Introduction
Do you have a favorite pillow? Last night as I was falling asleep, my pillow did not feel like it was mine. I plumped it and plopped my head down. I even thought my husband did something with my pillow. He used to hide my pillows when we were first married because my pillow went everywhere with us. One time he hid it on the top of the door to the bedroom, I looked everywhere for my pillow.
So who in the Old Testament used a rock for a pillow? If you have guessed Jacob you are right.
And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. Genesis 28: 10-11.
Jacob falls asleep and has a dream, God tells him in his dream that He is the Lord God, the God of your father, Issac. God gives him this land as an inheritance, it is Holy Ground. Jacob names this place Bethel which means, “House of God.” Jacob makes a vow to God at this place read about it in Genesis 28: 12-22.
Next
In the following chapters of Genesis 29-34, many things happen. Jacob flees from Esau, his brother. Jacobs settles in the land of his mother, Rebecca. He stays with his uncle Laban. He falls madly in love with Rachel and works in order to marry her, but he is tricked into marrying Leah. In the end, also he marries Rachel. He has many children with Leah. Rachel suffers a time of infertility. Later Rachel conceives and has a child but Jesus comes from the line of Leah.
It is finally time for Jacob to return to the promised land, so Jacob flees from his father-in-law Laban. Laban pursued Jacob and this time Laban has a dream. In that dream, God warns Laban not to harm Jacob.
Additionally, Jacob reunites with his brother Esau in Chapter 33 of Genesis.
So,
God tells Jacob to return to Bethel and this is the revival we will discuss. This occurs in Genesis 35: 1-15.
Take a few minutes to read through these verses.
How do you respond when God speaks to you?
Let’s look at the first thing God tells Jacob to do. Genesis 35: 1 says, “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.”
Arise and go to Bethel. Dwell there and make an altar. Pretty specific instructions. He was to arise, go, dwell, and make. What specific action is God asking you to do? Do you have an altar in your home? Do you dwell in God’s word?
Jacob follows God’s instructions and shares the information with his household.
Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. Genesis 35: 2-3.
If you remember, Rachel had taken idols from her father’s house.
So his family gives Jacob the idols and Jacob gets rid of them.
Why did they have to change their garments? They were ceremonially dirty because of worshipping the idols in their lives.
What idols do you have in your life?
Food was an idol for me. I lived to eat and ate my way to 245 pounds. I knew every fast food place from where I worked in San Diego to my home in Valley Center. Often I would eat on my home and then eat dinner with my husband.
Also, I think what others thought of me was an idol. I really strived for people’s approval.
Procrastination is often an idol for me.
More
More than changing their clothes and giving up their idols, God met them right where they were.
Read with me what happened after they followed God.
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. Genesis 35: 9-10.
God changes Jacob’s name to Israel. He accepts the revival that occurred in Jacob’s heart and in his family.
Conclusion
Beloved, God knows your name, He wants us to give up any idols we have in our lives. Remember an idol can be anything that is more important than God.
I do love my pillow but not more than God. However, I sometimes choose to stay in bed instead of getting up and spending time with God. God met Jacob where he was and Jacob was forever changed.
Father God, I desire more of you than the world. Remove any idols I have in my life. Forgive me where I have failed you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jacob’s name was changed. What is God asking you to do?
