2023
5 April 2023 – Journey Through HIStory: The Children of Jacob – Download Lesson
Summary: In Genesis 30:1-24, after Leah bore four sons to Jacob, Rachel became envious and gave her maid, Bilhah, to Jacob as a secondary wife so that she could give him a son through her. Bilhah conceived and gave birth to two sons for Jacob: Dan and Naphtali. When Leah saw that she stopped bearing children, she also gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a secondary wife so that she may have more sons through her. Zilpah conceived and gave birth to two sons for Jacob: Gad and Asher. Leah also gave birth to two more sons and one daughter: Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. Finally, God blessed Rachel with a son, Joseph.
Resource Video: https://youtu.be/kFZg5OLmX44
29 March 2023 – Journey Through HIStory: Jacob and Rachel, and Leah – Download Lesson
Summary: The story in Genesis 29:1-35 narrates Jacob’s journey to Haran and his encounter with Rachel, daughter of Laban, whom he wanted to marry. Jacob agreed to work for Laban for seven years as a dowry to marry Rachel, but Laban deceived him and gave him Leah as his wife instead. Jacob was forced to work for Laban another seven years to marry Rachel. Leah bore Jacob four sons while Rachel was barren. The chapter shows the difficulties of polygamy and the divine blessing of Leah despite being unloved.
22 March 2023 – Journey Through HIStory: God Meets Jacob in a Dream – Download Lesson
Summary: Jacob, on his way to Haran, had a dream where God met him and reconfirmed the promise that He had given to Abraham and Isaac, which included numerous descendants and the Promised Land. Jacob then made a vow to God, dedicating his life to Him and promising to give a tenth of all that God would give him. Jacob realized that he was in the presence of the Lord, and the place where he spent the night became known as Bethel, “the house of God.” The dream was a life-changing experience for Jacob and helped him to understand God’s faithfulness and character. Today, we fellowship with God through the study of His written Word and prayer.
15 March 2023 – Journey Through HIStory: Jacob Sent to Paddan-aram – Download Lesson
Summary: Rebekah successfully sends Jacob to Paddan-aram in order to escape from Esau and find a wife among her relatives. Isaac blesses Jacob intentionally, declaring the continuation of the promise to Abraham through him. Jacob is instructed not to marry a Canaanite woman. Esau sees Isaac bless Jacob and marries again in hope to appease his parents. Isaac may have been reserving a greater blessing for Jacob, which is why he did not give it to Esau despite declaring it to him. The text demonstrates that God’s will cannot be thwarted by human schemes.
Summary: The passage Genesis 27:30-46 tells the story of Esau and Jacob, the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, the firstborn, was entitled to the blessing of the firstborn, which included a double portion of inheritance and the promise of future prosperity. However, Jacob, the younger son, deceived his father, Isaac, and received the blessing instead of Esau. When Esau learned of this deception, he was filled with bitterness and planned to kill his brother. Rebekah, their mother, instructed Jacob to flee to Haran and stay there until Esau’s anger subsided.
The passage raises questions about the relationship between the birthright and the blessing. Esau saw them as two separate things, and when he sold his birthright to Jacob, he did not consider that it included the blessing. The Hebrew words for “birthright” and “blessing” are different, suggesting that they may be separate things. Jacob’s deception and manipulation of his father and brother were unnecessary, and he could have received the fulfillment of God’s prophecy through legitimate means. The blessing is not in the birthright but from God, and Jacob was able to choose who to bless with the birthright. Ultimately, the passage teaches that deception and manipulation lead to bitterness and broken relationships, while honesty and integrity lead to God’s blessings.
1 March 2023 – Journey Through HIStory: Jacob and Rebekah’s Scheme
Isaac asked his favorite son, Esau, to prepare a meat dish for him before giving his blessing. However, Jacob, with the help of his mother Rebekah, deceived Isaac into giving him the blessing instead. The deception was a scheme to expedite God’s promise of the blessing, but it was unnecessary, as God is not dependent on human deception to accomplish His purposes. Jacob was completely accountable for his actions and could not blame Rebekah. The patriarch’s formal blessing was an inalterable command and prophecy whose outcome was assured. The dishonest choice is always the wrong choice and will always be to our disadvantage, loss, and even ruin. The right choice is always being right with God.
