Genesis 28:17 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. — There are four particular remarks which we have to make upon these words. 1. First, we observe from them that intercourse with God, instead of producing levity of mind, produces serious impressions. The man who was not at all afraid to lie down in this place, surrounded with danger and enveloped in darkness, is filled with fear in the morning. At what? At the thought of a present Deity. Not that this was a slavish dread, like that which Belshazzar felt when he saw the handwriting upon the wall, and his countenance was changed in him, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote together; but he was filled with what the apostle calls reverence or godly fear. Such the seraphim know — they cover their faces when they appear before God. Such Isaiah knew when he said, "Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!" Such Peter felt when he said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Such Job felt when he said, "I heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and in ashes." 2. Secondly, we observe from these words, that wherever God meets with His people, that place may be deservedly considered His house. How does this condemn bigotry! How seldom does God receive anything more than lip service and formality from those whose attachment to any particular place or usages induces them to say, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we. Nothing makes a people dear to God but their conformity to Him; and nothing makes a place of worship sacred but the Divine presence. 3. The experience of Christians sometimes approximates towards heaven. Therefore said Jacob — not only, this is the house of God, but — this is the gate of heaven. There was nothing that was outwardly inviting; but oh, that land, the angels ascending and descending! — oh, his God above, standing, and looking down, and addressing him! — oh, such scenery! — oh, such language! — oh, such communion made Jacob think that, though he saw from the place it was not heaven, heaven could not be far off. 4. Lastly, the house of God and the gate of heaven are related; there Jacob mentions them together, and mentions them in their proper order — this is the house of God — this is the gate of heaven. The one precedes the other — the one affords us the earnest and foretaste of the other. Philip Henry was accustomed to say at the close of his sabbath-day's exercises, "Well, if this be not heaven, it is the way to it." Those who call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, will enjoy an eternal sabbath. They who can now say, "I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth," shall serve Him day and night in His temple above, never more to go out. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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