1/17 Genesis 25-28 - The Birthright that Matters

The story of Jacob is well-known to students of the Bible. What may not be as well known is why God would bless a man whose character, at first, was so clearly out of sorts with godliness. Today we'll learn about the path the Lord used to bring Jacob to a place of faith, trust and obedience. Join us in this face-paced look at Genesis 28, which also will skim Genesis 25, 26, & 27!

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:

Genesis 28 1.    When was there a time in your life where you consciously made a life decision in light of your standing as a member of God’s people? What was the outcome of that decision? 
2.    Take a moment to evaluate your personal commitment to the kingdom of God. On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to reflecting God’s kingdom now and investing in God’s kingdom to come? Why did you choose that number? 
3.    Why do you think that the Lord allowed Isaac and Rebekah to not be able to have children until later in life? What impact would this (or should this) have on the spiritual lessons they would teach their children? Did it?
4.    How would you describe the family dynamics in Isaac’s household? What kind of problems did their favoritism create? Who was responsible to rectify these problems? What are some possible reasons for why these problems weren’t properly addressed? 
5.    In Genesis 25:23, what was the Lord’s promise to Rebekah about the twins she was bearing? How is this promise important as the story of Jacob’s life unfolds? 
6.    What were God’s promises to Isaac in Genesis 26:3 and 4? How was this similar to the Lord’s promises to Abraham? What would these promises also indicate about Isaac’s role as the patriarch of his family? What would these promises mean for the role one of his sons would have over these future descendants? 
7.    In Genesis 25:27-34, why do you think Esau sold his birthright to Jacob? Was this a true “sale”? Was the birthright his to “sell” anyway? How does this set the tone for the unraveling of Esau’s role as firstborn? 
8.    In Genesis 26:34-45, Esau marries two Hittite women. What significance might his marriage have on the direction of his leadership over the descendants of Abraham? 
9.    Esau didn’t cherish his birthright because he didn’t cherish God’s promises. If he did, what would that have looked like in his life? What does it look like, in our world today, to cherish God’s promises and live in light of them? Why is this sometimes difficult to do? 
10.    Although the study didn’t address very much from Genesis 26, you have probably read it by now. As you reflect upon the events of Genesis 26, what do they show you about the quality of Isaac’s faith? Why do you think his faith was like this? 
11.    The Bible often reminds us that although we are to walk in God’s ways, it’s not to curry His favor, but rather to glorify Him. Both Abraham and Isaac show us that God uses imperfect people. Why do you think that is? What encouragement does this give you if and when you struggle in your walk? 

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