Category: BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Welcome to AtoZMom’s BSF Blog! BSF International, or Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)’s study of the book of Genesis will take you from the beginning of the world to the death of Joseph. We will see God create the world and then destroy it, saving only Noah and his family. We will then see God call Abraham and give His promise to make his descendants a great nation in Jacob. Don’t miss this great online and free Bible study!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 22, Day 4: Genesis 27:42-28:9 with Hebrews 12:6-14

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 27:42-28:9:  Rebekah hears Esau’s plans to kill Jacob so she sends for Jacob and tells him to go and live with her brother Laban in Haran until Esau’s temper cools. She tells Isaac she doesn’t want Jacob to marry a Hittite woman so Isaac blesses him and commands him to go to Paddan Aram to the house of his mother’s father Bethuel and take a wife from the daughters of Laban.  He blessed him again with fruitfulness and with the blessing given to Abraham.

Esau learned what had happened and he took a wife from Ishmael’s line in an effort to please his father.

Hebrews 12:6-14:  The Lord disciplines those He loves and punishes everyone He accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline for God is treating you as a son.  For if you are not disciplines then you are not sons of God.  Everyone is disciplined.  God disciplines us for our good so we may share in His holiness.

Discipline is never pleasant but it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.

Questions:

10)  Jacob got sent away from the only home he has known.  He has to endure Laban.  He is tricked into marrying Leah.  He had to work for 14 years to have Rachel.  He slept with her maidservant when she couldn’t have kids (sound familiar?). He has to flee from Laban.

Rebekah spends the rest of her days without Jacob.  She dies before he returns-never seeing him again or getting the chance to say good-bye.

11)  Just the fact that Isaac is giving Jacob the blessing willingly when he really wants to give it to Esau shows he trusts God when God chose Jacob to be the heir.  He trusts God to find a wife for Jacob.  He blesses Jacob with the same blessing God has blessed him with:  bless him financially and multiply in number and take possession of the Promised Land.

Conclusions:  I have nothing positive to say about this lesson so I won’t say anything at all.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 22, Day 3: Genesis 27:26-41

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac kissed his son.  He smelled Esau’s clothes and concluded this was Esau.

Isaac blessed Jacob, asking God to give him abundance and have the nations serve him and bow to him, have him be lord over his brothers and have those who curse him be cursed and those who bless him be blessed.

Esau returned from hunting and brought in the food to Isaac.  Isaac realizes he had been tricked by Jacob.  But it was too late.  Isaac cannot bless both.  He did not reserve another blessing.  Esau wept and Isaac tells him he will serve his brother and he will live away from the earth’s riches but eventually he will throw off Jacob’s yoke.

Questions:

6a)  God will grant riches of the earth and an abundance of grain and wine.  Many nations will serve Jacob and people will bow down to him.  He will reign over his brothers and mother’s sons.  May those who curse him be cursed and those who bless him be blessed.

b)  God will punish the nation that enslaves His people (Genesis 15:14) but afterwards they will come out with great possessions.  Same as those who curse him be cursed.  Repeated in Genesis 12:3 where God says “I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse.”

7a)  According to Webster’s dictionary, regret is “to mourn the loss or death of; to miss very much; to be sorry for.”  Repentance is “the act or process of repenting (to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life; to feel regret) for misdeeds or moral shortcomings.”

As you can see, their meaning are the same in a way.  Regret is more to feel sorry for what you did (or did not do).  Repentance is to feel sorry for what you did but also to resolve to change and it’s emphasis is more on sin.

b)  Esau is regretful.  He’s sorry for himself that he did stupid things like sell his birthright for a meal and marry unbelievers.  But he doesn’t change his ways. Immediately, he wants to kill his brother–for his mistakes (of selling the birthright) but also for God’s will as I’m sure they all knew the prophetic words revealed to Rebekah. His heart is not repentant at all.

Jacob is repentant.  He realizes he tricked his father and lied to him and I think he’s truly sorry.  God spoke to him afterwards and does not condemn his actions.  For He doesn’t need to as Jacob has learned his lesson.

