THE BLESSING PASSES TO JACOB

 

 

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL

EXPLAIN the meaning of Jacob's vision; CHERISH God's presence in our personal experiences; and DETERMINE how to better hear and heed God's voice in our daily activities.

 

FOCAL VERSES GENESIS 28:1, 10-22

KEEP IN MIND

"And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of " (Genesis 28:15).

 

 

AT-A-GLANCE

1. A Solitary Place (Genesis 28:1, 10-11)

2. Jacob's Dream of God's Promise (vv. 12-15)

3. Jacob's Response to the Promise (vv. 16-12)

 

IN FOCUS STORY

"Honey, maybe you should reconsider leaving," said Layla's mother as she watched her daughter pack.

"Ma, I've been praying for a long time and I believe this the path God wants me to take."

When her mother took ill ten years ago, Layla put off her mission trip and moved back into her mother's house to take care of her. However, even after her mother had received a clean bill of health from the doctor, Layla stayed and continued to put her dream of helping orphans on hold. But now she really felt the Lord nudging her to go. "What if something happens? I'll be all alone," her mother cried.

"Oh Ma, don't cry," Layla said as she hugged her mother. "I don't know what the future holds, but I do know God is with me. If we have submitted our lives to Him, He promised to keep us. Guess who taught me that when she was sick?

"I did." Layla's mother could only laugh. "See, God was with you through you illness and He continues to be with you. We're never alone. And I, for one, am glad about that."

Just as God assured Jacob of His presence and promises, He promises to always be with us.

 

 

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, and TIMES

Jacob. Jacob was the younger of the twin sons of Rebekah and Isaac, who was the son of Abraham and Sarah. Jacob and his brother, Esau were always at odds with each other, even fighting in the womb (Genesis 25:22). In fact, Jacob's name means "he takes by the heel or he supplants" because when he was born, he was grasping his brother's heel as if he wanted to take Esau's place as firstborn. Jacob had a trickster nature and was skillful at making schemes, as was illustrated when he later used Esau's weakness to trick him into selling his birthright. Jacob "was a plain man, dwelling in tents" (v. 27), meaning he was quiet (a trait that no doubt afforded him the opportunity to better observe people's action and nature so he could better deceive them) and was more at ease in the home, "a man of the domestic domain, a man of culture." His character changed, however, after a divine encounter with an angel of God in which he wrestled with the "man" and was able to last until dawn (32:24-32). Jacob was then given the name Israel, which means "he struggles with God." He no longer was arrogant (32:9-10) and desired to make peace with Esau (33:1-20).

 

BACKGROUND

When an aging Isaac was ready to bless Esau, he told his son to go hunt wild game and make a stew for him before he would bless him (27:3-4). Rebekah devised a plan for Jacob, a willing participant, to steal Esau's blessing. She instructed Jacob t put on his brother's clothes and goat's skin to mimic Esau's hairiness while she made the stew herself. Isaac, who was going blind, though it was Esau who brought the stew, but it was Jacob. Isaac, then blessed his younger son, saying, "Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: curse be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee" (27:28-29).

When Esau heard what Jacob had done, he plotted to kill his brother. To save both sons (Esau would have been put to death for murdering Jacob), Rebekah told Jacob to run away to her brother, Laban, then plated in Issac's mind that it would be greatly bothersome to her if Jacob were to marry a local Canaanite woman (v. 46) as Esau had already done (26:34-35).

 

 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. Who is Jacob's father and what did he do (Genesis 28:1)?

2. Briefly describe Jacob's dream (vv. 10-12).

3. List the details of God's promise to Jacob (vv. 13-15).

4. How did Jacob respond to the dream and God's promise (vv. 16-22)?

 

DISCUSS THE MEANING

1. The issue of Jacobs ladder has been an inspiration through generations. Why do you think Jacob's vision involved a ladder rather than just angels descending? What might this mean for your life?

2. Why do you think the Lord delivered the message to Jacob rather than the angles delivering the message or even Jacob ascending the ladder to the Lord?

3. Jacob had found the place appropriate the night before, but in verse 17. he is said to be afraid. Why is that?

4. Why did Jacob's vow begin with the word "if"? How often have you made an "if" vow to the Lord?

5. Layla, in the In Focus story, believed God for a mission that he placed in her heart years before. What did God place in your heart that you have yet to act on? What stopped you? What will empower you to undertake it now?

 

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

Many young people and adults today fail to "be all they can be" because of economic hardship, socioeconomic status, lack of education, lack of opportunity, illness, or some other issue. The media and our peers sometimes cause us to forget about pursuing the dreams God placed in our hearts or our parents' hearts. As Apostolic believers, what power do we have to help encourage ourselves and others to pursue our destinies? Should we do so?

