THE CHOSEN PEOPLE Chapter 7

Abraham: chosen to be the father of faith In order to keep knowledge and love of the true God among mankind—God chose a special group of people who would keep alive God’s promise to free the human race from sin and lead it to salvation. GOD chose Abraham to be the head of this chosen people

Abraham: a man of great faith God asked Abraham to leave his hometown of Ur and settle in Canaan…he did so at once God promised to make his descendants more numerous than the stars…although old and childless, Abraham believed and was rewarded with a son, Isaac God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice…he obeyed. God sent an angel to stop him and blessed him for his obedience. (Jesus would come from among his descendants.)

Fulfilling the Promise PROMISEOLD TESTAMENTJESUS Descendants as countless as the stars The 12 tribes of Israel God’s family in the Church Receive the Promised Land Joshua leads the chosen people to the Promised Land We have the “true” promised land of heaven open for us to enter Blessing from GodWealth, land and triumph for David’s kingdom Eternal life won by Christ

Foretelling of Jesus Abraham is a loving father Abraham is called upon to sacrifice his son Abraham was asked to make his sacrifice on Mount Moriah Abraham sacrificed a lamb (ram) provided by God in place of his son Abraham is blessed with countless descendants God is our loving Father God does sacrifice His only Son Mt. Moriah is the site of Calvary Jesus is the “Lamb of God” provided as the Perfect Sacrifice for the sins of the world All are called to share in the blessing of eternal life

Isaac--his sons and the birthright The birthright, given to the firstborn son in the days of the patriarchs, gave special privileges including a greater share in paternal affection, authority over one’s siblings, and a special blessing of the father at his death…allowing the firstborn son to become the head of the house and receive all of the father’s inheritance Esau showed know respect for his birthright

Genesis 25:19-26 New International Version (NIV) Jacob and Esau This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the L ORD on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The L ORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the L ORD. The L ORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

Genesis 25:27-34 New Century Version (NCV) When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter. He loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man and stayed among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he hunted the wild animals that Isaac enjoyed eating. But Rebekah loved Jacob. One day Jacob was boiling a pot of vegetable soup. Esau came in from hunting in the fields, weak from hunger. So Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red soup, because I am weak with hunger.” But Jacob said, “You must sell me your rights as the firstborn son.” Esau said, “I am almost dead from hunger. If I die, all of my father’s wealth will not help me.” But Jacob said, “First, promise me that you will give it to me.” So Esau made a promise to Jacob and sold his part of their father’s wealth to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and vegetable soup, and he ate and drank, and then left. So Esau showed how little he cared about his rights as the firstborn son.

Genesis 27:1-45 New Century Version (NCV) When Isaac was old, his eyesight was poor, so he could not see clearly. One day he called his older son Esau to him and said, “Son.” Esau answered, “Here I am.” Isaac said, “I am old and don’t know when I might die. So take your bow and arrows and go hunting in the field for an animal for me to eat. When you prepare the tasty food that I love, bring it to me, and I will eat. Then I will bless you before I die.” So Esau went out in the field to hunt. Rebekah was listening as Isaac said this to his son Esau. She said to her son Jacob, “Listen, I heard your father saying to your brother Esau, ‘Kill an animal and prepare some tasty food for me to eat. Then I will bless you in the presence of the L ORD before I die.’ So obey me, my son, and do what I tell you. Go out to our goats and bring me two of the best young ones. I will prepare them just the way your father likes them. Then you will take the food to your father, and he will bless you before he dies.” But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “My brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am smooth! If my father touches me, he will know I am not Esau. Then he will not bless me but will place a curse on me because I tried to trick him.” So Rebekah said to him, “If your father puts a curse on you, I will accept the blame. Just do what I said. Go get the goats for me.”

