It's God: Genesis 28:18-22
He is a great God, and He is worthy to be praised. I don’t know about anyone else, but I find it easy to lose sight of how amazing God because of my day-to-day life. I get caught up in the routines of life, the rhythms of life, and the normalcies of life and miss the amazing splendor of God. Regardless of how my life is going, I can always do a better job recognizing His place in my life.
Upon waking, Jacob took the stone he used as a pillow and set it up as an altar. He anointed it with oil and this became a place of worship for him. It was not an ornate building. He didn’t follow a particular liturgy. He did not need someone to lead him. Jacob felt the presence of God and worshipped.
This sense of worship comes out of Jacob’s fear. Upon waking, Jacob became afraid. The Bible tells us the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. This encounter illustrates this concept beautifully. The presence of the Lord is incredible. Encounters with God are so magnificently different than our everyday life it becomes hard to fathom how day-to-day life compares to life with God. It is awe-inspiring to imagine God’s greatness. It can be scary to think what a difference He can make just by showing up.
Jacob makes a vow. Jacob vows if God protects him and allows him to accomplish his mission and safely return, then Jacob will take God as his God. There’s a distinct edge to this vow. Jacob sets an expectation for God to meet.
I don’t think there is anything wrong here. Other places in the Bible mention people laying out expectations for God and ask him to do things. The stories of Gideon are the most common examples, but there are others. God is a big God. When He calls us to do things that are bigger than ourselves, He can’t get too upset if we have a little doubt and ask for some proof. He can meet our expectations.
There is another side to this argument, though. While God does give us proof, how much more will the reward be for those who put their faith in Him without requirement of proof! It’s like when Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper room and directs Thomas to put his fingers in the wound. Jesus doesn’t denounce Thomas for needing proof, but Jesus then says if Thomas is blessed because He saw and believed, how much more blessed are those who believe without seeing!
In the end, God draws Jacob closer in relationship. Encounters with God should do this. Encounters with God should leave us a little bit in awe, a little bit afraid, and much more willing to be locked into relationship with Him. He is a great God, and He is worthy to be praised.
