Week 4: Session 1 Genesis 29:1-30:24 We find Jacob this week at the end of his journey, providentially near the same well where Rachel brings her father’s sheep to be watered. As Jacob makes himself known to his relatives, he’s evidently welcomed warmly. I wonder, how much of his story he was willing to share in those early days? How much did he tell Laban about his falling-out with Esau or the bride-seeking mission of his visit? Jacob lacks the lavish credentials of the steward who came for Rebekah, so he’s eager to ingratiate himself to Rachel’s father. And Jacob’s desires aren’t lost on Laban who plots a plan to prosper from the situation. Notice the subtle way he changes Jacob’s status from beloved family to hired help in vs 15. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And even at the end of the agreed time, it seems that he had to prod Laban to fulfill his part of the bargain. When Jacob wakes up to find he’s married to Leah, we realize that the deceiver has been deceived himself. So Laban gets another seven years of labor from his son-in-law. I can’t begin to explain the custom of multiple wives, but I can see some of the relationship-wrecking results in the next verses. Rachel may have had her husband’s heart, but Leah had children. And both wanted what the other sister had. I propose that all parties were disappointed: Jacob didn’t request two wives and the sisters probably didn’t expect their marriages to look quite like they turned out. What can we learn about Jacob, Rachel, and Leah by looking at their reactions to unmet expectations? The children begin to arrive, but at first only to Leah. Rachel and Jacob's relationship begins to show wear and tear. Contrasted to the tenderness of their first meeting, the jealousy and disappointment heard in “Give me children or I die,” hangs dangerously in the air. Rachel blames her husband; angrily he blames God. But I also see the Lord’s tender care of all parties. Note the progression and meaning of the names of Leah's sons. In her loneliness, she is aware of God's presence. And in His time, in chapter 30, we're told that God remembered Rachel's plight and answered her prayers. Before Joseph is born though, both women have offered up their maids to birth children. And there's a curious little episode in 30: 14-16, the story of the mandrakes. In ancient times, mandrakes were famed for arousing sexual desire and helping barren women to conceive. That explains why they were sought after by Rachel and why she was willing to trade a night with Jacob for them. The harsh, angry accusations of Leah met with Rachel's business offer. Instead of love and tenderness, the sisters' spousal relationship with Jacob is reduced to a business transaction. And at the height of the noise, vs. 17 reminds us that with or without mandrakes, God answers prayers and children are a gift. Into this bitterly divided family were born the forefathers of the Jewish nation. Arguably, they were born of a man who had deceived and been deceived and sharp-tongued, jealous women. List the children of Jacob and their respective mothers. Even through the unhappy home life—God’s purposes advanced. Jacob was promised a multitude of descendants and eight of them came through the unloved sister and her maid. Divine grace, not human merit has triumphed in this story. Journal Prompt: We may not have expected a pandemic, or the circumstances that we now find ourselves in. What ways would you like God to use your situation for His kingdom? How can you begin to pray for the future He intends for you and your family?
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Week 3: Bonus Session 3 Read Genesis 28: 5-22 Well he’s down, and he’s out of the house, and Jacob is on his way to Paddan-aram. The quiet home boy now leaves under duress. Now in most literature, a sojourner often finds his home and a safe space to shelter. Tonight though, young Jacob camps out under the stars. This is a fabulous place to review inductive bible study. So I’ll lead you through it right here. Remember, there are 3 main activities, Observe, Interpret, and Apply. We’re just going to use what we can glean from these verses to try to understand this passage better. Grab your journal and go- Observe (who, what, when, where, why, how?) Basically, what do you see in these verses? Who are the characters? What do they do? What is said or unsaid? Interpret (literally, what does it mean?) What do you learn about God’s character, or Jacob's character (maybe human character? ) What do you think the ladder represents? When God speaks, does He address short-term or long-term needs? Why do you think Jacob awoke afraid? Application (where and how will I use this knowledge to change my life?) So what? Do I view God as involved in my life or as a disinterested observer? Do I think He protects me? How does that affect my actions? I want to explore that last answer with you. This is one of the points I find crucial in today’s pandemic crisis. In Genesis 28:15 God says, “…For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised for you.” If I was publishing this Bible Study Guide in print—this is the verse I’d highlight in the margin and ask you to memorize. I think it’s pretty key to how we move forward. We’ve all made promises that we