Genesis Part 2 - Week 9

Day 1 

READ 

Genesis 28:1-2 

¹ So Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and said, “You must not marry any of these Canaanite women. ² Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of your uncle Laban’s daughters.”  

Rebekah had wanted to send Jacob away for his safety. Isaac agrees and orders him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. Jacob was to visit Rebekah’s brother Laban and marry one of his daughters. Jacob, the “heel grabber” would learn many lessons in deception from Laban. 

REFLECT 

Have your parents ever forbidden you to marry someone of another culture? The reason for Isaac’s instructions were similar to telling him not to marry unbelievers in the God of Abraham. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 28:1-5. This reveals that Jacob did as his father instructed. It also reveals the blessing that Isaac gave Jacob as he sent him away.  

Day 2 

READ 

Genesis 28:8-9 

⁸ Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. ⁹ So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had. 

Esau realized his father did not want Jacob to marry any of the Canaanite women. So Esau did the opposite. Others he had married had been a grief to Isaac and Rebekah but that did not cause Esau to change his behavior. He had total disregard for what his parents desired. 

REFLECT 

Have you sometimes purposely done what you knew would displease your parents? This would be a violation of Ephesians 6:1-3. Believers can be forgiven, however, by confessing their sins as 1 John 1:9 promises. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 28:6-9 to see the account of Esau’s pleasure in disobeying what he knew his parents wanted.  

Day 3 

READ 

Genesis 28:10-12 

¹⁰ Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. ¹¹ At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. ¹² As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. 

On Jacob’s journey to Haran, he stopped to rest overnight. He dreamed of a stairway that “reached from the earth up to heaven.” That was special in itself, but he also saw “angels of God going up and down the stairway.” This was a special dream that would be highly significant to Jacob.  

REFLECT 

Have you ever dreamed about what heaven may be like? It will be a perfect place because believers in Jesus will be with Him forever. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 28:10-15. What God promised Jacob that night was similar to what He had promised Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3. God promised Jacob that all families of the earth would be blessed through him and his descendants. God also promised to protect Jacob and bring him back to the Promised Land. 

Day 4 

READ 

Genesis 28:16-17 

¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” ¹⁷ But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!” 

Jacob was startled when he awakened from his sleep. He sensed the place was “the house of God, the very gateway to heaven.” Jacob had several things in his background that surely made him feel unworthy at this time, but God had revealed to him something special.  

REFLECT 

Have you ever been frightened when you have awakened from a dream? Did it disappear from your thoughts or were you able to tell others about it? 

RESPOND  

With your friend read Genesis 28:16-22. Notice that Jacob changed the name of the place. Jacob also made a vow to God about what he would do if he returned home safely. It seems to be a conditional promise of Jacob although some believe it was unconditional.  

Day 5 

READ 

Genesis 29:1-3 

¹ Then Jacob hurried on, finally arriving in the land of the east. ² He saw a well in the distance. Three flocks of sheep and goats lay in an open field beside it, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. ³ It was the custom there to wait for all the flocks to arrive before removing the stone and watering the animals. Afterward the stone would be placed back over the mouth of the well. 

This well is included in another love story. How would it turn out? The custom is explained concerning when the well would be uncovered and covered again. This adds drama to Jacob and who he might meet at the well.  

REFLECT 

If you are married, was there some special item that was used in bringing you and your mate together? 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 29:1-8. This explains more about the custom of watering the livestock and the residents’ resistance to Jacob wondering why they do not remove the stone from the well.