The Hope of Persecution

Genesis 28:10-14

Verse 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Today we skip a generation in Abraham’s family and see how God worked out His promise to Abraham through his grandson Jacob who received a similar promise about his descendants. While Abraham had the two sons – one of his planning and one from God’s promise – he had been promised to be the father of many nations. God even changed his name from Abram to Abraham, from father of nations to father of many nations. God uses Jacob to get the nations building as God blesses him with 12 sons.

Though not all of Jacobs twelve children were born yet God was letting Jacob know that he was part of the promise given to his grandfather. He would be living out his grandfather’s legacy. But this promise isn’t just about the number of descendants. Notice that Jacob was being reminded that the land that he was sleeping on was also part of the promise. God was building for Himself a nation.

This wasn’t really about the land though. God told Jacob that his descendants weren’t just going to be as numerous as the sand on the seashore as God had told Abraham. God was telling Jacob that his heirs will be scattered as dust is by the wind. They would be spread all over the earth, blessing the whole earth. This is the result of the ministry of Jesus.

Jacob’s descendants became known as the Jewish people. It was these very people that God sent Jesus down among. It was some of these Jewish people who would reject Jesus, kill Him and through persecution send Jewish believers away from this Promised Land to bless the world with the knowledge and hope of Jesus as Savior.

Making It Personal

Do you ever reject the idea of a promise from God because it looks like it may hurt? When in your life have you felt like doing God’s will may feel more like a trial than a blessing? What is something you need to step out into obedience about today?

Making It Personal Kids

How do you feel when someone promises you something? What does it mean to you that Jesus came as the Savior? Does knowing Jesus as Savior make you want to share about Jesus to those you meet?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for sending Jesus as Your promise. Thank You for giving us the message of the hope of salvation through Christ and help us share it with everyone we come in contact with. In Jesus’ name, amen.