Jacob's Dream.

Jacob had to leave home because his brother Esau was planning to kill him. His parents sent him to his uncle Laban's house in order to find a wife. On the first night of his journey, Jacob lay down on the earth and had a dream. He saw a ladder set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven, and angels of God were climbing up and stepping down on it.

Then he saw the Lord standing above the ladder who said, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants...and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Genesis 28:13,14

God also promised to be with Jacob wherever he went and that he would bring Jacob back to his homeland.

When Jacob awoke he was frightened and said, "Surely the Lord is in the place, and I did not know it." In the morning he made a pillar and poured oil on it and called the place, Bethel, and promised that God would be his God and he would give him a tenth of all he had.

When Jacob left home, he must have felt discouraged and ashamed of what he had done to his father in decieving him. Perhaps he was afraid of the future and what would become of him. Kindly, God sent him a dream to tell him that he was with Jacob wherever he went. This must have encouraged Jacob, for now he knew his sin was forgiven and God was with him as he had been with his father Isaac.

The ladder from earth to heaven shows our connection with heavenly angels and the heavenly city and the Lord who is above all. The angels are constantly going back and forth from earth to heaven in order to help and encourage us. They are God's messengers and guardians to people. We are not alone. Wherever we are; God is there.

When God Asks a Question.

Genesis 3:9-13

After Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit, God came to the garden and started to ask questions.

"The Lord God called to the man Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

"I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."

"Who told you that you were naked?"

Why would God, who knows everything, ask these questions of a man? Is it because he wanted Adam to run to Him in trust, telling him all about what had happened. But instead, Adam pointed at Eve and blamed her.

God now questioned Eve, "What is this that you have done?" She evaded he responsibility and pointed at the snake and blamed him.

God gave both Adam and Eve a chance to say they were sorry, but it didn't happen. Perhaps later, but not at first.

Then there was Cain. God spoke to him with questions also. Cain was upset so God said, "Why are you angry? Why do you look sad?" He wanted Cain to open up to Him, to tell God his feelings, but instead the Bible says Cain went and told his brother Abel. Abel must have said something Cain did not like, for he rose up and killed him.


God came again, "Where is Abel, your brother?" God gave him a chance to confess his terrible sin. But Cain gave the answer, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" Instead of repenting, Cain lied.

I see in the actions of God a patient and welcoming personality. Even though he knew what these people had done, he didn't open up with an accusation. He asked them to tell him what has happened.

This is what prayer is - telling God all about our feelings, our plans, our day. He wants us to share everything with him and ask for his help and strength. If Cain had done that when God first spoke with him, he probably would not have killed his brother. If Eve had waited after she met the serpent to talk with God about what had happened and asked his advice, this world would still be a paradise.

Tomorrow, I will show some more examples of God and Jesus asking questions.