Jacob’s experience also deepened his well of coming to know the faith of his fathers in several ways:
1. THE FEAR OF GOD
It brought the fear of God into his life. Genesis 28:17: “And he (Jacob) was afraid and said, How dreadful (fearful, awesome) is this place! this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven.”
Jacob was a wheeler and dealer. He was a trickster and used his cunning to outsmart his brother’s birthright. Any true encounter with God’s presence and holiness causes us to realize that our God cannot be taken casually, lightly, or flippantly.
He is three times holy! Isaiah 6:1-3: “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled them temple. Above it stood the seraphims . . . And one cried unto another, and said, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Because they took the holy presence of God too lightly, the men of Beth-she-mesh learned this lesson the hard way. Because some of the men of Beth-shemesh looked into the ark, 50,070 men were smitten before the Lord. 2 Samuel 6:20 says: “And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this HOLY LORD God?” Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 10:11: “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
Some may think, “Well, that was Old Testament; we now live in the New Testament, the dispensation of grace.” We have many New Testament examples also. We read about Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Ghost. They were also smitten (Acts 5:1-11). Read also Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31; 12:14-29).
We now live in a time when the church in general takes the holy things of God too lightly. But God has not changed. He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever.
To be continued.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell