Sessions 7-8: Jacob and Esau
- Teresa
- Aug 15, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 14, 2020
Genesis 25 to 33
Abraham's son Isaac marries Rebekah and has twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Read or watch the story of Jacob and Esau. The story is split into 2 sessions to keep each short for the kids, but you can also cover it in 1 longer session.
Session 7: Jacob steals Esau's birthright
Genesis 25:19 - 27:45
Source: Crossroad Kids' Club on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGs1WfRKIoM
When Rebekah was pregnant, and the twins were struggling within her, Genesis 25:23 tells us what the Lord said to Rebekah:
"Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger"
How is this fulfilled in the story?
Even though Esau has the birthright as an older son, Jacob ultimately ends up with the blessing and birthright of the older son. Esau did not treasure his birthright - he sold it to his brother for a pot of stew.
Jacob also tricked his father into giving him the blessing reserved for the older son, by pretending to be Esau.
Jacob was already chosen in the womb as the son through which God's promises to Abraham would be fulfilled. God chooses Jacob not through his own merit - demonstrating that he did not choose his people out of any merit or wisdom, but simply through his love. CCC* 218 states that "In the course of its history, Israel [discovers] that God had only one reason to reveal himself to them, a single motive for choosing them among all peoples...:his sheer gratuitous love".
*CCC - Catechism of the Catholic Church
Later in the story, after Jacob flees his hometown, he also has a dream in Genesis 28:10 - where "he dreamed that there was a ladder to set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood above it and said "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give you and to your descendants; and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth.... and by you and your descendants shall all families of the earth bless themselves".
In this dream, God reiterates to Jacob his earlier promises to Abraham, of (1) land (2) nation and (3) worldwide blessings
You can also watch a video of Jacob's dream on Youtube:
Do you think Jacob and Rebekah were right to deceive Isaac? What are the consequences of Jacob's deception?
<Open ended - discussion on deceit>
Consequences for Jacob:
Jacob is exiled from home. He has to leave his family and flees to his uncle Laban's house in Haran.
There are also other consequences - in the next session we will see how he is tricked by his uncle Laban.
We will also see later in Genesis 39 (session 9), that Jacob will get a taste of his own medicine from his own sons who will deceive him regarding the fate of his son Joseph.
Session 8: Jacob has 12 sons and returns home
Video 1: Genesis 29-30 - Jacob, Leah and Rachel
Source: Bible Stories for Kids on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLAMMwVSmmI
Jacob flees to stay with his uncle Laban (Rebekah's brother) in Laban. There, he meets and falls in love with his cousin Rachel. He agrees to work for his uncle for 7 years to marry Rachel, but his uncle tricks him into marrying her older sister Leah. The trickster (Jacob) gets a taste of his own medicine. He works for another 7 years in order to marry Rachel.
Here is yet another example of sibling rivalry, this time between Leah and Rachel, as they compete for Jacob's affections as well as their ability to bear children (Genesis 29-30). Between Leah, Rachel and their handmaids, Jacob fathered 12 sons (and 1 daughter).
The 12 tribes of Israel would come from these 12 sons.
Video 2: Jacob returns home
Source: Crossroad Kids' Club on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zIbU866z6A
God tells Jacob to return home. On the way home, he wrestles with a man. Who does he wrestle with and what do you think Jacob learns from this?
Jacob wrestles with God (in some bible translations, an angel of God).
Jacob learns that it is God with whom he must wrestle with for his blessing, not his father / brother / uncle. He learns that it is God who is in control - and he has a permanent reminder of it - he will always have a limp, where God touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh.
Jacob's name is now changed from Jacob to Israel. God names Jacob to signify that he is God's servant, as well as the role that Jacob would play as patriarch to the nation of Israel.
How did Jacob feel about returning to ask for Esau's forgiveness earlier, and how did Esau treat Jacob when he arrived?
Jacob was afraid of Esau. He sends messengers with gifts in advance to appease Esau, who returned to tell him that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. Jacob was afraid and divided his people and flocks into two companies, so that half of them would survive if Esau destroyed one company. (Genesis 32: 3-8). When he saw Esau, he went in front, bowing to the ground seven times as he went.
Esau welcomed him with opened arms. "...Esau ran to meet him, embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept" (Genesis 33:1-4).
Reflect: What does Esau teach us about forgiveness, esp between siblings?
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