had every intention of keeping. But one of the kids got sick, or our job got transferred, or any number of important things came up and we forgot our original promise. But our God is not like that. He can’t break a promise because it’s not in His nature. Over and over, Scripture reminds us that God is faithful, that is, His word will come to pass, on the earth and in our lives. God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23:19 NLT We know by experience that not all promises are immediately fulfilled. And during those times of waiting, our faith and God’s word tell us that His promises WILL come to pass. In our moments of deepest crisis, God is still with us and will eventually bring His promises to fulfillment in us if we trust Him. Jacob is beginning to understand this as a young man on his way to Haran. God’s promise means that God’s protection will outlast all of Jacob’s jouneys. My understanding of God’s faithfulness is still growing, friends. How about you—where are you in this faith journey? Now read those last verses in chapter 28 that contain Jacob’s vow. Notice how his response mirrors God’s promise. Isn’t that what God’s promises do for our hearts—soften them so that we can respond to Him in a similar manner? Last question for the day-- What do we know about Jacob’s relationship with God now? Journal prompt-- What is a promise that you feel remains unfulfilled in your life? How is your heart as you wait for it? Week 3: Session 2 Read Genesis 27: 18- 28: 4. Jacob has entered Isaac’s tent with the required wild game and the not-requested (but probably appreciated) fresh bread and wine. And the almost-blind father conducts a fairly strict interview, but finally decides, this is indeed the son he wishes to bless. In this tent scene, Isaac speaks eight times and Jacob speaks four. Can you think of a reason why Jacob remains quieter? We would be remiss if we didn’t look closely at the blessing Isaac imparts in verses 28-29. List all the parts of the blessing Jacob receives here. What is the same as, or possibly different from, Abraham’s promise we read the first week? (Genesis 12) What part sounds like the birth prophecy? And with the blessing given, Jacob has received status as the blessed one. The next passage is one of the most emotionally-descriptive passages we’ve encountered. Esau just misses catching Jacob and thwarting the deception. Isaac trembles violently and weeps, Esau cries loudly and bitterly. He hates. But the blessing cannot be reversed and almost reluctantly Isaac offers to Esau his words, but no position, property, or power. That part has passed unmistakably to Jacob. Make note of verse 40 and see if you recognize the fulfillment at a later time in Esau’s life. What is the result from all the lies and deception? (Genesis 27: 41) Rebekah once again overhears Esau’s vow and comes up with another plan for Jacob. In vs. 46, Rebekah convinces Isaac to send Jacob away, but she doesn’t mention Esau’s threats. Instead what argument does she use? Do you think that's strange? In Chapter 28:1-2, Isaac calls for Joseph and charges him to find a wife at Laban’s house. (Do you remember Laban? If not, check out Rebekah’s story in Genesis 24.) And then in vs 3-4, Isaac blesses the already-blessed Jacob. Read the words and compare it to Abraham’s blessing. In all your reading so far, what do you know of Jacob’s relationship with his family? What do you know of Jacob’s relationship with God? Journaling prompt: Where in your life have you given or received blessings? What has been the result? Week 3, Session 1: Read Genesis 27: 1-29 Something has always bothered me about this death bed scene with Isaac. Typically in literature, a dying man who knows he’s about to depart this world summons his heirs around him. The Hebrews pronounced blessings over their descendants. But even though Isaac is old and nearly blind, he doesn’t really mention impending death. (And he lived a good many years afterwards.) The other variance from convention? He only summons one son to be blessed—his favorite, Esau. Clearly he wants to leave all his blessing to Esau and none to Jacob. This whole ceremonial blessing idea was flawed from the outset. And Rebekah overhears the plan. Not to be outdone—Rebekah concocts her own plan and brings Jacob in as a co-conspirator. Look at the language. Vs. 5 refers to his son, Esau; vs 7 is about her son, Jacob. Take a minute, read through the verses 5-29 and list all the ways Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac. Now here’s a tricky question for you—was anyone NOT at fault? Who was innocent? In this scene, who do you think received what they wanted? You might want to read to the end of the chapter before you answer. It’s hard for me to reconcile in my head that this same Rebekah who is decisively instructing Jacob in how to deceive his father in Genesis 27 is the same woman who comforted Isaac after his mother’s death in Genesis 24. What changed? Family relationships can be difficult and complicated, but this nuclear family appears to leave us with more negative than positive examples. Early on, we saw a couple who comforted each other and sought the Lord for answers to their infertility. They received gigantic prophecies over the children. But somewhere, one child