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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church
September 2, 2007
Isaac’s Family
Genesis 23-36
Review
In the book of Genesis, Moses explains to the children of Israel that have come out of Egypt their origin in the sovereign establishment of a promised and chosen seed. In chapter 1 Moses explains the origin of the heavens and the earth and all life in them. (See: The Days of Creation and The Importance of Creation). In chapter 2 he gave greater detail on the creation of man and woman and the establishment of marriage (See: God Created Man). In chapter 3 Moses explained the fall of mankind into sin when Adam & Eve both ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and though they were cursed, hope was given in a promised seed from the woman that would “crush the serpent’s head.” There would be a future redeemer (See: Sin & Its Consequences).
In chapter 4 Eve has her first son, Cain, but instead of being the hoped for redeemer, he is an evil man that kills his brother and whose descendants follow his evil footsteps. In chapter 5 Moses traces the line of the future redeemer through Seth to Noah. Though this is the godly line and the average age of each generation is 912 years, each of them is also affected by sin for each of them dies. (See: The Spread of Sin) By chapter 6 the wickedness of man had increased to the point that “every intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.” Only Noah was found to be a righteous man and God extended His grace to him. Noah built an ark according to God’s instructions and it kept him and his family and a pair of each kind of air breathing land animal alive and safe from the flood that God sent that destroyed the world that was. (See: God’s Judgment & Grace)
When Noah, his family and the animals departed the ark a little over a year later, it was a different world in many ways. Rain was now a normal part of weather with the rainbow being a reminder of God’s promise not to destroy the world through a flood again. Animals were now given to man as another source of food. Capital punishment was instituted for those that would murder a man because man was made in the image of God. But one thing that had not changed was man’s bent to sin. The particular sin of Canaan brought a curse upon him and his descendants. Noah’s descendants were also told to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, but in chapter 11 we find that the majority of them followed Nimrod in defiance of God’s command and built the city of Babel so that they would not be spread out over the earth. God intervened and confused their languages forcing their dispersal with chapter 10 explaining where the various family groups ended up moving. (See: Man’s Continued Rebellion)
The end of chapter 11 traces the descendants of Shem to Abram who we meet in chapter 12 as the one to whom God makes a covenant that includes being the source of a blessing to all the families of the earth. The redeemer would come through Abram’ descendants. The other aspects of the unilateral covenant God made with Abram included being given the land which the Canaanites were currently occupying as an eternal inheritance and having descendants as numerous as the stars. This later promise would require divine intervention because Abram’s wife, Sarai, was past the age of child-bearing. Abram “believed in the Lord and God reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). (See: Abram, The Friend of God)
After ten years of waiting, Sarai came up with a plan to gain a child through her hand-maid, Hagar. The result was the birth of Ishmael, and though Abram loved Ishmael and Ishmael would become the father of 12 tribes and a great nation, the covenant would not be passed down through him. God made it clear that the covenant would be made with a son that Abraham would have by Sarah, who was now ninety, that would be named Isaac (Genesis 17:19).
Meanwhile, the sin of the Canaanites was continuing to increase. It became so bad in Sodom and Gomorrah that God had two angels destroy those cities and the surrounding areas with brimstone and fire. However, mercy and grace were extended to Lot and his immediate family to escape. Lot and his daughters became the originators of the Moabites and Ammonites who would later be troublesome to the nation of Israel.
Sarah did give birth to Isaac the next year and soon afterward had Hagar and her son driven away because Ishmael was not to be an heir with Isaac (Genesis 21:10). They then settled in the wilderness of Paran.
In chapter 22 God gives Abraham is his greatest test by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s faith had wavered in the past leading him to do things according to his own wisdom instead of God’s instructions. There could be no wavering with this command. He would have to either trust God and carry out the command or he would have to reject God. Abraham believed and obeyed. God stopped the sacrifice after Abraham had already picked up the knife to slay Isaac and then provided a ram caught in the thicket as a substitute sacrifice. Hebrews 11:17-19 comments about Abraham’s faith saying, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son]; 18 [it was he] to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise [men] even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type.” This is why Abraham is called the father of the faithful. (See: Isaac, the Son of Promise)
A Wife for Isaac
In chapter 23 Sar
ah dies at the age of 127 and Abraham purchases the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. This became the family burial site.
Abraham is now at least 137 years old and the focus now switches to finding a bride for Isaac. In chapter 24 Abraham places his servant under an oath to find a bride for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives and not from among the Canaanites. This task would be more difficult because Isaac would not be allowed to go with him, so any potential bride would have to agree to marry a man she has never met (Genesis 24:2-6). Abraham told him the Lord would send an angel before him so that he could find a wife for Isaac, but he did allow the servant an escape clause from his oath if the woman would not be willing to come back (vs. 8). The servant then set out for Haran with a variety of gifts for the bridal price on 10 camels and headed for the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia.