 

MAKE IT HAPPEN

1. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are able to commune with the Lord and to have the Holy Ghost guide our lives. What spiritual practices are you engaged in that help you more effectively tap into the power God has given you?

2. God informed Jacob that He would always be with him. In what ways has God shown He is with us? How can we invite God into all areas of our lives? If you do not have the Holy Ghost, you are missing an opportunity to commune with the Lord. Speak to the pastor today and ask to be baptized in Jesus' Name and to receive the Holy Ghost if you have not already done so.

(Except from Apostolic Light P.A.W.)

 

 

A BLESSING FOR ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

 

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, PARTICIPANTS WILL:

IDENTIFY the blessings God gave to Abraham's two sons, Isaac and Ismael; BELIEVE God's promises despite the circumstances, and PRAY for leading of the Holy Ghost in addressing the conflicts in our lives and our world.

 

FOCAL VERSES Genesis 21:13-14; 21:17-21; 26:2-5; 26:12-13

KEEP IN MIND

"In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed" (from Genesis 21:12-13).

 

AT-A-GLANCE

1. God's Promise for Ishmael (Genesis 21:13-14)

2. God's Protection and Provision for Ishmael (vv. 17-21)

3. God's Promise for Isaac (26:2-5, 12-13)

 

IN FOCUS STORY

Rita couldn't wait to meet her sister. Her parents had married when they were just out of high school, but the marriage fell apart quickly. Both of her parents remarried and eventually had other children. Rita's father had remained in contact but was never a big part of her life. Her mother's second marriage didn't last and soon after, Rita's mother became ill. During her mother's illness, an aunt cared for Rita and her brother. When her mother died, her father said that he was willing to take Rita, but not her brother. From that point on, she didn't see much of her father. Eventually he stopped calling. The last thing she had heard was that he has passed away.

Now years later, she received an interesting message on Facebook. It was from her sister, her father's daughter from his second marriage. They began to talk on the telephone and found that they had quite a bit in common. Both had been blessed despite the circumstances, and she was glad to hear that her father often talked about her and his regret that he had left her in the care of another relative. Now the two sisters would meet at last. They had lived very different lives, but they recognized that they were their father's children.

In today's lesson, we learn that although circumstances of birth can cruelly separate siblings, the loving kindness of God is poured out despite past pain.

 

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, and TIMES

Hager. Hager was an Egyptian girl who lived as a slave in the household of Abraham and Sarah. Although the Bible does not tell us, it is reasonable to assume that Hager may have been a part of a generous dowry paid to Abraham by Pharaoh (12:10-20). Giving slaves was a widely accepted practice. If this theory is correct, then it is easy for us to see that Hagar was at a distinct advantage among Sarah and the other Hebrew women. She had come from Egypt, a land that was economically, socially, and politically advanced. Now she was the property of a nomadic tribeswoman. She was both a foreigner and a slave among a people whose living conditions must have seemed quite primitive to her.

Concubines. In the ancient world, it was not unusual for men in power to have both wives and concubines. Concubines served many of the same roles as wives. The primary differences was their inability to actually marry the man. Often, this was a socioeconomic issue. If the concubine was a slave, then she could not marry her master.

Reasons for the practice of concubinage are numerous. Poor families could find financial relief by selling their daughters (Exodus 21:7-11; Judges 19:1), A concubine was often used to provide male heirs for a barren wife (Genesis 16:15-16) and often for multiplying both the available family workforce and the family wealth and status. Concubinage was also used to solidify political relationships between nations. Royal wives were sometimes inherited by succeeding kings (2 Samuel 12:8). We read of concubinage in the early Israelite history. Though they did not have the same status as the wife, concubines were not to be mistreated (Exodus 21:7-11) and were protected from being violated by other men (Genesis 35:22, 49:3-4). The sons of concubines were often treated as co-heirs with the sons of wives.

 

BACKGROUND

Not only does God make promises, He can be counted on to keep them. God promised Abraham that not only would he have a son, God would also "make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust earth, then shall they seed also be numbered" (from 13:16). Abraham was already an old man when God made this promise, and his wife, Sarah, was past childbearing age. More than ten years went by and still Abraham had no child. So it is not that surprising that Abraham had grown doubtful. Instead of trusting God to do what He said He would, Abraham foolishly listened to his wife, Sarah. She proposed that Abraham take her Egyptian slave, Hagar, as a concubine and father children through her. Hagar became pregnant and the domestic situation between the two women became so hostile that Hagar ran away.