8a)  It would have gone against God’s will as spoken to Rebekah (Genesis 25:23).  Esau was flippant and despised his birthright as we see in Genesis 25:29-34 when he sold his birthright for a meal.  Esau married Hittite women (Genesis 26:34) which would have jeopardized the raising of his sons in terms of faith in the Lord.  Esau wants to kill his brother (Genesis 27:41)–a direct violation of God’s law of murder.  He is vengeful and his heart is not God’s.  Definitely not something God wants in the line to Jesus.

b)  They doubt.  They sin when they know it’s wrong.  They have no desire to do God’s will here on earth. They are in the world instead of of the world.

c)  He’s a provider.  He brings home meat for the family.

d)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I hope going in the right way.  I’m trying every day to be more like Jesus.  I’m trying to be in the Word as much as possible.  I’m trying to follow God’s purpose for my life.  I’m trying to raise my kids to know Him.  I’m trying to be a good wife and spouse to my husband.  We are at a turning point in our lives where we’re trying to plan for the future and put God at the center (both with our money and our hearts).  My husband and I are finally on the same page about this.  I pray I do His will every day.

9)  Isaac’s prophecy is:  Esau will dwell away from the earth’s riches.  He will live by the sword and will serve his brother.  But he will eventually throw off his brother’s yoke. During the Exodus, Moses asked to pass through Edom’s lands which they refused and so Israel turned from them (Numbers).  David conquered the Edomites (2 Samuel 8:14).

Edom did rebel against Judah (Israel) in 2 Kings 8:20-22.  Another war is depicted in 2 Kings 14:7 between Judah and Edom.  Another time Edom attacked Judah in 2 Chronicles 28:17.

Obadiah is where God has had enough of the Edomites and their sins against the Israelites.  God tells Israel to not abhor Edom for Edom is their brother (Deuteronomy 23:7) but when the Edomites cheer the fall of Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion and help plunder the city and prey on fleeing Israelites God says through Obadiah “There will be no survivors from the house of Esau” (verse 18).

God says “As you have done, it will be done to you” (verse 15).  Like I said BEFORE, the Edomites were obliterated from history when Rome conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

Conclusions:  Question 9 is almost the exact same as Question 4 on Lesson 21 except here they give us the passages and last week they did not.

I’m really struggling here.  I’m floundering to be precise.  So I’m praying through this. This repetition and re-wording of the questions with virtually the same concept is driving me mad to be honest with you.

I GET it!  I do.  Part of me feels like BSF doesn’t trust me to get it.  So I’m being bombarded with the same passages (which in my view is not really all that hard when compared to say Isaiah for instance).  So I’m spending 3 lessons on the same thing (and tomorrow is Hebrews!).

I’m no Biblical scholar by any stretch of the imagination.  But I understand right and wrong and why Jacob was the chosen one (simple–cause God chose him and God can do whatever He wants) and why Esau wasn’t worthy, etc, etc, etc.

Instead of growing I feel stuck.  I’m at the point of skipping some classes to be honest with you.  The last two weeks have been difficult.  My group has fallen to half its normal size from September.  So has my kids’ classes.

I can’t remember ever feeling like this with BSF before.  So I’m praying.  That’s all I can do really.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 22, Day 2: Genesis 27:1-25

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac, now old and blind, asks Esau to hunt him some wild game and prepare him a meal at which he will give him his blessing.  Rebekah overheard Isaac tell Esau this so she told Jacob to go and bring her some young goats to prepare for him so that Jacob can go and receive Isaac’s blessing.  Jacob wonders though if Isaac touches him what to do because Esau is hairy and he is not.  His mother said not to worry.

Rebekah prepared the food and then dressed up Jacob in Esau’s clothes.  She covered his hands and neck with goatskins and sent him in to Isaac.  Jacob says he is Esau and bids his father to eat.  Isaac wonders how he found the game so quickly.  Jacob says the Lord granted him success.

Isaac suspects a trick and asks to touch Jacob.  He knows Jacob’s voice but falls for the goatskin trick.  Isaac blessed Jacob but is still unsure if he is Esau or not.  Jacob lies again, saying he is.  Isaac ate of the game.

