Genesis 28:10-22
Notes
Transcript
And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac. For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—not from works but from the one who calls—she was told, The older will serve the younger. As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.
THE BINDING OF ISAAC
This chapter introduces 2 important concepts:
Substitutionary atonement (dying in the place of another to make things right)
Belief in the resurrection after death
Exodus 20:16 (CSB)
Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Remember that Genesis is building up to the rest of the Torah, which builds to Jesus. Abraham’s family is one of liars…so no surprise that not giving false testimony is a top ten commandment.
Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 20)
Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name.
In the previous chapter, we saw Jacob’s name is a wordplay on “heel”, since he was grabbing Esau’s heel when they were born (perhaps to stop him from being born first). As adults, Jacob buy’s Esau’s birthright (inheritance, clan leadership, etc.) for some lentil stew. Jacob is about to deceive his father, but deception is embedded in their family makeup.
Jacob’s (Ya’aqob) name is a play on heel (aqeb) and cheat (aqab). Jacob is called a cheater by Esau later on. The name Jacob probably is related to the phrase “God Protects” (Ya’qabal’el), and God does indeed protect Jacob. God will ultimately change his name to Israel (meaning “God struggles’).
Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 25)
But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her:Two nations are in your womb;two peoples will come from you and be separated.One people will be stronger than the other,and the older will serve the younger.
test
What does your dream house look like?
How can you tell a couple is married?
Can children avoid the sins of their parents?
Have an example when in-laws actually were the bad guys?
Moms, how far would you go to protect your favorite son?
Have you ever accidentally done the right thing?
Why is gluttony a deadly sin?
How do you recover from parenting mistakes?
Why do we copy others? Why do we fail?
Do you get angrier at people who are close, or people who aren’t?
Have you ever made a deal with God?
What do people think heaven is like?
What magic beans do we chase?
Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 1)
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.“Come and see,” Philip answered.47 Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!”50 Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 28
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed: A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching the sky, and God’s angels were going up and down on it.
The Lord was standing there beside him, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
God of Abraham, Isaac… and now you!
give your offspring land = promise to Abraham
offspring like dust of the earth = creation of Adam language
4 directions = rivers of Eden language
All peoples on the earth blessed through you = original command to Adam to be fruitful
“I will bring you back” & “I will not leave you = specific to Jacob’s struggle
gn28:16-17
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.”
Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it and named the place Bethel, though previously the city was named Luz. Then Jacob made a vow: “If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safely to my father’s family, then the Lord will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a marker will be God’s house, and I will give to you a tenth of all that you give me.”
If God...
Is with me,
provides food and clothing,
brings me back to my father’s family...
then...
the Lord will be my God,
this will be God’s house,
I will tithe.
Although God appeared to Abraham in a “deep sleep” (like Adam), “dreams” are reserved for those who are outside the faith (Abimelek, Laban, Pharaoh and his servants) or those young/not yet in faith (Joseph, Joseph, and Jacob). This fact makes the appearance of the Angel of the Lord to Hagar (2X!) all the more striking.
What should Jacob have done?
What memorials do you put up?
Jacob wanted food, clothes, and family. What do you want from God?
Are there similarities between these verses and your life?
What did Esau want from his father? Could God have replaced it?
What did you want from your father?
What are you giving your children?
Where was God in this story?
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 11
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
How do I keep from becoming like Isaac?
What should have Rebekah done differently?
Why would God use this mess?
Applications
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