What positive application can be made from the story of Isaac and Jacob?
(Genesis 25-30; Hebrews 11:20; 12:16-17) Blog May 22-28, 2022
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: Adam brought guilt and corruption on humanity, but God provided a New Adam in whom is no guilt or corruption. When wickedness became universal, God destroyed the earth by a flood. After the flood Nimrod and his companions built a God-defying tower that God interrupted by confusing their language. Eventually God called Abraham to be his representative on earth. After fulfilling his promise to give Abraham and Sarah an heir, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only-begotten son, but was spared by a divinely provided substitute. After Sarah’s death Abraham secured a non-Canaanite wife for Isaac.
Two Brothers
1. What did God tell Rebekah about the tumult in her womb? God told Rebekah that there were two nations in her womb & that the older would serve the younger (Gen. 25:22-23; Rom. 9:10-12).
2. As Jacob and Esau grew, how are their characters described? Esau was a cunning hunter of the field while Jacob was a plain, household man (Gen. 25:27).
3. How is the word describing Jacob as “plain,” translated in other parts of the Bible? The Hebrew word tam, here translated as “plain,” is translated at “perfect” in Genesis 6, Job 1, & Psalm 37 (Gen. 6:9; Job 1:8; Psa. 37:37).
4. How were Isaac and Rebekah’s affections divided? Isaac loved Esau because he liked the venison he brought him but Rebekah loved Jacob (Gen. 25:28).
5. Which of Rebekah’s two sons did God love more? God loved Jacob more than he loved Esau (Mal. 1:2-3; Rom. 9:13).
6. What was Esau’s attitude toward the family birthright that would make him priest of the family? Esau despised the family birthright & sold it to Jacob for a pot of lentil soup (Gen. 25:29-34; Heb. 12:16-17).
7. What lapse of faith did Isaac exhibit when God told him to outlive the famine in the land of Gerar? Isaac followed the pattern of his father by lying about his wife while living in the land of Gerar (Gen. 26:1-11).
8. What New Testament teaching did both Abraham and Isaac fail to live by? Abraham & Isaac both failed to be willing to die for their wives like Christ did for his bride, the church (Rom. 5:7; Eph. 5:25).
9. After Isaac made a covenant with the king of the Philistines what did Esau do? Esau married two Hittite women which brought great sorrow to Isaac & Rebekah (Gen. 26:28-35).
Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob
10. When Isaac was old and blind what did he ask Esau to do? Isaac asked Esau to go hunt a deer & prepare it for him that he might give Esau the blessing of the firstborn (Gen. 27:1-4).
11. When Rebekah heard that Isaac planned to give the blessing to Esau, what did she do? Rebekah told Jacob to fetch a couple kid goats from the flock so she could prepare a savory meal for Jacob to present to his father so that he might receive the blessing rather than his older brother (Gen. 27:5-10).
13. When Jacob protested against his mother’s idea what did she say? Rebekah told Jacob to just do as she said & that if his father cursed him she would bear the curse (Gen. 27:11-13).
14. Besides the savory food what other preparations did Rebekah provide for Jacob? Rebekah clothed Jacob with his brother’s clothes & placed goat skin on his hands and neck so he would smell & feel like Esau (Gen. 27:14-17).
15. When Jacob took the food to his father and asked for the blessing of the firstborn what did Isaac request? Isaac asked Jacob who he was, how he had shot a deer so fast, & to come near so he could feel him (Gen. 27:18-24).
16. Was Jacob’s deception of his father successful? Yes, his father consumed the flesh & wine & gave Jacob the blessing of the firstborn son (Gen. 27:25-29).
17. What positive application can be made from the story of Isaac and Jacob? Isaac represents God, the Father, Rebekah represents the Holy Spirit, Esau represents Jesus, our Elder Brother who deserves the blessing, & Jacob represents us sinners who receive the blessing if we come before the Father (with flesh & blood) in the name of Jesus & clothed in his righteousness (Matt. 10:41; Col. 1:6).
Far from Home
18. When Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob, what happened? With tears Esau begged Isaac for a blessing also but only received a secondary blessing so became angry & planned to kill his brother, but Jacob fled to his mother’s homeland (Gen. 27:30-46; 28:1-5).
19. As Jacob journeyed toward Padan-aram what experience did he have? Jacob dreamed of a ladder from earth to heaven on which angels traveled & at the top the Lord repeated to him the promises made to Abraham so Jacob vowed to serve God & return the tithe (Gen 28:10-22).
20. When Jacob met his uncle Laban what contract did they make? Jacob agreed to work for Laban 7 years in exchange for his daughter Rachel (Gen. 29:1-20).
21. How did Laban deceive Jacob? Instead of giving Rachel to Jacob at the end of 7 years, Laban gave him her sister Leah, requiring 7 more years work for Rachel (Gen. 29:21-26).
22. What should we learn from Laban telling Jacob to fulfill Leah’s “week” before he would give him Rachel? Marriage covenants were to be ratified or confirmed by sleeping together 7 nights. In like manner Daniel 9:27 says that Jesus would confirm the covenant for one week (Gen. 29:27; Dan. 9:27).
23. After producing 12 children with four wives and caring for Laban’s herds for a number of years what message did Jacob receive from God? God told Jacob that he would be with him & that he should go back to Canaan (Gen. 31:1-16).