became more important than a spouse. One child became more important than righteous decisions. Selfish ambition crept in. A family is a life time of hard work in every season—not just those first few months. Sacrificial love is hard. And ongoing. The Apostle Paul reminded the Colossians in Chapter 3: 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. I don’t know about you, but during my quarantine time, when I spent more time around the man I married than I have for years, I learned some things about myself. And let’s just say some of what I noticed was not pretty. We have had to talk about our communication, talk about our finances, and talk about how loud we can be when we first get up in the morning. I have had to ask for forgiveness, grant forgiveness, and re-learn how to live with someone I’ve spent over 40 years with. Maybe you too? I think it is worth it. I pray we love and understand each other more now than before the stay at home order. Maybe for you, it was a child who was suddenly home from college, or a first-grader who needed home-schooling. Wherever that raw place is that has been rubbed and irritated over the last few months, think it through today and ask the Lord for His eyes and His help and healing. Communicate with your family. Get help if you need it. Journaling prompt: Spend some time in prayer today for your family relationships. Write your prayers out if that helps. Week 2, Session 2 Read Genesis 25: 29-34 According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, (accessed on blueletterbible.org) birthright denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family and could expect a double portion of the paternal inheritance. Because Esau was born first, that privilege would fall to him. But as we read in the scripture already, Esau gave it up. Evidently he came home from the field to find his brother cooking stew. Now I think Esau might have been given to exaggeration which maybe got him into trouble here. He probably was extremely hungry, but I doubt that he was starving. Possibly his excited state (and low blood sugar) led him into some poor decisions. And I suspect Jacob had been waiting for an opportunity to grab something he wanted. There is no mention of a pause to consider his next words; he hears his brother and strikes up a deal. He recognized the opportunity. For Jacob and Esau, this one moment in time that changed everything had possibly been in the making for years. The deal is struck:
What I’m left with is the silence. Esau didn’t comment. He got up and left. He either thought it meant nothing or he just didn’t care. He was ruled by his appetite.
Hebrews 12:16 calls Esau godless, the Message version says that Esau traded away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. Why do you think this deal was allowed to remain in effect? Read Malachi 1:2-3. “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated...." Throughout scripture we notice God choosing the weak, the unlovely, the lesser and promoting them. Can you think of some examples? David was not the oldest or even the tallest brother; Solomon was not the firstborn. God sees the heart, but also He is God and will do as He desires for His own purposes. I think it’s wise for us to exercise our spiritual eyes and learn to see how He’s working in another person's life or how He visualizes a situation. To see as He does will involve looking for His favor on someone—to see what He is seeing. We need to ask for and practice this way of seeing until it becomes natural not to be swayed or moved by outer appearances. Journaling prompt (choose one or all): Did Jacob’s actions fulfill the pre-birth prophecies or was he just taking matters into his own hands? Write about a time you received God’s favor in your life. Is there a situation in your life that you need to see in the same way God sees? Take a minute and write what He’s telling you. Week 2, Session 1 Read Genesis 25:1-28 The author of Genesis reduces a lot of previous chapters into just a few verses in Genesis 25. We learn more about Abraham's later years and importantly, we get a succinct history of Jacob's parent's, Isaac and Rebekah. The story of Rebekah’s pregnancy is notable for a couple of reasons. First, it didn’t come easily. Like Sara before her, Rebekah was barren. Contrast Abraham and Sarah’s story (Genesis 16-21 if you need a refresher) with Isaac and Rebekah’s. How did each couple respond to a promise of heirs when none existed? And then the pregnancy was difficult—Rebekah had questions, and she brought them to God. I think it's notable enough to mention that here. Sometimes I'm tempted to talk to my girlfriends when I'm in a tough place, or my husband. There's a place for that and God knows that we need to process our options sometimes, but it just seems like such a good example Rebekah sets here to ask of God. The answer He sends is prophetic: 23 And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” Now how do you understand that? Great mysteries about nations are prophesied about the birth of these two. What would your response be? We're not told what Rebekah did with that information, but I'm inclined to believe that she pondered it. I remember how much daydreaming I did about my children when I carried them--who they would