Hagar was intercepted by the angel of the Lord on her way back to Egypt. The angel, perhaps a pre-incarnate presence of Jesus, told Hagar, "Return to the mistress [Sarah], and submit thyself under her hands...I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that is shall not be numbered for multitude" (from 16:9-10). Hagar believed that God would keep His promise to her, and she returned to Abraham and Sarah. Perhaps Hagar understood that if God could be with her in the wilderness, He could be with her in having to submit to Sarah. This is a wonderful reminder to us. We often want to run away from our problems, but God wants to demonstrate His power in the midst of our problems. When her son was born, Hagar obeyed the instructions she had received from the angel and named him Ishmael, which means "God hears."

 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. Concerning Ismael's future, what did God promise to Abraham and to Hagar (Genesis 21:13, 18)?

 

2. What intervention did God send to Hagar when she was in despair (vv. 17, 19)?

 

3. What were some of the blessings that God promised to Isaac (Genesis 26:2-4)?

 

4. What do these passages say about the outcomes for both Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21:20-21; Genesis 26:12-13)?

 

DISCUSS THE MEANING

1. What does this passage say about Egypt (Genesis 21;21; Genesis 26:2) and what impact did that have on the lives of Isaac and Ishmael?

 

2. In what ways did the parents honor God for the lives of Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 21:18-19; Genesis 26:5)?

 

3. In the In Focus story, Rita and her sister find common ground on which to meet. Consider people in your family or life with whom you have history of strife. How can you help to find common ground?

 

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

1. Many people, including Christians, have strong opinions about the strife between the Palestinians and Jews in Jerusalem. For most people, those opinions are driven by either the opinions of those around them or their biblical view. While the media, politicians, and even Christian leaders offer sound bites, we could better pray for peace if we understood the situation. How can we better learn about both sides of the argument so we can ask God to help us pray for peace in that area?

2. While we are reminded of the strife in the Middle East, we cannot ignore the violence in cities and towns across the United States. This lesson shows us that God blessed both of the sons of Abraham because God honored His promises. What promises has God made about the children in your home, community, or church? How are you helping them to reach the potential they have in God and protecting them from the violence around them? As people called by the Name of Jesus, what obligation do we have to intervene for our children and our communities?

 

3. Violence around the world is claiming the lives of children and families. Investigate what the P.A.W. International Missions Department is doing in various countries and determine how you, your family, and your church can help.

 

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Many of us know of situations of hurt and resentment within our own families. The causes for these estrangements are numerous, but the result is the same: bitterness and brokenness. Think about some of those situations in you family. Pray and ask God to use you to help reconcile family members.

 

(Except from The Apostolic Light P.A.W.)

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A PROMISE TO SARAH

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL:

SUMMARIZE God's promise to Sarah; APPRECIATE the promises God has kept in our lives; and THANK God for His faithfulness across generations.

FOCAL VERSES  Genesis 17:15-17; 18:9-15; 21:1-7

KEEP IN MIND

"For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him" (Genesis 21:2).

AT-A-GLANCE

1. Sarah's Part in the Promise (Genesis 17:15-17)

2. The Promise Confirmed (18:9-15)

3. The Promise Kept (21:1-7)

IN FOCUS STORY

Amelia and Derek never thought that when they said " I do" seven years ago, they would ever face a problem like this one. "If you go to full term, the baby could be stillborn," the doctor said gravely. "But is there at least a chance of our daughter being born all right?" asked Derek. "Very small."

"What do we do, Derek?" Amelia pleaded with her husband. "We've got to pray about this, Derek resolved.

Amelia and Derek had always thought there wouldn't be any problems once they started a family. They had waited because they wanted to make sure they were mature enough to be parents, but now it seemed their first child wasn't going to survive.

"I think we should go full term," Amelia finally said after she and Derek had arrived home. "I know the situation looks bleak, but we've prayed about having kids and we believed God was going to bless us to be parents.

Amelia and Derek put their faith in God's promise, and not only was their daughter born healthy, but they are now in the process of adopting a son.

Sometimes a situation may look just as impossible as it did for Abraham and Sarah. However, today's lesson teaches that no matter the circumstances, God keeps His promises.

THE PEOPLE, PLACES, and TIMES

Childlessness. The culture of Abraham and Sarah was a patriarchal one in which inheritance was handed down from father to son. Therefore, it was of the utmost importance for a woman to have children because "childlessness threatened the very perpetuation of the political and economic structure of [their] society" (Redford, The Pentateuch, 74). If a wife was barren, she was of little worth and considered cursed. There were few options for childless couples - they could adopt a servant or have children by surrogacy. If a wife made her servant a surrogate for her husband, the child would actually belong to the wife. Although this was the custom, surrogacy was not without its troubles, as Scripture illustrates in the rancor among Sarah, her maid Hagar, and Abraham.