Questions:

3)  Isaac planned to bless Esau and give him the birthright, which defied God’s plan which He revealed to Rebekah before Esau was even born (Genesis 25:23).  God intended Joseph to have the “older serve the younger.”

4a)  In this passage only, Jacob and Rebekah conspire to gain the blessing by having Jacob pretend to be Esau.  Jacob dressed up in goatskin to simulate Esau’s hair.  He wore Esau’s clothes.  Rebekah cooked a meal for Isaac.  Jacob lied to Isaac about his identity.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Don’t lie or deceive or white lie.  Numerous times I have posted about not lying to your kids so they will trust you in the big things.  HERE and HERE if interested.  Have an open relationship.  Have God at the center.  For if God is the center, love and honesty reign.

5a)  She did everything in her power to have Jacob receive the blessing as God intended.  And it worked.

b)  They were deceptive and involved lies and tricks.  Rebekah would have been better served if she had confronted Isaac about his intentions and told him to pray to God to ask for the truth.

c)  Same as above.  White lies.  Or lies.  Cheating people.  Deceiving people.

Conclusions:  Not happy AT ALL about this filler lesson.  I thought we had milked this passage already and here it shows up again?  Seriously?  Enough with the review.  In my opinion, nothing is learned in this lesson we didn’t already know.  We knew God’s plan.  We knew the deceptions Jacob and Rebekah do.  And we know the deceptions Christians (as all people-not just Christians) do today.  Wasted lesson in my opinion.

My time is valuable.  There’s so much in this world I don’t have time for.  And redundant study of a passage is something I don’t have patience for.  A year-long bible study in this society is a huge commitment.  And if indeed this lesson is just to stretch it out I have qualms with that.  I’d rather end a week earlier.  I have no problems being done in April.

In my class, you can tell people are dropping out.  Not as many women are coming nor kids.  This happens every year at the end of the study from my observations.  And maybe lessons like this is part of the reason why.  Something BSF should consider as they are analyzing attendance and growth numbers.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 21, Day 5: Genesis 25:27-34

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Genesis 25:27-34:  Esau became a hunter while Jacob stayed home.  Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob more.  Esau sold his birthright for a meal, implying he despised his birthright.

Questions:

11a)  That Jacob had obeyed his parents by traveling to and taking a wife from Paddan Aram instead of a Canaanite woman.

b)  After God spoke to Jacob in a dream, he vowed for the Lord to be his God and he set up the pillar upon which he slept as God’s house, promising to bring God a tenth of what God has given him.

c)  Jacob worked for 7 years in order to win the hand of Rachel.

d)  God is with Jacob and has allowed no harm to come to him.  God has blessed Jacob with Laban’s livestock.  While Jacob cared for Laban’s flock, the flock never miscarried nor were attacked by wild beasts.  Jacob worked for 14 years for 2 daughters and 6 years for the flocks.  God rebuked Laban for his deception and ill-will towards Jacob.

e)  Jacob prays to God to protect him as he finally returns home to the promised land from his brother Esau whom he is still afraid.  But God has told him it is time to return home so Jacob has obeyed.

12a)  Faith

b)  Jacob is one of the patriarchs of His chosen people–the people who will obey God and shine His light into the world.  God chose Jacob to receive His inheritance and to love him and to be His treasured possession.  To serve God (Isaiah 41:8-9).  To redeem him and summon him by name.  To protect and lead.  (Isaiah 43:1-2).  Continuing in Isaiah 43, we are precious and honored in God’s sight, loved, and He is with us (4-5).  To be God’s witnesses here on earth (10, 12).  To save (11).

13)  He sold his birthright for a meal.  He married Hittite women.  He married more women in an attempt to be like Jacob and win the birthright back but it was all an act in my opinion.

Conclusions:  In ancient times as soon as the  words God of Abraham, Isaac, and/or Jacob was mentioned, everyone knew which God you were talking about.  And that is how they identified God since there were so many pagan gods in ancient times.  Most knew who Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were and no more need be said.