be and what they would be like. Since Rebekah went to the trouble of asking God, I'm assuming she valued the answer she received. Rebekah delivered twins. The first one she named Hairy, (really? Hebrew =Esau). And the second is born clutching his brother’s heel. So since they were knocking the naming game out of the ballpark, they went with the obvious. (Evidently the Hebrew name Jacob sounds similar to the word for “heel.” Another interpretation is “deceiver.”) Take a minute to read verses 24 to 28 and list everything you can glean about this small family. What can you tell about the parents from the temperaments and activities of the boys? Almost every mother I’ve ever heard comments on the different natures and temperaments of her children. These twins were apparently nothing alike. Esau was a man for sport and game and recreation—an outdoor man. He loved this world and what it could offer him. Jacob was quiet we're told, and a home body. We find out later that he kept sheep as a vocation and taught his children likewise. Now each of the parents had favorites—we know that and we can only guess at the reasons. Maybe Isaac saw something in his sportsman, outdoor-loving son that wasn’t in his own nature. I know sometimes I pushed my children to be something that was lacking in me. That act can have both good and bad consequences. Rebekah enjoyed the quiet son who stayed close to home. It might have reflected her tastes, but I also wonder if she remembered the prophecies of God’s favor on Jacob. Whatever brought them to this point, we now have enough background information to understand the story of the family birthright. The brothers’ natural tendencies and the family interactions factor largely in the story to come. Journaling prompt: Reflect on how your inherited temperament shapes and influences your view of the world. What questions about your life would you bring to God today? Ask them. Wait for His answer. Week 1: Session 2 Read Hebrews 11: 1-22 I'm still wondering how well Jacob slept at night. As we'll see, he made more than his share of enemies, and found himself in any number of tight places. Around every corner, he found himself in situations he had never faced before. I wonder if he recited his God-promise over and over until his eyes could close and his brain slow down. Jacob living in the tension of a "not yet fulfilled" promise is a theme I've found easier to understand these past few months. Maybe you too? In Hebrews 11, we study a listing of the heroes of our faith. Men (and women) who made a choice to believe God especially when their life circumstances were difficult. The definition of faith comes in the very first verse of the chapter, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We come to Abraham's story in verse 8, how he left his home and set out for another without knowing where he was going. And once he arrived, he didn’t come in as a conqueror—he lived in a tent as an immigrant. Believing a promise doesn’t necessarily mean that we have it in hand. It means that we're able to receive something which doesn't necessarily look or feel the way we had imagined. If told you would inherit a land, what would you expect? Verse 9 says Abraham "lived there by faith." What do you think “to live by faith” means anyway? How did Abraham keep going? (vs. 10) How can we keep going? In verse 16, What did Jacob and Abraham long for? You know, when I started this study about nine months ago, I still thought of Jacob's story as, well, just that--a story. Kind of like the highlights of a big game-- where we only saw the action plays and not all the down time in between. Now I am realizing that while God's promise is there in all the turbulent places of our lives, He's also there for all the days in between. And the way Abraham and Jacob got through all of their days-- the big ones and the in-between days-- was to keep their eyes on what lay ahead, the day when that promise would be fulfilled. The true end of all of our promises is that every tear will be wiped away in a city where the sun will not need to shine because Jesus will be the only light we need. And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” Rev 21:5 NLT Dear sister, read Revelation 21 now to be reminded that we do know our ending. We can live our days knowing that this life is temporary, what is coming is eternal, and that He has promised to be with us through it all. Journaling prompt Journal about your experiences during the past months of quarantine and anxiety over Covid-19. What has that been like for your family? What have been your challenges? Where has God met your needs? Week 1; Session 1 Read Genesis 48 It seems like a funny way to begin, but let’s start at the end. I can’t wait to dissect all the different scenes of Jacob’s life, but I want to make sure that we're looking at what's really important. So, I want to begin with an overview and I guess I want you to hear it from Jacob himself. What did he think was important about his life? Genesis 48 is his last recorded conversation with his son Joseph and it allows us to understand Jacob through his own words. To set the story briefly, Jacob in his old age has been reunited in Egypt with his beloved son, Joseph, whom he had grieved as dead. Jacob has now lived in Egypt