Session 4
the vow Jacob made to God.
18 Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head
and set it up as a marker.
He poured oil on top of it
19 and named the place Bethel,
though previously the city was named Luz.
20 Then Jacob made a vow:
“If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making,
if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear,
21 and if I return safely to my father’s family,
then the Lord will be my God.
22 This stone that I have set up as a marker will be God’s house,
and I will give to you a tenth of all that you give me.”
Believers can live in the assurance of God’s faithfulness.
Record the word Vow
in verses 20-21 on pages 43-44 of the PSG.
Highlight the three petitions included in Jacob’s vow.
Note that, along with making a vow,
Jacob recognized the significance of the place by setting up a marker
and changing the name from “Luz” to “Bethel,”
which means “house of God.”
briefly summarize the significance of the “tenth.”
Bethel
Jacob spend the night at Luz;
but the next morning, he named this place of his encounter with God Bethel,
meaning “house of God.”
Bethel played an important role in the history of God’s people.
Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, had built an altar in this area (Gen. 12:8).
And Jacob would return to the spot after returning to Canaan with his family.
Later, during the era of the judges, both Deborah (Judg. 4:5)
and Samuel (1 Sam. 7:16) administered civil and religious affairs in the region.
Early in the divided kingdom, King Jeroboam I set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan
in an effort to keep his subjects from going to Jerusalem to worship (1 Kings 12:25-30).
Bethel was destroyed in the sixth century BC when God’s people fell to the Babylonians.
Jacob’s experience assures us that believers can experience the joy of God’s presence
and live in assurance of His faithfulness.
Sometimes, He reaches out to us when we least expect it,
but He is always working in our lives.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 45 of the Personal Study Guide:
Using the visual of the four steps and the accompanying words to summarize the session,
direct the group to discuss with a partner how believers should respond to God’s faithfulness to His promises. (PSG,p. 44)
Point out that Bethel was a life-changing place for Jacob.
Guide the group to silently reflect on the following statements:
I find peace in knowing God is faithful to His promises.
I know God still fulfills His promises today through Jesus Christ.
I am allowing God to work in the ordinary affairs of my life.
Encourage the group to consider how true each statement is in their own lives and what changes they can make in response.
Close in prayer
thanking God for special places that encourage us to grow in Christ.
Reinforce the study by continuing to reflect on specific times or places that you have felt God’s presence and been reminded of His promises. Send the group a text or email sharing an event with them. Encourage them to do the same. Remind them that while the past is important, God is at work in the present to shape the future. Note that Jacob had an eye for the future in Genesis 28:20-22. Challenge adults to consider what vow the Lord might be leading them to make about their future walk with Him.
Music
Lead the group to sing or listen to