Genesis 25:19-36
Jacob & Esau
Week 6 August 26-30, 2019
Monday August 26
The Birthright – Genesis 25:19-27
When we look at the story of Jacob and Esau, we see a lot of pain that comes from the result of their bad decisions. First, Esau exaggerates his hunger and quickly trades his birthright for some soup. This is something that people do all the time, giving up something important in their future so that they can have some immediate satisfaction. Next, Rebekah devises a plan to trick Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing and Jacob follows along. Remember, Esau is the firstborn and rightful heir of the family resources, but while she is pregnant God tells Rebekah that the older son will serve the younger. Rebekah should have known that God would keep His promise to elevate Jacob above his brother, but instead she forced it to happen in her own way. She involves Jacob in her sinful plan and he lies to his father. As a result Esau burns with anger against his brother and begins plotting to kill Jacob! What a mess. Have you ever seen similar family dramas played out? Families split apart by lies and anger? How does it get to that point where brother hates brother, parents play favorites, and the family falls apart? For Esau it began with a lack of self control and understanding that there are things in life that are more important than his immediate satisfaction. For Rebekah it began when she took what she knew of God’s promise and did not trust God to make it happen in His own perfect timing. For Jacob it began by allowing jealousy of his brother to influence every decision he made, ultimately causing him to participate in a plot to deceive his father and steal from his brother. The outcome of this drama is such a big mess, but it began with simple everyday allowances of sin in our life. When we don’t stand up against things like lack of self control, distrust in God, and jealousy, we set the stage for greater and greater sin until our lives and families come crumbling down. Do you have a pattern of giving in to what you think of as only a small sin? Remember that these small infractions will build up and grow if we don’t get them under control now! We all have something that we tend to fall into, it may even feel like it’s just your personality – a part of who you are. It doesn’t have to be, though. When we recognize our shortcomings we are empowered to change them, with God’s help.
Activity: What is that one thing that stands out to you? Acknowledge this for what it is – jealousy, distrust in God, lack of self control – whatever it may be. Now you are empowered to submit that to God and receive His help in changing this part of yourself! Get our your journal or a piece of paper, and write out the ways that you fall into this pattern. Recognize it for what it truly is – sin, and pray asking God to help you let go of this destructive pattern in your life.
With Children: On a piece of paper or several pieces, write down some common sins that kids tend to struggle with. For example: lying, hitting, cheating, disobeying your parents, etc. Ask your kids to help you add to your list. Now cut the papers so that there is only one sin per piece of paper. You could also use index cards, or whatever you have on hand to create this effect. Lay the papers facedown and mix them up, or mix them up in a box or a hat, and pick one paper. As you read the paper and look at it together, talk about the ways that specific sin effects your life and then pray and ask God to help you to control yourself and not act on the impulse to do that sin. Do this with as many of the papers as you feel you can. This works for younger children, too. Toddlers can still pick the next paper and hold it, the adult will just be the one who does the talking.
Tuesday August 27
Jacob Starts a Family – Genesis 28-29
Jacob had an encounter with God that left him a changed man. In Jacob’s dream, God promised him many things and Jacob was very happy. But even after this awesome encounter with God, he wanted to wait and see if God would really do all of the things he promised, before he truly trusted Him and made Him his God. Even in worshipping God and giving Him a tenth of his income, Jacob was not fully trusting the Lord. It is not until much later in his life that Jacob sees all of these promises come true, and he wastes a lot of time doubting God and going through tough times without the support of fully depending on God. Sometimes he depends on God and he often obeys Him, but life feels much harder than it would if he had just trusted God fully. His next troubles begin when he is tricked by Laban, much in the same way that he tricked his own father. Our sins often catch up with us, and the trickery and jealousy that Laban shows toward Jacob is an example of that. Like Jacob, is there anything in your life that you are holding back from God? Do you worship God and give to Him, without fully trusting Him with every part of you? Our relationship with God will never be what it should while we resist opening up every part of ourselves to Him. God wants to work salvation and redemption in every part of you, but you have to open up those parts of yourself to Him first. There may have been a time in your life where you were fully submitted to God, but as life continues things change, burdens are added, relationships break, confidence falls. Submitting ourselves and trusting God is not a one time things, it is an ongoing part of our relationship with Him. Let no new sin or depression take root in your life, but cut it off by giving it to God, before it begins to take it’s toll.
