Jacob

Lesson #8 -- Genesis 25 -- 37

     When Isaac and Rebekah’s son Jacob became a man, he left his parents’ home and went to his mother’s home and relatives to find a wife. There were young women in his community, but like his father Abraham, Isaac did not want his son to choose a wife from their ungodly neighbors.

     While Jacob was on his journey, the Lord spoke to him and made the same three promises that He had made to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob would have a lot of land. His family would be so large that it would become a nation. One of Jacob’s descendants would be Jesus Christ who would come to the world and offer salvation to all men.

     We have noted that God spoke to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is the way God communicated with men at that time. Now, He speaks to us from the pages of His Word, the Bible. We must read the scriptures if we want to know what God has to say.

     Just as Isaac and Rebekah had hoped, Jacob met a beautiful young woman named Rachel and fell in love. Jacob agreed to work seven years for her father if he would allow him to marry Rachel.

     The wedding day was disastrous, though. Rachel had an older sister named Leah who was not very pretty. Their father, in his concern over whether Leah was ever going to get married, devised an evil plan.

     On the night of the wedding, perhaps because it was dark and the bride wore a veil, the father was able to trick Jacob. He brought the older sister to Jacob as his new wife. The next morning, Jacob discovered the terrible deception.

     Jacob agreed to work seven more years for the sister he loved. Then the father kept his word and gave Rachel to Jacob. What an uncomfortable situation in a home – two sisters married to the same man!

     Over his lifetime Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter. His sons are known as fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. One of his sons, Joseph, was his favorite. Jacob made him a coat of many colors. The other brothers were jealous of Joseph. They hated him.

     Joseph’s brothers sold him to slave traders. Then they deceived their father and caused him to believe a wild animal had killed his beloved son Joseph.