REBEKAH – Part 4

Learn: Matthew 5:43-45

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That ye may be children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

Read: Genesis 25:27-34

1. Use verse 27 to describe each of the sons of Rebekah and Isaac.
   NOTE: The word “plain” used to describe Jacob means amiable, pious, and cultured. The Hebrew word is actually “tam”, which means perfect or complete or mature. It is exactly the same word that God used to describe Job when he called him a perfect and upright man (Job 1:8). There was much work at home in caring for the flocks and overseeing the workers, so the description of Jacob as the son who stayed home shows his participation in the family business.
2. Rebekah and Isaac both loved the LORD, and knew what God had said concerning each of the boys (verse 23). How did the parents regard their sons and why? v 28
   NOTE: It should be realized that Esau was a “sportsman.” He hunted for pleasure, for there was no need for him to hunt for food as the family had expansive flocks. Neither was there the need to hunt to protect from danger.
3. WHAT did Esau want from Jacob and WHY?  vv 29, 30a
4. Give two reasons that Esau became known as Edom. v 25, v 30b
   NOTE: Later in Scripture we learn that the descendants of Esau were known as the Edomites, and lived in Seir, the area of red rock on the other side of the Dead Sea.
5. Jacob did not just hand his brother the red stew, but asked a price for it. What was the price that Jacob charged his brother for the stew?  v 31
6. Since Esau had the strength to return to the family encampment, was he really at the point of death as he claimed? v 32
7. What was included in the birthright that Esau so willingly sold to his brother for a bowl of stew?         Deuteronomy 21:17, Genesis 27:29, Genesis 18:19; 26:25
8. What was Esau’s feeling towards the birthright that he sold? v 34
9. How did God describe Esau and his lack of interest in the birthright? Hebrew 12:16
10. Of course, parents should love all of their children. At the same time, parents must look at their children through the lens of God’s Word, and deal with them according to God’s standards. Parents must not allow their emotional preferences to lead them to try to interfere with God’s will. Back in verse 23, what had the LORD told Rebekah (and through Rebekah conveyed to Isaac) concerning her sons?
11. According to verse 28, what began to happen to cloud Isaac’s thinking as regards to God’s plans for the boys?
12. Did Jacob go against God’s will when he legally purchased the birthright from his brother Esau? Explain. NOTE: People often consider Jacob the culprit in this account, but Scripture does not offer one word of condemnation or criticism of Jacob. Read: Genesis 26:1-35
13. Sometime after Esau carelessly sold his birthright, there was a famine in the land, and Isaac moved the family to Gerar, the territory of Abimelech king of the Philistines. What promise did the LORD give to Isaac while he was there? vv 3, 4
14. What reason did the LORD give to Isaac for blessing him? v 5
15. Isaac had God’s promise of blessing and protection, and then a test came to Isaac and Rebekah. What was it? vv 6, 7
16. It is often the case that after a time of growth and encouragement from the Lord, that he allows a trial and test to come into our lives. This is what happened to Isaac and Rebekah. Give two ways in which Isaac failed the test which God put before him? v 7
17. What is the lesson for us in seeing this failure on the part of Isaac and Rebekah?
18. How did the LORD rescue Isaac and Rebekah from the possibility of Rebekah being taken from Isaac and their marriage threatened? v 8
19. Because Isaac tried to solve the dilemma he and Rebekah were faced with in his own wisdom rather than going to the LORD for the answer, what happened to his witness before Abimelech? vv 9, 10
20. How were Isaac and his family and servants treated by the servants of Abimelech? vv 13-23  Give one or two sentence summary.
21. In spite of his troubles with Abimelech, what was God’s assurance to Isaac? vv 23, 24
22. Did Isaac believe God’s promise?  v 25, Explain.
23. How did Isaac show godly character in his dealings with Abimelech, after Isaac had been treated so badly by him? vv26-31   Give just a brief summary.
24. Use a concordance and find several Scriptures that tell us to treat our enemies with kindness.
25. How did Esau continue to show by his behavior, that he did not have a heart for God, but was a worldly (profane) man? vv 34,35