The Faith It Takes to Wait For Promised Blessings

Genesis 25:20-34; 27; 28:1-9. A Contrast between Brothers

a.   Read Genesis 25:20-34; 27; 28:1-9. Then, complete the following tasks in writing:

·    Contrast the differences between Esau and Jacob.

Esau was older. Jacob was younger. Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field: and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for food that would prevent him from death. Esau despised his birthright. They both obeyed their parents in certain aspects. Esau obeyed his father’s request for him to go hunting for venison. Jacobs was to follow his mother’s instruction to trick his father into thinking he was Esau in order to receive the blessing.

Esau sought revenge.

Imagine you are Esau’s friend and have the opportunity to speak with him after the events of Genesis 27. Considering what you've learned from Genesis 25-27, what would you say to Esau to help him understand why Jacob received the covenant blessings? What would you suggest Esau do?

I would suggest that he remembers to turn the other cheek and seek progression instead of digression. I would remind him that the 2^nd great commandment is to love and would help him understand that love and hate cannot exist in the same heart.

·     Esau traded away his birthright—something of great value to him in the future—for something of little value that could be obtained right away and satisfied an immediate appetite. What ways do you see people today trading eternal blessings for something worldly, immediate, or something that satisfies an appetite?

These days, you see people trading something of great worth for immediate satisfaction, almost everywhere were turn. Some of the numerous ways that we see this done would be: Viewing pornography, getting into credit card debt, word of wisdom issues, etc.

·     How does the Institute Student Manual commentary for Genesis 27:1-40, “Jacob Obtains the Birthright from Esau” (pgs. 85-86) help clarify your understanding of the account found in Genesis 27?

It helps clarify by stating that Jacob reluctantly gave in to the will of his mother and that Isaac could have revoked the blessing but because of his imperfect nature, did not. It also explains that Jacob was now responsible to live worthy of the blessings (similar to our patriarchal blessings) or the blessing would not come to pass.