Today, that is not the case.  Even in Christian circles I believe the names are recognized but the details are not known as they were in ancient times.  Important details were memorized since not many could read.  We don’t memorize Scripture like the ancients since we take it for granted that we can look it up in the Bible.

For me it has been fun throughout the study of Genesis to cement in my mind who’s who. I was talking to my husband about Isaac and Rebekah and my husband had forgotten a few details about it all.  So now when the Bible refers to the “God of Isaac” I know exactly what Isaac did and why God is referred to as the God of Isaac and its significance.

I was reading to my kids about how people today don’t take the time to notice nature and observe it like they did long ago.  With the wealth of information out there about God and what we know I think sometimes it was easier to get closer to God in ancient times because they did more praying, more contemplating, more thinking, more studying of God than we do. We are so distracted by technology that we may miss God in a simple book.  Something to ponder at least…

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 21, Day 4: Genesis 25:27-34

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Genesis 25:27-34:  Esau became a hunter while Jacob stayed home.  Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob more.  Esau sold his birthright for a meal, implying he despised his birthright.

Questions:

8a)  Who wouldn’t?  From Question 6 from yesterday, we learn the birthright entails in this case the promise of Abraham which is having nations bow down to you, be lord over your brothers and all your relatives and others, and may those who despise you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.  Deuteronomy says the firstborn should receive a double share and is the sign of his father’s strength.  Jacob would be the chosen one of God to perpetuate His nation.  Sign me up, too!

b)  As we explored in 7d yesterday as well, we learn Esau does not have a heart for God. He marries Canaanite women (Genesis 26:34–notice not one woman but two which is not what God desires for man).  He despises his birthright (Genesis 25:36) while Jacob embraces it.  And we see that Jacob will do anything (nothing morally right) but anything to receive the blessing.  So he desires it.  And we must assume both Esau and Jacob knew the heavy expectations with this birthright.

It’s like in our day.  Those who persevere and desire something the most usually achieves it.  Although the methods Jacob employed did not sit well with God, God chose Jacob anyways.  Because of his heart.  God chooses.  Not us.

c)  Abraham lacked faith in God’s promise of a son, believing Sarah was incapable of having a child, so he had a child with Hagar.  I’m not quite sure if Jacob ever had unbelief. He believed he had the birthright already and he did what he had to do in order to receive it.  I’m assuming BSF is looking for some answer like this, “Well, if Jacob would have waited God would have given him the birthright anyways.”  True.  But he wouldn’t have received it from Isaac on earth.  And I’m not sure if unbelief was the motivation behind Jacob’s actions.  It’s a stretch in my opinion.

9a)  Our inheritance is to be like Jesus, to live a Godly-life, following God’s laws, and to do His work set before us. Some Christians don’t like having to live up to these higher standards so they follow the world instead of God’s word and God’s will for their life. They think it unfair despite what Jesus did for us on the cross.  So they chose to ignore God and listen to the devil instead.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I do my bible study every day.  I pray.  I try to do God’s will in my life.  I try to be more like Jesus every day.  I take my God-given purpose seriously.  I try to show Him the best I can.

10)  They are adopted as sons of God.  They have divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.  We have Christ indwelt through Jacob’s family and are reckoned with God.

Conclusions:  Seems like this was an expounding of yesterday.  It seems intuitive but a lot of Christians/unbelievers don’t grasp the concept:  Christians are blessed; they are different; they do have a spiritual inheritance and spiritual advantages because of Jesus; and they do have a responsibility once Christ lives inside of them to make this world a better place.

Christians are set apart by God.  They have a God-given purpose for their brief time on earth.  It is our responsibility to act on everything Christ has done for us.  It is our job to save as many people as possible.  And rewards await us when our body gives out.

So what are you doing for Him today?

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 21, Day 3: Genesis 25:27-34 with Hebrews 12:11-17

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Genesis 25:27-34:  Esau became a hunter while Jacob stayed home.  Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob more.  Esau sold his birthright for a meal, implying he despised his birthright.