Activity: Take a piece of paper and write down all of the parts that make up your life and who you are, or draw them if you prefer. For example: spouse, children, extended family, friends, job, church, God, health, hobbies and other activities. As you consider all of these parts of your life, is there anything that stands out to you, makes you sad or uneasy. Do you have a sick child, a broken relationship, struggles with money, or something else? Write out that specific thing and now submit it to the Lord in prayer. Ask God to help you to trust Him with this part of your life, believing His promises and committing to obey God above all else.
With Children: Have your child draw a picture of their life. They may draw themselves playing at the park with friends, your family at your home, or some other representation of their life and what is important to them. Talk with them about what they have drawn and then discuss how we can trust God with everything they have represented in their picture. Pray with them, telling God that you love Him, you trust Him, and asking for help to obey Him with each of these things in their life. With younger children you can draw the picture for them and let them have fun coloring it in before praying.
Wednesday August 28
Jacob’s Family Grows – Genesis 30-31
As a result of Laban’s dishonesty, Rachel and Leah end up locked in a competition trying to earn Jacob’s love, and eventually their entire family leaves Laban. No one in this story is completely innocent, we can see where each person has made a bad decision, which ended up hurting everyone. If Laban had only done the right thing, paying Jacob his wages and giving their daughters what they were owed from their dowry. If Rachel had just accepted the love of her husband and believed that he truly loved her, instead of constantly fighting with her sister and even stealing from her father. If Leah could have accepted that God loved her unconditionally, rather than spending all of her energy taunting her sister and holding her achievements over her head. Then there is Jacob, who gave in to his wives’ promptings to have children with other women, which leads to even greater strife within his family. Though it was an acceptable custom in that culture, Jacob would have been wise not to accept the servants of Rachel and Leah. Even in the midst of all of this strife God gracefully grants children to Rachel and Leah, He causes Jacob’s wealth to grow, and He brings the entire family away from Laban and his cruel influence. We may have times when we feel like everyone and everything is crumbling around us, but God is making a plan for our good, just as he did for Jacob and his family. We may be reaping the consequences of some bad decisions, but God is gracious and we need only to acknowledge Him and be obedient to His leading. God is making a way for you and as you consult God in prayer and obey his leading, you can be confident that you will end up in the right place – in spite of your own shortcomings.
Activity: Instead of focusing on what is wrong, take a look around you and thank God for all that you do have. Walk around your home and touch the items you have, thanking God for everything you own. Hug your loved ones and thank God aloud for their presence in your life. Take notice of the nature outside your window and give thanks to God for His beautiful creation that you are allowed to enjoy. Thank you, God, for your many blessings!
With Children: With your children, start by giving each other hugs and saying, “I thank God for you!” Then go around your home and thank God for specific items, maybe a favorite toy, book, or even a favorite food in the pantry. Take a look outside and touch the trees, the grass, a flower. Point up at the blue sky and the birds, and say thank you to God for all that He has given to us!