The faith of Abraham had effected this servant and upon his arrival and so he petitions the Lord. “12 And he said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13 “Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14 now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’;– [may] she [be the one] whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that Thou hast shown lovingkindness to my master.”
Before he even finishes speaking, Rebekah, who is Abraham’s grand niece, comes with her water jar and does everything which the servant had set out in his prayer as a sign. When Rebekah finished watering the camels he gave her a half shekel gold ring and two gold bracelets of 10 shekels. A gold shekel represented 60 days of labor, so the total value here is well over two years of labor. He asked who she was and upon finding out he “bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”
Rebekah ran home and told her family what had happened and her brother, Laban, went out to meet the servant and escort him to their home. They took care of the camels and gave him water to clean up, but he would not eat until he told them why he was there. He then explained that he was Abraham’s servant, the oath he had taken to find a wife for Isaac, his prayer upon arrival at the well and how Rebekah fulfilled the prayer exactly (Genesis 24:28-49). He then put it directly to them whether they would “deal kindly and truly with [his] master” or not. They recognize the Lord’s hand in all of it and consent. The servant then brought out all the gifts he had brought for Rebekah and her family.
They feasted that night and the next morning the servant requested that he might start out on his return journey with Rebekah. All of this was quite sudden and they wanted to Rebekah to stay a few days longer, but they consulted her desires and she agreed to go. Her family blessed her saying, “May you, our sister, Become thousands of ten thousands, And may your descendants possess The gate of those who hate them.” Rebekah, along with her nurse, then left that day on the trip to Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev where Isaac was living and she became his wife.
Isaac’s Sons
Their Conception & Birth
In Genesis 25 we find that Abraham took another wife after the death of Sarah, and Keturah bore him six more sons. Abraham gave gifts to these sons while he was still alive and sent them away to the lands of the east, but he reserved the inheritance for Isaac alone. Abraham lived to be 175 years old before he died. Isaac and Ishmael then buried him alongside Sarah in the cave of Machpelah.
Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She was then barren for twenty year, but after Isaac prayed for her she conceived with twins that struggled together even in her womb. She inquired of the Lord about it and He revealed to her what the future would bring for the children within her. “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23)
The first child born was red and hairy all over and so was named Esau which means “hairy,” but holding onto his heel was Jacob, which means “one who takes by the heel.” Esau grew up to be a skillful hunter and a man of the field. Esau was also impulsive with little or no thought for the future. He was favored by Isaac who liked game. Jacob grew up to be a peaceful man, living in tents, and was favored by his mother. He planned for his future. The differences in character traits eventually resulted in Esau squandering away his birth right
The Squandered Birthright
Jacob had cooked stew when Esau had come in from the field and was hungry and he said, “Please let me have a swallow of the red, that red stuff there, for I am famished.” Jacob agreed to do so only if Esau would first sell him his birthright which he did. Verse 34 for states, “Thus Esau despised his birthright” which is why Hebrews 12:16 calls him a godless person.” He also picked up the name Edom, which means “red,” from this.
God’s Covenant with Isaac
Due to a famine, Isaac then moved to Gerar near Abimelech where Abraham had lived previously. God specifically told him not to go to Egypt, and God repeated the Abrahamic covenant and applied it to him. Later, when Isaac moves to Beersheba God again repeats the covenant saying, “I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham” (Genesis 26:24). Abimelech also came and made a covenant with him just as he had been done earlier with Abraham.
The Stolen Blessing
Chapter 27 records the deception that occurs in a family when the parents play favorites with their children. Though the Lord had said Jacob would be superior to Esau and though Esau had already sold the birthright to Jacob, Rebekah used deception to gain for Jacob the blessing as well. In brief, when Isaac became old his eye sight became dim. Thinking he was about to die he called in Esau and told him to go hunting and bring him back a “savory dish” after which he would bless him. Rebekah heard this and while Esau was gone she prepared a kid from the flock the way that Isaac liked it and then sent Jacob in with it after disguising him with some of Esau’s clothes so he would smell like Esau and also putting the skin of kids on the back of his hands and neck so that he would feel hairy like Esau. Jacob went along with it and Isaac was deceived by the disguise and the lies so that he ended up blessing Jacob saying, “See, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed; 28 Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new wine; 29 May peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you; Be master of your brothers, And may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, And blessed be those who bless you” (Genesis 27:27-29).
