Week 8 – Lessons from Deception “He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” Gen 27:24 Text: Gen 26:34 – 31:55 Genesis Week 8 – Lessons from Deception

Scene Setter Isaac is old, dim eyed, and preparing to die. Given this, was both Isaac’s physical and spiritual eyesight dim? Do you recall Abraham’s final wish for Isaac? Find a good wife from his kinsmen Now it is Isaac’s turn Gen 26:34-35 – Esau took Hittite wives Judith, daughter of Beeri & Basemath, daughter of Elon Made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah? Why? Can children do the same thing to parents today? If so, how? How disappointing do you think it was for Isaac to have his beloved Esau intermarry with the Hittites? What’s the big deal? How could your children’s choice in a spouse make life bitter for you? But in Chapter 27 still pronounces the blessing on Esau anyway. Hittite artifacts shown at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations at Ankara, Turkey

Jacob Receives Isaac's Blessing Jusepe de Ribera (1637) The Deception 27:5-27:46 – Rebekah & Jacob’s deception Was it successful? Consequences Good or Bad? Isaac: blinded by his traditions, growing dim spiritually, his will was thwarted, 27:37 Esau: cheated out of his blessing 27:38, incited to murder 27:41-42 Jacob: compromised himself spiritually and forced into exile 27:43 Rebekah: loses her child to exile 27:43 God Disciplines His Children by their Circumstances God uses our circumstances to discipline us and to make us what He wants us to be. The story of Jacob in the Old Testament is an example of how God uses circumstances to discipline His children. Jacob did not have a very good character. He was not only clever and cunning, but he was also greedy and dishonest. He was always trying to get the best of other people. Jacob cheated his older brother out of his birthright. He deceived his father. In fact, he managed to get the best of almost everyone with whom he came in contact. God knew what Jacob was like, and He was dealing with him. Jacob was a deceiver, and God sent him to work for his uncle, Laban, who was the same kind of person as Jacob. Jacob fell in love with Laban's daughter, Rachel, and wanted to marry her, but Laban required that he work seven years for her. Jacob gladly agreed to do this. The Bible says, "Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." When his seven years were completed, Jacob asked for his bride. Laban prepared a great wedding feast. When it was over, Jacob discovered that he had been deceived. Laban had substituted Leah, his older daughter, for Rachel. Jacob had married the wrong girl! He had to work another seven years for Rachel. For twenty years Jacob was cheated by his uncle. During this time, Laban changed his wages ten times. Eventually, Jacob left the land of Haran to return to his home. During the journey, Rachel became sick and died. Later, Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers. These brothers deceived their father into thinking that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. Jacob believed that Joseph was dead and mourned for him many years. Jacob had deceived others, and he himself was deceived. He encountered one difficulty after another. At one time, he cried out, "All these things are against me." Actually, though, God was working all these circumstances together for Jacob's good. Through discipline and chastening, God was bringing about a change in Jacob's character. In the end, we see a different Jacob. The one who had started out as a cunning deceiver was now a prince with God. He was gentle, humble and matured—a man who walked with God. Even Pharaoh, the mightiest king on earth at that time, recognized Jacob as a man of God. Pharaoh bowed before Jacob to receive a blessing from him. Jacob Receives Isaac's Blessing Jusepe de Ribera (1637)

Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) Jacob’s Journey • Bethel Beer-sheba Hebron • Bethlehem CANAAN Shechem Succoth • Penuel Mahanaim GILEAD EDOM (SEIR) CYPRUS Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) ARAM PADDAN-ARAM • Haran MESOPOTAMIA 550 Miles – about a 2 Month Walk Jacob’s Ladder Dream – Evidence God was with him

Exile Road Gen 28 – Bethel ladder dream was a sort of conversion for Jacob Hebrew “ladder” could also denote a “stair way” Significance Confirmation God was with Jacob Purpose of a ladder or stairway? Look at John 1:51 28:16 - Jacob understood that God could be with him on earth at that place Bethel means “House of God” Jacob’s 1st encounter with God. Angles bringing messages to man and delivering man’s messages back to God. What is the mechanism for this delivery system; what makes this possible? 1:51 – you will see heaven opened and angels ascending and descending on the son of man. Jacob declares this areas as the house of God and the gateway to heaven. Named it Bethel. What is our gateway to heaven? Jacob's Dream, Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael) (1519)