Bedouin tent. The Bedouins are a nomadic people who have been desert dwellers for thousands of years. They live in tents, allowing them to break camp whenever they need to move. Abraham lived the nomadic lifestyle and would have lived in a tent like the Bedouins. The tent in Bible time were larger than the tents of today. Abraham's tent would have had a least two sections. The front section was where the men lived and received guests. When it was warm, this section could be opened. The section for women was separated from the men by a curtain made of goat hair. Some tents had a third section for servants or cattle.

 

BACKGROUND

In His initial message, God told Abraham, who was still called Abram, to leave his home (Genesis 12:1). He promised to make Abram a great nation, make his name great, and make him a blessing to the entire world (vv. 2-3). Once in Canaan, God spoke to Abram a second time, saying He would give the land to Abram's descendants (12:7). In the third communication, God was more specific about the part of Canaan He would give to Abram's offspring, who would be "like the dust of the earth" (13:16, NIV). Genesis 15 encompasses God's fourth communication with Abram. 1) God said Abram's heir would be from his own flesh, and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (vv. 4-5). 2) God reiterated that Canaan would belong to Abram (v. 7) through his descendants, who would endure four hundred years of enslavement (vv. 12-17) before taking possession. 3) God was even more specific about the land Abram's offspring would possess (vv. 18-21). Today's lesson text begins in the midst of God's fifth communication with Abram. Twenty-four years had passed since God made His initial promise to Abram, and God was explicit about the details of the promise. God changed Abram's name to Abraham to reflect that he would be the father of many nations. There would be kings in his lineage, God would always be their God, and Canaan would be their land forever (17:4-8). As a sign of his covenant, Abraham and all the males in his house were circumcised and, thereafter, each male would be circumcised at eight days old (vv. 9-14).

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. What did God promise Sarah (Genesis 17:16)?

2. Why did Abraham laugh (v. 17)?

3. What was God's response to Sarah's laughter (18:13-14)?

4. What did Abraham name the child (21:3)?

 DISCUSS THE MEANING

1. What facets of this promise proved that nothing was too hard for God (Genesis 18:14)?

2. God knew that Sarah would give Abraham a son. Why do you think He waited to let Isaac be born after Ishmael? What can be said about God's timing of his blessings and promises?

3. In the In Focus story, Amelia and Derek believed in God for a miracle in the birth of their child despite a bleak situation. Where in your life have you had to exercise that type of faith?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

We live in a society that expects quick answer and quick fixes. Developing faith however, is a process that grows stronger with time.

1. Have you ever waited for a promise of God to be fulfilled? How did you maintain your trust in God while waiting?

2. How can we help new saints or the next generation to learn to "wait on the Lord"?

MAKE IT HAPPEN

1. We focus so much on waiting for a promise from God that we forget all He has already done. The next week, take time each morning to prayerfully write down at least three promises God has already kept for you. At the end of the week, set aside time to thank God for His faithfulness. Hang this list of promises where you can see it every day to help remember to be thankful.

 
 
2. The Holy Ghost is the ultimate promise of God and was made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you are saved, what are you doing to strengthen your faith? If you are unsaved, what is hindering you from being baptized in Jesus' Name and receiving the Holy Ghost? What must you do today to act on your faith in God?

 

(Except from The Apostolic Light)

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A PROMISE OF LAND

 

 

BY THE END OF THE LESSON, WE WILL:

EXPLAIN the significance of God's covenant with Abraham; TRUST God to keep His promise; and TELL others about the inheritance God promises to give His people.

 

FOCAL VERSES Genesis 15:7-21

KEEP IN MIND

"In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18).

 

AT-A-GLANCE

1. Abram's Uncertainty (Genesis 15:7-11)

2. God's Promise (vv. 12-16)

3. God's Covenant Confirmed (vv. 17-21)

 

IN FOCUS STORY

Mariam never doubted that her parents would always be there for her. As a child, she knew her parents were not rich or even extremely well off, but her family life was centered on the church and their love. When her father suffered several strokes, things began to change. The paycheck the family had come to depend on was replaced by disability check. Her mother had always worked, but now she also worked part time at a friend's company. To help, Mariam also worked a second job. Through it all, her father's health was failing, but his spirit was high. God has something for us that we can never imagine," he would say.