for seventeen years and is nearing the end of his life. Genesis 48 allows us to listen in on essentially Jacob’s last will and testament which he wants to impart to Joseph and Joseph’s sons. Read Genesis 48 and then journal your answers to these questions. What lifetime events does Jacob deem important enough to recount to his son and grandsons? What was on his mind at the end of his life? What do you think Jacob wanted his family to remember about himself? What did Jacob expressly leave behind for Ephraim and Manasseh, and for Joseph? In Genesis 48: 3-4, Jacob remembers a promise that God had made to him previously. This promise to Jacob is recorded in Genesis 28:13-15. We’ll look at the circumstances surrounding how this promise was given later, but for now, look at what the promise involves. Read the promise given in Genesis 28 and list every part of that promise and what you think each part means: This promise has appeared earlier in Scripture. Jacob had surely heard stories of his grandfather Abraham’s promise from God. For extra credit, read about Abraham’s encounter in Genesis 12:1-9. Are there any differences? What part of that promise makes your heart sing? For me, it’s, “All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you,” which appears in 12:3 to Abraham and in 28:14 to Jacob. Those words remind me that God's grace doesn't stop with Abraham, but filters through his descendants to us all. And more good news--Paul says in Galatians 3: 8-9 that as believers in Christ, we share the same promise as Abraham. I love this passage so much, that I’m going to copy it here. 8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) I don’t think I can emphasize it or state it any clearer than Paul, we share the same blessing as Abraham. As did Jacob. Now at the end of his life, Jacob has seen how God fulfilled that promise and wants to make certain that his grandsons understand their inheritance. Here at the end of his story, we see what Jacob wants his family to know, that God's promises have come to pass. You know what Jacob didn't say? He didn't talk about the time his brother vowed to kill him, or his father-in-law promised him one wife and gave him another. And he didn't talk about the time he was on the road with his whole household heading towards uncertainty. He just wants them to know that God's promises have come to pass. If we have breath, we surely have promises that have not yet been fulfilled in our lives. What we hope to gain from a study of Jacob’s life is a picture of faith walked out. And what it means to hold on to those promises in hope. Journaling prompt: What is a promise you have clung to in your life? Look it up and copy down the scripture. When is it easy to believe and when is it difficult to believe? This is not the Bible Study I intended to write, not the way I was going to lead it, and probably not the time I would have chosen for a deep dive into the life of Jacob. I was just drawn to Jacob's story of redemption. I have always been captivated by the idea of Jacob wrestling all night with God and at the end receiving both a blessing and a new name. The new name gets me every time. As I pondered the significance of God changing Jacob from “Deceiver” to “Israel—one who prevails,” I realized that God has been at work in all of our lives, changing us from who we were to who He sees. And that just seemed like enough—to read the Scriptures which focused on Jacob’s life, discuss the meaning of it, and apply it to our 21st century lives. Then March 2020 came and news of Covid-19 and a pandemic that involved the whole world. I had absolutely nothing in my experience to draw on except the Rock that is higher than I. I had promises in the Bible. Jacob had promises he received from God. We know the end of Jacob’s story—he prevails. But he didn’t know the end of his story when, as a young man, he left home for an unknown country, or later when he worked 14 years to earn Rachel as his wife. How many nights did he go to bed and wonder how God was going to work all this promise out? Is it possible that some of the answers we need about faith right now are waiting for us in these stories about one of Israel’s patriarchs? Some character strengths are only born out of pressure and angst and dealing with unknown. That's what Jacob has taught me. Maybe now in examining Jacob’s struggles, we can identify the pressures and uncertainties we have in common with him. How did Jacob live with the tension of unrealized promises? How do we? Ultimately, in uncertain times we have to decide, can God be trusted? By looking closely at Jacob’s life, I want to encourage each of us to prevail in our own stories and struggles. To keep searching and questioning and walking toward what God has promised us. So let’s read it together—it’s roughly 10 chapters of the Bible, Genesis 25-35. And as we go, we’ll read about Jacob in other places in both the old and new testaments. Because other writers like Isaiah and Paul and the author of Hebrews speak of Jacob’s heritage, his name change, his faith, and his inheritance, it just seems important. And it seems to matter now. May Jacob’s story provide us with the direction we need now and ultimately hope for our lives. Jan |
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