoing!

“How awesome is this place!”

A moment ago, the ground upon which he stood appeared to be an ordinary place. Suddenly, he realized that he was on an awesome piece of ground! This was where God’s Presence was found! He had stumbled onto holy ground!

 

“This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

With an awed and hushed voice, Jacob breathed his conclusion concerning the ground upon which he had slept! He had actually slept in Beth-El, the house of God! He had stumbled across the very gate of heaven itself!

How should any man respond to such an encounter with God? Jacob’s newfound faith expressed itself admirably! He was right to fear this great God!