One day, Mariam came home to find both her parents in tears. A letter had come from her uncle in Mississippi. It seemed that the patch of land her grandmother had owned was found to contain a rich ore. Her father's older brother lived there, but never suspected the land was worth much. Now a company was willing to mine the land and pay a tremendous sum to the owners. Her father's brother had written to say that their two families would now get well over two million dollars each. As she joined her parents in crying, Mariam heard her father say, "I told you we could never imagine."

All believers will receive an inheritance from God. In today's lesson, we will examine the inheritance God promised Abraham and Sarah.

 

PEOPLE, PLACES, AND TIMES

ABRAM. Abram grew up in the Euphrates River town Ur, in what is now southern Iraq. For unknown reasons, his father, Terah, decided to move his entire extended family to Canaan (Genesis 11:31). Terah stopped halfway to Canaan. He settled some six hundred miles upriver in the busy caravan town of Haran, of Turkey's side of the border with Syria. After Terah died, God told Abram to finish the trip to Canaan (12:1-3). God also promised to make him into a great nation, even though he and Sari had no children. Abram obeyed God and moved his family and herds southward to Canaan, an area now known as Israel (12:4-5).

 

 

 

CANAAN. A name of the country west of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, and between those waters and the Mediterranean. The name means "belonging to the land of the red purple." It was a land in which the Canaanites and Phoenician traders trafficked in red-purple dye obtained from the spiny warm-water shellfish called murex on the Mediterranean coast. The land is now known as Palestine. The Canaanites engaged in nature worship and had prostituted goddesses and many other gods. The land was given by God to Abram and the Children of Israel (12:7; Exodus 6:4).

 

BACKGROUND

Abram was a descendant of Shem, Noah's son. His father, Terah, moved the family from Ur to Haran, which was near Canaan. Terah never completed the journey to Canaan. God directed Abram at seventy-five years old to pack up and move his family, servants, and possessions to Canaan (12:1-5). He promised to grow Abram's family and make them a great nation. By faith, Abram obeyed God and traveled to Canaan. God appeared to Abram in Canaan and promised to give the land to his offspring (12:7). His wife, Sarai, was sixty-six years old at this time.

A severe famine in the land caused Abram to take his family to Egypt to live for a while, He made Sarai lie and tell the Egyptians she was his sister (12:10-13). Abram feared they would see how beautiful she was and kill him to keep her there for Pharaoh. They were treated very kindly and given animals and servants by Pharaoh. Later, serious diseases afflicted Pharaoh and his household because of the lie Sarai and Abram told (12:17-20). Pharaoh sent them out of Egypt. Abram was more wealthy than when he came to Egypt.

Both Abram and his nephew, Lot, had acquired many livestock. The lank in Canaan could not sustain both their livestock and possessions. to avoid conflict among the herders, Abram let Lot choose land to live on. Lot chose to live near the wicked city of Sodom because it had good pasture and dependable water supply. After lot departed, and innumerable offspring (13:14-17). Abram moved his family and possessions to Hebron.

A war broke out amongst the kings in the area, including the king of Sodom-he would eventually flee and retreat (14:8-10). All the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah were seized, along with Lot. Abram assembled 318 trained men and went to rescue Lot (14:14-16). Abram rescued Lot and the other captives. He also recovered all their goods and possessions.

 

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

1. What did God promise Abram and his descendants (Genesis 15:7, 16)?

2. What id Abram ask God (v. 8)? What was God's response (v. 9)?

3. How did God ratify the covenant He made with Abram (v.17)?

 

DISCUSS THE MEANING

1. Abram wanted proof or assurance from God that His promise would be fulfilled. Why is it so difficult to trust God's promises without having proof?

2. According to verse 9, when God told Abram what to do, Abram followed God's directions. Had God given Abram "proof," or did God build up Abram's faith?

3. In the In Focus story, Mariam's father believed God even though he had no idea what God would do. Given his circumstances, how do you think he was able to "keep the faith"? What did Mariam's father's faith do for the rest of the family?

 

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY

1. We live in a time when few people seem to be trustworthy. Politicians, scientist, and even religious leaders promise things but fail to deliver. Such mistrust has made it difficult for unsaved folks to trust God or the church. As Apostolic people, should we be held to a higher standard than faith traditions that do not profess an indwelling of Holy Ghost? Why?

 

2. When God made His promise to Abram, He gave Abram the task of preparing an offering. What offering do you think God expects of His people today?

 

MAKE IT HAPPEN

God promised an inheritance to those who put their trust in Him. This week, share God's promises with unsaved loved ones so they, too, can one day dwell in that holy city with God.

 

(Except from The Apostolic Light)

 

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