Lesson 10 – Jacob and Esau
God worked through Jacob and Esau, despite their sin, to advance His plan of salvation. In spite of our sinful actions, God accomplishes His will and plan for our lives.
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This lesson will use the Bible. Also paper and pencil will be needed.
This lesson is about twins who fought from the time they were in their mother's womb.
Watch the video, "Surprising Facts About: Twins”.
How do you think these strange occurrences happened? Certainly, the facts suggest the men inherited these similarities, but they are truly odd and unexplainable.
As you work through this lesson, think about your relationships with your own siblings or other family members.
Prayer: Dear God, You create and keep faith in our hearts. We often turn away and work contrary to Your will. Forgive us, and lead us to a deeper understanding of Your work in our lives. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
God Speaks
Abraham lived to see the birth of twin sons to Isaac and Rebekah. He had six more sons with a new wife, Keturah, and Ishmael gave him many grandchildren. At 175 years old, God took him home.
Follow the directions under Brothers Bios at the top of the Student Page at the end of this lesson.
Read Genesis 25:19-28
Then draw or write a biographical sketch of either or both of the brothers.
Esau: Older twin who struggled in the womb; red and hairy; skillful hunter, outdoorsman; loved by Isaac, who especially enjoyed eating the game caught by Esau; the stronger of the two
Jacob: younger twin who struggled in the womb; born holding Esau's heel, so his parents named him Jacob, which means he takes by the heel" or "he cheats”; loved best by Rebekah; quiet; hung around camp ("dwelling in tents”).
Rebekah was barren, which meant she couldn't have children. You may remember this also was a problem for Sarah, Isaac's mother.
What did Isaac ask the Lord to do? Isaac asked the Lord to give them children.
What caused Rebekah to "inquire of the Lord"? The babies struggled within her. Their movements probably made sleeping difficult; she probably worried about the baby's health. She didn't know she had twins.
What did the Lord tell Rebekah? She carried two babies, two nations, two divided peoples in her womb. One would be stronger. The older would serve the younger. The information may have made Rebekah favor Jacob. The brothers even struggled to be born first.
How old was Isaac when the twins were born? He was sixty, and married twenty years. Abraham was 160 years old.
Each parent had a favorite son. How do you think this affected the sons? It probably added to the sibling conflict and gave them more things to argue about.
Continue with A Dysfunctional Family on of the Student Page.
Read Genesis 25:29-34.
How do these verses show the twins' differences? Esau came home exhausted from working in the fields. Jacob stayed around the tents and cooked. Esau demanded stew, tired and hungry from working all day. Jacob schemed and negotiated while Esau exaggerated his hunger, perhaps to invoke Jacob's pity or guilt. Esau gave in and traded his birthright.
What was a birthright? A birthright was the inherited privileges of a firstborn son, which included a double portion of the inherited property, leadership of the family, supervision of worship and preaching of the Messiah, as well as the blessing of becoming the one who carried the covenant promise of the Messiah.
How did Jacob sin? He felt jealous of his brother. Greed overtook him.
How did Esau despise his birthright (v. 34)? Esau treated God's gift carelessly and did not fulfill his responsibilities as oldest son. He may have considered it a joke and didn't think Isaac would enforce the agreement with Jacob because Esau was his favorite. Evidence shows Isaac disregarded it.
Who deserved the birthright? Neither earned or deserved it. It was a gift.
Read Genesis 26:34-35.
What does this tell us about Esau? Esau married local idol worshipers. Hittites were foreigners too, from the north and west (modern-day Turkey), but the women's Canaanite names indicate that their families adapted to local culture. By marrying them, Esau openly defied family expectations and brought idolatry into his home. Polygamy caused many conflicts, and Rebekah sorrowed in dealing with pagan daughters-in-law.
As Isaac aged and became feeble, family conflict continued. Before he died, Isaac planned to give Esau his firstborn blessing, even though Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob.
Follow the directions on the Student Page under The Family Meltdown.
Read Genesis 27:1-40.
The family squabbles came to a logical end. From the perspective of either son, write why you think Rebekah took action when she overheard Esau and Isaac talking.
Esau: Rebekah acted for Jacob, her favorite son. She helped him steal my birthright. She deceived and defrauded her blind husband and disregarded my firstborn rights.
Jacob: Rebekah remembered the Lord's words when she was pregnant, that the older son would serve the younger. She knew Esau sold his birthright and thought I deserved the firstborn blessing. She just "helped” God out.
In this culture, blessings and curses were irreversible. What did Jacob fear? He feared Isaac would find out he wasn’t Esau and would curse him.
From Esau’s point of view: List Rebekah and Jacob's deceptions and lies. Rebekah schemed with Jacob to get the firstborn blessing for him. She cooked Isaac's favorite meal and sent Jacob to take it to Isaac in Esau's clothing and goat hair Jacob repeatedly lied to his father.
From Jacob’s point of view: List Esau and Isaacs responses to the deceptions. Isaac trembled very violently as he realized Jacob's deception. Esau cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and begged for his father's blessing. But Isaac had only "leftovers” for Esau.
Compare the brothers' blessings in verses 27-29 and 39-40. What do you notice about them? Write or draw your brother's blessing. They are almost opposites of each other.
To Jacob (disguised as Esau), Isaac asked God to give the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. People would serve him; nations would bow down to him. He would lord over his brothers. Everyone who cursed him would be cursed; all who blessed him would be blessed.
To Esau, Isaac said his life would be away from the fatness of the earth and dew of heaven. He would live by his sword and serve his brother. But when he grew restless, he would break his brother's yoke from his neck.
Why do you think Isaac included directions for the family in both blessings? The Hebrew word translated as "your brothers" means all family, including servants. If Esau had received this blessing as intended, Isaac’s favorite would have had control even without his birthright. Instead, Jacob became lord, or boss, as the blessings clarify.
So, did Esau and Isaac have the right to plot secretly to keep the firstborn blessing? Did Rebekah and Jacob have the right to lie to Isaac and take the blessing from Esau? All involved sinned, and no one deserved the blessings.
In the end, what came from all this drama? Read Hebrews 11:20 (on Student Page). Isaac gave the blessings in faith. God worked in and through the people. The Messiah came from them.
We Live
Continue with Look at Us on the Student Page.
How are we like Esau and Jacob? Rebekah and Isaac? We all sin and need God's help and forgiveness. We can let sin and the world drag us down, or we can choose to be positive influences. We can live as forgiven children of God and show God's love in the world. The Holy Spirit works in us and empowers us to do the good works God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
In the Lord's Prayer, we ask that God's will be done. How did this family show distrust in God and His will? They manipulated situations to try to get what they wanted.
God wants us to do His will and to trust Him, but we fail. Despite our sin, God works His good in our lives. The Holy Spirit lives in us and helps us.
How can the following verses encourage us when we feel unworthy or apathetic? When we sin and need forgiveness? Read Romans 8:26-28, 38-39 (on Student Page). God has given us the Holy Spirit to help in our weakness, to intercede for us, and to bring good out of all things. We can confess our sins and receive forgiveness. Nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
Closing
God's Word works in our hearts and minds, encouraging us, giving us hope, and assuring us of God's truth and forgiveness in Jesus.
As a closing, read Romans 8:38-39 on the Student Page.