Hebrews 12:11-17:  Discipline is never pleasant but it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.  Strengthen yourself.  Make every effort to live in peace with others and be holy so those others will see the Lord in you.  Make sure trouble is not sown and bitterness nor sexual immorality or godlessness like Esau because you weren’t holy.  Because Esau could not inherit his blessing after he had rejected it.

Questions:

5a)  Because Esau would bring Isaac wild game.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  It’s hard to say since this is all that is recorded of Isaac’s love.  Based off of what we know, superficially.  If that is the only real reason Isaac played favorites, then it would have saddened God (as it does us).  He probably didn’t approve of the rationale but we are human.  We all play favorites whether we admit it or not.  It’s what we do when we know we have a favorite that matters.

c)  Not shown such outward actions.  Shown more love towards the non-favored.  Made their best effort NOT to play favorites and treat each equally.

d)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Same as in c.  It’s hard not to play favorites with your kids.  Shower the others with just as much as you would the favorite.  If the kids recognize the favorite, make extra effort to prove to them as least otherwise.

6)  In this case, you received the promise of Abraham which is having nations bow down to you, be lord over your brothers and all your relatives and others, and may those who despise you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.  Deuteronomy says the firstborn should receive a double share and is the sign of his father’s strength.  God’s mercy and grace to bless those whom He chooses.

[NOTE:  I think this is a typo in the passages.  It should probably be Romans 9:14-15 but I would read all of Romans 9 for Esau and Jacob are mentioned specifically from 8-18.]

7a)  No

b)  Highly unlikely.  Abraham is rich and had many servants.  I’m sure one of them was cooking something at that exact time as well.  Snacks?  I’m sure there were some snacks lying around.  Or I’m sure Esau could have made his own food or ate some leftovers or something.  This is why he despised his birthright.  He took the easy way out.

c)  He despised it.  He didn’t care enough.  He let his immediate needs of hunger supercede his birthright.  Seriously?  If that’s not disdain, I’m not sure what is.

d)  God knew all along the choice Esau would made and that’s why He chose Jacob as the worthy one to carry on the Promise.  Esau is called “godless” in Hebrews 12:16.  God Himself even says He hated Esau and He turned Esau’s mountains into wasteland and left Esau’s inheritance to the jackals (Malachi 1:3).  This passage is repeated in Romans 9:13 by Paul.

Lessons learned:  God knows our heart and He will give us what we deserve.  As Romans says, all things are through God’s mercy and compassion, not our effort (Romans 9:15-16).  Esau was not worthy of the birthright even though it was his right by birth so God took it from him.  We must be worthy in God’s eyes to receive His blessing.  We must have a heart for God and not for ourselves.  We must make choices in line with God’s Will and Word.  We must seek Him and not our fickle needs.  God’s needs.  Not ours.

Conclusions:  I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be “hated” by God like Esau was.  Can you imagine?  We’re told as little kids not to hate anyone.  But God hated.  So are we allowed to as well?

Well “hate” in this context is really “reject”.  God “loved” or “chose” Jacob.  He rejected Esau.  Our human emotions are not the same for God.

I think hate though doesn’t correlate with forgiveness and compassion.  We can hate someone but still forgive their wrongs towards us and show them compassion when the occasion arises.  But we don’t have to like them or approve of them.  For God still blessed Esau who became the father of the Edomites (Genesis 33:9, 36) despite his hard heart.  As we must do as well.  Feelings are different than knowledge of God’s will.  Great lesson for me!

Great explanation of God’s love and hate HERE

I also like the favoritism lesson for, admittedly, I favor my son over my girls.  Because he’s the youngest.  I did this with all my babies before the other one came along.  But I am conscious of it and I try with all my might to hide that from my kids and shower my girls with extra attention.  For I love all of them more than myself.  And I bet over time as my son becomes less needy this will change.

END NOTE:  Please read Romans 9.  I think this lesson will have greater value for you and you’ll see more of what BSF is trying to teach you if you do.

