We love because he first loved us, not for our acts of worship and gratitude.

 

This is a Special Verse

For Tuesday, 27 April 2026.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

— Genesis 28:20-22

 

Thoughts on the Special Verse ….

We should learn the ways of the Patriarchs.

By the time Jacob had this encounter with God, he had never met Leah, the mother of Levi, who collects tithes. The Bible details the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the foundational “patriarchs” to establish God’s covenantal promises, demonstrate His faithfulness, and trace the lineage of the nation of Israel, so that we can learn from them and follow in their footsteps.

If they mark the beginning of redemption and show how God works through flawed individuals to fulfil His plan, why can’t we, His children, emulate these great patriarchs and interpret the promise as a tithe, a one-off offering, rather than as a sustained lifestyle, as we do incorrectly today?

After commemorating the holiness of the place where the Lord appeared to him in a dream (Genesis 28:12–13), Jacob now acknowledges the content of the Lord’s words to him. He does so by making a conditional vow, declaring that if the Lord will do these things, Jacob will respond with actions of his own.

Jacob’s vow should be seen not as a test of the Lord so much as a prayer of faith. Jacob seems to be saying that, since the Lord can do these things and has said He will, he is willing to trust and obey. Specifically, Jacob mentions God being with him and keeping him safe.

He also adds two things God did not explicitly say: providing him with bread and clothing. In the following verses, he will mention one more condition and then the commitments he is binding himself to fulfil for God.

The Lord appeared to Jacob and promised him.

In a dream, the Lord appeared to Jacob and promised to be with him and to bring him back to the land of promise. Now awake, Jacob is responding to that promise. If the Lord will truly be with him, keep him safe, provide food and clothing, and bring him back to his father’s household in peace, then the Lord will be his God.

When we consider Jacob’s situation, his emphasis on these things becomes clear. Jacob was literally fleeing from his home to spare his life from his brother’s fury (Genesis 27:41). He appears to be alone in the wilderness, travelling to find a wife among his mother’s relatives (Genesis 28:1–2).

Before this visit from the Lord, his future was murky, and his path was perilous.

Now, because of God, Jacob has hope that he will be provided for, kept safe, and able to return home. It is worth noting that God has already promised to be with Jacob. The Lord has already made Jacob His man. Jacob doesn’t declare the Lord his God in hopes that the Lord will take care of him.

Jacob makes that declaration in response to God’s promises and care. His worship and commitment flow from God’s gifts of grace, as ours do (Ephesians 2:8–10). We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Jacob concludes his vow to the Lord.

In the previous verses, he declared that if God does all He has said He would do for Jacob, Jacob would make the Lord his God (Genesis 28:20–21). He now adds that the stone he has set up as a commemorative pillar will become God’s house.

This stone was the very same one on which Jacob rested his head while sleeping in the wilderness (Genesis 28:16–18). In other words, Jacob would return to this place to worship the Lord.

Now the question is: Did Jacob return to Betel to worship the Lord?

Yes, according to Genesis 35, Jacob returned to Bethel to worship the Lord at God’s command. He moved his family from Shechem to Bethel, where he built an altar to God, buried his household’s foreign gods, and renewed his vow. On his return, God appeared to him again to reconfirm his blessings and the covenant.

In a previous verse, Jacob renamed the place “Bethel,” meaning “house of God.” Bethel would remain a significant place of meeting with God for Israel for far into the future.

Jacob completes his vow by promising to give God a tenth of everything God gives him. Previously, Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, had given a tithe to God’s priest, Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). Now, Jacob also volunteers to worship the Lord in the same way. Giving specific tithes and offerings to God was one way Israel would later demonstrate its obedience to and dependence on the Lord.

Also, did Jacob fulfil his vow to give a tenth to God?

Abraham never tithed his income. According to the Bible, Abraham gave a tenth (tithe) of all the spoils of war to Melchizedek, the King of Salem and priest of God Most High. This act was a voluntary expression of gratitude for a victory that occurred before the Mosaic law.

Although the Bible does not explicitly record the moment Jacob handed over the tithe, he fulfilled his vow by giving an extravagant gift to Esau upon his return, interpreting the promise as a one-off offering rather than a sustained practice observed by many Christians who tithe today.

The bottom line is to stop tithing your income.

If you should tithe because you’ve made a vow to God, pay your tithe like Jacob, whose great-great-grandchildren collect the tithes. If Jacob was able to pay his tithe, you now stand in a better position; you have the word of God.

The scriptures emphasise that God cares deeply for the vulnerable and command believers to be His hands and feet by providing practical support for widows, the fatherless, the needy, and others. And your tithes should go to them because that’s what Jesus says in the New Testament. Period!

Key verses such as James 1:27, Deuteronomy 10:18, Deuteronomy 14:29, Isaiah 1:17, Exodus 22:22, Psalm 68:5, and 1 Timothy 5:3 would help you tithe rightly, because Jesus never asks anyone to give pastors a tithe.

—Special Verse for the people of God.

 

My Prayer…

Gracious Lord, I come before You with a humble heart, longing to fulfil the vows I have made in Your presence. May Your guiding light strengthen my resolve and fill me with the courage to walk the path You have set before me.

I trust in Your divine wisdom and embrace the hope You offer, knowing You are always with me on my journey. Help me, Lord, to remain steadfast in faith, honouring my commitments with sincerity and love. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, with a humble heart, I come before You to fulfil the vows I have made, seeking Your strength and guidance to walk faithfully in Your light. May my actions reflect Your love and grace, and may my spirit be renewed with hope as I strive to honour my commitments. Help me, Lord. Amen.