When God Seems Silent

The Lessons of Jacob’s Staff—Part II

The Valleys of Life

Not everyone would understand or have experienced this, but you might have if you’ve been a Christian for a while and have walked with God. Sometimes, you go through situations that test and challenge your faith. You begin to wonder if God has forsaken you, if He’s listening, or if His promises are real.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;”
– Psalm 84:6 NIV

In life, sometimes we go through valleys. And there is no valley as dark, dry, lonely, and as long as the valley of Baka. Baka means “weeping” or “tears”. It refers to those times in life when no help seems forthcoming and God seems absent. You have prayed until you’re prayed out. You have used every bit of faith you have, and the only thing you have left is hope or perhaps, you’ve even given up hope. You have nowhere to turn, and there’s nobody out there who can help you.

However, notice that the promise of Psalm 84:6 is not only that “they pass through” but also that “they make it a place of springs.” That means it will become an experience that not only enriches your life but one you can draw from in the future—for yourself and for others.

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To be clear, being a Christian is not just belonging to a Christian denomination or church movement, but having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nobody is born a Christian; you have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior to become one. And you are not a Christian because your parents are—you have to invite Him into your life.

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If you have gone through hardship for a long time, you may be tempted to give up because you start to doubt God’s goodness and faithfulness. You’re puzzled, baffled, bewildered, confused, and perplexed. You can’t make sense of what you’re going through; you want to give up. Sadly, some people do, saying,

“...It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?”
– Malachi 3:14 NIV

However, you should know that there is reward and blessing for persevering. The prophet goes on to tell us that to those who remain faithful,

“...the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.”
– Malachi 3:16

The book of remembrance is where it’s recorded the day when God remembers and rewards you for your faithfulness.

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You Are Not Alone

If you’ve ever been tempted to give up because you’re no longer sure of what you once believed, know that you’re not alone. Others have walked this path before you. Consider these:

John the Baptist was the one who introduced Jesus to the world. He was so sure of who Jesus was and confidently declared that Jesus was “The Lamb of God” – John 1:29 – and later, that Jesus was “The Son of God” – John 1:34. However, after being imprisoned by Herod, he sent to Jesus asking, “...Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” – Matthew 11:3

Prophet Elijah was another person who wanted to give up. After his awesome display of God’s power and destroying the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18, Jezebel, the king’s wife, threatened him with death, and he fled. Later, he prayed that he might die and said,

“...It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
– 1 Kings 19:4

If you have ever felt unsure like John the Baptist, afraid like Elijah, or even wished you were dead or contemplated suicide, this is what Jacob’s staff means for you. It is a symbol of God’s faithfulness to His promises.

Jacob’s staff represents his past experiences and encounters with God—testimonies of God’s past faithfulness, goodness, and kindness. The lesson of Jacob’s staff is that, in times of doubt and uncertainty, you should lean on those testimonies. You may be walking with a limp now, but remember those moments and lean on your memories of them. This is what Job meant when he said,

“Though he slay me, I will yet trust in him.”
– Job 13:15

It means you can continue to trust God on the strength of His past faithfulness and goodness, even when your present circumstances suggest otherwise.

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Leaning on Your Staff

We all carry a staff; God has given each of us one to carry. For the young or newly believing, the staff you carry now may just represent only a few testimonies of God’s faithfulness and your aspirations for the future. But for those who have walked with Him longer, your staff represents much more—your successes and failures, your joys and regrets, but most importantly, your triumphs and memories of God’s providence.

Genesis 28 is where we first see Jacob carrying this staff. He was about 40 years old, which would equate to about 15–20 years in our time. Then, it represented only Jacob’s hopes and dreams, which he reflected in his prayer:

“...If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God…”
– Genesis 28:20–21

The last time we saw him with this staff, he was leaning on it while on his deathbed. He started out walking with this staff and ended up leaning on it through all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the many turns of his life—his uncle Laban’s betrayal and deception, his marriages to Leah and Rachel, the birth of his children, Rachel’s death giving birth to Benjamin, the presumed loss of his son Joseph, the fear of his neighbors after the incident at Shechem, the trip to Egypt, surviving the famine, and his eventual death at 147 years old.

The way not to give up in difficult times is to remember God’s past faithfulness and goodness—even when He seems distant, silent, or unresponsive. Lean on those memories as Jacob leaned on his staff even as his life drew to a close. You need this staff to remain steadfast and steady; without it, you will fall.

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In the next post, I’ll unpack more of the meanings behind Jacob’s staff. Until then, remain blessed.

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