Genesis 28:22, commentary and pictures

Fleeing for his life as a solitary, penniless wanderer, Jacob vowed that if God would keep him, feed and clothe him, and bring him home in peace, then the Lord would be his God, the stone he set for a pillar would be God's house, and of all God gave him he would surely give the tenth to God. His vow was no bargain for favor, for God had already promised to care for him, but an answer of gratitude and holy joy for mercy, protection, and assurance that he was not destroyed. It remained solemn and binding after the glory passed, and after long years he faithfully discharged it on returning wealthy, returning what had accumulated even in a heathen land as the Lord's and not his own. The tenth he promised is one-tenth of the increase that belongs to the Lord, required from Adam onward, honored by Abraham to Melchizedek before Israel was a nation, reaffirmed by the later law, and not repealed but more fully carried out in the Christian age. That giving is voluntary and never compelled, yet definite in share and stated in time, proportionate to what is entrusted, and the example every true Christian must follow by sacredly devoting time, talents, and property to God's service in gratitude for every blessing and deliverance.

Jacob's Night at Bethel

This stone as God's house belongs to Jacob's flight for his life from Esau after sinfully obtaining by unbelief the blessing promised by God's sure word, showing lack of faith in God's power to carry out His purposes however discouraging appearances. Instead of gaining the coveted position he was obliged to flee, becoming an exiled, penniless, solitary wanderer hundreds of miles through desolate country with only his staff. His courage was gone, and he was filled with remorse, timidity, avoidance of men, and no peace of God, feeling separated from God and heaven because of his sin and fearing he had forfeited divine protection.

At that place he lay down at night alone with a stone, even a rock, for his pillow and received the night vision of a ladder of shining brightness with its base firmly planted on earth and its top and topmost round entering the throne of God. Angels were above it and shining in brightness on every round, ascending and descending on that shining ladder joining earth and heaven. He recognized it as the gate of heaven to his soul, and the encounter marks his new birth as a child of God, the ladder representing the way heavenward for those who love God.

The vision gave him personal promises rooted in the covenant made with his fathers, with assurance of God's presence, keeping, food, clothing, mercy, protection, provision, and safe return to his father's house in peace. God did not forget him but renewed promises of mercy and protection, and God has angels whose whole work is to draw those who shall be heirs of salvation, meeting every step taken toward Jesus with steps toward him and keeping back the powers of Satan. Those promises to Jacob were fulfilled, and the account later taught Joseph that God could instruct, comfort, and protect him in his own time of need.

He then recognized that God was present at the place where he slept and called it God's house and heaven's gate. He took the stone he had used for a pillow and set it for a pillar, poured oil on it after the custom of preserving a memorial of God's mercy, and called the place Bethel, meaning the house of God. He made the stone a memorial of God's presence and mercy where he could stop to worship whenever he passed that way, honoring even the stony pillow in humble gratitude.

The pillar shows that God's house is not confined to a splendid edifice, for his humble resting-place was consecrated by a manifestation of divine glory into a tabernacle where God meets and blesses servants humbly seeking truth, peace, and righteousness. Even the grandest cathedral is repulsive to God when it encloses pride, dead forms, and hollow hypocrisy, because God seeks worship in spirit and in truth. Grief itself can thus become stone from which Bethel is raised, as suffering draws nearer to God.

Remembering his vow that the Lord would be his God moved him to return to Bethel and worship God there after removing the idols from his household. When everything was at stake, those Bethel promises rooted in the covenant became the ground of his intercession. Alone in darkness and solitude he confessed his sin, gratefully acknowledged God's mercy toward him, and with deep humiliation pleaded the Bethel promises for deliverance and for assurance of pardon.

Vow of Tenth Giving

Jacob vowed that if God would be with him and keep him in his way and give him bread to eat and raiment to put on and bring him again to his father's house in peace, then the Lord would be his God and the stone set for a pillar would be God's house and of all God gave him he would surely give the tenth to God. He made the vow in the night after the ladder vision at Bethel, taking the stone he had used for a pillow and setting it for a pillar and pouring oil on it after the custom of preserving a memorial of mercy so he could stop there to worship whenever he passed that way, and calling the place Bethel, the house of God. He made it while refreshed by grace and assured of mercy, protection, and future blessing, with gratitude and holy joy that he was not destroyed after receiving the promise of God's presence, keeping, food, clothing, and safe return.

The vow was not an attempt to bargain for favor, for God had already promised to care for him. It expressed thankfulness, acknowledged God's claims, and made a tangible return for special tokens of divine favor. It was a grateful response to God's promise to be with him and care for him, recognizing that continual blessings call for continual giving. The greater blessings and privileges of the gospel bring greater obligations, even the devotion of all a person has and is to God.

The vow was made when his heart was softened by the Spirit, when divine light shone into the mind with unusual clearness and power, selfishness lost power upon the heart, and the feelings of the natural man were overcome. It was a resolve to deny self and to sacrifice for the cause of God, awakened by desire to imitate Jesus Christ in self-denial and benevolence, with a kind and pitiful disposition toward lost sinners. In it the love of God and love for souls triumphs over selfishness and love of the world, and heavenly angels are present on such occasions when such a pledge is made.

The vow remained solemn and binding after the glory passed and was not excused as only a dream made in excitement. Like Abraham he pledged himself to sacrifice for God's cause, and such vows made under divine influence are to be honored. After long years he faithfully discharged the debt on returning wealthy, with a very large amount of property passing to the treasury of the Lord. He gave the tenth of all he had and also reckoned the use of the tenth and gave the Lord the benefit of what he had used for his own interest while in a heathen land where he could not pay, not hesitating because what was vowed was not his but the Lord's, including the amount that had accumulated while he lived in a foreign land.

The circumstances prompting the vow are the same as prompt vows today, and such vows made under divine influence are to be honored rather than excused. The tenth Jacob promised is one-tenth of the increase and belongs to the Lord. Tithing reaches back beyond Moses, required from Adam onward through successive generations, carried out by Abraham to Melchizedek and existing in the days of Job, honored before Israel became a nation, reaffirmed by the later law, not repealed or relaxed but more fully carried out and extended in the Christian age. It is a Bible duty for believers in every age and a means of supporting God's work that acknowledges God as giver.

Giving of the tenth is voluntary and not compelled, left to conscience and benevolence with free play and without compulsion because God does not compel and will not have unwilling offerings. Yet it is definite in share as one-tenth of the increase and to be given at stated times so it becomes habit, keeps the heart open, and counteracts selfishness. The return of tithes and offerings is to be willing, continual blessings call for continual giving, and the greater blessings and privileges of the gospel bring greater obligations, even the devotion of all a person has and is. Giving is proportionate, so the larger the capital entrusted the larger the gift required in return.

The vow is the example every true Christian must follow by sacredly devoting time, talents, and property held in trust to God's service and pledging tangible returns with gratitude for every blessing, special deliverance, and new unexpected favor rather than receiving them with indifference and thankless hearts, going forward with the Unseen and angels as companions. It makes advancement of God's cause dependent on personal effort and free-will offerings, pledging every member to live the truth and carry forward Christ's work by sustaining God's ordained institutions for churches, schools, and publishing houses to publish truth worldwide through tithes, liberal offerings, and voluntary sacrifices as the enlarging work needs means. So that wishing for no more calls for means virtually says contentment that the cause shall not progress.