JACOB'S DREAM
Genesis 28.10-22
=Interpretation.= The story of Jacob's dream, in order to be clearly
understood, should be considered in connection with the rest of
Jacob's life. His life may be divided into three periods. During the
first period, spent in his father's home, he endeavors by his own
efforts, partly through unscrupulous means, to secure the birthright
and blessing, with the result that instead of having the preeminence
over Esau he must flee before him, instead of inheriting the
Promised Land he is an exile from it, and instead of becoming the
father of a great people he becomes subject to the tribe which his
grandfather Abraham had been commanded to leave.
The second period of Jacob's life embraces his abode in Aramea.
During this period, his early ambitions become more and more
remote and unreal. First love, then the raising of his family and
hard labor in the service of Laban draw his mind from his earlier
ambitions, and it is with reference to this period that we are told,
"A wandering Aramean was my father". (Deuteronomy 26.5.) But just
when it would seem that the hope with regard to his future, which he
had tried at first in vain to realize and had then almost abandoned,
was wholly lost, God intervenes to send him once more to his land.
The third period of his life finds him in undisputed possession of
the land, the prophecy of his youth fulfilled, though in a way very
different from his youthful anticipations of its fulfillment.
Now Jacob's dream at Beth El is significant by reason of its
position at the beginning of the second period in his life, during
which he increasingly forgets his mission. It is intended to inform
the reader that, though Jacob might forget, God would not and
that, though Jacob's blundering devices could not secure him the
birthright and blessing, God could secure them to him even when he
despaired of them.
=Aim.= The aim of this story should be to impress the child with a
sense of the watchful providence of God over our forefathers and
us, and with the desire to express appreciation of this divine
guardianship in worship. This story affords an excellent occasion
for urging upon children the saying of a prayer on going to bed
and on rising, in this way showing an opportunity for the child's
application of the lesson in his daily life.
=Suggestions to the teacher.= Begin by contrasting the comfortable
feeling of the child when he goes to bed in his own room, in his
own bed, with his mother to pull the blanket over him and all the
family nearby, with the way he would feel if night overtook him in a
lonely wilderness with no one near except perhaps wild beasts, and
he had to lie down on the ground with a stone for a pillow. After
this description, give the point of the story you wish to teach,
as follows: "And yet even if you would have to sleep alone in the
wilderness, you would not be really alone, for God is always with us
and sees us even though we do not see Him, and takes care of us, as
the story I am going to tell you will show."
Then proceed with the story of Jacob, emphasizing his despairing
mood when he leaves Beer Sheba, his fear of Esau, his grief at
parting from his parents and home, his disappointment at having to
leave the land God had promised to Abraham and Isaac and the sense
of having failed after all to secure the birthright, together with
the physical dangers and terrors of the wilderness. Then tell how
Jacob lay down in the wilderness to sleep, and how God, who had been
watching him all the time and took pity on him, sent him a beautiful
dream to comfort him. God's promise in verses 13, 14, 15 should be
quoted in Biblical language, as should also Jacob's exclamation
"Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not ... this is
none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven".
Jacob's conduct in setting the place aside for worship and his vow
should also receive notice. The significance of the name Beth El
should be taught the children and its location pointed out on the
map.
When the story has been told and repeated by the class, ask, "How
many of you, when you go to bed or when you get up in the morning
think of how, while you are asleep, God watches over you and takes
care that nothing bad should happen to you? Do you say any prayer to
God when you go to bed or when you get up to show that you know He
takes care of you and thank Him for it? What do you say when you go
to bed? When you get up?" Several children should be questioned on
this as each child who does say his prayers will want to be given
a hearing and should be encouraged. The children might be asked to
memorize in Hebrew and English the verse שׁוֹמֵר יִישָׁן וְלֹא יָנוּם לֹא הִנֵּה
יִשְׂרָאֵל "Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor
sleep" and be asked to make it a part of their night prayer.