Of course, when Esau came back the deception was exposed, but it was too late. The blessing was already given to Jacob. The only blessing left Isaac could give Esau, who was pleading for something, was to say, “Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, And away from the dew of heaven from above. 40 “And by your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck” (Genesis 27:39-40). A blessing that s
eems to be more of a curse. Esau’s reaction was to plot how he might kill Jacob after their father died.
Rebekah finds out about it and comes up a plan to send Jacob away until Esau’s anger has subsided. Her plan is to send Jacob to Haran to her brother Laban in order to find a wife. Isaac agreed and charged Jacob that he was not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan as Esau had done and he sent him off to Laban. Jacob was about to meet some one more deceptive than himself.
Jacob’s Sojourn
God’s Covenant with Jacob
On the journey Jacob had a dream one night in which he saw a ladder with angels going up and down into heaven on it. The Lord was standing at the top and said to him, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 “Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 “And behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:13-15). The Abrahamic covenant was established with Jacob.
However, Jacob’s own relationship with the Lord was not yet so deep. He called that place Bethel and vowed, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 “And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house; and of all that Thou dost give me I will surely give a tenth to Thee” (Genesis 28:20-22). At this point Jacob is still self centered thinking that God would bless him in order to gain Jacob as a follower, a tenth of what He gave to Jacob and a pile of stones for a house. God would teach Jacob many things in the years that would follow to change Jacob’s character.
Jacob in Haran
When Jacob arrives in Haran he meets Laban and his two daughters, Leah & Rachel. After some time Jacob agrees to work as a sheep herder for Laban for seven years for Rachel, with whom he is in love. Those years “seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her” (Genesis 29:20). But when the wedding came, it was Jacob that was deceived and he ended up with Leah instead of Rachel. Laban’s only reason was that it was not their practice to marry off the younger before the older. He then made another agreement with Jacob that he could have Rachel as a second wife, but he would then serve for another seven years. Jacob agreed and the troubles of rivalry soon began.
Jacob loved Rachel, not Leah, but God allowed her to have four sons in quick succession – Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah – while Rachel remained barren (Genesis 29:30-35). In her jealousy Rachel demanded of Jacob “Give me children, or else I die.” This made Jacob angry and he responded with a proper rebuke saying, “Am I in the place of God who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Jacob had learned something about God’s sovereignty. Rachel then decided to use the same plan Sarah had used and have children through her maid. She then gave Bilhah for this purpose and Jacob consented. Bilhah bore two sons in quick succession – Dan and Naphtali.
During this time Leah has stopped having children and in her rivalry with Rachel decided she would do the same thing and she gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob. He consented and Zilpah also bore two sons in quick succession – Gad and Asher. After this Leah bore two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah. After this, Genesis 30:22 says, “Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. 23 So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son.” Though she finally had a son, her thought was immediately in having another because of rivalry.
After the birth of Joseph, Jacob decided it was time to go back home, but Laban recognized that the Lord was blessing him on account of Jacob and so urged him to stay at whatever wages he would name (Genesis 30:25-30). Jacob has increased in his understanding and trust in the Lord so that he set up his future wages to be totally dependent upon what the Lord would provide for him. Rather than some specific salary, Jacob set his wages to be animals that were yet unborn and those that Laban would have considered less valuable. The flocks would be separated according to whether they were solid colored or spotted or speckled. The solid colored animals were dominate and so the larger flocks were set aside for Laban. Jacob would take the smaller flocks of spotted and speckled animals. This would also prevent Laban from any deception since it would be easy to tell which animal belonged to whom (Genesis 30:31-43).
Over the next six years Jacob’s flocks increased while Laban’s decreased even when the specifics of who would get which animals was changed 10 times (Genesis 31:7). As Laban’s flocks became smaller he because less and less favorable towards Jacob until finally Jacob decided it was time to leave. The angel of God appearing in a dream and telling him to return to the land of his birth confirmed his decision. He then told his wives of his plan and set off for home without telling Laban (Genesis 31:1-21).
Laban found about this three days later and caught up with Jacob on the seventh day in the hill country of Gilead. God warned Laban in a night dream not to speak either good or bad (Genesis 31:24), so when he confronted Jacob he made out like Jacob had done foolishly by denying him the opportunity to send them off joyously. He then told Jacob that though he had the power to harm him, God had warned him the night before. His only complaint was that someone had stolen his household idols (Genesis 31:25-30). Jacob explained his fear that Laban would have taken Jacob’s wives away by force, and then told him to search through all of his belongings and take whatever was his, and that “the one with whom you find your gods shall not live” (Genesis 31:32). Jacob did not know Rachel had taken them.
