Dreamer (Not Talking About Joseph...)

So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called. “Here I am,” Jacob replied. [Genesis 46.1-2]

Check this out... Jacob had had yet another encounter with God ...at night.

Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. [Genesis 228.10-13]

And...

“One time during the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the females were streaked, speckled, and spotted. Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’ “The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you. I am the God who appeared to you at Bethel, the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get ready and leave this country and return to the land of your birth.’” [Genesis 31.1-13]

And here is another nighttime experience...

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. [Genesis 32.22-25]

The point is, just because it is dark outside does not mean God will not speak to us! He certainly spoke to Jacob at night!

And, there is another thing I would like to point out: Jacob's son Joseph was a dreamer. Is it any wonder since Jacob was Joseph's dad? Just sayin'. This makes it clear why, although Jacob scolded Joseph for his bold dreams, Jacob still wondered in his heart what it could mean... Which... brings us back to the opening verse above in Genesis 46.

One more interesting point is that the theme of "travel" was often associated with Jacob's dreams.

Hmm.

Father, I don't know what all to think about the dreams and nighttime encounters Jacob had with You. But I am certain of this: You related to Jacob obviously more than once in the night and in dreams. Help me to understand what You say to me when it is night and when I am asleep!