FINAL END NOTE:  See?  I did get something out of this lesson, didn’t I (referring to my doubts from YESTERDAY)? So just keep plugging away.  God will show you what you need.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 21, Day 2: Genesis 25:19-26

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac was forty when he married Rebekah.  Isaac prayed when he discovered Rebekah was barren and God granted her twins.  The Lord told her she carried two nations, one will be stronger and the older will serve the younger.  Esau was the first born (his name may mean hairy.  He was also called Edom which means red for he was red-headed).  The second born was Jacob who came out clasping Esau’s heel (his name means he grasps the heel or he deceives).  Isaac was 60 years old at their birth.

Questions:

3a)  20 years

b)  Yes

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  The passages we are referred to say so God’s work can be displayed and so that they (Isaac and Rebekah) will learn God’s decrees and so they will cast their cares on the Lord so He can sustain them.  It is estimated that about 12-15 percent of women can’t have kids, have trouble getting pregnant, or have trouble carrying a baby to term.  They could have been one of these couples.

d)  Personal Question.  My answer:  They prayed and the Lord answered in His timing.

4)  “Two nations are in your womb” refers to how Esau will be the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36) and Jacob the father of the Israelites.  Abraham was promised in Genesis 17:4-6, 16 that many nations would descend from him and Sarah.

“Two people within you will be separated” means they will live apart.  1 Kings 11:14-16 shows how the Edomites fought against the Israelites and lost.

“One people will be stronger than the other” is the Israelites will be stronger.

“The older will serve the younger” shows how the Edomites will be subjects of the Israelites.  2 Samuel 8:12-14 discusses how David struck down the Edomites and subjected them to his rule.

2 Chronicles 21:8-10 speaks of how Edom rebelled against Judah’s rule.

The tiny book of Obadiah is prophecy from the Lord about Edom and Israel, basically saying in sum that Israel will be the last one standing and Edom will disappear from the face of the earth.  The last people of Edom were destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 when they took Jerusalem and destroyed the temple of the Lord.

Conclusions:  I’m not exactly thrilled about re-visiting Scripture we have already visited for an entire week.  And tomorrow is Hebrews–again.  Help.

I didn’t like 3b.  That was a “duh” to me.  Obviously.  Isaac was God’s chosen one to establish His people.  How else is he going to do it?  I thought we’d pick up at Genesis 28:10.

Needless to say, I’m not looking forward to this week.  To me, this is another filler lesson. Or I’m too impatient.  All year I’ve been looking forward to Joseph.  I’m ready.  Let’s move on!

End Note:  Just being honest here for those of you whom I’m sure will comment what a bad attitude I have and how I should drop out or quit or what-have-you (it could be a reflection of my state-of-mind right now as some of you have suggested as well.  I don’t know.  I’m not a psychologist).  This is how I feel about this lesson.  And I make no apologies for saying so.  But see this POST.  I’m doing it despite how I feel about it.  For I’m sure God has something here for me whether I see it or not or whether I feel like learning it or not.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 20, Day 5: Review Genesis 27:1-28:9

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac, now old and blind, asks Esau to hunt him some wild game and prepare him a meal at which he will give him his blessing.  Rebekah overheard Isaac tell Esau this so she told Jacob to go and bring her some young goats to prepare for him so that Jacob can go and receive Isaac’s blessing.  Jacob wonders though if Isaac touches him what to do because Esau is hairy and he is not.  His mother said not to worry.

Rebekah prepared the food and then dressed up Jacob in Esau’s clothes.  She covered his hands and neck with goatskins and sent him in to Isaac.  Jacob says he is Esau and bids his father to eat.  Isaac wonders how he found the game so quickly.  Jacob says the Lord granted him success.

Isaac suspects a trick and asks to touch Jacob.  He knows Jacob’s voice but falls for the goatskin trick.  Isaac blessed Jacob but is still unsure if he is Esau or not.  Jacob lies again, saying he is.  Isaac ate of the game and then kissed his son.  He smelled Esau’s clothes and concluded this was Esau.

Isaac blessed Jacob, asking God to give him abundance and have the nations serve him and bow to him, have him be lord over his brothers and have those who curse him be cursed and those who bless him be blessed.