Laban did search through everything, but did not find the idols which Rachel had stolen because she had placed them in a camel’s saddle and was actually sitting them (Genesis 31:33-35). Though Jacob was a follower of the Lord, His wives still had some tie backs into the idolatry of their family.
Jacob now becomes upset and contended with Laban for the many wrongs he had done concluding “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night” (Genesis 31:42).
Though Laban made a false claim that everything was his, the end result was a covenant between them in which a pile of stones would be a witness between them that God would be a witness and judge between them though they were apart and that neither would pass by the heap of stones to do harm to the other (Genesis 31:43-53). Jacob offered sacrifices and the next morning Laban kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them and returned to his home.
The Reconciliation of Jacob & Esau
Now Jacob had a bigger problem on his hands. He would have to face Esau who had been plotting to kill him twenty years earlier. The angels of God met Jacob as he was on his way (Genesis 32:1), and Jacob then sent messengers to Esau in the land of Seir that he was returning and seeking his favor. Jacob did not know what Esau’s response would be so he prepared by dividing the people and his animals into two companies so that if Esau attacked one group the other could escape (Genesis 32:7-8). Jacob then
prayed, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who didst say to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which Thou hast shown to Thy servant; for with my staff [only] I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 11 “Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 “For Thou didst say, ‘I will surely prosper you, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'” Even though he was afraid, Jacob had become humble and learned to trust God and His promises.
That night after he had his family and possessions cross the ford of the Jabbok, Jacob was alone and ended up having a wrestling match with the angel of the Lord (see Hosea 12:4). In the process the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated but he would still not let go until he was blessed. The angel then said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel (“strives with God”); for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Jacob was indeed a different man than the one that left home 20 years earlier.
The next day Jacob did meet with Esau and the 400 men that had come with him. Jacob had planned everything very carefully to appease Esau with many gifts prior to his arrival and had also arranged his family in order so that Rachel and Joseph would have the greatest possibility of escape if needed (Genesis 33:1-2). But it all ended up being unnecessary for when Jacob and Esau met they embraced and wept. The old memories and murderous threats belonged to the distant past and they reconciled (Genesis 33:3-11). Esau offered to travel with him, but Jacob declined because he would have to travel so slowly because of the flocks and young children. Esau returned to Seir and Jacob made his way to Succoth where he built a house and lived for sometime (Genesis 32:12-17).
Jacob in Canaan
Sin & Deception at Shechem
Sometime later Jacob moved near the city of Shechem where he bought a piece of land and erected an altar he named, El-Elohe-Israel, meaning “God, the God of Israel.” God had provided for Jacob all the years he was gone and brought him back safely. Jacob was now a worshiper of the God of his fathers (Genesis 32:18-20).
But being back in the land did not mean it was safe. In chapter 34 we find that Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, who was the prince of the land rapes Jacob’s daughter, Dinah and then he wants his father to get Dinah as a wife for him. Jacob’s sons were very upset by this and devised a scheme by which they could get revenge. They agreed to the marriage on the condition that all the males of the city would become circumcised as they were. Shechem convinced the men to do so on the premise that by intermarriage the livestock and property of Jacob’s family would become theirs. After the men were circumcised and still in pain, “Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male” (Genesis 34:25) and then they looted the city.
The Move to Bethel
Jacob was afraid that the Canaanites and Perizzites would attack and destroy them because of this (Genesis 34:30), but the Lord told Jacob to move to Bethel and he put a great terror upon the cities which were around them so that they were not pursued (Genesis 35:1-6). Before they set out for Bethel, Jacob commanded his household to “put away the foreign gods which are among you and purify yourselves, and change your garments” and they did so with Jacob leaving them behind under an oak in Shechem (Genesis 35:2-4). They then moved to Bethel where Jacob built another altar and God again revealed Himself to Jacob telling him once again that his name would now be Israel instead of Jacob and repeating the covenant. “God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. 12 “And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you” (Genesis 35:11-12). God made His covenant with Abraham, then established it with Isaac, not Ishmael, then with Jacob, not Esau.
The Move to Hebron
Sometime later Israel moved from Bethel down to Hebron where Isaac was still living. However, along the way, Rachel gave birth to Benjamin, but the labor was severe and Rachel died. She was buried there in Ephrath / Bethlehem and Israel set up a pillar over her grave which is still there to this day (Genesis 35:16-21). Chapter 35 concludes with the death of Isaac at 180 years old and being buried by Jacob and Esau, and chapter 36 records the descendants of Esau.
