Genesis 28:10-22Jacob and Esau, twin sons of Isaac, struggled for dominance even from thewomb, but it was Jacob, who by deceptive means, steals the firstborn birthright from Esau, with their mother’s help: What a soap opera story(See Genesis 27). Jacob, whose name means “Deceiver or supplanter” is then forced to escape to Haran the birthplace of his grandfather Abraham. It was during this fleeing for sin committed that God manifests His grace via a supernatural dream, in a most unexpected place: a “certain(ordinary desert) place”(28:10). Jacob was not described as seeking God, or praying, lamenting to God, asking for forgiveness, he was just escaping a bad situation he and his mother caused. He was not looking for a calling from God but only to survive Esau’s wrath.. Here in a nondescript place, with no religious significance, no sacred altars around (Compare to Isaiah’s call while in the temple Isaiah 6:1-13) God encounters Jacob: a Theophany. In fact as stated in Romans 8:28, God worked all that happens for His purposes and the benefit of Jacob. Jacob’s unbeknownst to the other characters in this narrative, was chosen by God, not Esau, to be the last patriarch father to the future 12 tribes of Israel(See also Romans 9:13 “Jacob I loved, I chose for aparticular service, Esau I hated = I preferred Jacob) Why? Since his name means “Deceiver, supplanter”, None of our business, Godis sovereign! What can we learn from this story?I) God came in a context of duplicity: no goodness here (See Genesis 27) Toattract God’s Involvement. But God in many ways intervenes where He is not called upon because He is Sovereign. Circumstances don’t have to be perfect for Him to intervene: (John 3:16; Romans 5:8 etc)II) God came unexpectedly in a very ordinary place: during a rest-stage(28:10-11); “Just a certain place”, but in God’s chosen time and manner. There were no altars around or during a prayer meeting etc. And there was nothing that Jacob did to prepare or to earn this revelation.III) God came in a special revelation via the use of dream but not any ordinarydream but a revelatory dream with a message: In 28:12 The text presents what Jacob saw and what the Lord said 28:13-15. A vision for Jacob in his present situation and beyond his time. This was only the beginning of his transformation, finalized by a 2nd theophany in chapter 32, where he wrestles with God and as a result his name waschanged, from Jacob to Israel (he struggled with God and was transformed: but noperfect IV) God came, his transformation process begins 28:16-22God came sovereignly, Jacob was unaware that He was in that place(28:16)A new fear and awe for the Lord verse 17He commits himself with a vow verse 19He prays to return victories to his father’s house, after his journey, and hedoes (Chapter 32) But all of the above was not without hardship and wrestling with God.Amen

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