Esau returned from hunting and brought in the food to Isaac.  Isaac realizes he had been tricked by Jacob.  But it was too late.  Isaac cannot bless both.  He did not reserve another blessing.  Esau wept and held a grudge against Jacob and planned to kill him once Isaac died.

Rebekah hears Esau’s plans and sends Jacob to live with her brother Laban in Haran until Esau’s temper cools. She tells Isaac she doesn’t want Jacob to marry a Hittite woman so Isaac blesses him and commands him to go to Paddan Aram to the house of his mother’s father Bethuel and take a wife from the daughters of Laban.  He blessed him again with fruitfulness and with the blessing given to Abraham.

Esau learned what had happened and he took a wife from Ishmael’s line in an effort to please his father.

Questions:

11)  When God told Rebekah that two nations were in her womb and the older will serve the younger.

12a)  He called Esau to him privately and was going to bless him without others around or tell anyone else.

b)  Isaac knew Jacob was the chosen one but he was going to bless Esau instead (his favorite).  But once he was tricked, he blessed Jacob willingly.  He realized that God’s will would prevail, not his.

13a)  Isaac definitely had a heart for God.  He willingly submitted to being a sacrifice.  He trusted God to bring him Rebekah as his wife.  He dealt kindly with Abimelech when the disputes arose over the wells.  The Lord appeared to him (Genesis 26:24) to reassure him of his covenant.  His weakness was that he favored Esau over Jacob and tried to circumvent God’s will with the blessing.  But God prevented that as well.  He played favorites with his kids.  In the end, Isaac does bless Jacob for he realizes God’s will after the trick.

Isaac is like most Christians I think.  Has a heart for God but is human with faults and mistakes.  But eventually he corrects them and comes back to God.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To always seek and trust God.  He is in control.  He will bless those who follow Him.  To deal kindly with unbelievers.  To not judge.  To shine Christ as best as humanly possible.  Even when you fall, Isaac showed you get right back on God’s path.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To not play favorites (which is hard with multiple kids).  To treat all equally.  To pray and follow God.  It is useless to fight God for He will win every time.  His will not mine.

Conclusions:  God’s will prevails no matter what man does to circumvent it.  So why do we fight it so?

End Note:  Interestingly, even if Esau had received Isaac’s blessing, it wouldn’t have mattered.  Only God can truly bestow the blessing and in God’s eyes it would have been invalid.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 20, Day 4: Genesis 26:12-35

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac planted crops in the land of the Philistines and the Lord blessed him.  He became rich and had so many flocks that the Philistines became jealous so they filled all his wells with dirt.  Finally, Abimelech told Isaac to move away because he had become too powerful.

So Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar and re-opened the wells.  Isaac’s servants dug two new wells but the locals quarreled over them.  He dug another well that was undisputed, which showed Isaac the Lord would provide.

At Beersheba the Lord appeared to Isaac and told him He would bless him and increase his descendants. Isaac built an altar there and called on the Lord.  He also dug a well there.

Abimelech saw how Isaac continued to prosper because the Lord was with him and became afraid.  So he along with his  adviser and commander approached Isaac to make a treaty not to harm them.  This was done.  Another well was dug.

Esau married Judith and Basemath, Hittites, and they were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

Questions:

9a)  God multiplied Isaac’s crops by a hundredfold.

b)  The Philistines became jealous of Isaac’s success so they filled all of his wells.

c)  Abimelech kicked him out of the land

d)  He just moved and kept digging wells until he found one undisputed.

e)  God appeared to Isaac and told him He will bless him and have descendants.  Isaac responded by building an altar and calling on the name of the Lord.  He pitched his tent there and dug another well.

10a)  Proverbs says “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him”.  The Philistines sought a treaty with Isaac out of fear of the Lord.  God approved of Isaac, blessed him, and protected him by giving him peace.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  If you follow God’s ways, you will have peace with your enemies.  I’m unsure how to answer this one for I have no real enemies like Isaac did.  We live in a time of relative peace compared to ancient times so it’s hard for us to understand this.  Even if we have personal enemies we must love them and do what is right and trust God to bring the peace.

