Genesis 31-33:17 Lesson 17

review Jacob flees Going from Beersheba to Haran Stopped at Luz/Bethel Dreamed of a ladder reaching into heaven God appeared Repeated land, nation, and seed promises to Jacob Behold I am with you wherever you go

review Jacob flees Awoke from his sleep How awesome is this place Vowed that the LORD would be his God Vowed to give God a tenth of all God would give to him Goes on to the East

review Meets family Arrives at a well in Padan Aram Rachel comes to water her sheep Daughter of Laban; mother’s brother She goes to tell Laban He gives Jacob a very warm welcome Jacob stays a month Start discussing wages

review Daughters Leah is older and ‘delicate’ Rachel, the younger, is beautiful Jacob offers to work seven years for Rachel Time seemed as only a few days Laban prepares a feast

review Wives Leah is given to Jacob instead of Rachel Older must marry first Given Rachel and agrees to work seven more years Zilpah maiden for Leah Bilhah maiden for Rachel Jacob loved Rachel more (??)

review Sons are born Leah Bilhah Zilpah Leah Rachel Ruben Simeon Levi Judah Bilhah Dan Naphtali Zilpah Gad Asher Leah Issachar Zebulun Dinah (daughter) Rachel Joseph

review Time to leave Jacob had been here 14 years Ready to take his family and return to the land promised to him by God Laban pleads for him to stay Wages are negotiated Spotted and speckled Brown Mixed color sent three days away with Laban’s sons

review Jacob’s success Power of imagination May have been used by shepherds in Canaan Exposed cattle to mixed color sticks Speckled and spotted sheep are born The LORD is blessing Jacob Genesis 30:43 Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Leaves Laben’s sons are ill toward Jacob Laben’s attitude toward Jacob changes God tells Jacob to return to his father’s land Jacob informs his wives Leah and Rachel

Jacob Leaves Jacob recounts to his wives how God has blessed him over their father and tells of God’s appearance in a dream tell him to return to his father Rachel and Leah tell Jacob they will leave their father and go with him Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Jacob Leaves Jacob recounts to his wives how God has blessed him over their father and tells of God’s appearance in a dream tell him to return to his father Rachel and Leah tell Jacob they will leave their father and go with him Jacob, his wives, sons, livestock and possessions all leave while Laben is away shearing sheep Rachel steals her father’s idols

Jacob Leaves On the third day Laben learn what has happened and gives chase The Lord tells Laben that he is to speak neither good nor evil to Jacob Laben overtakes Jacob and asks why he has left without saying ‘goodbye’ Jacob says he was afraid

Jacob Leaves Laben accuses him of stealing his idol Jacob tells Laben to search his company Not knowing that Rachel was guilty Laben searches and does not find the idols Rachel sits on them

Jacob Leaves Jacob rebukes Laben for his accusation about the idols and for the way Laben treated him for 20 years Jacob and Laben make a covenant that they would not harm one another in the future Laben returns home

Meeting Esau Esau is coming with 400 men Jacob divides his company for protection Jacob prays to God for deliverance from Esau Jacob sends presents to Esau drove by drove Jacob’s name is changed to Israel

Fords of the Jabbok

Meeting Esau Jacob prepares to meet Esau Separates the wives with their children Rachel with Joseph is last Joseph is age 6 Jacob and Esau meet Esau’s reaction to the gift

Meeting Esau Jacob’s reply Jacob and Esau separate Note use of ‘enough’ Jacob and Esau separate Esau going back to his home Jacob travels to Succoth Then on to Shechem where he purchased land

‘Enough’ Esau ran to meet him—How sincere and genuine is this conduct of Esau, and at the same time how magnanimous! He had buried all his resentment, and forgotten all his injuries; and receives his brother with the strongest demonstrations, not only of forgiveness, but of fraternal affection. generous in forgiving an insult or injury

‘Enough’ Jacob could not be certain that he had found favor with Esau, unless the present had been received; for in accepting it Esau necessarily became his friend, according to the custom of those times, and in that country.

‘Enough’ In the eastern countries, if your present be received by your superior, you may rely on his friendship; if it be not received, you have everything to fear. It is on this ground that Jacob was so urgent with Esau to receive his present, because he knew that after this he must treat him as a friend.

‘Enough’ Genesis 33:9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” value of peace with family, others …greater than possessions

Brothers lessons Twenty years earlier… What is character of Esau? What is character of Jacob?

Brothers—Esau lessons Genesis 25:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Hebrews 12:16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

Brothers—Esau lessons Genesis 27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Brothers—Esau lessons Genesis 26:34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives…And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. Genesis 28:8 Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. What is character of Esau?

Brothers—Jacob lessons Genesis 27:18 So he went to his father and said, "My father.' And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?“ Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me Genesis 27:24 Then he said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

Brothers lessons What was character of Esau? What was character of Jacob? Twenty years later In general terms (character)— Describe Esau Describe Jacob

Brothers—meet 20 years later lessons Esau – enough = plenty Jacob – enough = everything What is the difference? What do each have? What does one have the other doesn’t?

Brothers lessons Why the difference? Could Esau have been different? Could Jacob have continued his deceit? Esau changed—he did not seek to kill Jacob, but did he change enough? What was his relationship to God? Jacob changed—no deceit in working for Laban; served God, blessed by God Jacob made mistake, changed to serve God Esau made mistakes, got better (forgiving Jacob), but did not serve God Stopping being bad is the right thing to do, but don’t stop short—must replace bad with serving God; Esau stopped short

Brothers lessons Repentance to change one's mind and purpose, as the result of more knowledge true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised Esau changed—he did not seek to kill Jacob, but did he change enough? What was his relationship to God? Jacob changed—no deceit in working for Laban; served God, blessed by God Jacob made mistake, changed to serve God Esau made mistakes, got better (forgiving Jacob), but did not serve God Stopping being bad is the right thing to do, but don’t stop short—must replace bad with serving God; Esau stopped short

Repentance lessons a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness an anticipation of God's mercy in Christ

Repentance lessons an actual hatred of sin and turning from it to God Psalms 119:128; Job 42:5, 6; 2 Corinthians 7:10 a persistent endeavor for a holy life in a walking with God in the way of His commandments

Brothers lessons Why the difference? Lessons? We choose Our character Our relationship to God To change How much to change Esau changed—he did not seek to kill Jacob, but did he change enough? What was his relationship to God? Jacob changed—no deceit in working for Laban; served God, blessed by God Jacob made mistake, changed to serve God Esau made mistakes, got better (forgiving Jacob), but did not serve God Stopping being bad is the right thing to do, but don’t stop short—must replace bad with serving God; Esau stopped short