Genesis 28:10-22 KJV
10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Why would God's place be dreadful in vs 17 of Genesis 28? Jacob was on the run, to a place of safety. Yet God's protection in his life left him with feeling of dreadfulness and fear in the form of reverence. What was Jacob expecting from God. God had invoked on Jacob his will. God's will might seem hard to grasp, when Jacob journey would lead him to bring great wealth back to the Promise Land. We have to ask why was it dreadful to be in God's presence after being blessed by God even though God was invoking his will into Jacob's life? God invokes his will with a promise, one should be feeling blessed. For nothing going to change the will of God. Yet despite the feeling of dread or fear in reverence to God, he felt he was at the gateway to heaven. God's will for Jacob was to multiply and his children would be as numberous as the stars.

Today if someone told us this experience we question it, because of warning about sexual immorality and multiple wives. Yet Jacob is one of the founding father's of Israel. His children would carry the bloodline to the Messiah. To dismiss the call on Jacob life and examine he was living in a sinful world for a moment and culturally speaking culture was not living as God intended. Yet despite it God still blessed Jacob and his offspring to come. We speak of the law of man vs the law of God and see as Paul says a war going on within in Romans 7:23-25. To obey God is to learn to walk by the Spirit, to obey our flesh and desires is to obey the laws of man often times, because our own will is in conflicted with the will of God. However if we choose to walk by the power of God our life changs.

Jacob first encounter may not of been on his journey away from home. Yet Jacob encounter was one that put him in reverence to God. His journey would bring him back to Bethel to loose the wife of his heart. I often believe she died there because of her idolatry. Despite the fact it happened in child birth. God was bring Jacob to a place of trust, faith and reflection of his own promise to him, through out his days with his mother's people.

Jacob life one of faith, but also one in question of faith. How many of us would ask God to return us to a place before deciding to follow him? In truth He was asking God to restore him to his family. To restore him to his people. Was he lonely under the stars that night. Yet God gave him vision.

Joseph the earthly father of Jesus, the step father so to speak that would care for his mother and him, was given a vision one night. The vision did not trouble Joseph, but his fear is known to the angel who calmed him. His vision not questioned. He went in direct obedience to God. Whether God vision for our life is given to us or not, we have a call to submit to him. Jacob's hestitancy is not uncommon in scripture, but what is known that each mand and woman that yielded to God's will was greatly blessed, not always with riches but with a journey that was worth the retelling. If you ask God to give you vision to obey him in submission to his will. To yield and in the storms of life to be willing to receive his comfort.

Where are we in yielding to the will of God in our life despite the culture of the world we live in. Are you willing to follow God's Spirit in the journey or wait and see if he upholds his end of the bargain, like Jacob.

Dear Heavenly Father in life journey we know you give us a vision of eternal life through Christ Jesus, to take up our cross and follow, as Jacob vision to multiply was one of your first commands to man. Yet you call us for a purpose to live for you, to bear testimony of your vision to those around us. Give us the vision of hope. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 1:19-25 KJV
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.