
Episode #30
September 15, 2026; Genesis 28
Daily Dose of Hope Sept. 15, 2026 Scripture: Genesis 28 Prayer: Amazing Father and Lord, Thank you for who you are. Thank you for how you care for us. We get distracted. We veer away from you and your Word. For that, we are so very sorry. Forgive us, Lord. Help us to abide in you. Help us to remain close so that we can be fruitful and effective for your Kingdom. Help us get outside ourselves and see others as you see them. Lord, we belong to you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently doing a deep dive into the book of Genesis, and we are about halfway through. There is still so much to learn and wrestle with! Today, we continue with the life of Jacob in Genesis 28. Our reading today starts with Isaac sending Jacob off to find a wife, a woman who was not a Canaanite. The interesting thing to me here is Esau's reaction. Esau was already married to two Canaanite women. He must have known that his choices displeased his parents. This wasn't something that would be kept a secret. In fact, at the end of Genesis 26, the text says that Esau's choice in wives made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. Now, Esau decides to choose a third wife who was not a Canaanite, possibly to gain some favor with his parents. This seems like a superficial attempt to gain his parent's approval. Probably a genuine change of heart and a sincere apology would go further. Regardless, now he has three wives. Let's move on to Jacob. The rest of the chapter contains what is typically referred to as "Jacob's Ladder." Jacob heads off of his own and sleeps in the desert, using a stone for a pillow. He dreams of a staircase connecting heaven and earth with angels descending and ascending. God tells Jacob that he will protect him and God confirms the covenant He made with Abraham that his offspring will be many and that the Promised Land will one day belong to his descendants. Some people see this dream of Jacob's as highly symbolic, representing Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a mediator and became that ladder or stairway for us to reconnect the relationship with God that was severed because of sin. So, if you ever hear Jesus being called our "Jacob's ladder," that is why. Again, it's interesting that God chose Jacob, the youngest child and the one who deceived his father and brother. But God chooses certain people for his own reasons. Jacob will come to symbolize so much more as we move forward in the book of Genesis. More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

