GenesisWeek 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

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?

Hittite artifacts shown at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations at Ankara, Turkey

The Deception27:5-27:46 – 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

Jacob Receives Isaac's Blessing Jusepe de Ribera

(1637)

Jacob’s Journey

• ••Bethel

•Beer-sheba

Hebron ••Bethlehem

CANAAN

Shechem

Succoth• Penuel•

MahanaimGILEAD

EDOM (SEIR)

CYPRUS

Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea)

ARAM

PADDAN-ARAM

• Haran

MESOPOTAMIA

Jacob’s Ladder Dream – Evidence God was with

him

550 Miles – about a 2 Month Walk

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 Dream, Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael) (1519)

Jacob Arrives in Haran29:10 – 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 Medicine29:25 - Whoa, Your not Rachael!How did Jacob react to this?Do you think God was trying to teach Jacob a lesson? If so,

what?

Kid Contest 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

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?

The Pursuit

• ••Bethel

•Beer-sheba

Hebron ••Bethlehem

CANAAN

Shechem

Succoth• Penuel•

MahanaimGILEAD

EDOM (SEIR)

CYPRUS

Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea)

ARAM

PADDAN-ARAM

• Haran

MESOPOTAMIA

Euphrates

• Jacob gets 3-day head start.• Took Laban 7 days to catch Jacob

Laban Catches JacobGen 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

Jacob’s TimelineEvent Appro

x 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

Blessing LeahFrom what tribe was Jesus?

Who was Judah’s mom?

What a blessing for Leah!

Who was the priestly tribe?

Who was Levi’s mom?

What a blessing for Leah!

EyesightIsaac’s was dim physically & spiritually

Eli’s began to grow dim in 1 Sam 3:1-2

Both their “dimness” affected their childrenIsaac failed to get a good wife for EsauEli 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 LordGod clearly disciplines Jacob

His promises do not negate:Jacob’s responsibility to GodJacob’s consequences in dealing with Esau

Even through Christ paid our debtWe still have a responsibility:

To GodTo truthTo the Church leadership and fellow Christians

Discipline helps us purge sin

We still face consequences for sin

Undeserved BlessingsGen 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