Conclusions
God created a perfect world, but man sinned. God justly punished their sin, but He also gave them hope in a future redeemer. We have traced the line of that redeemer through Seth to Noah and then through Shem to Abraham who received God’s specific covenant which was then established with Isaac and then Jacob. We have also seen in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that God patiently worked with them even when their faith was weak to build them into men of strong faith and character. He still does the same thing today. Our fears and doubts may lead us to bad decisions for which we may have to bear the natural consequences, but even then we find the grace and mercy of our Lord extended to us so that we can grow in our understanding and trust of Him resulting in a life of greater godliness. The sooner we learn to trust the Lord, the faster we mature.
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help.
Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Write down all the verses mentioned in the sermon and look them up later. 2) Count how many times “covenant” is mentioned in the sermon. Talk with your parents about who God made these covenants with and why they are important..
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. Why did Moses write Genesis? What is the importance of each of the following chapters: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6-9, 11, 12, 15, 19, 21, 22? What was Abraham’s chief concern after Sarah died? What did he have his servant promise him? What was the only escape clause in the oath? What did the servant pray when he arrived in Haran? How was Rebekah the fulfillment of that prayer? Is this a good way to find a wife? Why or why not? How long was Rebekah barren? What were the differences between Esau & Jacob – physically, skills and temperament? Why does Hebrews 12:16 call Esau a godless person? What is the importance of Genesis 26:24? The Lord had already told Rebekah that Esau would serve Jacob and Esau had already sold his birthright to Jacob – what reasons would she have to scheme to get the blessing for Jacob too? Why would Jacob agree to do it? How did Jacob’s character and relationship with God change from his experiences in Haran? Describe Laban’s character? How did Leah and Rachel get along after they were both married to Jacob? Why would Rachel steal Laban’s idols? How large was Jacob’s family upon his return from Haran? How did Jaco
b cope with his fear of Esau and how did he prepare for what he feared Esau could do? What was the importance of the order in which he arranged his children and their mothers? What was Esau’s reaction? Why was Jacob silent after he found out Dinah had been raped? How did God protect Jacob & his family? What is the importance of Jacob telling his household to get rid of their idols and to purify themselves before they moved to Bethel? What is the importance of Genesis 35:11-12. How have you seen God’s patience with you when you have been weak in faith? How has your faith grown in the last year?
Sermon Notes – September 2, 2007
Isaac’s Family – Genesis 23-36
Review
In Genesis 2 hope was give for a ____________________________
Noah, his family and the animals were preserved alive because of God’s ______________
God ____________ the languages at the tower of Babel forcing the people to ______________
God made a covenant with _____________ that included:
A. Giving him & his descendants the land of the Canaanites,
B. Descendants which would be numerous as the stars
C. That through him all nations would be blessed
Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as ______________
A Wife for Isaac – Genesis 23-24
Abraham’s servant was to get a wife for Isaac from _____________ not the Canaanites
______________ fulfilled everything Abraham’s servant had prayed about.
Abraham had _____ more sons by Keturah, but the inheritance was for ___________ alone.
Isaac’s Sons
Rebekah was barren for _______ years. Isaac prayed and she conceived twins.
Esau grew up to be a __________________________ and he was impulsive
Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for ______________
_________________ schemed to get Isaac’s blessing for Jacob
Rebekah protected Jacob from ___________ by sending him to ____________ to get a wife
Jacob’s Sojourn
Jacob had a dream of __________ going up & down a ladder into heaven
God established His ______________ with Jacob
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get ___________, but he got __________ instead, so he worked another seven years to get her.
Leah’s first four sons were ___________ , Simeon, __________ and Judah
Bilhah’s two sons were _________ and Naphtali
Zilpah’s two sons were Gad and ____________
Leah’s next two sons were Issachar and ___________. Her daughter was ___________
Rachel’s son was _____________
Jacob worked ___________ years to earn his flocks
Rebekah stole Laban’s ____________ and hid them under her saddle
The covenant at ______________ was to keep Laban and Jacob from harming each other.
The Reconciliation
Jacob sent messengers to ___________ and prepared for possible attack.
Jacob’s name was changed to ______________ which means “strives with God” after he:
Esau met Jacob with 400 men, but it was not to attack, but to _____________ and escort him.
Jacob in Canaan
Jacob moved to _____________ after meeting with Esau, and then moved to ____________
Shechem was the name of the city and the name of the man who was _________ of the land
Simeon & Levi killed the men of the city because:
Before Jacob moved to Bethel, he had his household get rid of their ___________ and ________ themselves.
God renewed the _____________ with Jacob at Bethel
Rachel died at ______________ after giving birth to _______________
Conclusions
The hope of the promised redeemer goes through _______ to Noah, then _______ to Abraham, who receives the covenant, which is then established with ___________, not Ishmael and then with _________, not Esau
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