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 and the Lesson 10 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees Jacob before Isaac with Esau returning from hunting and gathering. Also paper and colored pencils or crayons will be needed.

Prayer:  Dear heavenly Father, thank You for watching over us and bringing us together today. Send Your Holy Spirit to be among us and to help us understand as we study Your Word. Lead us to know the importance of Your will in our lives and to gladly follow Your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

This lesson is about two brothers, sons of Isaac, who did not get along. We'll see how their conflict affected God's plans for His people.

God Speaks

On page 2 of the leaflet, pick the drawing and number it that matches the Bible verse.

Drawing 1: Read Genesis 25:19-28 - Jacob and Esau as young men.

When Rebekah prayed about her unborn sons, what did God tell her? He told her that her twin sons would each lead a great nation and that the oldest son would serve the younger son.

On the last page of the leaflet under the Faith Words, read about inheritance.

Inheritance - The tradition of the day made the oldest son the more influential son, the one who would gain the largest portion of his father's inheritance.

But God tells Rebekah right away, before they are born, that this would not be the case with her sons.

What are the names of the sons, and which one is older? Which parent favors which son? Esau, firstborn, is Isaac's favorite, and Jacob, born second, is Rebekah's favorite child.  Esau means "hairy" Sometimes Esau is known as Edom, which means "red”. Jacob means "grasps the heel” which he did at his birth, but it also can mean "trips up" or "deceives".  We see this to be true also as the story progresses.

Drawing 2: Read Genesis 25:29-34 - Jacob trading his bowl of stew to Esau, who is dressed from the hunt.

On the last page of the leaflet under the Faith Words, read about birthright.

How important to Esau is his birthright? It is useless. He is willing to sell it for a single meal. He shows a lack of concern for Gods promise, or the significance of the birthright.

Why would the birthright be important for Jacob? Was this how God intended Jacob to obtain the birthright? God had promised that Jacob would be greater than Esau. Here, Jacob shows a lack of faith in God's promise by trying to manipulate the situation in his own favor. He is also guilty of coveting, which we know breaks the Ninth Commandment: "You shall not covet".

On the last page of the leaflet under the Faith Words, read about covet.

God forbids every sinful desire to get our neighbor's possessions openly or by trickery. Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the birthright.

Drawing 3:  Read Genesis 27:1-4 - Isaac, sending Esau out for a hunt. Rebekah is eavesdropping.

What is Isaac preparing to do? He is ready to give Esau the blessing, since he thinks he may die soon.

Was Isaac supposed to give the blessing to Esau? Isaac certainly must have known that God told Rebekah that the blessing was to go to Jacob. Esau, too, must have known, but he willingly proceeded to do as his father had asked. Esau also knew that he had sold his birthright to Jacob and was not being honest to expect to receive the blessing.

Drawing 4: Read Genesis 27:5-17 - Rebekah with Jacob, who is dressed in his brother's clothes with animal skins on his neck and hands, holding the prepared food.

Why would Rebekah tell Jacob what to do? Rebekah may continually remember God's words to her regarding Jacob's future. She knows the blessing is supposed to go to Jacob, and she is determined that it will. Rebekah's actions show a lack of faith in God's ability or willingness to keep His promise.

Was Jacob right to obey his mother's directions? While it is right to honor one's parents, Jacob knew that what he was doing was wrong. He knew the plan would require lying to his father. By going along with her plan, he, too, shows a lack of faith that God will keep His promise.

Drawing 5: Read Genesis 27:18-29 - Isaac blessing Jacob.

Jacob lies boldly to his father, and although Isaac is confused by the voice, he believes Jacob is Esau and gives the blessing.

What commandment is broken here? Jacob breaks the Eighth Commandment, which forbids lying. Jacob also told Isaac that God had granted him success in his hunt. This is blasphemy-telling lies about God. We are all sometimes tempted to covet, lie, or deceive, especially to achieve something for ourselves. But God forgives all our sins for Jesus' sake if we repent and ask for forgiveness.

Drawing 6: Read Genesis 27:30-40 - Esau, distraught, receiving his father's words.

Isaac trembled violently when he realized he had given the blessing to Jacob. Esau cried when he found out there was no blessing left for him.

Did they get what they deserved? It was wrong for Rebekah and Jacob to trick them in order to get the blessing. But Isaac knew that by giving the blessing to Esau he would have been acting contrary to God's will. He realized he had been lied to, and this probably was very hurtful to him. We can see that God's will would be done, in spite of how humans try to manipulate a situation. Esau also knew that Jacob was to have the blessing and that he had sold his birthright.

Esau may have hoped he'd receive it anyway, but the finality of the realization was devastating. The whole family broke the First Commandment. They are also guilty of a lack of faith in God's ability or willingness to keep His promise to them. Instead they manipulated one another for selfish gain.

On the last page of the leaflet under the Faith Words, read about trust.

The lack of faith results in a lack of trust. Isaac's words to Esau, instead of a blessing, were only a prediction of what was to become of Esau and his descendants.

In spite of the sinful actions of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau, God's will was carried out. Jacob later became Israel, the father of the great nation, and Esau became the leader of the

 Edomites. The Edomites would be a fighting people, but they would never be as strong as the Israelites, just as God had told Rebekah before they were born.

We Live

On page 3 of the leaflet, under God's Good Work, read the verses and answer the questions.

Read Ephesians 2:8-9

What is the good work? Faith in Christ and salvation.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:7-9

What is the day of Christ Jesus? The end of the age, our own death, or the second coming of Jesus.

Read Philippians 1:6, 11

Who began the good work? God the Father.

Does Philippians 1:6 refer to any good works we have done or may do in the future? No, it is a gift from God.

Read Romans 10:17 and 1 Peter 3:21

By what means does God begin this good work? Through the preaching of the Word and Baptism.

God had a plan for Jacob. It was God who carried it on to completion in spite of Jacob's sin of coveting and his sinful actions. Even though we are sinful, God works in us to accomplish His will. God forgives all of our sins for Jesus' sake. Jesus died on the cross and rose again so that we are forgiven.

How does trust enable us to believe this? Who is it that "began the good work" in us, and when is the day of Christ Jesus? Trust is what helps us to be confident that God will do as He has promised. God has a plan for each of us, and it is comforting to know that even if we sin and disobey God, we won't somehow disrupt His plan. God does all things in His own time.  God is always at work in us and will perfect us through Jesus Christ. Our best prayer is one that asks for God's will to be done.

This doesn't give us permission to do whatever we want and God will make it right. It is assurance that when we sin, we will not keep God from accomplishing His work. Through Jesus, God forgives our sins. God comes to us in His Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. God comes to us with forgiveness of sins.

Closing

On page 3 of the leaflet under A Simple Prayer, unscramble the letters.

The prayer is: Thy will be done

 Review the items on the last page of the leaflet.

Listen to the hymn, "If God Himself Be for Me".

Print out or read the student page at the end of the lesson.

Close with the Lord's Prayer.