So Jacob went out and got two goats and brought them to his mother, and she cooked them in the special way Isaac enjoyed. She took the best clothes of her older son Esau that were in the house and put them on the younger son Jacob. She also took the skins of the goats and put them on Jacob’s hands and neck. Then she gave Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made. Jacob went in to his father and said, “Father.” And his father said, “Yes, my son. Who are you?” Jacob said to him, “I am Esau, your first son. I have done what you told me. Now sit up and eat some meat of the animal I hunted for you. Then bless me.” But Isaac asked his son, “How did you find and kill the animal so quickly?” Jacob answered, “Because the L ORD your God helped me to find it.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son. Then I will know if you are really my son Esau.” So Jacob came near to Isaac his father. Isaac touched him and said, “Your voice sounds like Jacob’s voice, but your hands are hairy like the hands of Esau.” Isaac did not know it was Jacob, because his hands were hairy like Esau’s hands, so Isaac blessed him. Isaac asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” Jacob answered, “Yes, I am.”

Then Isaac said, “Bring me the food, and I will eat it and bless you.” So Jacob gave him the food, and he ate. Jacob gave him wine, and he drank. Then Isaac said to him, “My son, come near and kiss me.” So Jacob went to his father and kissed him. When Isaac smelled Esau’s clothes, he blessed him and said, “The smell of my son is like the smell of the field that the L ORD has blessed. May God give you plenty of rain and good soil so that you will have plenty of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. May you be master over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. May everyone who curses you be cursed, and may everyone who blesses you be blessed.” Isaac finished blessing Jacob. Then, just as Jacob left his father Isaac, Esau came in from hunting. He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. He said, “Father, rise and eat the food that your son killed for you and then bless me.”

Isaac asked, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son—your firstborn son—Esau.” Then Isaac trembled greatly and said, “Then who was it that hunted the animals and brought me food before you came? I ate it, and I blessed him, and it is too late now to take back my blessing.” When Esau heard the words of his father, he let out a loud and bitter cry. He said to his father, “Bless me—me, too, my father!” But Isaac said, “Your brother came and tricked me. He has taken your blessing.” Esau said, “Jacob is the right name for him. He has tricked me these two times. He took away my share of everything you own, and now he has taken away my blessing.” Then Esau asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?” Isaac answered, “I gave Jacob the power to be master over you, and all his brothers will be his servants. And I kept him strong with grain and new wine. There is nothing left to give you, my son.” But Esau continued, “Do you have only one blessing, Father? Bless me, too, Father!” Then Esau began to cry out loud.

Isaac said to him, “You will live far away from the best land, far from the rain. You will live by using your sword, and you will be a slave to your brother. But when you struggle, you will break free from him.” After that Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing from Isaac. He thought to himself, “My father will soon die, and I will be sad for him. Then I will kill Jacob.” Rebekah heard about Esau’s plan to kill Jacob. So she sent for Jacob and said to him, “Listen, your brother Esau is comforting himself by planning to kill you. So, my son, do what I say. My brother Laban is living in Haran. Go to him at once! Stay with him for a while, until your brother is not so angry. In time, your brother will not be angry, and he will forget what you did to him. Then I will send a servant to bring you back. I don’t want to lose both of my sons on the same day.”

Abraham’s Family Tree: the Twelve Tribes (of Israel) Abraham Isaac Jacob The 12 sons of Jacob (Israel) Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulan, Is’sachar, Benjamin, Naph’tali, Asher, Dan, Gad, Joseph

God’s Chosen People in Egypt Jacob had 12 sons. He had a special love for one of the youngest-Joseph. Joseph’s brothers became very jealous. Joseph had special dreams and said that his brothers would one day bow down before him. His brothers came to hate him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Joseph became the governor of Egypt and saved Egypt from a famine. Joseph’s family was also affected by the famine and came to buy grain from Joseph. Without recognizing Joseph, they bowed down before him. Joseph had forgiven his brothers, and invited the whole family to come and live in Egypt. They grew in number rapidly and soon became feared by the Egyptians who worshipped different Gods.