Isaac and Rebekah send Jacob away with God’s blessing. While Jacob had taken the birthright and his father’s blessing, the true blessing comes from God. The most important thing is to pray for God’s intervention in other’s lives for God’s purposes (3).

Esau’s marriages bookend this section (26:34-35; 6-9). Esau stays home seeking Isaac’s approval and Jacob is sent away, but God’s election stands. Separation from his family puts Jacob into the hands of God. Although we want to keep our adult children close, to receive God’s blessing requires surrendering them into God’s hands.

A new chapter in Jacob’s life begins when God visits him in a dream at Bethel. Unlike with Abraham (12:1-3) or Isaac (26:2-5), God makes no request of Jacob. God promises to continue the plan he began with Abraham through Jacob (11-14) and promises to be with and watch over Jacob (15). Jacob is surprised and doesn’t seem to know how to respond. Not ready to yield to God, Jacob seeks to put boundaries on their arrangement through a vow (18-22). God will use this encounter and vow at Bethel as a means to prove his faithfulness to Jacob, helping him keep his vow (31:13; 35:1) and transforming him into a new person, Israel (35:10).
Application: Father, there are many people like Jacob; sometimes I’m one of them. Please take hold of us for your purpose as you did with Jacob.
One Word: Surrendered into God’s hands