Jacob Returns to Canaan

"As a prince hast them prevailed." Genesis 38:28

Jacob had a long journey, but God took care of him and brought him safely to his mother's old home. He lived there for a long time and took care of his uncle's sheep and cows. Soon he'd earned sheep and cows of his own. He got married and had many children. 

But one day God told him to go back to Canaan. Jacob was afraid because he thought his brother, Esau, might still be angry with him. In spite of his fear, Jacob did go home to Canaan. 

He was near the river Jordan on the east side of Canaan and he stopped to ask God to guard him. God let him see the angels surrounding him and protecting him. This helped him feel better, but he was still very careful. 

Jacob chose gifts from his animals - from his cows and goats, camels, sheep and donkeys, and send the gift ahead to Esau. Then he sent the rest of his animals and his family, including his youngest son, Joseph, to a safe place nearby. 

Jacob saw Esau coming out to meet him. His brother wasn't angry. They met, hugged each other tight and kissed each other on the cheek. God kept his promise to take care of Jacob. Jacob kept his promise to God. He made an altar at a place called Bethel, where he'd seen the angels before, and he praised and blessed God. 

QUESTIONS

1. Who was Jacob ?

2. Why had he left home ?

3. With whom did he go to live?

4. What did he earn there?

5. Why did he go back ?

6. Why was he afraid ?

7. But what comforted him ?

8. Whom did God's angels care for ?

9. What did he give Esau?

10. How did he put his family in order?

11. Who went last?

12. How did Esau meet him?

13. What was the quarrel between them?

14. Was Esau angry?

15. How did Jacob show he was thankful ?                                                    

Jacob's Vision

"This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Genesis 28:17

Abraham's son Isaac had two sons named Jacob and Esau. Esau was angry with Jacob because he had received his father's blessing, even though Esau hadn't cared for it until he'd lost it. Esau was so angry with Jacob that Jacob had to leave his home. 

Jacob knew that God was with him, and he traveled as far as he could until night came. He stopped in a dark and stony field. There wasn't a house nearby and no shelter. Only a few plants could grow among the stones. He said his prayers then lay down on the ground, using a stone as a pillow with only the sky over him. 

During the night he had a vision from heaven. He saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven. God's angels were going up and down and the Lord Himself stood at the top of the ladder. He told Jacob that he was going to give his children all the land he could see in all directions. God told Jacob He would take care of him and be with him everywhere he went and would one day bring him home safe. 

When Jacob woke he knew the vision was true and God had really spoken to him. He was glad but also afraid, and said, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven." So that he would always know the place where he had the vision, he stacked some of the stones upright and took some of the olive oil he'd brought with im and poured it on the stones. This was the only thing he could do to show honor to God. He made a vow that if God would take care of him as he traveled, providing him with food to eat and clothes to wear, he would give God a tenth of all he had for the rest of his life. Ever since, good people like Jacob have given God a tenth of what they have.  

If God would give us a vision like he did Jacob, and allow us to see, we would also see His angels coming up and down with blessings for us, for we go to the house of God and gate of heaven whenever we go to church. Always remember how Jacob felt being so near to God. 

QUESTIONS

1. Who was Jacob?

2. Who was Isaac?

3. Who was Esau ?

4. Why did Jacob go away ?

5. What was the promise ?

6. What kind of place did he sleep in ?

7. What was his pillow ?

8. But what did he see ?

9. Who went up and down?

10. Who stood at the top?

11. What did God promise him ?

12. What did Jacob say of the place ?

13. How did he mark it ?

14. What did he pour on the stone?

15. What vow did he make?

16. What are our houses of God?

17. Who come up and down to us?

18. What do the angels bring us?

19. How much did Jacob promise to give to God ?

20. What does God do for us ?            

Isaac Blesses Jacob

"Bless me, even me also, O my father." Genesis 27:34

God had called Abraham out from his home and promised to give his children the land called Canaan. He promised Abraham that in his Seed all the nations of the world would blessed. This renewed the promise God had given to Eve. Abraham believed God would keep His promise, but when he reached the land it wasn't his. He was stranger, living in a tent, and trusting God every day. 

His son Isaac lived like him with no home but trusting God for his daily care. Isaac had two sons named Esau and Jacob. Esau was the oldest and he had the first right to God's promises. But Esau didn't care about the promises. He didn't see what the value was to him. He wanted what he could get right now instead of what he would get in the future. 

One day when he came home he was very hungry. His younger brother Jacob was making stew and cooking it over a fire. Esau gave up all of his rights to his brother for a bowl of the stew. So for a bowl of soup he sold right to the lands of Canaan and the right to be a forefather of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Many years later Esau was sorry for what he had done. His father Isaac was old and blind and was going to die soon. Isaac called for Esau, the son he loved best, and asked him to bring home some meat for a feast. Esau went and brought home the meat, but when he came inside Isaac cried out in sadness. Jacob had come to him instead and Isaac had mistaken him for Esau. Isaac had given his blessing to Jacob instead. Jacob now had all the rights to the promised land and all of God's promises.

Esau cried out and asked his father if there was only one blessing. Isaac was sad for him, and blessed him, but he couldn't take away what he'd given Jacob and Esau had lost.

When Esau had traded his blessing for the stew, he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know to wait patiently for the glorious blessing to come. This was why he was allowed to be disappointed. This is a warning to us. We have a blessing, an inheritance promised to us too. The kingdom of heaven has been promised to us but we're tempted to not care about that blessing when we want something here in this world. But we don't need to waste those blessings or forget about this blessing. If we do, we'll be sorry later, just like Esau.  After we die, it will be too late to change our minds. So right now, while we are alive, we should have faith and show our faith by making sure the things here on earth don't make us forget the better things in heaven.    

QUESTIONS

1. What were the names of Isaac's two sons?

2. What had God promised Isaac ?

3. Which son had the first right to the promise ?

4. But which cared about it most ?

5. What did Esau want ?

6. So what did he give up for the sake of the soup ?

7. Could he get it back again ?

8. What are you an heir of ?

9. How could we lose the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven ?

10. Shall we be able to change after we are dead?

11. Then what must we care about most?

12. Why could not Esau get his father's blessing?

13. What did he like better than waiting for what he could not see?

14. Can we see heaven?

15. But when we get there, will it not be better than anything we can see here ?