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Jacob’s Flight and Exile
This chapter is based on Genesis 28 to 31.
Threatened with death by Esau, Jacob went out from his father’s
home a fugitive, but with the father’s blessing. Isaac had renewed
the covenant promise to him and had told him look for a wife among
his mother’s family in Mesopotamia.
Yet it was with a deeply troubled heart that Jacob set out on
his lonely journey. With only his staff in his hand he must travel
hundreds of miles through a country inhabited by wild, roving tribes.
In his remorse and dread he tried to avoid people, to prevent his
angry brother from following him. He feared that he had lost forever
the blessing God had wanted to give him, and Satan was at hand to
press temptations upon him.
The evening of the second day found him far away from his
father’s tents. He felt he was an outcast, and he knew that all his
trouble had come upon him because of his own wrong actions.
Despair pressed upon his soul, and he hardly dared to pray. But
he was so lonely that he felt the need of protection from God as
never before. With weeping he confessed his sin and asked earnestly
for some evidence that he was not utterly forsaken. He had lost all
confidence in himself, and he feared that God had rejected him.
But God’s mercy was still extended to His erring, distrustful ser-
vant. The Lord compassionately revealed just what Jacob needed—a
Savior. He had sinned, but God revealed a way for him to be restored
to divine favor.
Tired, the wanderer lay down on the ground with a stone for
his pillow. As he slept he saw a ladder whose base rested on the
earth while the top reached to heaven. Angels were ascending and
descending on this ladder. Above it was the Lord of glory, and from
the heavens His voice was heard: “I am the Lord God of Abraham
your father and the God of Isaac. ... In you and in your seed all the
families of the earth shall be blessed.” This promise had been given
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