Conclusions:  Good lesson of overcoming adversity.  Most of us don’t have wells that are taken from us but we have other things (and if you’ve been through bankruptcy you know what I’m talking about here).

God gives and takes away and at some point most of us have had things taken from us (either jobs, finances, kids, dogs, family members, relatives, or personal items such as homes or cars).

It’s how we respond that God is seeking.  Like Jesus?  Or not like Jesus?

We will have peace if we do what Jesus would do.  That is God’s promise.

End Note:  Note the name of the wells.  Esek means dispute.  Sitnah means opposition. And Rehoboth means room.  God uses dispute and opposition to give us room.  Neat, huh?

Abraham is known for building altars.  Jacob will be known for tents.  Isaac is known for wells.  All different ways of God’s provision for His people.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 20, Day 3: Genesis 25:19-26:11

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Isaac was forty when he married Rebekah.  Isaac prayed when he discovered Rebekah was barren and God granted her twins.  The Lord told her she carried two nations, one will be stronger and the older will serve the younger.  Esau was the first born (his name may mean hairy.  He was also called Edom which means red for he was red-headed).  The second born was Jacob who came out clasping Esau’s heel (his name means he grasps the heel or he deceives).  Isaac was 60 years old at their birth.

Esau became a hunter while Jacob stayed home.  Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob more.

Esau sold his birthright for a meal, implying he despised his birthright.

A famine came into the land and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar (different guy than Abraham’s Abimelech.  Remember, Abimelech is the name they give to rulers).  The Lord appeared to Isaac and told him to not go to Egypt but to stay here. He will bless him and give all this land to his descendants.  He repeats the oath He gave to Abraham.  He will bless all nations because Abraham was faithful and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars..

Isaac, however, lied who Rebekah was, saying she was his sister just like Abraham had done in Egypt out of fear of being killed.  But Isaac got caught in his lie and was chastised by Abimelech who orders no one to touch or molest Isaac or Rebekah.

Questions:

5)  He prayed

6)  Isaac loved Esau because he brought him wild game to eat.  It’s a shallow reason.  Yes, providing food is important in life but to love your son just because he does this is not loving the heart.  It’s loving for actions and not for who the person is.  You love the entire person and not because of what they can do for you.  Sad, really.

7)  God commanded Isaac not to go to Egypt during the famine.  He promised him He would be with him and He would bless him.  He confirmed the oath He gave to Abraham, saying He will give all his descendants all these lands.  He will make Isaac’s descendants as numerous as the stars and all the nations will be blessed because Abraham obeyed and kept God’s laws.

8a)  He lied about who his wife was.

b)  I don’t think he could have.  Abraham’s sin was committed before he was born so Isaac would only have heard stories told and he would have seen first-hand the pain that Hagar had brought to all.  Sin is a personal choice, an act of Free Will.  Parents can no more prevent their kids from sinning than they can prevent themselves if they so choose.  We have no control.  Abraham could have told Isaac not to lie, etc but Isaac chose to follow his way instead.

[Note:  Commentaries I read said Abraham could have set a better example and that the sins of the father are often found in the children because of the sinful environment in which they grew up in.  I, however, reject this.  Abraham sinned before Isaac was born and we all have our own choices to make.  I’m sure Abraham told his son the story and not to do what he did.  Personal responsibility and Free Will reign here.]

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Tell them honestly what you have done and implore them to make better choices.  Show them the consequences of your sin and do not hide it. Kids need to know there are consequences for sin.  Don’t sugar-coat anything and live an honest, repentant life.

Conclusions:  We don’t know what Isaac knew about Egypt but we do know the pain Hagar and Ishmael caused so we can assume Isaac knew this as well and he chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and let fear reign.  Like I said yesterday, fear is a motivating factor that often causes us to sin but God can help us trust Him and not let fear take over.

Sin is a personal choice, something we are all responsible for.  No one else is to blame. Isaac sinned just like his father.  For Isaac is human just like Abraham.  We can help our kids understand what sin is and what are the consequences and that they have a choice: to follow God or to follow themselves or the devil.

Sin is inevitable; but with Jesus sin is wiped away.