ISAAC ,ESAU and JACOB
• Isaac married Rebekah; they had twin sons named Esau and Jacob
• Esau was born first, so he was entitled to his family’s birthright
- the birthright was the older son’s right to a larger inheritance and a special blessing from his father
* Whoever received the birthright in Isaac’s family would become the patriarch of God’s chosen people
• Jacob wanted the birthright which belonged to his brother
• One day Esau was hungry; he asked Jacob for some food
• Jacob told him that he would give Esau a meal in exchange for his birthright; Esau agreed
• When Isaac was old and near death, Jacob and Rebekah tricked Isaac into thinking that Jacob was Esau
• Isaac gave the blessing to Jacob
• It is through Jacob’s family that God’s promise of a savior is carried out
• Jacob’s favored wife is Rachel
• In Genesis 32, Jacob is traveling and struggles with a messenger of God
• Because Jacob is not defeated, he is given a new name – Israel. This name means “he who wrestles with God”
• This new name is a sign of his new mission
• God’s chosen people would become known as Israelites.
• Jacob and Rachel had 12 sons
• From these 12 sons came the Twelve Tribes of Israel
The number 12 is symbolically significant in the Bible
- 12 symbolizes God’s power and authority
- It also symbolizes “perfect government” and completeness of a group or nation
- The number 12 is found 187 times in the Bible – 12 Patriarchs, 12 sons, 12 Tribes, 12 Apostles…