Note, The more we see of God, the more cause we see for holy trembling and blushing before him. Those whom God is pleased to manifest himself to, are thereby laid, and kept very low in their own eyes, and see cause to fear, even the Lord and his goodness, Hos. 3. 5. He said, How dreadful is this place! That is, "The appearance of God in this place is never to be thought of, but with holy awe and reverence. I shall have a respect for this place, and remember it by this token, as long as I live:" not that he thought the place itself any nearer the divine visions than other places; but what he saw there at this time, was as it were, the house of God, the residence of the Divine Majesty, and the gate of heaven, that is, the general rendezvous of the inhabitants of the upper world, as the meetings of a city were in their gates; or, the angels ascending and descending, were like travellers passing and re-passing through the gates of a city. Note, 1. God is, in a special manner, present there where his grace is revealed, and where his covenants are published and sealed, as of old, by the ministry of angels, so now by instituted ordinances. Matt. 28. 20. 2. There where God meets us with his special presence, we ought to meet him with the most humble reverence, remembering his justice and holiness, and our own meanness and vileness.
III. He took care to preserve the memorial of it two ways.
1. He set up the stone for a pillar; (v. 18.) not as if he thought the visions of his head were any way owing to the stone on which it lay, but thus he would mark the place against he came back, and erect a lasting monument of God's favour to him, and because he had not time now to build an altar here, as Abraham did in the places where God appeared to him, ch. 12. 7. He therefore poured oil on the top of this stone, which, probably was the ceremony then used in dedicating their altars, as an earnest of his building an altar when he should have conveniences for it, as afterward he did, in gratitude to God for this vision, ch. 35. 7. Note, Grants of mercy call for returns of duty; and the sweet communion we have with God, ought ever to be remembered.
2. He gave a new name to the place, v. 19. It had been called Luz, an almond-tree; but he will have it henceforward called Beth-el, the house of God. This gracious appearance of God to him put a greater honour upon it, and made it more remarkable, than all the almond-trees that flourished there. This is that Beth-el, where, long after, it is said, God found Jacob, and there, in what he said to him, he spake with us, Hos. 12. 4. In process of time, this Beth-el, the house of God, became Beth-aven, a house of vanity and iniquity, when Jeroboam set up one of his calves there.
IV. He made a solemn vow upon this occasion, v. 20..22. By religious vows we give glory to God, we own our dependence upon him, and we lay a bond upon our own souls, to engage and quicken our obedience to him. Jacob was now in fear and distress; and it is seasonable to make vows, in times of trouble, or when we are in pursuit of any special mercy, John 1. 16. Ps. 66. 13, 14. 1 Sam. 1. 11. Numb. 21. 1..3. Jacob had now had a gracious visit from Heaven, God had renewed his covenant with him, and the covenant is mutual: when God ratifies his promises to us, it is proper for us to repeat our promises to him. Now in this vow, observe,
1. Jacob's faith; God had said, (v. 15.) I am with thee, and will keep thee; Jacob takes hold of that, and infers "Seeing God will be with me, and will keep me, as he has said, and (which is implied in that promise) will provide comfortably for me; and seeing he has promised to bring me again to this land, that is, to the house of my father, whom I hope to find alive at my return in peace," (so unlike was he to Esau who longed for the days of mourning for his father,) "I depend upon it." Note, God's promises are to be the guide and measure of our desires and expectations.
2. Jacob's modesty and great moderation in his desires; he will cheerfully content himself with bread to eat, and raiment to put on; and though God's promise had now made him heir to a very great estate, yet he indents not for soft clothing and dainty meat. Agur's wish is his, Feed me with food convenient for me; and see 1 Tim. 6. 8. Nature is content with a little, and grace with less. Those that have most, have, in effect, no more for themselves than food and raiment; the overplus they have only either the keeping of, or the giving of, not the enjoyment of: if God give us more, we are bound to be thankful, and to use it for him; if he give us but this, we are bound to be content, and cheerfully to enjoy him in it.
3. Jacob's piety and his regard to God, which appear here, (1.) In what he desired; that God would be with him, and keep him. Note, We need desire no more to make us easy and happy, wherever we are, than to have God's presence with us, and to be under his protection: it is comfortable, in a journey, to have a guide in an unknown way, a guard in a dangerous way, to be well-carried, well provided for, and to have good company in any way; and they that have God with them, have all this in the best manner. (2.) In what he designed; his resolution is, [1.] In general, to cleave to the Lord, as his God in covenant. Then shall the Lord be my God. Not as if he would disown him and cast him off, if he should want food and raiment; no, though he slay us, we must cleave to him; but "then I will rejoice in him as my God; then, I will more strongly engage myself to abide with him." Note, Every mercy we receive from God, should be improved as an additional obligation upon us to walk closely with him as our God. [2.] In particular, that he would perform some special acts of devotion, in token of his gratitude. First, "This pillar shall keep possession here, till I come back in peace, and then it shall be God's house," that is, "an altar shall be erected here to the honour of God." Secondly, "The house of God shall not be unfurnished, nor his altar without a sacrifice; of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee, to be spent either upon God's altars, or upon his poor," both which are his receivers in the world. Probably, it was according to some general instructions received from Heaven, that Abraham and Jacob offered the tenth of their acquisitions to God. Note, 1. God must be honoured with our estates, and must have his dues out of them. When we receive more than ordinary mercy from God, we should study to give some signal instances of gratitude to him. 2. The tenth is a very fit proportion to be devoted to God, and employed for him; though, as circumstances vary, it may be more or less, as God prospers us, 1 Cor. 16. 2.
CHAP. XXIX.
This chapter gives us an account of God's providences concerning Jacob, pursuant to the promises made him in the foregoing chapter. I. How he was brought in safety to his journey's end, and directed to his relations there, who bid him welcome, v. 1..14. II. How he was comfortably disposed of in marriage, v. 15..30. III. How his family was built up in the birth of four sons, v. 31..35. IV. The affairs of princes and mighty nations that were then in being, are not recorded in the book of God, but are left to be buried in oblivion; while these small domestic concerns of holy Jacob are particularly recorded, with their minute circumstances, that they may be in everlasting remembrance. For the memory of the just is blessed.