Jacob Arrives in Haran 29:10 – Offer’s genuine generosity and assistance by the well 29:18 - Jacob Loved Rachael and offered to serve Laban for 7 years for her A Dose of his Own Medicine 29:25 - Whoa, Your not Rachael! How did Jacob react to this? Do you think God was trying to teach Jacob a lesson? If so, what? 29:25-30 - Note it was not: 7 years = Leah then 7 more years = Rachael But 7 years = Leah + Rachael then 7 more years

Kid Contest Leah, Michelangelo (1545) Rachel Jacob loved Rachael more than Leah God blesses Leah with children (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah) 30:1 – Rachael says, “Give me children or I will die!” Rachael gives Bilhah to to Jacob (Dan, Naphtali) Leah gives Zilpah to Jacob (Gad, Asher) Leah (Issachar) for mandrakes (Zebulun, Dinah) Rachael (Joseph) Rachel Leah, Michelangelo (1545)

Jacob’s Children Leah (Fertile Myrtle) Bilhah (Rachael’s Slave) Zilpah (Leah’s Slave) Rachael 1 Reuben 2 Simeon 3 Levi 4 Judah 5 Dan 6 Naphtali 7 Gad 8 (Reuben’s Mandrakes) Asher 9 Issachar 10 Zebulun 11 Dinah 12 Joseph 13 Benjamin Issachar sounds like the Hebrew word for “wages” or “hire” because she “hired” Jacob with mandrakes.

Jacob and Laban Jacob employs some fancy breeding techniques and grows wealthy 31:1-23 – Laban becomes jealous of Joseph and cheats him by changing his wages 10 times 31:2 – Jacob perceives that Laban is souring on him 3,13 – God tells Jacob to go home 31:11 – Angel confirms Jacob’s hunch about Laban and tells him to go home 31:19-20 – Jacob waited for Laban to leave to go shear sheep Does this indicate that Jacob, the cheater hadn’t changed? 31:1-23 – Laban becomes jealous of Joseph and cheats him by changing his wages 10 times How does Jacob experience God’s grace in the face of this adversity? Jacob prospers When we face adversity, is God’s grace present? At Bethel during the dream, God promised to be with Jacob. Now, God tells Jacob to go home.

Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) The Pursuit • Bethel Beer-sheba Hebron • Bethlehem CANAAN Shechem Succoth • Penuel Mahanaim GILEAD EDOM (SEIR) CYPRUS Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) ARAM PADDAN-ARAM • Haran MESOPOTAMIA Jacob gets 3-day head start. Took Laban 7 days to catch Jacob Euphrates 31:24 – God comes to Laban and tells him say that which is neither good nor bad to Jacob

Laban Catches Jacob Gen 31:25-42 v.28 – didn’t even get to kiss his grandkids!!! Stolen gods The argument over the wealth; who owed whom They establish a boundary and covenant Laban kisses his kids goodbye and returns home Now that this is fixed, what other broken relationship does Jacob now need to fix? That’s next week. Let’s wrap up.

Jacob’s Timeline Event Approx Age of Jacob Scripture Grandfather Abraham Dies 15 25:7 Jacob sent to Laban in Haran 77 28:5 Marries Leah & Rachael 84 29:21-30, 30:1 Father’s Joseph with Rachael 91 30:22-24 Flees from Laban to Canaan 9 31 Joseph Sold into Slavery 108 37:12-36 Isaac Dies (Lived 43 years more) 120 35:28-29, 25:26 & 35:28 Reunited with Joseph (Moves to Egypt) 130 47:9, 28 Dies 147 47:28 Isaac thought he as about to die when Jacob fled to Haran. Lived 43 years more.

Blessing Leah From what tribe was Jesus? Who was Judah’s mom? What a blessing for Leah! Who was the priestly tribe? Who was Levi’s mom? Point: God’s methods are not our methods. I would have had Jesus come through Rachael.

Eyesight Isaac’s was dim physically & spiritually Eli’s began to grow dim in 1 Sam 3:1-2 Both their “dimness” affected their children Isaac failed to get a good wife for Esau Eli failed to impress upon his son’s the proper ways of priesthood 1 Sam 2:12-17 Matt 6:22-24 – Jesus draws and analogy in the “eyes as the lamp of the body”

Discipline of the Lord God clearly disciplines Jacob His promises do not negate: Jacob’s responsibility to God Jacob’s consequences in dealing with Esau Even through Christ paid our debt We still have a responsibility: To God To truth To the Church leadership and fellow Christians Discipline helps us purge sin We still face consequences for sin

Undeserved Blessings Gen 30:43 - the Cheater receives blessings Jacob recognizes God’s grace God’s blessings are all around us…even when we are in exile and suffering

Toward Next Week Summary Week 9 – From Jacob to Israel