Old Testament Background

Evangelical Free Church of Walnut

sunesis institute_

The Patriarchal Period

Part 3: From Jacob to Israel

Lesson 6

Birth of Jacob and Esau

Isaac’s Faith vs. Abraham’s Faith

Isaac is sixty years old

Twenty years after his marriage to Rebekah

Abraham had waited twenty-five years when he and Sarah began to doubt and thus came Ishmael

Isaac, on the other hand prayed for his wife’s barrenness (Gen. 25:21) and she had twins

From Chosen Line to Chosen People

Birth of Jacob and Esau

The Birth of Twins Ordained to Reveal Election

Jacob and Esau struggled in the womb causing Rebekah to inquire from the Lord

Remember, she did not know she was having twins!

Where did she go “to inquire of the Lord?”

From Chosen Line to Chosen People

Birth of Jacob and Esau

God’s answer to Rebekah relates to the doctrine of election

Genesis 25:23 / Romans 9:10-12—The original language emphasizes that both men came from the same act of intercourse thus removing all possible objections (i.e.; conceived in sin, etc.)

The prophecy is fulfilled completely with Jacob’s descendants (Israel) ruling over Esau’s (Edom)

This also why Esau’s descendants (Edom) are perennial enemies of Israel

From Chosen Line to Chosen People

The Stolen/Reclaimed Blessing

Esau despises his birthright

Esau sells the birthright for “red bean soup”

Esau is nicknamed “Red” thus the name Edom

The Binding Nature of Isaac’s Blessing

Attested to in the Mari and Nuzi texts

Questions raised by the episode of the stolen blessing

How God’s sovereignty interacts with man’s freewill

Does God ever honor the words and will of a man?

From Chosen Line to Chosen People

The Stolen/Reclaimed Blessing

Rebekah’s Faith and Isaac’s Failure

Rebekah acts in accord with the prophecy

Isaac’s actions contradict the prophecy

What the Lives of Esau and Jacob Reveal

Esau’s life shows how the life of an “unchosen” man fulfills its “unchosenness”

Jacob’s life shows how the life of the “chosen” fulfills its “chosenness” (see Genesis 27:13, 43 and 28:7)

From Chosen Line to Chosen People

Flight From Esau

Isaac’s Second Blessing

Reasons for Jacob’s Flight

Esau vowed to kill him

Rebekah did not want Jacob to marry a Hittite or Canaanite

Jacob was obedient

(HE WAS 77 YEARS OLD!)*

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Hebron

Flight From Esau

God Blesses Jacob

Jacob’s Dream

Luz renamed Bethel

Bethel becomes a holy site

New name used only by Israel

Jacob’s Vow

Give God a tenth (tithe)

God fulfills it (Genesis 32:10)

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Luz

Hebron

Bethel

Twenty Years in Haran

Jacob’s Two Wives (When 1 + 1 = 4)

Jacob tricked into marrying Leah

Jacob marries Rachel one week later

Jacob’s Children (“the war of the wombs”)

Jacob’s twelve sons (*see chart handed out in class)

Jacob’s daughters

Life of Jacob

Return Trip to Canaan

Laban’s Pursuit

Why Jacob fled secretly

God told him to leave

Feared Laban

Why Laban pursued

To take away Jacob’s family

To recover his household idols

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Luz

Hebron

Bethel

Return Trip to Canaan

Jacob Enters the Land

Jacob and Two Camps (Mahanaim)

In fear of Esau’s approach he splits his family into two camps

Jacob realizes God’s faithfulness

Jacob Renamed Israel

Wrestles with God

“Israel” sounds like a compound word of “strive” and “God”

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Luz

Hebron

Bethel

Mahanaim

Peniel

Return Trip to Canaan

Jacob Encounters Esau

Esau has over 400 men!

Esau forgives Jacob

Settles in Succoth

Dinah and the “Battle” of Shechem

Affected the inheritance

Circumcision was practiced

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Luz

Hebron

BethelSuccoth

Shechem

Return Trip to Canaan

Jacob Returns to Bethel

God renames him Israel again

God also reaffirms the covenant

Transition to a Focus on Joseph

Rachel dies giving birth

Reuben’s sin with Bilhah

Isaac dies at Mamre

(a.k.a. Hebron or Kiriath-arba)

Life of Jacob

Beersheba

Luz

Hebron

Bethel

Shechem