We are all acquainted with the story. At a time of crisis Jacob is touched by the divine in a totally unanticipated manner. He has a vivid dream ("vision in the night" to use a common biblical term) of angels traversing a ladder reaching to heaven. At it uppermost height, the Lord appears with a message of assurance. Fearful and awestruck upon awakening, Jacob exclaims: "Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not" (Gen. 28:16).
Within this account lies a clearly defined illustration of the fact that God oftentimes, "works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform" - to quote the reputedly final hymn of English poet and songwriter William Cowper (d. 1800).
Human nature tends to struggle at this point. Even as those of faith, do not we ourselves frequently incline to a sense of security in the predictable - particularly when, to at least some extent, we perceive ourselves as in some way contributing to the outworking of divine grace in relation to our situation?
Interestingly, there would be subsequent times of uncertainty in which Jacob would again experience the divine - by means of dreams (Gen. 31:11f; 46:2); unspecified avenues of communication (Gen. 31:3; 35:1), and even angelic encounter (32:1 32:24-30).
The point here is that in his experience at Bethel (subsequent name of the location) Jacob had not stumbled onto some new "spiritual key" or method for inciting God's response in time of need. The answer to finding direction or gaining divine intervention would not lie in his going to Bethel and sleeping in the open with his head on a rock. Nor would it be found in adopting our more modern "praise God for everything" techniques, "speaking faith into reality" routines, or other formulaic methodologies designed to manipulate spiritual dynamic.
God's promise to Jacob was of His divine presence, blessing and sustaining grace. Jacob's needs would be met. God, however, would remain in charge - whatever the means or agency of resolution.
Burl Ratzsch