Friday August 30
Jacob & Esau Make Peace – Genesis 32-33
By this point Jacob has caught on that God keeps His promises and he perseveres, in spite of fear, to follow God. The last time Jacob and Esau were together, Esau was plotting to kill Jacob! Even so, Jacob prays to God for help, and continues traveling to meet his brother, afraid all the way. Partway there, Jacob literally wrestles with God and continues to pursue Him, until he is blessed. In the same way, we must follow after God and actively pursue Him, through the obstacles and the fear. Jacob had treated Esau badly and he was afraid that his brother may still want revenge, so it made it very hard for him to follow as God led him straight to Esau. God asks us to trust Him, which means more than having faith that He will take care of the little things. Trusting God means having faith to obey God as He leads us in the difficult things of life. The sickness, the broken relationship, every hard thing that makes us fearful and unsure – God charges forward with a plan to make peace, we simply must follow – no matter how hard it will be. Even when the outcome is not what we expect, God is not surprised, and we have to keep trusting, and following, and obeying God in faith. What are you persevering in right now? In the beginning you prayed and asked God to guide you and you have followed, but maybe you feel like you’ve gotten lost along the way. Build yourself up through prayer, reading the Bible, gathering with other believers who will encourage you, and worshipping God in the midst of it all.
Activity: Listen to a worship song that helps you to express your faith in God today. Think about the obstacles you’re facing, and decide to trust God, who will never fail. Some song suggestions: https://www.wordsoffaithhopelove.com/12-christian-songs-to-encourage-you-during-hard-times/
With Children: Sing a song with your kids about trusting God. Make it fun by dancing along! Song suggestion: https://youtu.be/0VDpHibftHs
Saturday August 31
Honor and Revenge – Genesis 34-36
Dinah’s brothers believed themselves to be better than the Hivite people, and so they used their own judgment against them as revenge. Rather than obey the laws of the land and trust that God would have vengeance for the sin against Dinah, Hamor and Shechem took their own revenge in a grisly and sinful way. God shows us later that He did not approve of their revenge against the Hivites and takes away their family’s portions of the promised land. Even when someone has done something horrible, we have to remember that God is on our side and He promises to judge every person in His timing. Next, Jacob and his family return to Bethel. God protected them on their way, keeping Jacob and his family safe from anyone who would have tried to harm them as they followed God’s lead. As we’ve learned, when God gives us something to do, it is up to us to obey and He will take care of the rest. As his family prepared to worship, Jacob had them cleanse themselves by removing any idols and earrings, which were used like good luck charms to the people in that culture. He also had them wash and put on clean clothes. When we go to worship God, it is important that we cast off faith in anything else besides Him, preparing our physical and spiritual bodies to approach the Lord. Jacob shows God great honor to God, acknowledging His many blessings and telling others of all the ways that God has answered his prayers. Then Jacob shows a sign of great respect, by pouring expensive oil over the altar as an offering to the Lord. A physical altar is no longer required to worship God, because through Jesus you can commune with the Holy Spirit at the altar of your own heart. As we meet God in the form of the Holy Spirit, we must wash ourselves from any sin that seeks to keep us from God. We do this by repenting, showing true sorrow for the bad choices we have made and deciding in our hearts to obey God instead of our own human nature. We set aside anything that we may have allowed to have a hold on our hearts, whether it be an injury from a friend, fear of the future, pride of ourselves, greed of money, or whatever we might try to hold onto instead of clinging to God. And we give a sign of respect to the Lord by offering Him the sacrifice of our resources for the growth of His kingdom, to bring God glory on the earth.
Activity: There is more to sacrificing for God than giving Him a 10% tithe. That is only the starting point. God grants us many gifts and we ought to use those gifts to make His name famous in every corner of every nation on the earth. What gifts have God given to you? Is there something you are particularly good at? What natural talent have you worked to grow within yourself? Consider how you can use this gift to glorify the Lord by asking Him how He would have you make use of this resource for His glory. Search for ways you can lend yourself to your church or your community, to further God’s purpose of bringing all people into His family through salvation.
With Children: Help your child identify a gift/talent that they have and talk with them about how they can use it to help at church, help in the community, or help a friend or family member. The reason we use our gifts in this way, is so that we can interact with others and point them to Jesus, the motivator and giver of these gifts. With younger children, you can include them as your family gives of their gifts to glorify the Lord.
